What's Required in Los Angeles
- Electrical installations under 600 volts and up to 400 amps in existing residential buildings are express permits with no plan check
- Fee schedule: $16 service (0-200 amps) and $16 panelboard (0-200 amps); $34 and $38 for 201-600 amps; $17 per new circuit
- Minimum $90 subtotal for two or more items, $23 issuing fee over $90, plus 3% and 6% surcharges; calculator total $107.91 for service plus panel
- Homeowner electrical permits require 12 months of residence; otherwise a CSLB C-10 electrical contractor pulls the permit
- Owner-builder trade permits limited to two structures in any three-year period and to work done before sale
- Inspection requested a day ahead before 2 PM; inspector releases the meter for LADWP reconnection
- Meter reconnection and repair of damaged wiring are also express permit items
- Permit expires if work has not started within six months of issue
Do You Need a Permit to Upgrade an Electrical Panel in Los Angeles?
Yes, every time. Replacing a panel, upgrading the service from 100 to 200 amps, or adding a subpanel is electrical work that needs a permit and inspection from the Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), and there is no small-job exemption for it. The good news is that it is an Express Permit: LADBS lists electrical installations under 600 volts and up to 400 amps total load in existing residential buildings as no-plan-check permits, bought online through PermitLA or at a counter by appointment. The same list covers meter reconnection, repair of damaged wiring, and EV charger installations with a service upgrade up to 400 amps. Anything over 400 amps or engineered wiring goes to electrical plan check. LADWP owns the service drop and meter, so a service upgrade also means coordinating the reconnect with the utility.
Los Angeles Electrical Panel Permits by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Like-for-like panel replacement, 200 amps or less | Express electrical permit | $16 panel item; $99 minimum subtotal |
| Service upgrade 100 to 200 amps with new panel | Express electrical permit | $16 service + $16 panel; $107.91 permit total on the calculator |
| Service upgrade to 400 amps | Express electrical permit | $34 service + $38 panel (201-600 amp); $107.91 total |
| Adding a subpanel and circuits for an EV charger | Express electrical permit | Express item 14: EVCS with service upgrade up to 400 amps |
| Panel plus four new circuits | Express electrical permit | $17 per new circuit; $110 subtotal, $118.10 total |
| Service over 400 amps or engineered wiring | Electrical plan check and permit | Outside the express list |
| Meter reconnection after the upgrade | Express permit item; LADWP reconnect | Express item 8; $52 per hour reconnect fee on the schedule |
How Much Does an Electrical Panel Permit Cost in Los Angeles?
LADBS prices electrical permits per item. The fee schedule lists $16 for a service of 0 to 200 amps and $16 for a panelboard of 0 to 200 amps ($34 and $38 in the 201 to 600 amp range), with a minimum of $90 when two or more items are filed, a $23 issuing fee when the subtotal passes $90, and Development Services and system surcharges of 3 and 6 percent. The city's Permit Fee Calculator, which runs on the current ordinance, prices a 200-amp service plus panel at a $99 permit subtotal and $107.91 total, and a 400-amp service plus panel at the same $107.91 because both sit at the minimum. Adding four new circuits at $17 each lifts the subtotal to $110 and the total to $118.10. The calculator also prints a $90 electrical plan check line, which brings its grand total to $206.01; an express permit has no plan check, so treat $108 as the permit and $206 as the ceiling if LADBS decides your job needs review. Card payments add 2.7 percent.
Who Can Pull an Electrical Permit in Los Angeles?
A C-10 electrical contractor licensed by the CSLB, or the homeowner. LADBS lets homeowners apply for single-family e-permits of every type, and its FAQ answers the question directly: you can obtain an electrical permit if you have resided in the house for 12 months or more. That comes from the state owner-builder rules, which also limit you to two structures in any three-year period and require the work to be done before any sale. An unlicensed handyman may not do panel work; state law limits unlicensed jobs to under $1,000 and only when no permit is required.
Inspection and Utility Steps
Request the inspection a day ahead, before 2 PM; regular inspections run weekdays 7 AM to 3:30 PM, and an inspector who cannot see the work charges an extra trip. The inspector checks the service equipment, grounding and bonding, and the panel labeling before LADBS releases the meter. LADWP must then reconnect; LADBS publishes a guide to enrolling in LADWP web services for that release. A permit expires if work has not started within six months of issue.
How to Get a Electrical Panel Permit in Los Angeles
Confirm it is express
Residential service and panel work up to 400 amps and under 600 volts needs no plan check. Anything larger goes to electrical plan check.
Decide who signs
A C-10 contractor, or you as owner-builder if you have lived in the home 12 months and initial the declaration.
Buy the permit online
Apply through PermitLA, listing the service amperage, panel and any new circuits; about $107.91 for a 200- or 400-amp service and panel, 2.7 percent more by card.
Coordinate LADWP
Schedule the disconnect and reconnect with LADWP, which owns the meter and service drop.
Inspect and reconnect
Request inspection a day ahead before 2 PM; after approval LADBS releases the meter and LADWP reconnects the service.