(a)   Except as provided in subsection (b), it shall be unlawful for any person to engage in any electrical construction as defined in section 4-301 within the city without an electrical permit being first obtained therefor from the city clerk. The application for such permit shall be made and the permit obtained before any electrical construction work is commenced.

(b)   No electrical permit shall be required for any of the following:

(1)   The replacement of lamps, fuses, bulbs or the connection of portable electrical equipment to suitable permanently installed receptacles and replacement of receptacles and switches, lighting fixtures and apparatus where no changes or alterations are made to the wiring;

(2)   Any work involved in the manufacturing, repair or testing of any electrical equipment or apparatus, but not including any permanent wiring; or

(3)   Any work in industrial establishments where the issuance of electrical permits come under the scope of other agencies.

(Code 1987)

4-302.       Same; application information required.

(a)   An electrical permit shall be issued upon an application in writing to the office of city clerk on a form or forms provided for the purpose. This application shall, among other things, disclose the following:

(1)   The name of the owner of the lot or tract of ground;

(2)   The location of the building or structure;

(3)   The electrical construction work proposed;

(4)   The class of occupancy;

(5)   The class of electrical construction;

(6)   The kind of materials to be used;

(7)   The estimated cost of the work;

(8)   The date work will commence;

(9)   Expected date of completion;

(10) Name and address of electrical contractor or contractors doing the work;

(11) Such other information as may be pertinent to the issuance of the required permit.

(b)   An application for an electrical permit shall be signed by the owner or his or her duly authorized agent, or an electrician or electrical contractor. If the application is made by the owner or his or her agent, it shall contain the name or names of the licensed electrician or electrical contractor or contractors doing the work described, or an electrical permit may be issued to the owner upon his or her application disclosing satisfactory evidence that the proposed work will be performed by the owner, himself or herself and not by a licensed electrical contractor.

(c)   Upon approval of the completed application and a determination that a permit should be issued, the city clerk shall issue a permit to the owner, electrician or electrical contractor authorizing the electrical construction work covered by the application.

(d)   Any permit issued under this section shall be valid and subsisting for a period of not more than six months from the date of issuance unless the permittee shall have commenced, within the period so limited, the electrical construction work authorized by such permit. Electrical construction work commenced, for the purpose of this section, shall mean the beginning of electrical construction work other than the preparation of plans or the letting of an electrical contract.

(Code 1987)

Whenever an application for a electrical permit is made, the city clerk may, if he or she finds it necessary to determine whether electrical construction work described in the application will comply with the laws pertaining to such work, require that the applicant file a written description or drawing of the proposed electrical construction as may be prepared for the purpose. If such drawing or description is insufficient for the purposes of determining whether a permit should be issued, the city clerk may require the applicant to file complete electrical and engineering plans and specifications for such electrical construction, or any part thereof, as may be necessary for the inspector to determine compliance with this article. The filing of such plans and specifications and the approval thereof in connection with an application for a permit shall not in any way affect the authority of the city to deny or issue a permit, or to inspect any electrical construction work for conformity with this article.

(Code 1987)

(a)   The fee for an electrical permit shall be as follows:

(1)   For work costing at least $100, but not more than $1,000 - $1;

(2)   For work costing over $1,000 - $1 for the first $1,000 plus 50¢ per $1,000 for each additional $1,000.

(b)   No fee shall be required to obtain a permit where the total estimated cost, the reasonable value of all services, labor and materials required, is under $100.

(c)   The fee herein shall be paid to the city clerk upon obtaining a electrical permit and the same shall be credited to the general operating fund of the city.

(Code 1987)

A copy of the electrical permit shall be kept on the premises for public inspection during the performance of the work and until the completion of the same. The city clerk may require a certified copy of the approved plans to be kept on the premises at all times from the commencement of the work to the completion thereof.

(Code 1987)