Electrical Permit in Buffalo, New York

Frequently asked questions

Do you need an electrical permit in Buffalo?

An electrical permit is required before any electrical work is installed, changed or added to in Buffalo, and only a City of Buffalo licensed master electrician may pull one. The exemption is narrow enough that ordinary household wiring never reaches it. Charter Section 165-27.1 lets homeowners, licensed handymen, electrical contractors and construction managers repair or replace in kind only a short list of items at existing one- and two-family dwellings: electrical devices and components of less than 30 volts, electrical and lighting fixtures, exhaust and other fans, lamps and bulbs, ballasts, lenses, surface-mounted fixtures and fans, fuses, and cover plates. Standard 120-volt and 240-volt branch circuits and services are all above that line. The section states plainly that no other repairs or in-kind replacements of electrical systems, services, wiring, conduit, smoke and fire detection systems or alarm systems may be made without first obtaining a permit, and the exemption lapses entirely if there is any additional new work or change in the existing wiring system. Repair or in-kind replacement of a short published list of low-voltage devices, light fixtures and fans at an existing one- or two-family dwelling. Always confirm with the office before starting.

How much does an electrical permit cost in Buffalo?

Electrical permit application: $50.00 application fee for all permits, plus a $100.00 plan review fee for all plans, plus a permit and inspection fee. Flat residential rates are $50.00 for a one-family dwelling and $75.00 for a two-family dwelling. Additional published lines include low voltage $75.00 plus $5.00 per termination, sitework not in conjunction with other work $100.00, first meter $50.00 and $25.00 per additional meter, residential EV charging station $50.00 each, transformer $500.00 each, and solar panels $3.00 each. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.

Where do you apply for an electrical permit in Buffalo?

You can apply through the Buffalo permit portal or contact the City of Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services directly. The links are listed on this page.

Can a homeowner pull an electrical permit themselves in Buffalo?

Under New York law (Inside New York City: NYC Admin. Code 28-104.1, 28-105.1, 28-105.4, 28-105.5.1, 28-401.3 (definition of "general contractor"). Outside New York City: N.Y. Exec. Law 381(2); 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1).): New York State sets no owner-builder rule at all outside New York City. Executive Law 381(2) puts administration and enforcement in the hands of each local government, and 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1) only requires each authority having jurisdiction to make building permits mandatory for work that must conform to the codes, leaving who may apply to local law. The state licenses no general contractors and imposes no owner-builder affidavit, disclosure form or post-permit sale restriction of the kind Florida uses, so whether a homeowner may pull the permit is a question for the specific city, town, village or county. New York City is the genuine outlier. Administrative Code 28-105.1 makes the work itself unlawful without a written permit, and Administrative Code 28-104.1 bars the department from issuing that permit until it approves the required construction documents, which must be prepared by or under the supervision of a registered design professional, meaning a licensed architect or engineer, as required by the code. A homeowner therefore cannot self-prepare and file the plans for permit-requiring work in New York City even though Administrative Code 28-105.5.1 defines the permit applicant as the person who performs the work or retains a subcontractor, and even though the general contractor registration definition in Administrative Code 28-401.3 expressly excludes an individual who constructs a residential structure of no more than three dwelling units for his or her own occupancy. Note that Administrative Code 28-105.4 exempts minor alterations and ordinary repairs from the permit requirement entirely, so the design professional bottleneck applies only to work that needs a permit in the first place. Confirm how Buffalo applies this before you apply.