Do I need a permit for a kitchen remodel?

Permit requirements are set by the city or county building department, not by a national rule, but the pattern is consistent across the US:

• No permit typically required: repainting, refinishing cabinets in their existing footprint, replacing a sink or dishwasher in the same location with the same connections, countertop swaps, backsplash, and flooring.
• Permit required: moving a sink, relocating the stove or range hood, adding or removing a wall (even a non-load-bearing one in many jurisdictions), changing the gas line routing, running new electrical circuits, adding recessed lighting, or expanding the kitchen footprint.

In California, LADBS treats a kitchen "remodel" as requiring a building permit the moment any circuit is added or any plumbing is re-routed. In New York City, any kitchen work that touches gas lines triggers a DOB limited alteration application (LAA) plus a separate gas inspection. In Chicago, the 2022 building code update requires a permit for any electrical work beyond a like-for-like fixture swap.

The cost of unpermitted work is rarely the permit fee — it is what happens at resale. A home inspector flags the addition of a circuit that isn't on the permit history, the buyer's lender either makes you legalize the work retroactively or walks from the deal, and retroactive permits usually cost 2-4x what the original permit would have cost.

AskBaily can scope your project in 5 minutes, flag whether a permit is likely required in your specific city, and route you to one licensed contractor who will pull the permit in their name.