What's Required in San Jose
- Permit required to replace or upgrade a panel, service or subpanel (SJMC 24.02.100)
- Same-capacity breaker replacement in the same location is exempt in one- and two-family dwellings (SJMC 24.02.150.6)
- Service Change up to 200 amps, up to 600 amps, Subpanels, EV charging stations and Rewire are online permits at SJPermits.org; no plans needed
- Residential electrical permit fee $315 per hour of required inspection time, $315 minimum; $211 processing when filed at the counter
- Work follows the 2025 California Electrical Code, in effect since January 1, 2026
- Equipment is inspected before concealment and at final; reinspection fees apply when not ready
- Owner-builders may pull the permit; contractors need a state license for jobs of $1,000 or more
- Permit expires after 12 months without a start or 180 days idle
Do You Need a Permit to Replace an Electrical Panel in San Jose?
Yes. A panel or service change is building service equipment, and San Jose Municipal Code 24.02.100 requires a permit before any such equipment is altered or replaced. The electrical exemptions in 24.02.150 are narrow: minor repair work and lamp replacement, reinstalling plug receptacles, and replacement of any branch circuit overcurrent device of the required capacity in the same location, in one- and two-family dwellings. So swapping a failed 20-amp breaker for the same size is exempt; replacing the panel, upgrading the service, adding a subpanel or running a new circuit is not. SJPermits.org issues the common cases online without plans: Service Change up to 200 amps, Service Change 1 meter up to 600 amps, Subpanels, Electric Vehicle Charging Station, and Rewire of a 1 or 2 story home.
San Jose Electrical Panel Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Replacing a breaker with the same capacity in the same slot | No permit | SJMC 24.02.150.6 |
| Replacing the panel like for like, or upgrading to 200 A | Online electrical permit: Service Change up to 200 amps | SJPermits available online permits |
| Service over 200 A, single meter up to 600 A | Online electrical permit: Service Change 1 meter up to 600 amps | SJPermits available online permits |
| Adding a subpanel for a garage, shop or ADU | Online electrical permit: Subpanel/s (single-family) | SJPermits available online permits |
| EV charger circuit with the upgrade | Online electrical permit: Electric Vehicle Charging Station | SJPermits available online permits |
| Relocating the panel or meter to a new wall | Electrical permit with plans; utility coordination | SJMC 24.02.100; 24.02.220 |
| Low-voltage doorbell, thermostat or landscape lighting under 25 V and 50 W | No permit | SJMC 24.02.150.12 |
How Much Does an Electrical Panel Permit Cost in San Jose?
San Jose prices residential electrical permits by inspection time. The schedule sets Plumbing, Mechanical or Electrical Permit at $315.00 per hour of required inspection time for residential work, and miscellaneous electrical permits are the greater of a $315 per hour minimum or an itemized amount from the city's fee tables. A panel change that takes one inspection is therefore about $315 in permit fee. The FY2026-27 Schedule of Fees and Charges, effective July 1, 2026, adds a permit processing charge, listed at 1.0 hour, $211, for a combination of fixtures or prescriptive items, which brings a counter-filed service change to about $526. The online checkout shows the exact amount for the online permit before you pay. The itemized electrical table that could set a lower figure for a service change is in the city's Building Permit Fee Schedule PDF, which was not reachable for this guide. Unpermitted work found later is charged two times the plan review and inspection cost.
What the Inspector Checks
San Jose adopted the 2025 California Electrical Code with the state amendments, in effect since January 1, 2026, so grounding, bonding, working clearance and labeling follow that edition rather than a local amendment. The code requires building service equipment to be inspected before it is concealed, and a final inspection when the work is complete; a reinspection fee applies if the panel is not ready or corrections were not made. The utility reconnects only after the city's inspection, so coordinate the shutdown date with PG&E and the inspection calendar, and cancel or move an inspection by 2 pm two business days ahead to avoid being charged.
Who Can Do the Work
A homeowner improving a principal residence occupied for 12 months may pull the permit as owner-builder and do the work personally; otherwise the job goes to a contractor licensed by the Contractors State License Board, which is mandatory for any job of $1,000 or more. Online permits are available for single-family, duplex, multifamily and commercial properties. The permit expires if work does not start within 12 months or stops for 180 days.
How to Get a Electrical Panel Permit in San Jose
Confirm it is not a breaker swap
Same-capacity breaker in the same slot needs no permit; anything else at the panel does.
Apply online at SJPermits.org
Choose Service Change up to 200 amps (or up to 600 amps, Subpanel, EV charger); no plans are required.
Pay the fee
$315 minimum electrical permit, plus $211 processing where charged; the checkout shows the total.
Coordinate the shutdown
Schedule PG&E and the city inspection so power is restored after the panel passes.
Inspect
Call the inspection through SJPermits.org; cancel by 2 pm two business days ahead to avoid a charge.