Tacoma, WA Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)

An Electrical Permit shall be applied for and purchased before electrical equipment may be installed, altered, or repaired. An Electrical Permit is required for the installation, alteration, or maintenance of all electrical systems or equipment, including, but not limited to, when removal of a Tacoma Power owned electric meter is necessary to perform any electrical work. Exceptions:

A. Like-in-kind replacement of a contactor, relay, timer, starter, electronic circuit board, or similar control component, household appliance, circuit breaker, fuse, residential luminaire, lamp, snap switch, dimmer, receptacle outlet, thermostat, heating element, luminaire ballast with an exact same ballast, component(s) of electric signs, outline lighting, skeleton lighting or skeleton neon tubing where the electrical system is not modified, 10 horsepower or smaller motor;

B. Induction detection loops described in WAC 296-46B-300(2) and used to control gate access devices;

C. Heat cable repair; and

D. Embedding pre-manufactured heat mats in tile grout where the mat is listed by an approved testing laboratory and comes from the manufacturer with pre-connected lead-in conductors. All listing marks and lead-in conductor labels must be left intact and visible for evaluation and inspection by the installing electrician and the electrical inspector. (Ord. 28443 Ex. A, 2017-08-01) § 12.06A.220. Permits and inspections.

A.