Keep Our Kentucky Plumbing Code

The Kentucky Plumbing Industry Choice for 70 Years

The Commonwealth of Kentucky has adopted its own code since the National Plumbing Code Coordinating Committee issued its final report of 1951. Since that time the code has been maintained and updated according to Kentucky Statute KRS 318.130. Plumbing subject matter experts in the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction have maintained the most rigorous standards, updating the code as recently as 2020.

Changing the Kentucky Plumbing Code would create a huge disruption!

Changing the code would create a huge disruption and a total cost of millions of dollars that would ultimately have to be borne by the homeowners and taxpayers of Kentucky. Every jurisdiction and plumbing contractor would need to purchase all new code manuals, training materials and also retrain all:

Plumbers
Apprentices
Contractors
Plumbing Engineers
Code Officials (both plumbing and otherwise)
Home Builders
Training Institutions / Curricula and Faculty

The Kentucky Plumbing Code is one of the few remaining state-authored codes in the country. It is important for every plumber in the Commonwealth to have a voice and show support for our plumbing code, for the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction who maintains and updates the code, and for our choice to continue using OUR code.

There are several national model codes. Two of those are developed and maintained by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials: the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) and the National Standard Plumbing Code (NSPC), also known as the New Jersey Plumbing Code. IAPMO has always supported the plumbing industry in Kentucky and continues to support the use of the Kentucky Plumbing Code.

However, other organizations may be more interested in having a different plumbing code adopted in Kentucky, whether the industry supports it or not. As an example, the State of New Jersey was recently preparing to update to the 2021 National Standard Plumbing Code when they were pressured to review and consider a different national plumbing code. This potential code change was not supported by anyone in the New Jersey plumbing industry and New Jersey plumbers were forced to fight to save the code they have used since 1977.

Don’t let what almost happened in New Jersey happen in Kentucky!

Sign our petition to support KRS318, the Kentucky Plumbing Code. Your support will be conveyed to legislators and to the KY Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction.