Cambridge, MA Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum permit charge
- $25.00
- Sign permit fee
- $40.00
- Fee schedule effective date
- June 1, 2009
- Penalty for starting without permit
- Fee tripled (§15.08.010)
- Blanket permit option
- Available for permanent in-house electricians
Summary
Cambridge requires an electrical permit before work starts, and starting first triples the fee under Municipal Code § 15.08.010. The itemized fee schedule at § 15.08.030 sets a $25 minimum permit charge, effective since June 1, 2009, with per-fixture, per-amp and per-device rates on top.
Where work for which a permit is required by the Electric Code is started or proceeded with, prior to obtaining such permit, the fee herein specified shall be tripled but the payment of such triple fee shall not relieve any person from fully complying with the requirements of the Code in the execution of the work nor from any other penalties prescribed in the Code.
Full Breakdown
010 penalizes jumping the gun on electrical work: if work requiring a permit under the Electric Code starts before the permit issues, the fee specified in the schedule is tripled, and paying the triple fee does not excuse full compliance with the Code or shield the violator from any other penalty the Code prescribes. 00 each for alarm systems and computer systems. 020 lets an employer of one or more permanent electricians obtain a permit covering their work for a set period, billed the same as if each job were separately permitted, rather than filing individually for every task.
Violations & Fines
Starting electrical work before obtaining the required permit triples the applicable fee from the § 15.08.030 schedule under § 15.08.010. That tripled payment does not relieve the responsible party from fully complying with the Electric Code's requirements or from any other penalty the Code otherwise prescribes for the underlying work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum electrical permit fee in Cambridge?
What happens if I start electrical work in Cambridge before getting a permit?
How much does a sign permit cost under Cambridge's electrical fee schedule?
Can a business with its own electricians get one Cambridge electrical permit for ongoing work?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cambridge
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