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San Rafael, CA Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Code adopted
2025 California Electrical Code, no local amendment
Permit required
Any electrical install, alteration, or repair
Emergency repairs
Apply next business day, proof required
Exempt
Wiring under 25 volts / 50 watts
Permit expiration
180 days, renewable up to 3 times
Late-start penalty
3x permit fee investigative charge

Summary

San Rafael requires a permit from the building official before any wiring, service, or fixed electrical equipment install regulated by the code, and adopts the 2025 California Electrical Code without local amendment. Minor repairs under 25 volts/50 watts are exempt; permits expire in 180 days and starting work early triples the fee.

Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit. ... The 2025 California Electrical Code is not amended or modified.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 37).

Full Breakdown

010 states plainly that "the 2025 California Electrical Code is not amended or modified," so the state text controls electrical work without any local overlay. 010 requires anyone who intends to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical system regulated by the code to first apply to the building official and obtain a permit. 1). 3). 020 exempts minor electrical work from permitting: replacing lamps, reinstalling attachment-plug receptacles, replacing same-size branch-circuit overcurrent devices, repairing switches or fixed motors of the same rating, removing wire, and replacing light fixtures in single-family homes and accessory structures.

Wiring and equipment operating under 25 volts and incapable of supplying more than 50 watts is also exempt, as is equipment owned by public utility agencies. 4). 1.

Violations & Fines

Working under an electrical permit that has expired or never was issued is enforceable as a code violation: Section 12.114.040 makes any Title 12 violation, including work done without a required permit or contrary to the building official's directive, subject to the penalties prescribed by law, and Section 12.114.030 authorizes a separate misdemeanor charge for each day the violation continues. The building official may also suspend or revoke a permit issued in error or on incorrect information under Section 12.105.060.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does San Rafael have its own electrical code, or does it just use the state code?
San Rafael adopts the 2025 California Electrical Code outright and does not modify it. Section 12.210.010 states that "the 2025 California Electrical Code is not amended or modified," so every electrical rule enforced in the city, from wire sizing to grounding, is the state CEC text, not a separate local standard.
What electrical work can I do at my San Rafael home without a permit?
Section 12.105.020 exempts minor items: replacing lamps, reinstalling attachment-plug receptacles, swapping same-capacity branch-circuit breakers, repairing switches or fixed appliances of the same type and rating, removing wire, and replacing light fixtures in single-family homes. Anything beyond that, including new circuits or service upgrades, needs a permit from the building official first.
How long is a San Rafael electrical permit good for?
Electrical permits fall under the "all other permits" category in Section 12.105.050, which expires 180 days after issuance rather than the 24 months given to building permits. The permit can be renewed up to three times within a three-month grace period before a brand-new application and fees are required.
What happens if I start electrical work before getting a permit in San Rafael?
Section 12.114.030.1 requires payment of an investigative fee equal to three times the normal permit fee, collected whether or not a permit is later issued, in addition to enforcement measures and possible misdemeanor prosecution under Section 12.114.030. The building official can waive or reduce the fee only if the application was already underway in good faith.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in San Rafael

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All San Rafael rules

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