Hercules, CA Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)

Section 9-3.01, in Title 9's Building Standards Code chapter, adopts the 2025 California Electrical Code (Part 3 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations) as part of the omnibus County Ordinance No. 2025-19, which the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors approved on November 4, 2025 under the authority of California Government Code Sections 50020 through 50022.9. That same ordinance folds in the 2025 California Building Code, Residential Code, Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Energy Code, Historical Building Code, Existing Building Code and Green Building Standards Code, all with the county's local changes, additions and deletions.

Because Contra Costa County provides building inspection services to Hercules under contract, Section 9-1.02 defines the Title's 'electrical inspector,' 'inspector' and 'building official' as the county director of building inspection or a duly authorized deputy representing the City. Electrical permits therefore route through the county's building inspection division rather than a standalone City electrical department.

The same permit-before-work rule that governs building permits applies to electrical work: Section 9-1.03 charges double the normal fee for every permit an electrical job required if the work started before the permit issued, and treats the violation as an infraction unless the City elects to prosecute it as a misdemeanor under the general penalty schedule in Section 1-4.01. A stop-work order that goes unheeded escalates to an administrative citation under Section 1-4.02. Disputes over an electrical permit decision go to the three-member Board of Appeals under Chapter 2 of Title 9, with a ten-day window to file a written appeal along with the Council-set filing fee under Section 9-2.09.