What's Required in Long Beach
- Electrical permit required for any panel or service change; only receptacle and switch reinstallation, low-voltage wiring and minor repairs are exempt (LBMC 18.04.020.D)
- Express permit (no plans) for upgrades to 200 A in the same location with no change in connected load, like-for-like replacements to 400 A, and subpanels to a 225 A bus (IB-058)
- Upgrades above 200 A, to 300 A, go through over-the-counter electrical plan review (IB-002)
- Fee: $23 service to 200 A or $34 to 400 A, plus $17 per panel, $100 minimum, plus $115 processing; plan check $216 minimum when required
- Service load calculations must be available at inspection for an E1 upgrade
- Express service not available in the Coastal Zone, a Historic District or on a qualified historic building
- Permit holder is a CSLB-licensed contractor with a Long Beach business license or the homeowner under IB-029
- Permit is void if work does not start within 90 days and expires two years after issuance
Do You Need a Permit to Replace an Electrical Panel in Long Beach?
Yes. The municipal code exempts only minor electrical work: reinstalling receptacles or switches but not the outlet box, repairing or replacing current-carrying parts of a switch or control device, low-voltage wiring, and repairs to incandescent fixtures in a one- or two-family home. A panel or service change is permit work, but Long Beach makes it an Express Permit: item E1 in IB-058 covers altering, upgrading, repairing or replacing an existing service of up to 200 amps with the same number of wires, phase and location, one service drop per building and no change in connected load, with service load calculations shown at inspection; a straight like-for-like replacement may go up to 400 amps. Item E10 covers a subpanel replacement of the same rating up to a 225-amp bus, and E11 lets you add one or two Level 1 or Level 2 EV chargers with a panel upgrade under E1. An electrical panel changeout is also one of the four permit types the city issues online through its Customer Portal to owners and contractors, automatically and at any hour. An upgrade above 200 amps, up to 300 amps, needs Over-the-Counter electrical plan review under IB-002; relocating the panel or adding a second service is not express at all. Express service is not available in the Coastal Zone or a Historic District.
Long Beach Electrical Panel Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Swap a breaker, replace receptacles or switches (not the box), or fixtures of the same type and rating | None | LBMC 18.04.020.D; Do I Need a Permit page |
| Replace the main panel like for like, same rating and location, up to 400 A | Express electrical permit (E1); online through the Customer Portal | IB-058 item E1; Online Permitting page |
| Upgrade the service to 200 A in the same location, one service drop | Express electrical permit (E1); load calculations shown at inspection | IB-058 item E1 |
| Upgrade beyond 200 A, up to 300 A | Over-the-counter electrical plan review plus permit | IB-002; IB-058 item E1 |
| Replace a subpanel with the same rating, up to a 225 A bus | Express electrical permit (E10) | IB-058 item E10 |
| Panel upgrade together with an EV charger | Express electrical permit (E11) with IB-049 and FORM-019 | IB-058 item E11 |
| Relocate the panel, add a second service, or change the connected load | Not express; plan review | IB-058 item E1 (same location, no load change) |
How Much Does an Electrical Panel Permit Cost in Long Beach?
Electrical permits are itemized on the city's Electrical Permit and Plan Check Fee schedule, with a $100 minimum per permit and a $115 processing fee on every application. A service of 600 volts or less up to and including 200 amps is $23, a 201- to 400-amp service is $34, and each panel is $17. A 200-amp service change is therefore $23 + $17 = $40, which rounds up to the $100 minimum, so the permit costs about $215 with processing. A like-for-like 400-amp replacement is $34 + $17 = $51, still the $100 minimum, so also about $215. When plan review is required, electrical plan check is 100 percent of the permit fee with a $216 minimum, so a 300-amp upgrade is about $100 + $216 + $115 = $431, plus the $35 minimum records fee if plans are retained, about $466. Adding circuits at the same time adds $7 per special outlet of 15 to 30 amps and $1.39 per ordinary outlet. The City Council approved a new fee schedule on September 8, 2026, effective October 1, 2026; check the posted schedule after that date.
Who Can Pull the Permit
A contractor must hold a California CSLB license and an active Long Beach business license and show workers' compensation coverage if it has employees. A homeowner may pull the permit for a one- or two-family home that is their principal residence, provided they have lived there 12 months and have not used the homeowner exemption more than twice in three years (IB-029); Long Beach places no separate restriction on homeowner electrical permits. Registered contractors with a city PIN file express electrical permits online and get an invoice within one to three business days; owners and contractors can use the Customer Portal for a panel changeout, attaching FORM-006 if an agent applies. Otherwise express permits are issued at an in-person appointment at City Hall with APP-012 and FORM-005, one appointment per day and two projects per visit.
Inspection and Expiration
Residential inspectors cover all trades for one- and two-family homes. Request the inspection online by 3 p.m. the day before; the panel must stay accessible and the service load calculation must be on hand for an E1 upgrade. Express permits must meet the mandatory measures of the California Energy Code, and any permitted alteration triggers the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules for the home. The permit is void if work has not started within 90 days and expires two years after issuance. Working without a permit adds an investigation fee equal to the permit fee, with a $465 minimum.
How to Get a Electrical Panel Permit in Long Beach
Confirm the scope is express
Same location, no change in connected load, and no more than 200 A for an upgrade or 400 A like for like. Anything larger or relocated needs plan review.
Apply online or in person
Owners and contractors can file a panel changeout in the Customer Portal and receive the permit by email; otherwise book an express appointment with APP-012 and FORM-005.
Pay about $215
The $100 minimum permit fee plus the $115 processing fee covers a 200 A changeout; plan-reviewed upgrades add a $216 plan check. Fees change October 1, 2026.
Install and keep the load calculation on hand
The service load calculation is checked at inspection for an upgrade, and the work must meet the Energy Code mandatory measures.
Request the inspection
Schedule online by 3 p.m. the day before; the residential inspector signs off the panel and alarm compliance. Start within 90 days so the permit stays valid.