Schenectady, NY Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)

Section 138-64 makes the latest edition of the National Electrical Code, published by the National Fire Protection Association, the duly adopted Electrical Code of the City of Schenectady, administered and enforced by the Building Inspector under § 138-66 through the Electrical Inspector, who is appointed by the Mayor under § 138-67. Section 138-83 bars installing any electrical wiring or equipment without a permit from the Electrical Inspector, with the same factory-manufactured-home carve-out that applies to plumbing permits. Permits may be issued only to a licensed electrical contractor or master electrician, an institutional electrician, a licensed out-of-town master electrician, or an approved homeowner; contractors and institutional electricians must hold an annual license from the City's Electrical Licensing Board, costing $300 a year for a licensed contractor or master electrician and $200 a year for an institutional electrician under § 138-82.

Fees under § 138-84 scale with the job: an existing one-family residential service costs $75 for the service fee, $50 for the permit and $50 for inspection, rising to $105, $50 and $200 respectively for a four-family building; a new residential building up to four units bundles permit, inspection and service into a single fee from $175 for one unit to $355 for four units; new commercial or larger residential work carries a $300 permit fee plus an inspection fee of $175 plus 1% of the electrical contract; and a fire alarm system permit and inspection runs $100 plus 1% of the alarm contract.

Every fee doubles under § 138-84G if work starts before the permit issues, and a reinspection beyond the first and final inspection costs an additional $50. The Electrical Inspector may revoke a permit under § 138-69 for a false statement, an error in issuance, work that deviates from the approved plans, or a permit holder's refusal to comply with an order.