Oakland Sewer LateralGet quotes

Albany Sewer Lateral Rules: The Upper Lateral Program

Albany calls its version the Upper Sewer Lateral Program, and the name tells you the main thing. Owners are responsible for the pipe from the building to the curbside cleanout, not all the way to the main. Albany joined EBMUD's regional program on January 1, 2015, so EBMUD issues the certificate, but the City sets the permit, cleanout, and pipe rules and inspects the work too.

Quick facts. Certificate: EBMUD Compliance Certificate. Owner's part: the upper lateral, from the building to the curbside cleanout. City permit: a Plumbing and/or Encroachment Permit. Inspections: City and EBMUD. City Permit Counter: (510) 528-5760.

Which part is yours

Albany splits the lateral at the curbside cleanout. The upper lateral, from your building to that cleanout, is yours to maintain, repair, and replace. The lower lateral, from the cleanout to the main, isn't. Only the upper lateral is tested for the EBMUD certificate. Condos and HOAs can be different, and EBMUD's guidelines for common interest developments apply there.

Albany Municipal Code Section 15-1.22 sets the standards your upper lateral has to meet. It must be free of roots and grease, have watertight joints and sound pipe, have no cracks, breaks, sags, or offsets, have a capped two-way cleanout at the property line or the sewer main easement, and have no roof drains or other non-sewer connections.

When you need a certificate

Under the regional program and the City code, the upper lateral has to be certified when:

  • Ownership or title of the property is transferred
  • You build or remodel over $100,000
  • You change the size of your water meter

You can also certify voluntarily, for example after frequent backups.

A pre-2015 replacement may get you out of it

If your lateral was fully replaced before January 1, 2015, the signed-off permit isn't expired, and the City can verify the replacement, you may qualify for an EBMUD Exemption Certificate instead. EBMUD checks with the City, and the exemption runs out when the City's documentation does.

The City permit

The City code requires a written permit from the Director of Public Works before anyone builds, repairs, replaces, or abandons a building sewer. Clearing a stoppage doesn't need one. The City's spec sheet says the contractor gets a Plumbing and/or Encroachment Permit from the Community Development Department before construction starts. The application includes:

  • A list of the materials that will be used
  • The permit fee
  • A site plan showing the lateral, its connection to the public sewer, and all cleanouts, when Public Works asks for one

Albany's cleanout and pipe specs

When you replace the upper lateral, the City requires a two-way sanitary sewer cleanout, and its spec sheet shows these details:

  • A two-way cleanout with no baffle and a loose cap
  • A mushroom-style backflow preventer with a loose cap
  • ABS, SDR-17, cast iron, or other City-approved pipe
  • Cast iron for any cleanout or section of sewer line under a driveway or driveway approach

Bigger buildings need bigger pipe. Under the City's Upper Sanitary Sewer Lateral Compliance Policy, laterals serving residential buildings with three or more units, and all commercial buildings, have to be rehabilitated with pipe at least 6 inches across. If you own a triplex or a storefront, make sure every bid is priced for 6-inch pipe.

Step by step

  1. Hire a licensed contractor to inspect the upper lateral.
  2. If it needs work, the contractor gets the City permit.
  3. The lateral is repaired or replaced.
  4. Schedule inspections with both the City and EBMUD. City inspections need 24 hours' notice from the time you call (510) 528-5760. Your contractor sets up the verification test, and an EBMUD inspector witnesses it.
  5. If it fails, more work is needed and the EBMUD test has to be rescheduled.
  6. Once it passes, EBMUD issues the certificate.
  7. Finish sidewalk restoration and any other permit conditions, then schedule the City's final inspection.

That last step is easy to forget. The EBMUD certificate and the City permit final are separate, and you want both closed out.

Certificate length and extensions

A certificate lasts 20 years after a complete replacement, and 7 years if the lateral passed as-is or after repairs. If you're selling and can't finish in time, the Time Extension Certificate comes from EBMUD: a $142 fee, a $4,500 refundable deposit at title transfer, and 180 days from the TEC issue date to get the certificate.

What it costs

EBMUD's Compliance Certificate fee is $407 under fees effective July 1, 2026. We couldn't find a published amount for Albany's plumbing or encroachment permit on a lateral job, so that is unconfirmed. Ask the Permit Counter or have your contractor list it separately.

Need the upper lateral and cleanout done in Albany? Get bids from contractors who know the City's specs.

Get up to 3 contractor quotes

Related guides

Other nearby cities

Sources

We checked every fee, deadline and rule on this page against these official pages on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with EBMUD or your city before you rely on them.