If you’re planning to upgrade or make changes to your home electrical system, one of the first steps is to determine whether you need an electrical permit. In this article, we’ll give you an overview of the types of electrical work that typically require a permit, explain the importance of obtaining one and emphasize why it’s essential to hire a licensed electrician for your projects.
Electrical Permit Requirements
The rules vary depending on the location, but most types of electrical work require a permit. Generally, an electrical permit is needed when making any changes to an existing electrical system in a home or building. This usually doesn’t include tasks like replacing a light switch or an outlet or swapping out an old light fixture for a new one. However, beyond these basic tasks, you typically need to get a permit from the city or county before starting almost any other type of electrical work. For example, you usually need a permit even if you just want to install an additional outlet or light fixture, as these tasks require running new wiring. Even though the new wiring is often spliced onto an existing outlet or junction box, it’s still considered a change to existing wiring.
You’ll also almost always need a permit if you want to install a backup generator or an EV charging station, as both require significant changes to the electrical system. A backup generator must legally be connected through a transfer switch. This is required because the transfer switch disconnects the home from the electrical grid when the generator is running, which is a safety measure that ensures that power doesn’t flow back into the grid and potentially harm utility workers.
An EV charging station is legally required to be on a dedicated 240-volt circuit, which means you’ll usually need to have a new circuit installed. The only time you may not need a permit to install an EV charger is if you already have an open 240-volt circuit in the area that you can use and you’re just going to plug the charger in instead of having it hardwired. If you want to hardwire the charger, you’ll still typically need a permit even if you don’t need to install a new circuit.
Why Electrical Work Must Be Inspected
Whenever you need electrical work done at your home or business that requires a permit, you must also have a final inspection by the city or county electrical inspector. The inspection makes certain that the work complies with all relevant electrical code requirements. The work will only pass the inspection if it meets these code standards.
Unless your home was built recently or you’ve had your entire electrical system updated, there’s a good chance that not all parts of it meet current code requirements. This is because the National Electric Code is regularly updated with new rules and changes. The good news is that the electrical inspector will only check the work you obtained the permit for. You generally aren’t required to bring your entire electrical system up to the latest code when making just a few changes to the existing wiring and circuits.
In many places, you’re only required to update your entire electrical system when making substantial changes to more than 50%, or sometimes 75%, of the system. This requirement also typically applies when performing major renovations that cover 50% or 75% of your home.
It’s a good idea to make changes that improve safety and reduce the risk of fires and electrocution. For example, replacing old outlets with GFCI outlets in certain areas of your home is a smart decision that enhances safety. GFCI outlets greatly reduce the risk of electrocution in case of a ground fault, which can happen if a wire is damaged or water comes into contact with the outlet or something plugged into it. What’s more, you usually won’t need a permit for this project since you’re simply swapping out the outlets.
Why You Should Always Hire a Pro for Any Electrical Work
Even if you’re tackling a simple project that doesn’t require a permit, it’s always best to have the work done by a licensed electrical contractor. While some DIY home improvement projects are fine, electrical work is never something you should attempt on your own for safety reasons. Improper electrical work can be a serious fire hazard that will potentially lead to your home burning down or suffering major damage. There’s also a significant risk of severe injury or even death if an electrical fire occurs while someone is home.
It’s important to know that you’ll always need to hire a licensed electrician for any electrical repair work that requires an electrical permit. In many areas, electrical permits are only issued to licensed electrical contractors. While some places do allow homeowners and business owners to apply for and receive a permit themselves, the work will only pass inspection if it’s done by a licensed electrician. So, there’s no point in attempting the work yourself or hiring someone unlicensed, as you’ll eventually need an electrician to redo it for the inspection to pass.
One final reason why you should always hire an electrician is that they will be familiar with the local regulations and be able to tell you whether you need a permit for whatever work you want to have performed. That way you never run the risk of doing any work without the required permit and potentially encountering issues.
What Happens If You Don’t Get an Electrical Permit?
It’s never a good idea to perform any work that requires an electrical permit without first obtaining it. One reason is that you could face a fine if the city or county discovers the unpermitted work. Additionally, they may require you to hire an electrician to redo the work properly and could even declare your home or commercial property unsafe to occupy until the issue is resolved.
Another reason why you should always make sure to get a permit is that failing to do so can cause a major headache when trying to sell your property. Home inspectors will often pull the building records for a property before inspecting it, and these records typically show things like previous building permits, inspections and general information about the electrical, HVAC and plumbing systems in a home. That means the inspector may easily be able to tell if you had certain work performed without a permit, which can give any prospective buyers an excellent bargaining chip when trying to negotiate the price. For instance, if you install a backup generator or an EV charging station without a permit, the inspector can usually find out quite easily since your building records would normally reflect that you had a permit for the work. While something like this won’t always be an issue, there are times when it could result in you having to sell for a lower price than you otherwise would have.
Consult the Pros
With years of professional experience in all types of electrical services, Potts Electric is the company to call if you need any installation or repair work done at your home or business. Our Potts Protection Plan membership also includes discounts, annual electrical inspections, and more to prevent issues before they start. We have locations in Ellisville and Fenton, MO, as well as Lenexa, KS, and we also serve customers throughout the Overland Park and St. Louis areas. No matter what electrical service you need, give us a call and our team will expertly handle everything from start to finish.
