Electrical Permit in Philadelphia, PA
Permit Summary
Who Can Do the Electrical Work?
Homeowner Eligibility Rules
Philadelphia does not provide an owner-performed pathway for work that requires an Electrical Permit. A property owner may apply for the permit, but L&I requires a licensed electrical contractor to perform all permitted electrical work. Work that is expressly permit-exempt is outside the Electrical Permit pathway.
Contractor Rules
All permitted electrical work must be performed by a licensed Philadelphia electrical contractor. The contractor must have an active license, be current on City taxes, and have current insurance on file with L&I. If another eligible person files the application, a signed statement on the electrical contractor's letterhead must confirm the contractor's association with the project. Beginning July 1, 2026, a contractor listed on a permit application that includes an electric vehicle charger must have valid Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) certification on file with the electrical contractor license.
Permit & Plan Review
Electrical Work Covered
An Electrical Permit is generally required for installation, alteration, renewal, replacement, or repair of electrical and communication systems, wiring, equipment, and components within or on a structure or premises, except for work specifically exempted by the Philadelphia Administrative Code.
Plan Review Rules
Plans are always required for healthcare facilities as defined in NFPA 70, hazardous locations, changes in occupancy classification in buildings other than one- or two-family dwellings, and fire pumps. When plans are required, L&I's electrical plan standards call for professional-quality scaled drawings showing the project address, room uses, relevant construction features, panel schedules, load calculations, and receptacle/device locations, plus system-specific details for fire alarms, generators, fire pumps, and solar installations. A Pennsylvania professional engineer must sign and seal the electrical plans when the cost of work exceeds $25,000.
Quick / No-Plan Permit Rules
Philadelphia offers no-plan EZ Electrical Permit pathways for qualifying work. Examples include one- or two-family new construction, additions, or alterations with connected load under 200 amps and equipment rated 600 volts or less, excluding fire alarm, fire pump, and solar work; service conductor installation at 200 amps or less; commercial interior-wiring alterations under 2,000 square feet; specified equipment replacements at 600 volts or less without new wiring; replacement of specified fire-alarm devices without new wiring or panels; telecommunications and other low-voltage wiring except fire-alarm wiring; qualifying temporary wiring; and EV chargers that meet the City's EVC permit standard.
Service, Panel & Utility Requirements
Service / Panel Rules
For qualifying residential service-equipment work at one- or two-family dwellings, Philadelphia's current EZ standard allows an Electrical Permit without plans when all listed conditions are met and the equipment is not rated over 200 amps. The standard applies the 2021 IRC/IBC/IEBC as applicable and the 2020 NEC. For new or upgraded residential services, an outdoor emergency disconnect is generally required, subject to the exceptions stated in the City's EZ residential service-equipment standard. Service-conductor installations with connected load of 200 amps or less are also listed as no-plan eligible on the Electrical Permit page.
Service Reconnect Rules
Service reconnection or re-energization may require coordination with PECO in addition to the City permit process. PECO may require an Underwriter Certificate completed by a certified inspector for a service address before service can be started or reconnected. Electrical work performed under a Philadelphia Electrical Permit must complete the required third-party inspections and final certification before the permit is closed.
Low-Voltage Rules
Philadelphia Administrative Code A-301.2.3 exempts low-voltage wiring in one- and two-family and Group U occupancies from the Electrical Permit requirement. Where a permit is required, telecommunications work including low-voltage data and security wiring, except fire-alarm wiring, is eligible for a no-plan pathway. Philadelphia's Electrical Contractor License covers electrical work including low-voltage wiring.
Utility Coordination Rules
A separate PECO service and meter application may be required for service-related work. PECO directs customers requesting construction or remodeling service to submit an electric-service request and requires work to comply with PECO service requirements and be inspected by an approved inspection agency. Solar projects require PECO interconnection coordination, and multiple electrical services may require L&I pre-authorization before PECO will accept the service configuration.
Inspections & Permit Life
Electrical Inspection Stages
The owner or owner's agent must use a licensed electrical inspection agency. For work requiring a rough inspection, the third-party agency inspects the roughed-in electrical work before concealment. After the electrical work is complete, the agency performs the final inspection and submits the final electrical inspection certification to L&I through the permit record. L&I issues a Certificate of Approval after all required inspections are successfully completed.
Permit Expiration / Inspection Interval
Under Philadelphia Administrative Code A-302.2, a construction permit becomes invalid if authorized work is not commenced within six months after issuance or if work is suspended or abandoned for six months after commencement. The code allows limited written extensions for reasonable cause and requires a new permit to proceed after expiration. A UCC construction permit may be valid for no more than five years from issuance. A Rough-in Permit becomes invalid if the work is not initiated and the associated complete permit is not obtained within 60 days.
What You Need Before Applying
Requirements
Apply under the legal address established by the Office of Property Assessment and provide the complete scope of work and current owner information. A licensed Philadelphia electrical contractor must perform all permitted electrical work and must have an active license, current City tax compliance, and current insurance on file with L&I. The owner or agent must hire a licensed electrical inspection agency. Submit plans when the project is not eligible for a no-plan pathway. Philadelphia currently applies the 2020 National Electrical Code as the Philadelphia Electrical Code, together with applicable local amendments and other adopted construction codes.
Exemptions
An Electrical Permit is not required for the specific activities listed in Philadelphia Administrative Code A-301.2.3, including minor repair and maintenance such as replacing lamps, circuit breakers, fuses, switches, receptacles, bulbs, and lighting fixtures to existing connections; connecting approved portable equipment to installed receptacles; certain regulated public-utility work; temporary systems used to test or service equipment; removal of wiring during total demolition; listed partition-system electrical componentry; low-voltage wiring in one- and two-family and Group U occupancies; railway or automotive installations; and qualifying utility, common-carrier, or commercial radio/television installations.
Required Documents
The application must include a completed Construction Permit application with the full scope of work and current owner information. If the property was recently sold, submit the settlement sheet or deed. Before billing, submit the executed contract between the owner or owner's agent and the licensed electrical contractor. If someone other than the electrical contractor applies, include the contractor's signed letterhead statement confirming association with the project. Submit electrical plans when required; plan sets must include items such as panel schedules, load calculations, device locations, and system-specific details. Projects using the EV-charger permit standard must submit the signed standard. An Accelerated Plan Review Request form is optional.