The rule
From SDCI's Electrical Permit page (read 23 October 2026):
- A permit is needed whenever wiring is "installed, altered, extended, or connected" to equipment.
- "Most low-voltage systems in single-family dwellings don't require a permit, except security alarm systems, which require an electrical permit."
- "Any professional applying for electrical permits must have a Washington State electrical contractor's license and a Seattle business license. Property owners may do their own work when they own and occupy the property they're working on."
- Some jobs need plan review under Seattle Electrical Code Article 80, sections 80.50 and 80.51; most house jobs do not.
SDCI's electrical FAQ adds that a homeowner permit is for work you do yourself: "If you're not doing the work, you must hire an electrical contractor", and a contractor can be added to a homeowner permit later.
What it costs
Seattle publishes fixed electrical fees for permits without plan review in Table D-15 of the 2026 Fee Subtitle (effective 1 January 2026, read 23 October 2026):
| Item | 2026 fee |
|---|---|
| Administrative fee, every permit | $55.48 |
| Minimum for a standard online (OTC) electrical permit | $105.12 |
| New or altered service up to 125 A | $146.00 |
| Service 150 to 200 A | $292.00 |
| Service 225 to 350 A | $365.00 |
| Service 400 A or more | plan review |
| Branch circuit or feeder up to 25 A | $26.28 |
| Branch circuit or feeder 30 to 50 A | $43.80 |
| Branch circuit or feeder 60 to 200 A | $146.00 |
| Service repair, mast and meter base only | $146.00 |
| Level 2 car charger, 30 to 50 A | $52.56 |
| Technology fee on all SDCI fees | 5% |
A 200-amp service upgrade plus two small circuits comes to $292 + $52.56 + the $55.48 administrative fee, about $400 before the technology fee. A change fee of $55.48 applies when work is added to an issued permit.
How to apply and get it inspected
- Apply online in the Seattle Services Portal: Permit – Trade, Construction, and Land Use, then the electrical permit. Without plan review, "You can print your permit the same day." A small solar system under 7.7 kW can also go online without plan review.
- Coordinate with Seattle City Light for a service change or new service.
- Schedule inspections online or on (206) 684-8900. "Most permits require three electrical inspections: cover, service, and final", plus feeder inspections for a subpanel. The contractor or installer schedules them "before the permit expires".
- Check the result on the portal record.
Check a contractor's electrical license on L&I Verify; the Seattle contractor license lookup covers the rest.
What 20,201 Seattle electrical permits show
| Measure | Seattle electrical |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 20,201 |
| Firms | 899 |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months | 639 |
| Usual filed value | $4,067 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value | $2,250 to $8,000 |
| Completed (permits a year or more old) | 94.5% |
| Usual days from issue to completion | 42 |
| Firms matched to an active L&I license | 83.5% |
| Busiest / quietest month | October (index 116) / December (86) |
Seattle closes its electrical permits: 94.5% of those a year or more old were completed, and even the 10th-percentile firm with 10 or more permits completed 85.7%. That makes an electrician with many expired permits stand out. 81 electrical firms on Seattle permits matched an L&I record that is no longer active.
See every Seattle electrician by permits completed and L&I status →
Related
EV chargers specifically: Seattle EV charger permit. Choosing the electrician: hiring an electrician in Seattle. Other cities' rules: do I need a permit for electrical work and for a panel upgrade. Prices: electrical work cost. Seattle counts by year and month: Seattle permit statistics. Older permits: Seattle building permit search.
What this does not tell you
The filed value is the applicant's estimate of the job, not the invoice. Owner permits name no firm and are not in the firm counts. License status is our name match to L&I's file.
How we know this
The permit rule, homeowner rule, application and inspection steps are quoted from SDCI's Electrical Permit page and electrical FAQ, and fees from Table D-15 of SDCI's 2026 Fee Subtitle, all read 23 October 2026. Counts are SDCI electrical permits on Seattle homes, October 2023 to September 2026; "completed" uses permits a year or more old marked completed or closed. License status is our name match to Washington L&I.
Numbers come from City of Seattle (SDCI) building, trade and electrical permits on single-family and duplex homes (the city's open-data exports), data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How much is an electrical permit in Seattle?
Under SDCI's 2026 Fee Subtitle, a standard online electrical permit has a $105.12 minimum and a $55.48 administrative fee, and items are added on top: for example $292 for a new or altered 150 to 200 amp service and $26.28 for a branch circuit up to 25 amps. A 5% technology fee applies to all SDCI fees.
- Can a homeowner pull an electrical permit in Seattle?
Yes, if you own and occupy the property and do the work yourself. SDCI says 'Property owners may do their own work when they own and occupy the property', and its FAQ adds that if you are not doing the work you must hire an electrical contractor.
- How long does an electrical permit take in Seattle?
SDCI issues many electrical permits the same day you apply online; those needing plan review can take up to a few weeks. The usual Seattle electrical permit in our file was completed 42 days after issue.
- What inspections does a Seattle electrical permit need?
SDCI says most permits need three: cover, service and final, plus feeder inspections if there is a feeder to a subpanel. The contractor or installer schedules them online or on (206) 684-8900 before the permit expires.
- Do I need a permit for low-voltage wiring in Seattle?
Usually not in a single-family home. SDCI says most low-voltage systems in single-family dwellings do not need a permit, except security alarm systems, which do.
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 a permit for an electrical panel upgrade? Yes: the rule in 13 cities, and how long it takes
- Do I need a permit for electrical work? The rule in 13 cities, and how many get filed
- What can a homeowner do without a permit? Exempt work in 7 cities, and when you can pull your own
- Do I need an electrical permit in Anaheim? Panel upgrades, the utility meter spot, fees and inspections
- Do I need a low-voltage permit in Seattle? Not usually, unless it's a security alarm
For one city
- Electrical Permit — Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (accessed 2026-10-23)
- 2026 Fee Subtitle (SMC 22.900), Table D-15 Electrical Permit Fees — SDCI (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Electrical Permits & Inspections FAQ — SDCI (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Seattle Services Portal — City of Seattle (2026-10-23)
- Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business — Washington L&I (2026-10-22)