Los Angeles permit
Electrical permit in Los Angeles
Panel upgrade, EV charger, sub-panel — same-day permit, rough + final inspection. We connect you to a C-10 licensed electrician.
Permit speed
Same day at PermitLA
Standard residential electrical permits issue same-day. No plan check needed.
Typical cost
$80-$5,000
Single circuit $80-200 permit. Panel upgrade $2.5-5K total. EV charger $800-2K. Whole-house rewire $8-25K.
License needed
C-10 (Electrical)
C-10 specialist license required. Owner-builder permitted but most inspectors prefer licensed work.
Inspection
Rough + final (if walls open)
Rough inspection before drywall closes. Final after equipment installed.
4 LA electrical permit gotchas
EV chargers may need a panel upgrade
A Level 2 EV charger (40A circuit typical) on an older 100A or 125A panel often pushes total load over capacity, especially if you also have central AC + electric water heater. Get a load calc done BEFORE buying the charger. A DCC-12 load-management device can sometimes avoid the upgrade ($600-900) — much cheaper than a panel swap ($3-5K).
LADWP service upgrade is a separate process
If you upgrade from 100A to 200A panel, the PANEL is your electrician's job but the SERVICE LATERAL (cable from the pole/transformer to your meter) is LADWP's job. LADWP service upgrade can take 4-12 weeks + $2-5K depending on scope. The panel sits dead until LADWP comes out. Schedule both in parallel.
Knob-and-tube triggers full rewire requirements
If LADBS inspectors see active knob-and-tube wiring during any electrical permit work, they may require the entire affected room's wiring to be brought to current code. Pre-1950 homes often have K&T hidden in walls. Plan for surprise discovery + budget accordingly.
AFCI + GFCI requirements expand every code cycle
California Electrical Code now requires AFCI protection on all 15A + 20A bedroom + living-area circuits, GFCI on all kitchen + bath + outdoor + garage + laundry circuits. New panel? All breakers must be combo AFCI/GFCI in many slots. Adds $30-80 per breaker. Inspectors check.
Questions about electrical permit permits?
Chat with a real human about your specific LA address + project — no AI bot.
Often paired with
These permits commonly come up alongside a electrical permit project in LA.
Solar permit
Most LA rooftop solar permits issue same-day via SolarAPP+. We generate the site plan + roof plan + fire setbacks — free.
HVAC permit
Same-day permit. New AC or heat pump triggers third-party HERS verification per Title 24.
ADU permit
Type your address. See if you can build an ADU, what kind, and exactly how to permit it.
Check your address first
Get the verdict + zoning + overlays + LADBS forms specific to your lot. Free, no signup.
Run feasibility check →Drawings we generate for you
Auto-drawn from your address using LARIAC orthoimagery, parcel polygons, and Microsoft Building Footprints.
- Single-line electrical
The permit pathway
Phase 01
Hire a licensed C-10 electrician
Or pull the permit as owner-builder
Most homeowners hire a C-10 licensed electrician to pull the permit and do the work. Owner-builder is possible (you live on the property + sign disclosures) but most electrical inspectors expect a licensed pro.
Phase 02
Pull the electrical permit
No plan check for standard residential electrical
Standard residential electrical work (panel upgrade, sub-panel, EV charger, lighting circuits) doesn't need plan check — the electrician or owner pulls the permit directly via PermitLA. Fees scale with the type of work.
Phase 03
Do the work + LADBS inspection
Rough (if walls open) + final inspection
For panel upgrades and EV chargers, the electrician completes the work and schedules a final inspection. If new wiring runs inside walls, there's a rough inspection before drywall closes. Pass final → permit is finaled and you're legal.
LADBS application + forms
Who you'll need
Pros that pull this electrical permit
Pro categories whose specialty involves this permit type. Each links to a category page with license-class info, a request-quotes form, and (where populated) a hand-curated directory.