Madera County, CA Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before any electrical system work
- Code adopted
- California Electrical Code, current edition
- Enforcement
- Stop-work order, utility disconnection
- Scope
- Unincorporated Madera County only
Summary
Unincorporated Madera County requires a written construction permit from the building official before any electrical system is erected, altered, or installed, under the county's adopted California Electrical Code.
(a)Except as exempted in paragraph (b) or (c) of this subsection, a written construction permit shall be obtained from the enforcing agency prior to the erection, construction, reconstruction, installation, movement, or alteration of any electrical system. Madera County shall not issue electrical permits for work in, on, or under, unpermitted structures. For electrical work to be installed in, on, or under, existing structures building permits must be obtained, inspections completed and passed prior to the issuance of any other permits.
(Ord. No. 702, § 6, 12-13-22)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).
Full Breakdown
Madera County adopts the California Electrical Code under Madera County Code § 14.04.030(E) and amends it locally in Chapter 14.24. Section 14.24.120 requires a written construction permit from the enforcing agency before erecting, constructing, reconstructing, installing, moving, or altering any electrical system in the unincorporated county, with limited exceptions. The county will not issue an electrical permit for work in, on, or under a structure that itself lacks a building permit: existing structures must be permitted and pass inspection first. This governs unincorporated Madera County only; the cities of Madera and Chowchilla issue their own permits.
Violations & Fines
Electrical work done without a permit can draw a written stop-work order under § 14.24.090, and the building official may direct the serving utility to disconnect power until the work is permitted and inspected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Madera County require a permit for electrical work?
Can I get an electrical permit for an unpermitted structure?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madera County
California rules heatmap·Compare Madera County to another location·View the California building safety overview
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