Permits are pulled locally, not by the state
A state license or registration establishes that a business is allowed to contract for work; the permit itself is issued by your city or county building department, a separate step with its own fee and timeline that varies by jurisdiction, not by state law alone.
That's why two shower jobs of similar scope, one in each of two different cities in the same state, can have noticeably different permit costs and wait times even though the same state contractor rules apply to both.
What triggers a permit for shower work
Moving or replacing a shower valve or drain, changing the shower's footprint, or altering framing typically requires a permit; swapping only cosmetic surface finishes with no plumbing or structural change is more likely, though not guaranteed, to fall under a lighter threshold.
Check with your specific building department rather than assuming based on a neighboring city's rule, since thresholds and exemptions differ locally even within the same state.
What an inspector actually checks
A rough-in inspection, scheduled before walls are closed up, confirms the valve, drain and any vent piping are connected correctly and hold pressure under test; this is the inspection that has to happen before tile or panels can go up.
A final inspection, after fixtures are connected and the water is running, confirms everything works as installed and that nothing was changed from what the rough-in inspection approved.
Common reasons an inspection doesn't pass the first time
Covering rough plumbing with drywall or backer board before the rough-in inspection happens is one of the most common issues, since the inspector then can't see what they need to check without opening the wall back up.
A missing pressure-balance or thermostatic valve where code requires one, or a maximum-temperature setting that wasn't field-adjusted, are two specific plumbing items inspectors commonly flag on shower jobs.
Scheduling your own inspection too far in advance of the work actually being ready is a simpler, avoidable issue: an inspector who shows up to find the job isn't at the right stage yet may need to be rescheduled, adding days to the timeline.
Getting an inspection scheduled without losing days
Many building departments book inspection slots a day or more out, so a contractor who calls in a request the moment rough plumbing is finished, rather than waiting a day to confirm everything looks right first, keeps the job moving instead of sitting idle waiting on a callback.
Ask your contractor how they typically time this on a job like yours, since a contractor experienced with your specific local department will usually already know its booking patterns and slow points.
If a job stalls waiting on an inspection slot, ask whether the department offers any faster path, some allow a self-certification option for minor work, or a virtual inspection for certain straightforward items, though availability varies widely by jurisdiction and isn't something to count on without checking first.