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Electrical Permit in San Jose, California

San Jose publishes an Electrical Permit table on its online permits page, listing which electrical scopes may be pulled online by property type. EV charging is named explicitly.

Verified 2026-09-11 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Eligible online scopes include 'Air Conditioning', 'Rewire', 'Subpanel - New' and 'Temporary Power Pole'.
  • A service change is tightly bounded: 'Service Change/Survey up to 400 Amps Only like-for-like replacements in the same location, with no alterations to exterior finishes.'
  • EV charging is available on multifamily only in a narrowed form - the table's multifamily cell for 'Electric Vehicle Charging Station' reads 'Yes Assigned Parking Only'.
  • Most electrical scopes are single-family/duplex only; the commercial column is largely 'No'.

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Electrical Permit feesThe page sets out eligibility by scope and property type rather than dollar figures.
NOT PUBLISHED on the online permits page

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Electrical Permit permit actually take in San Jose?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Field inspection

    Required after the work; for single-family homes the trade review itself is done in the field by the assigned building inspector.

Tips

  • THE 400 AMP LIMIT COMES WITH THREE MORE CONDITIONS - like-for-like, same location, and no alterations to exterior finishes. Any one of them broken takes the job off the online route.
  • EV CHARGING ON MULTIFAMILY IS ASSIGNED PARKING ONLY. A shared or unassigned bay is not covered by the online permit.

Frequently asked questions

San Jose requires an electrical permit for: Eligible online scopes include 'Air Conditioning', 'Rewire', 'Subpanel - New' and 'Temporary Power Pole'.; A service change is tightly bounded: 'Service Change/Survey up to 400 Amps Only like-for-like replacements in the same location, with no alterations to exterior finishes.'; EV charging is available on multifamily only in a narrowed form - the table's multifamily cell for 'Electric Vehicle Charging Station' reads 'Yes Assigned Parking Only'.; Most electrical scopes are single-family/duplex only; the commercial column is largely 'No'.. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of San Jose - Development Services Permit Center at 408-535-3555 before starting work.

In San Jose, the published Electrical Permit fees is: NOT PUBLISHED on the online permits page. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

San Jose does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of San Jose - Development Services Permit Center at 408-535-3555 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Online application at SJPermits.org. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

San Jose requires 1 inspection(s) for an electrical permit, in order: Field inspection. Schedule each through City of San Jose - Development Services Permit Center (408-535-3555).

Apply through City of San Jose - Development Services Permit Center at San Jose City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara St., 1st Floor, San Jose, CA 95113. Phone: 408-535-3555. Office hours: Phone Hours: M-F, 7am-4pm. Permit Center visiting hours M-Tu-Th-F: 8am-12pm & 1pm-5pm, W: 9am-12pm & 1pm-5pm, and the City states 'No tickets after 3pm'. Speak with a Planner: M 10:30am-12pm & 1pm-4pm, Tu-W 9am-12pm & 1pm-4pm, Th-F 9am-12pm & 1pm-2:30pm. Parking is under City Hall Tower with validation available.. Official information: https://www.sanjoseca.gov/business/development-services-permit-center.

San Jose, California has adopted: California Building Standards Code, Title 24 California Code of Regulations, as adopted statewide. NOT ASSERTED FOR SAN JOSE SPECIFICALLY: this record does not state the City's own local amendment ordinance, so no edition or amendment is claimed here. The statewide 2025 edition took effect 1 January 2026 per the City of San Diego's adoption document; San Jose's own adoption is not asserted here and must not be inferred from it.. Local amendments apply — see the San Jose overview page for the full list.

For many scopes, yes - the City lists air conditioning, appliances, light fixtures, rewires, subpanels, receptacle and switch replacement, temporary power poles and bounded service changes. Eligibility differs by property type.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.

Online permit portal

Department & other records

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the San Jose building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Property Access

San Jose's permit history is searchable by address

87,559 permits on record for San Jose, 1967–2026 — searchable by street address, with permit type, status, issued date and valuation where the city publishes them.

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Other permits in San Jose

Residential Building Permit (Standard Plan Review Service)Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) PermitOnline Building Permit (SJPermits.org)Mechanical PermitPlumbing PermitSolar Photovoltaic PermitReroof Permit

Electrical Permit in other cities

Fresno, CaliforniaLong Beach, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaOakland, CaliforniaSacramento, CaliforniaSan Diego, CaliforniaAkron, ColoradoAlamogordo, New Mexico

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