Most electrical work requires a permit and inspection

Find out how to:

Purchase a permit before the work is started. Businesses purchase annual permits as property owners.

Here is a list of information you will need to purchase an electrical permit:

• Property Owner name. (Site owner)
• Location: Street address where the work is being performed.
  • Whether the address is within the city limits or not.
  • County
  • Zip code
• Serving Utility (Power Company name)
• Complete description of the work being done.
• Directions to the jobsite location from the nearest main crossroad.

Request an inspection after you've completed the work. Note: You can also review inspection results, pay fees due and print permit here.

• When requesting an inspection, provide information of what is to be inspected.

Check what fees will apply.

Other important information:

• If you're not sure if your work requires a permit — check WAC 296-46B-901.
• If you hire an electrical contractor
  • Please be aware that electrical contractors must purchase their own electrical permits for work they do on your property.
  • Check here to ensure they are properly licensed and their electricians are properly certified.
• When is an Electrical Plan Review required?
  For all educational, institutional, health or other personal care facilities, electrical plans for any installations or alterations must be reviewed and approved before the electrical installation or alteration is started or an inspection can be performed. Go to the Electrical Plan Review page for more information.

For more information:

Electrical Installations: What you should know before doing electrical work

How to purchase an electrical permit

Most electrical work needs a permit. L&I conducts inspections for the permits we issue. Some cities issue their own permits and conduct inspections. If you're not sure your work requires a permit, check WAC 296-46B-901.

Processing time for L&I permits purchased: 1) online — immediately, 2) in person at a service location — immediately, 3) postal mail — same day as received.

Below are your options for purchasing a permit depending on whether you are a contractor, property owner or a partner city.

• Contractors.
• Property Owners.
• Partner Cities.

Contractors

Apply Online with SecureAccess Washington (SAW) (subscription required see below for sign-up instructions)

Payment method: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express credit cards, or contractor deposit (CD) account. Open a contractor deposit account with L&I. SAW benefit: Track your account balance and history. Review your L&I permits and inspection results at a glance.

Sign-up instructions:

1. Complete the Application to Access L&I's Electronic Permit & Inspection System (EPIS) and submit it to L&I using the directions on the application form.
2. Create a username and password in SAW.
3. Add EPIS (Electronic Permit & Inspection System) to your SAW account.

Apply Online with Electrical Permit/Inspection System (EPIS) (no subscription required)

Payment method: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. A printer is required.

Faxing, mailing or visiting an L&I office

1. Download and complete the Contractor Electrical Work Permit Application.
2. Your method of payment determines your options for paying:

• Contractor deposit (CD) account:
  Fax, mail or bring the application to your local L&I office.
• Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express):
  Bring the application to your local L&I office.
• Check or money order:
  Mail or bring the check or money order and the application to your local L&I office.
• Cash:
  Bring the application to your local L&I office.

Property owners

Important:

• If you hire an electrical contractor they must purchase the permit for the work they do for you. Be sure your electrical contractor is licensed and certified.
• You should consult with your serving utility before performing an electrical installation that will alter your service.

Apply Online with Electrical Permit/Inspection System (EPIS) using your credit card.

Payment method: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. A printer is required.

Mailing or visiting an L&I office

1. Download and complete the Property Owner Electrical Work Permit Application.
2. Mail or bring the check or money order and the application to your local L&I office.
3. Paying by cash? Bring your application to a local L&I office.

Next step

Request an inspection from L&I or your city to make sure it is safe and up to code.

Partner Cities

Apply Online with SecureAccess Washington (SAW) (subscription required) Restricted to cities who have contracted with L&I to perform inspections.

Payment method: Contractor deposit (CD) account.

Note: Some cities have their own electrical inspection program. These cities charge fees that are in addition to L&I permit fees. However, some of those cities have decided to contract with L&I to perform the inspections.

How to request an L&I electrical inspection

If you obtained your permit from L&I:

• Contractors.
  • Online here (SecureAccess Washington subscribers only).
    1. Log in through SecureAccess Washington using your username and password.
    2. Search for your permit and request an inspection or pay fees due.
  • Online here, using the permit number & authorization code.
    Note: You can also review inspection results, pay fees due and print permit here.
  • Call your local L&I office and leave a message on the request line.
  • Go to your local L&I office.
• Property owners.
• Online here, using your permit number & authorization code.
  Note: You can also review inspection results, pay fees due and print permit here.
• Call your local L&I office and leave a message on the request line.
• Go to your local L&I office.

If you obtained your permit from a city:

Contact them to request an inspection.

What you need to know about inspections

You must request inspection prior to covering any electrical work, no later than three business days after completing the work or one business day after any part of the installation has been energized, whichever occurs first. Failure to request an inspection may result in civil penalties. See Electrical Inspection Basics for more information.

We will strive to get to your inspection within 48 hours of the date of the request. However, due to staffing reductions, it may take longer, especially if you are in a remote area.

Help us make the best use of our inspector's time and avoid penalty fees being assessed. Make sure we have the information to get the inspector to the jobsite and get the job done.

• When purchasing your permit, make sure you provide us with turn by turn directions to the jobsite from the nearest main crossroad to the job.
• Don't submit a request for inspection until the work is ready to be inspected.
• When requesting your inspection, give us any special instructions for building access.
• Our inspectors will not perform an inspection if there are unrestrained animals, or children under the age of 18, without an adult present.

Requesting Inspections

• Requests can be made online 24 hours a day.
• Requests left on the request line after 4 p.m. will not be recorded until the following business day.
• If you have special arrangement requirements such as access to the site or building, you must provide that information when requesting your inspection.
  • Enter the information in the comment box when requesting your inspection online. You will have a total of 255 characters (spaces) to record that information.

  or

  • Contact your local L&I office.
• If corrections are written you may need to request another inspection to verify work has been corrected and permit is completed.

Look up your electrical permit fees

The following documents will help you determine the fees for your L&I electrical permit. These fees cover the cost of the inspection. Please note that in some cases additional city fees may be added to the L&I fees below.

The Fee Worksheets and Tables with Notes (fee schedule training) documents are based on the electrical WAC rules effective June 30, 2012.

Electrical Fee Tables with Notes (181 KB PDF).

Electrical Fee Worksheets (187 KB PDF).

More information on the current fees

Chapter 296-46B-906 Washington Administrative Code (WAC) — Electrical permit fees. (The official Washington State Legislature page may not be updated until after the June 30, 2012 effective date of the rules.)

Class B Electrical Permits

Changes were made to WAC 296-46B-908 affecting the use of Class B permits. Beginning March 1, 2013 customers are required to "validate" the use of a Class B permit online using Electronic Permit Inspection System (EPIS).

Books purchased prior to March 1, 2013 are still valid but cannot be validated using EPIS.

Instructions for the use of EPIS for Class B processing. (1023 KB PDF)

A special edition of Electrical Currents (444 KB PDF) was published in January, 2013 outlining the changes to Class B permit use. The changes expand or restrict the type and quantity of installations that are Class B eligible.

How do I purchase Class B permits?

• Class B permits are sold in books of 20 from your local L&I office.

I purchased a book prior to March 1, 2013, are my Class B permits still valid?

• Yes, Class B permts purchased prior to March 1, 2013 are still valid, but cannot be validated using EPIS.
• Continue to fill out both parts of the permit and mail the department copy to L&I at: P.O. Box 44460, Olympia, WA 98504.

Can I get a refund on an old book?

• Yes, until June 15, 2013, the department is accepting refund requests on complete Class B books sold prior to March 1, 2013.
• All 20 original permits must be in the book - 20 consecutive numbered permits.

Do the new rules in WAC 296-46B-908(10) defining what is Class B work apply to all Class B permits sold before or after March 1, 2013?

• Yes the rules became effective for all Class B permits validated or used on or after March 1, 2013.

Is there other information available?

Yes, see Class B Labels What You Should Know for more information regarding Class B permits and their use.