Kalamazoo, MI Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- Michigan Electrical Code, § 9-99
- Enforcing official
- Building Official (electrical official)
- Contractor license required
- State or municipal license, § 9-100
- Homeowner exemption
- Own single-family home wiring, § 9-100(C)(7)
- Violation classification
- Public nuisance and civil infraction, § 9-103
- First offense fine
- Up to $200 (§ 9-5)
- Repeat offense fine
- $200 to $500 within 12 months
Summary
In the City of Kalamazoo, all electrical wiring, alteration and repair work follows the Michigan Electrical Code, adopted wholesale by City Code § 9-99 and enforced by the Building Official acting as electrical official. Anyone doing electrical contracting must hold an electrical contractor's license under § 9-100, and violating the article's construction standards is a public nuisance and municipal civil infraction under § 9-103.
A. Pursuant to the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCLA § 125.1501 et seq., as amended, the Michigan Electrical Code, being the most recent edition as adopted by the State of Michigan, and a complete copy of which is on file in the office of the City Clerk, is hereby adopted by reference thereto as if fully set forth herein, for the purpose of regulating the design, installation, alteration and repair of electrical wiring, devices and equipment in the City of Kalamazoo, providing for issuance of permits, and providing penalties for violation thereof. ... ... B. The term "electrical official," when used in the Michigan Electrical Code, shall mean the Building Official of the City of Kalamazoo and/or electrical inspector authorized to act for said Building Official.
Full Breakdown
Kalamazoo's Electrical Code, Article IV of Chapter 9 (City Code §§ 9-98 through 9-103), adopts the most recent edition of the Michigan Electrical Code by reference under the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCLA § 125.1501 et seq. A complete copy is on file with the City Clerk, and § 9-99 provides that where the state code conflicts with any other part of the Kalamazoo City Code, the Michigan Electrical Code controls. The Building Official doubles as the 'electrical official' the state code refers to, with an electrical inspector authorized to act on the Building Official's behalf.
Section 9-100 bars anyone from engaging in electrical contracting, or from performing any electrical wiring at all, without an electrical contractor's license issued by the state board or municipality, unless the individual works under a licensed contractor's direction. The section lists specific exemptions from licensure, including minor repair work, elevator and escalator wiring installed under a separate elevator permit, utility-owned generation and distribution equipment, manufacturing and testing of electrical equipment, telephone and telegraph company signal wiring, homeowner-performed work in their own single-family home and outbuildings, security alarm system installation or servicing, low-voltage lawn irrigation and landscape lighting connections under 30 volts, and telecommunications construction and maintenance apart from fire alarm systems.
Under § 9-103, any violation of the article's construction or installation standards is declared a public nuisance and a municipal civil infraction, and the City may separately pursue an injunction, a damages action, or any other legal process to enforce compliance.
Violations & Fines
Violating the Electrical Code's construction or installation standards is a public nuisance and municipal civil infraction under § 9-103, and Chapter 9's general penalty at § 9-5 sets civil fines of up to $200 for a first offense and $200 to $500 for a second violation within twelve months. The Building Official issues and serves citations under § 9-11 and, under § 9-10, may also seek a circuit court injunction, with enforcement costs becoming a lien on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an electrical contractor's license to do my own wiring in Kalamazoo?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kalamazoo
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