What a repair fixes, and when it turns into a bigger job
A repair replaces the part that failed: a fitting, a valve or a short length of pipe. A leak inside a wall or under a floor adds two steps, finding the exact spot and opening the surface, so ask each company whether its price includes both.
Two leaks in the same line within a short time is the point to price repiping beside another patch.
What leak repair costs in Florida
A leak repair comes to $115 to $465 per repair on our model. It rests on 3 national published ranges adjusted by Florida's plumber wage ratio, and it is an estimate, not a quote. No permit fee is added, because whether a repair needs a permit is your building department's call.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $115 to $465 per repair | Built from 3 national published ranges, adjusted by the Florida plumber wage ratio (0.78). Four Florida plumbing companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (one counted Florida company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Plumber wage, Florida mean | $26.94 an hour | BLS May 2025 mean hourly pay of a plumber in Florida; a company bills at its own rate, which can differ. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (3 sources), adjusted by Florida's plumber wage ratio to the US (0.78, BLS May 2025), plus the local permit fee where the city publishes one. Not a quote. Four Florida plumbing companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Only one Florida company publishes a price we could count for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 24, 2026.
Who owns the pipe between the meter and the street
Pembroke Pines and Pompano Beach each publish a service-line map marking the pipe material on the public and the private side. Neither map says who pays to fix which side, so call your water utility and ask where its part ends.
Do that before a company digs near the meter.
Who may be paid to repair a leak in Florida
Section 489.113(2) requires a person who contracts for this work to hold a DBPR certificate or a registration, and a business tax receipt does not count as one (489.127(1)). Work of a casual, minor or inconsequential nature priced under $2,500 for labor, materials and everything else is exempt under 489.103(9), but not when it is one piece of a larger job or when the person advertises as a contractor.
A company that says your repair falls under the $2,500 exemption should be able to say why. Search the company's name or license number on the DBPR portal before work starts.
Leaks to call about right away
- Water is pouring from a pipe and the main valve is the only thing that slows it.
- Water is running into the panel or an outlet.
- A ceiling is bulging or dripping under a bathroom or the water heater.
- A drip at a faucet or a supply line that its own stop valve ends.
- A damp spot that dries and stays dry once the water is off.
Before you call
- Shut off every fixture and watch the meter dial or the leak indicator. Movement means water is escaping.
- Close each stop valve under the sinks and toilets one at a time and note which drip stops.
- Dry the wet spot, lay a paper towel over it and look again after an hour.
- Find the main valve so you can tell a company which side of it the leak is on.
Will a leak repair in Florida need a permit?
Section 553.79(1)(a) makes it unlawful to construct, alter, modify or repair a building without a permit from the local enforcing agency, which is your city or county building department. The 2026 exemption for work under $7,500 on a single-family home excludes plumbing, in effect from July 1, 2026.
Jacksonville charges $11.00 per $100 of estimated cost for repairs to water, waste, drain and sewer pipe, and leaves faucet, valve and water-closet tank repairs out of that charge. Its Building Inspection Division is at 904-255-8500.
Before any work starts, ask for the company's plumbing contractor license number and search it on DBPR's license search.
Questions people ask
Do I need a permit to fix a leaking pipe in Florida?
The permit statute covers repairs, and your city or county applies it. Section 553.79(1)(a) bars repairing a building without a permit from the local enforcing agency. The building department for your address says whether a given repair is permitted work.
Who pays for a leak between my meter and the street?
Your water utility can tell you. Pembroke Pines and Pompano Beach map the line material on each side of the meter. Where the utility's responsibility ends is a question for the utility.
How much does a Florida leak repair run?
$115 to $465 per repair for planning, from our model. Ask each company whether finding the leak and opening the wall or floor are inside its price.
Can I fix a leak myself without a license?
On your own home, usually, under the owner-builder rule. Section 489.103(7) lets an owner act as their own contractor on a one- or two-family residence for the owner's own use, with direct, onsite supervision. The owner signs any permit application personally.
Is there a three-day cancellation right on a repair contract?
Home solicitation sales carry one; ask whether yours counts. Section 501.031 gives the buyer until midnight of the third business day after signing to cancel a home solicitation sale agreement. Ask the company whether its contract falls under that section.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), Florida, mean hourly wage Read Oct 24, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), United States, mean hourly wage Read Oct 24, 2026.
- PlumberMatch: how we estimate costs, Florida (editorial policy) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Fla. Stat. 553.79 (2025), Permits; applications; issuance; inspections Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Fla. Stat. 553.79(1)(g) (2026) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Fla. Stat. 489.127 (2025), Prohibitions; penalties Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Fla. Stat. 489.103(9) and (17) (2025) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- DBPR Licensing Portal: License Search Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Fla. Stat. 501.031 (2025), Buyer's right to cancel; 501.021 definitions Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Jacksonville.gov: City Fees (Sec. 320.409) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Jacksonville.gov: Building Inspection Division Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Pembroke Pines: EPA Lead & Copper Rule Water Service Line Inventory Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Pompano Beach: 2024 Water Quality Report Read Oct 24, 2026.