Do you need an electrical permit in California?

Land Development Fee Schedule S-002 C.6, "Electrical Permit (Other) $75.00 minimum." Electrical inspection fees for an addition or alteration to a dwelling unit start at $75.00 plus $0.14 for each additional $1,000 above $2,000 of improvement value; work not covered by the listed tiers is calculated from the S-002 A.1 Building Permit valuation table. Fee schedule adopted May 24, 2022, effective August 10, 2022.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Section 2511 Electrical Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing permits $42.77 each; Wiring outlets $1.80 each; Each circuit (remodel work only) $13.51 each; minimum electrical permit fee $65.84. New construction or complete remodel of a dwelling is charged per dwelling unit by size, for example $124.37 for 0 to 750 sq. ft., $224.54 for 1,001 to 1,500 sq. ft. and $419.81 for 2,501 to 3,000 sq. ft., which includes all wiring, outlets, fixtures, one 200 amp maximum main service and one 200 amp maximum sub panel. Agricultural pump or wind motor work has a $131.12 minimum.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Itemized per installed item per the LADBS Electrical Permit Fee Schedule (rev 12/2016): minimum $55 for one item under $55 or $90 for two or more items, plus a 3% D.S.C.S. surcharge and a 6% Systems Surcharge each with a $1 minimum

last checked 17 Jun 2026

Electrical Code Fee Schedule (Title 27 of the County of Los Angeles Code, Ord No. 2013-0049), effective July 1, 2026: $41.35 for issuing permits, each. New single and two-family residential buildings are charged $0.23 per square foot, not including garages, carports, and other minor accessory buildings built at the same time. Alterations and additions to existing residential buildings use the branch circuit or unit fee schedule: $25.96 for each of the first 10 branch circuits of 15 or 20 ampere 120 volt lighting or general use receptacles, $21.59 for circuits 11 through 40, $19.30 above 40; or by unit, $3.22 for each of the first 20 receptacles, switches, lighting or other outlets and $2.18 for additional ones, $15.97 for each fixed residential appliance of three horsepower or less, $58.35 for a service, switchboard, motor control center or panelboard of 600 volts or less and not over 399 amperes, $114.29 from 400 to 1,000 amperes. A new private residential inground swimming pool system is $121.52. Investigation fee for work done without a required permit is not less than $504.47, or $252.23 for one or two family dwellings when the work is performed by an owner-builder.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Electrical Permit Application Flat Fee, 1 to 75 fixtures: $340 for FY 2024-25, $356 for FY 2025-26, $362 for FY 2026-27; 76 or more fixtures: $531, $558 and $569 across the same three fiscal years. The flat fee covers receptacles, switches, lighting outlets and fixtures, residential and non-residential appliances, service panels and panel upgrades up to 400 amps. Stand Alone Electrical permit for individual appliances: $174, $182 and $185. Electric Vehicle Charging Station, up to 2 stations: $298, $314 and $320. Energy Storage System (ESS): $330, $346 and $353. Electrical Plan Check is 20% of the building permit fee for residential over 3,000 square feet or all non-residential projects as determined by the Building Official. From the OC Development Services Fee Schedule 2024-2027, fees effective July 21, 2024.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Residential Electrical (BEL-RELE): $448.20 fixed fee; Service Up-Grade Residential (BEL-EUPG): $429.10 fixed fee; Meter Reset Residential (BEL-RSET): $317.60 fixed fee; Temporary Power (BEL-TPWR): $218.10 fixed fee, per Appendix A to Ordinance No. 457 as amended by Ordinance No. 457.108 (adopted June 23, 2026, effective July 23, 2026). This was a large increase; the department's still-posted 284-035 fee sheet (09/2025) shows $254.80 for residential electrical and $320.00 for a service upgrade.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Flat $105 permit fee for one-trade minor electrical work such as a panel change-out, rewire or new circuit, plus a 10% technology surcharge, per CDD-0245 (rev 07-12-2026)

last checked 18 Jun 2026

County Code 16.0204(b)(1) sets residential electrical fees effective July 1, 2026: "Meter change out and upgrades only" $195.00, "New wire or rewire" $312.00, "Meter reset" $195.00 (each additional meter reset at the same address $39.00), "Temporary power with span poles" $156.00, and "All other residential electrical work not listed in Section 16.0204(b)(1)" $156.00. The ordinance states "All electrical permits include two inspections. Additional inspections will be charged a re-inspection fee." A $57.00 intake processing fee under 16.0204(h)(1) is applied to each electrical permit.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Billed per circuit or panel under IB-103 Table 2 effective May 2026: circuits 15-45 amps $176.57 for the first 5 circuits, panel replace or upgrade up to 200 amp $176.57 each

last checked 17 Jun 2026

PDS 613 (effective 07/10/2026, FY 25/26) line item "Electrical Only": Permit Fee $392.00, no plan review fee. "Electrical and Plumbing" or "Electrical and Mechanical" is $498.00, and "Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical" is $734.00. Related line items include "Electrical Vehicle Charging Station- Online" and "- In Person" at $151.00 each and "Temporary Construction Power" at $205.00.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Greater of $315 per hour of required inspection time or an itemized fixture-based schedule, charged in addition to the base Permit Issuance Fee, per the FY2025-26 Building Division Fee Schedule

last checked 17 Jun 2026

Under the county's Building Section Services Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2025 the electrical inspection hourly rate is $272.00. An electrical service or transfer switch up to 400 amps is $273.80 and over 400 amps is $336.90. Fixtures, appliances, transformers, motors and panels are $273.80 for 1 to 15 units and $16.20 for each additional. A combined flat fee permit covering up to 3 devices total of any mechanical, electrical or plumbing category is $273.80. Adopted by the Board of Supervisors on January 23, 2024.

last checked 15 Aug 2026