The Cambridge rule
| Question | Cambridge answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What needs a permit? | All work under the Massachusetts Electrical Code | Apply for an Electrical Permit |
| Who can pull it? | "These permits are issued to Massachusetts licensed electricians" | Electrical Permits |
| Under what law? | "Massachusetts General Laws (MGLs) 143-3L" | Electrical Permits |
| Homeowner permit? | Only for building permits on one- or two-unit homes; wiring permits go to licensed electricians | ISD permit FAQ |
| Work started without one? | The fee "shall be tripled" (Section 15.04.010) | Electrical/Wiring Fees |
All pages read 23 October 2026. The homeowner point catches people: you can pull a building permit for your own two-family, but the wiring in it still needs a licensed electrician's permit. A renovation is therefore at least two permits, building and electrical, plus plumbing and gas if those trades are involved.
How to apply
The City's Apply for an Electrical Permit page lists the steps for the electrician:
- Register for an account on the City's online permitting portal and log in.
- Enter the job and upload required attachments as PDF.
- Pay the permit fee: "permit cannot be processed without payment".
- On approval, the permit arrives by email, and it "must be printed and posted at work site".
Questions go to Inspectional Services, 831 Massachusetts Ave., 617-349-6100, ISD@cambridgema.gov.
What it costs
Cambridge prices electrical permits per item, from the Electrical/Wiring Fees page (no minimum fee or effective date is printed):
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Receptacle, 15 amp | $1.00 each |
| Receptacle, 20 amp; disposal; dishwasher | $4.00 each |
| Dryer, 30 amp | $5.00 each |
| Range, water heater or tub, 50 amp | $8.00 each |
| New service | $10.00 per 100 amps |
| Meter | $5.00 each |
| Central air | $35.00 |
| Heating units | $5.00 for 1 kW, then $1.00 per added kW |
| Alarm, data, low-voltage control or thermostat wiring | $25.00 |
So a 200-amp service change is $20 plus $5 for the meter; a kitchen with eight 20-amp receptacles, a range and a dishwasher is $32 + $8 + $4 = $44. The fee is small next to the job; what costs money is starting without the permit.
What 3,820 Cambridge electrical permits show
| Measure | Cambridge electrical |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 3,820 |
| Licensed electricians or firms on them | 1,038 |
| With a permit in the last 12 months of the window | 553 |
| Usual filed value (middle half of electricians) | $3,800 ($2,050 to $8,000) |
| Marked Complete (permits a year or more old) | 71.5% |
| Usual days from issue to Complete (estimated) | 104 |
| Complete share, 10th / 90th percentile (10+ permits) | 54.1% / 88.2% |
| Busiest month / quietest month | September (index 118) / August (84) |
Cambridge electrical permits name the licensed electrician, often a person rather than a company, which is why there are 1,038 names for 3,820 permits and 44.5% of them appear once. Follow-through varies: among the 71 electricians with 10 or more permits, 31 had fewer than 70% marked Complete. Ask yours whether the final inspection is booked before the last payment. Prices by home value are on Cambridge electrical cost; counts by year on Cambridge permit statistics.
See every Cambridge electrician by permits completed →
Before you hire
Check the electrician's license on the state's eLIPSE lookup and look them up on the Cambridge electrician list; the other licenses a renovation needs are in Cambridge contractor license lookup. National prices are in electrical work cost; other cities' rules in do I need a permit for electrical work and do I need a permit for an electrical panel upgrade; past permits on your address in Cambridge building permit search.
What this does not tell you
Cambridge publishes a status but no completion date, so our days to Complete are estimates from status and permit age, and many Cambridge permits stay Active after the work is done. Owner-pulled permits are left out of our file. The filed value is the electrician's figure.
How we know this
Permit rules are quoted from the City of Cambridge Electrical Permits and Apply for an Electrical Permit pages and the Inspectional Services permit FAQ, and fees from the ISD Electrical/Wiring Fees page, all read 23 October 2026; the worked examples apply that table. Permit counts are City of Cambridge Inspectional Services electrical permits on residential parcels, October 2023 to September 2026; Complete share uses permits a year or more old, and days to Complete are estimated because no completion date is published.
Numbers come from City of Cambridge Inspectional Services permits (the city's per-type open-data permit files), data through October 16, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Can a homeowner pull an electrical permit in Cambridge, MA?
No. The City says electrical permits 'are issued to Massachusetts licensed electricians', and its permit FAQ gives a homeowner exception only for building permits on one- or two-unit homes, not for wiring, plumbing or gas.
- How much is an electrical permit in Cambridge?
Cambridge charges per item: $1.00 per 15-amp receptacle, $4.00 per 20-amp receptacle, disposal or dishwasher, $8.00 per 50-amp range or water heater, $10.00 per 100 amps of new service, $5.00 per meter and $35.00 for central air. If work starts before the permit, the fee is tripled.
- Do I need a permit to upgrade my electrical panel in Cambridge?
Yes. Cambridge issues electrical permits for all work under the Massachusetts Electrical Code, and a service upgrade is priced on the City's fee table at $10.00 per 100 amps plus $5.00 per meter.
- How long does an electrical permit take in Cambridge?
The City emails the permit once it is approved and paid. Closing it takes longer: our estimate for the usual Cambridge electrical permit is 104 days from issue to Complete, and 71.5% of permits a year or more old were marked Complete.
- How do I check that my electrician is licensed in Massachusetts?
Search the electrician's name or license number on the state's eLIPSE lookup for Occupational Board licenses. Cambridge electrical permits name the licensed electrician, so the name on the permit should match.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Do I need an electrical permit in Anaheim? Panel upgrades, the utility meter spot, fees and inspections
- Do I need an electrical permit in Arlington, VA? What's exempt, who pulls it, how long it takes
- Austin building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need an electrical permit in Austin? The exempt list, the homestead permit, fees and inspections
- Do I need a remodel permit in Detroit? Building permits, who can do the work, fees and 7,119 permits
- Do I need an electrical permit in Eugene? Permanent wiring, owner permits, 2026 fees and 5,835 permits
For one city
- Electrical Permits — City of Cambridge (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Apply for an Electrical Permit — City of Cambridge (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Electrical/Wiring Fees — Cambridge Inspectional Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Building / Electric / Plumbing Permits FAQ — Cambridge Inspectional Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Check an Occupational Board license — Mass.gov (accessed 2026-10-22)