Wicomico County, MD Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)

Under Wicomico County Code Ch. 138, anyone doing electrical work in unincorporated Wicomico County must first secure a permit from the Department of Planning, Zoning and Community Development before starting any wiring, conduit, machinery, apparatus or fixture installation (§ 138-24B). A temporary service pole permit must fold in whatever permanent installation the project ultimately needs. Separate permit fees apply to commercial and residential electrical work, set by the Board of Electrical Examiners and approved by the County Council; the fee schedule in Ch. 141 lists electrical permits under §§ 138-24B and 117-5 at $70 per commercial permit and $35 per residential permit.

The Electrical Examiners Board adopts as its installation standard the National Electrical Code together with the Wicomico County Electrical Code, and requires all material and equipment to carry Underwriters' Laboratories or equivalent accredited-agency approval (§ 138-24D). Inspections must be performed by inspectors registered with the Board within seven working days of an inspection request, and no power company may connect current to a property without a cut-in card from an approved inspector, except in an emergency where a licensed contractor may restore service ahead of the card (§ 138-24C).

1). A narrow owner-occupant exemption lets a bona fide owner do wiring in a single-family dwelling they will occupy for six months, but the § 138-24 permit and inspection duties still apply (§ 138-23A(3)).