Shoreline, WA Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- Current National Electrical Code, § 15.05.010(J)
- State cross-reference
- WAC 296-46B and Chapter 19.28 RCW
- Required inspections
- Rough-in and final inspection
- Concealment rule
- No covering wiring before approval
- Enforcing office
- Shoreline building official / inspector
Summary
The City of Shoreline adopts the current National Electrical Code under Shoreline Municipal Code § 15.05.010(J), tying local electrical work to the state's Chapter 296-46B WAC rules and Chapter 19.28 RCW licensing law. Every electrical job needs a rough-in inspection and a final inspection under SMC § 15.05.060, and the wiring cannot be closed up or covered until the inspector making that inspection signs off.
J. The current edition of the National Electrical Code, published by the National Fire Protection Association, as adopted by the Department of Labor and Industries in Chapter 296-46B WAC, as now or hereafter amended, and Chapter 19.28 RCW, as now or hereafter amended. ... ... § 15.05.060. National Electric Code – Required inspections. All work requires a rough-in and a final inspection, and no electrical wiring or equipment subject to inspections under Chapter 19.28 RCW may be concealed until it has been approved by the inspector making the inspection.
Full Breakdown
Shoreline does not write its own electrical code from scratch; instead SMC § 15.05.010(J) adopts the current edition of the National Electrical Code published by the National Fire Protection Association, exactly as the Department of Labor and Industries has adopted it in Chapter 296-46B WAC, and layers on Chapter 19.28 RCW, the state law that requires electrical permits and licensed electricians for most wiring work. Locally, SMC § 15.05.060 adds the inspection mechanics: every electrical job, whether a service upgrade, a panel swap or new circuits, requires both a rough-in inspection before walls close up and a final inspection before the work is considered complete.
The code is explicit that no electrical wiring or equipment subject to inspection under Chapter 19.28 RCW may be concealed until the inspector making that inspection has approved it, so drywalling over unpermitted or uninspected wiring is itself a violation independent of any defect in the wiring. Under the general amendments in SMC § 15.05.020(B), any reference in the adopted codes to 'building official' or 'department of inspection' means the city of Shoreline, and Chapter 19.28 RCW inspections for electrical work in Washington are actually carried out through the state Department of Labor and Industries or a certified local inspection program, which is why Shoreline's own section ties directly back to that state chapter rather than duplicating it.
A permit holder who skips the rough-in step and finishes a wall risks having to open it back up before the final inspection can be approved.
Violations & Fines
Concealing electrical wiring before the required rough-in or final inspection under SMC § 15.05.060 is a code violation, separate from any wiring defect. Because Chapter 15.05 codes are enforced through the city's general code chapter, the Director can issue a notice and order under SMC § 20.30.760 with a $500 civil penalty that escalates every 14 days uncorrected, and a willful violation carries misdemeanor penalties of up to $1,000 and 90 days in jail under SMC § 20.30.770. Uninspected work also blocks final approval and any certificate of occupancy tied to the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What electrical code applies in Shoreline?
How many electrical inspections does a Shoreline project need?
Can I close up a wall before the electrical inspector signs off?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shoreline
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