Haverford, PA Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)

Chapter 73 of the Haverford Township Code makes the permit the starting point for all electrical work. Under § 73-7, the applicant files on a township form that states the nature of the work, the place where it will be done, plans and specifications, and the name and address of the person doing the work. Electrical drawings signed by an architect or a professional electrical engineer are required for all new commercial, public and industrial buildings and apartments, unless the estimated cost of the electrical work is less than $2,500. The Director of Code Enforcement can ask for any other information he deems necessary.

The standard is the National Electrical Code, which the Board of Commissioners adopted in § 73-5. That section also limits materials to those on the Underwriters' Laboratories list of inspected appliances and adds a local requirement: wherever electrical work accompanies a gas or oil burner installation, an emergency shutoff switch with a red plate marked "oil burner" or "gas burner" must be installed at the entrance to the basement or heating room. Section 73-8 exempts replacing light bulbs or fuses, minor repair work, plugging a portable appliance into an installed receptacle, and central police station supervised alarm systems.

Permit fees are set by resolution of the Board of Commissioners (§ 73-9). Inspections are made by the Director of Code Enforcement or an approved inspection agency, and a certificate of inspection and approval must reach the Director not later than 15 days after the installation is complete (§ 73-10). The Director can stop work in process and order removal of work that does not conform. A permit can be revoked if work is unsafe, a condition is violated, or active work does not begin within six months of issuance (§ 73-11). Anyone aggrieved can appeal in writing to the Examining Board within 10 days (§ 73-14).