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CostRunning Toilet

How much does it cost to fix a running toilet in Virginia?

Often very little: most running toilets need only a new flapper or fill valve, inexpensive parts many owners fit themselves. A plumber's bill depends on the service call, which part fails, whether the tank has to come off the bowl, and whether the shut-off valve needs replacing. Leaving it running costs more, because the water goes through your meter.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Confirm the leak

    Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait without flushing; color in the bowl means water is leaking past the flapper.[2]

  2. Step 2: Check the water level

    Mark the tank's water line, flush, and see whether the level comes back to the mark or keeps rising into the overflow tube.[1]

  3. Step 3: Note the toilet's make

    Look inside the tank and on the back of the bowl for a brand and model, and photograph the flapper or seal, so you or a plumber can match the parts.

  4. Step 4: Try the cheap fix first

    Replace a worn flapper with one of the same size and set the chain with one or two links of slack.[7]

  5. Step 5: Read your meter

    With the toilet's shut-off closed and no water running anywhere, watch the meter; if it still moves, there may be a hidden leak elsewhere.[6]

  6. Step 6: Ask for a written quote

    If you hire it out, get the price, the parts and the warranty in writing before work starts.[11]

Fixing a running toilet is usually one of the cheapest plumbing repairs in a house. Loudoun Water puts it simply: "Often a toilet leak can be repaired with inexpensive parts."[1] EPA notes that most toilet leaks come from worn flappers, and that a flapper is an inexpensive part, typically made from rubber, plastic, or silicone.[3] What moves the bill is who does the work, which part has actually failed, and how long the toilet runs before anyone fixes it.

A gray toilet flapper lifted off the flush valve opening, its yellow underside stained and worn, with the overflow tube behind it
Ranch9613, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

What a running toilet costs you while it runs

The water is the hidden cost. Loudoun Water notes: "These leaks can range in size from less than a gallon per hour to multiple gallons per hour."[1] EPA warns: "An old or worn flapper can cause your toilet to flush on its own or silently leak thousands of gallons a year."[2] Chesterfield County's utilities department goes further: "Toilet leaks typically result in a greater waste of water at a higher rate than any other type of leak."[4]

That water is on your bill. Prince William Water reminds customers that you as the customer are responsible for all water passing through the water meter.[5] Chesterfield County notes that a plumbing leak on the customer's side of the meter can affect the water or wastewater bill.[4] Across all household leaks, EPA's estimate is: "Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills."[2]

If a running toilet has already pushed up a bill, ask your utility about a leak adjustment before you pay. In Chesterfield County, customers must repair the leak within 30 days after first learning of it and submit documentation, and requests are evaluated against the household's average water use for the same period over the past three years.[4] Prince William Water says customers with a leak on their side of the meter may be eligible for a courtesy adjustment.[5] Policies differ by utility, so keep the receipt for the part or the plumber's invoice.

What drives a plumber's price

No single price fits every running toilet, because the same symptom can be a quick part swap or a tank-off repair. Ask a plumber to quote on these points:

  • The service call. Ask whether there is a trip or diagnostic fee, and whether it comes off the repair if you go ahead.
  • Which part failed. A flapper or a fill valve is the quick end of the job. A flush valve seal on a tower or canister toilet is model-specific, and "A worn or damaged toilet flush valve seal can cause running toilets, weak flushes, and hard-to-flush toilets."[8]
  • Whether the tank comes off. To replace a cracked flush valve, the tank has to be detached from the bowl and rebolted, and Korky warns: "Do not over-tighten the nuts, as it can cause the porcelain to crack."[9] That is more labour. Since replacing a flush valve is less common, Korky suggests replacing the fill valve and flush valve at the same time,[9] which adds parts but saves a second visit.
  • The shut-off valve. An old valve behind the toilet that will not close, or leaks once turned, may need replacing too, which can mean shutting off the whole house.
  • Timing. Ask whether evening, weekend or emergency rates apply. A running toilet can usually wait for a booked visit if you close its shut-off valve between flushes.

Repair or replace the toilet

A running toilet is rarely a reason on its own to buy a new one. Replacement starts to make sense when the china is cracked, parts for an old model are hard to find, or the toilet uses far more water than it needs to. EPA notes: "Older, inefficient toilets that use as much as 6 gallons per flush also happen to be a major source of wasted water in many homes." WaterSense labeled models use 1.28 gallons per flush or less.[3]

Some Virginia localities help pay for the swap. When we checked on October 26, 2026, the City of Charlottesville offered its residents a rebate of up to $150 for replacing a toilet that uses 1.6 gallons per flush or more with a WaterSense labeled model, for toilets bought or installed after October 1, 2024, up to three per household, and said the program is based on funding and may be discontinued at any time.[10] Check with your own water utility. For the full comparison, see whether to repair or replace an old toilet and what replacing a toilet costs in Virginia.

Getting a fair quote

Plumbing in Virginia is licensed work: Virginia requires a master tradesman licence as a condition of licensure for plumbing contractors.[12] Check the licence on DPOR's site before you book. For larger jobs, the Board for Contractors reminds homeowners that "Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work," and suggests an initial deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less.[11] Even for a small repair, ask for the part names, the labour charge and any warranty in writing.

Before you call, a meter check rules out a bigger problem. Close the toilet's shut-off valve, turn off every tap and appliance, and watch the meter; as Richmond's utilities department puts it, "If the meter is still moving, you may have a hidden leak."[6] See how to find a hidden water leak if the toilet turns out not to be the cause.

Stop and call a pro if

  • The flush valve is cracked or the tank has to come off the bowl.
  • The shut-off valve will not close, or leaks when you turn it.
  • Water is on the floor, or leaking at the tank bolts or the base.
  • The meter keeps moving with the toilet's valve closed.
  • New parts have not stopped the running.

To do it yourself first, see how to fix a running toilet, and for help deciding, when to call a plumber for a running toilet. You can also browse plumbing repair answers or find plumbers in Blacksburg.

Ready for a price? Describe the running toilet once and licensed local plumbers quote it.

Common questions

Is it worth calling a plumber just for a running toilet?
Often not for a plain flapper or fill valve, which are inexpensive parts made to be swapped by hand. It is worth it when the flush valve is cracked, the tank has to come off the bowl, the shut-off valve will not close, or water is reaching the floor.
What makes a plumber's price higher?
The service call or trip charge, the part that failed, model-specific parts for tower or canister flush valves, separating the tank from the bowl to replace a flush valve, replacing a seized shut-off valve, and after-hours timing. Ask for each to be listed on the written quote.
Can I get money back on my water bill for a running toilet?
Some Virginia utilities consider it. Chesterfield County takes leak adjustment requests if the leak is repaired within 30 days of first learning about it and documented, and Prince William Water says customers with a leak on their side of the meter may be eligible for a courtesy adjustment. Ask your own utility.
Should I replace the whole toilet instead?
Consider it when the toilet is old, cracked or uses far more water per flush than a modern one. EPA says older toilets can use as much as 6 gallons per flush, against 1.28 or less for WaterSense models. Some localities, such as Charlottesville, offer rebates while funding lasts.
How do I check a plumber's licence in Virginia?
Virginia requires a master tradesman licence as a condition of licensure for plumbing contractors. You can look up any plumber or plumbing contractor on DPOR's website before you book.

Sources

  1. [1] Check For Leaks, Loudoun Water. Checked October 26, 2026.
  2. [2] Fix a Leak Week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense. Checked October 26, 2026.
  3. [3] Residential Toilets, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense. Checked October 26, 2026.
  4. [4] High Usage and Leaks, Chesterfield County, Virginia, Department of Utilities. Checked October 26, 2026.
  5. [5] Leak, Prince William Water. Checked October 26, 2026.
  6. [6] Fix a Leak Week: Simple Steps to Save Water and Money, City of Richmond, Department of Public Utilities. Checked October 26, 2026.
  7. [7] How to Replace a Toilet Flapper, Korky (Lavelle Industries). Checked October 26, 2026.
  8. [8] What Flush Valve Seal Do I Need?, Korky (Lavelle Industries). Checked October 26, 2026.
  9. [9] How to Install a Flush Valve, Korky (Lavelle Industries). Checked October 26, 2026.
  10. [10] WaterSense Labeled Toilet Rebates, City of Charlottesville, Virginia. Checked October 26, 2026.
  11. [11] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, DPOR. Checked October 26, 2026.
  12. [12] Code of Virginia § 54.1-1100. Definitions, Code of Virginia, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 26, 2026.

Want a pro to handle it?

Describe the job once. Licensed local businesses send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.