Electrical permit fees by city
Panel and service permit lines from 63 city fee schedules, sorted by the least a homeowner pays at that city. Each row links to the city page and to the fee schedule it came from. 28 more cities post fees that do not fit one line, and 9 have no current fee line.
How to read this page
Cities do not price permits the same way, and the posted line is often not what a small job pays. Some charge a flat issuance fee and a small line per panel. Others charge a single fee for the whole job, or price by project value. This page compares one thing: the line a city posts for a service or panel of about 200 amps, the most common residential permit job. It is not a quote and it is not a total.
- Fee line is the dollar amount as the city posts it. If a city posts two parts, such as a permit fee plus a plan check fee for the same line, the parts are added and marked.
- Issuance fee is the separate per-permit charge, shown only when the city lists it as a flat amount. It is usually added on top of the fee line.
- Minimum permit is the smallest electrical permit the city issues, when it lists one. A small job pays the minimum even when the line is lower.
- At least is the least a homeowner can pay: the fee line plus the issuance fee, raised to the minimum permit when that is higher. Plan check, surcharges and state fees can come on top, so it is a floor and not a quote. Rows are sorted by this figure.
- As of is the date the fee source was last read for this page. Fees change, so confirm at the counter.
Plan check and re-inspections. In every row the fee is the line only and plan check and re-inspections are separate, except the 5 rows marked with a dagger (†), where the amount already includes plan review. San Clemente's line comes from Resolution 08-80, an older schedule that the city still posts as its current one.
Commercial permits can also add plan check, fire review and valuation-based fees. For one city, the city page shows every fee line that passed the filter, and the commercial city pages show the commercial column where one exists.
63 cities, sorted by panel or service fee line
Sorted by the least a homeowner pays, then by name. Posted lines only: nothing is averaged or estimated, and this is not a ranking of which city is cheapest.
| City | Fee line | Issuance fee | Minimum permit | At least | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Grove Orange County | $37.00 Electrical service, 600 V max, 200 amps max | Not listed | Not listed | $37 | Fee schedule ggcity.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Los Angeles Los Angeles County | $16.00 Service, 0 to 200 amps | $23.00 | $55 to $90 | $55 | Fee schedule ladbs.org, 2026-10-29 |
| La Habra Orange County | $28.00 Single family meter (service/meter/panel line) | $28.00 | Not listed | $56 | Fee schedule lahabraca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Whittier Los Angeles County | $27.50 Service, up to 200 amps | $31.00 | Not listed | $58.50 | Fee schedule cityofwhittier.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Lancaster Los Angeles County | $51 Single phase service | $8 | Not listed | $59 | Fee schedule cityoflancasterca.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Palmdale Los Angeles County | $42.25 Services, panelboards and switchboards of 600 volts or less, up to 399 amps | $35.50 | Not listed | $77.75 | Fee schedule cityofpalmdaleca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| South Gate Los Angeles County | $43.00 Service installation (includes one meter), 600 volts or less, not over 200 amperes | $35.31 | Not listed | $78.31 | Fee schedule cityofsouthgate.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Pomona Los Angeles County | $46.80 Services, panelboards and subpanels, up to 399 amps | $33.25 | Not listed | $80.05 | Fee schedule pomonaca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Aliso Viejo Orange County | $56.95 Services and switchboards, 600 amps or less | $25.26 | Not listed | $82.21 | Fee schedule avcity.org, 2026-10-30 |
| El Cajon San Diego County | $43.00 Electrical: meter upgrade / services to 200 amp | $45.00 | Not listed | $88 | Fee schedule elcajon.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Lake Forest Orange County | $58.99 Service and switchboard sections less than 600 V | $32.00 | Not listed | $90.99 | Fee schedule lakeforestca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Colton San Bernardino County | $21.67 permit fee plus $72.67 plan check fee † $94.34 combined Service, 600 volts or less, up to 200 amps | Not listed | Not listed | $94.34 | Fee schedule coltonca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Chino San Bernardino County | $27.25 Services of 600 volts or less and not over 200 amperes | $67.94 | Not listed | $95.19 | Fee schedule cityofchino.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Arcadia Los Angeles County | $98.06 Residential main panel upgrade to 200 A (fee paid on permit) | Not listed | Not listed | $98.06 | Fee schedule arcadiaca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| San Bernardino San Bernardino County | $38.21 Electrical service, up to 200 amps | $60.00 | $60 | $98.21 | Fee schedule sanbernardino.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Santa Clarita Los Angeles County | $64.00 Panel upgrade inspection | $36.00 | Not listed | $100 | Fee schedule santaclarita.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Irvine Orange County | $68.60 Service, 600 V or less, 0 to 200 amps and 200 to 400 amps, per meter (residential) | $31.88 | $63.77 | $100.48 | Fee schedule cityofirvine.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Laguna Niguel Orange County | $61.27 Services and switchboards, 600 amps or less | $39.59 | Not listed | $100.86 | Fee schedule cityoflagunaniguel.org, 2026-10-30 |
| Long Beach Los Angeles County | $24 per service Service, 600 volts or less, up to and including 200 amp | Not listed | $104 | $104 | Fee schedule longbeach.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Newport Beach Orange County | $61.00 Service change, 600 V or less, not over 200 amperes | $45.00 | Not listed | $106 | Fee schedule newportbeachca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Fountain Valley Orange County | $85.20 New panel or upgrade, up to 250 amps | $21.30 | Not listed | $106.50 | Fee schedule fountainvalley.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Gardena Los Angeles County | $43.00 Electrical service up to 200 A | $70.00 | Not listed | $113 | Fee schedule cityofgardena.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Pico Rivera Los Angeles County | $53.00 Service, switchboard or panel, up to 600 volts, up to 200 amps | $64.00 | Not listed | $117 | Fee schedule pico-rivera.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Riverside Riverside County | $90.00 Electrical service 0 to 200A | $41.00 | Not listed | $131 | Fee schedule riversideca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Downey Los Angeles County | $85.10 each Panels and switchboards, 1 to 200 amps | $56.35 | $120.75 | $141.45 | Fee schedule downeyca.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Bellflower Los Angeles County | $96.00 Electrical panel upgrade, residential, under 200 amps | $49.00 | Not listed | $145 | Fee schedule bellflower.ca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Pasadena Los Angeles County | $73.00 New or upgraded service equipment or subpanel, 0 to 200 amps | $78.00 | Not listed | $151 | Fee schedule cityofpasadena.net, 2026-10-30 |
| San Clemente Orange County | $118.00 Service, 600 volts or less, up to 200 amps | $35.00 | Not listed | $153 | Fee schedule sanclemente.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Claremont Los Angeles County | $94.50 Services and subpanels, 600 V or less, not over 200 amps, including one meter | $61.80 | Not listed | $156.30 | Fee schedule claremontca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Eastvale Riverside County | $161.00 Electric service or subpanel, new or replacement, 1 to 400 amps | Not listed | Not listed | $161 | Fee schedule portal.laserfiche.com, 2026-10-30 |
| Tustin Orange County | $123.01 Services, switchboard sections, panel boards: 600 V or less and not over 200 amps, each | $38.00 | Not listed | $161.01 | Fee schedule tustinca.org, 2026-10-30 |
| Menifee Riverside County | $103.00 Electrical service/panel up to 400 amps, single family residence | $59.75 | Not listed | $162.75 | Fee schedule menifee.ca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Murrieta Riverside County | $163.92 † Electrical upgrade (panel/service upgrade, no complex scope), plan check + inspection | Not listed | Not listed | $163.92 | Fee schedule murrietaca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Montclair San Bernardino County | $126.46 Services of 600 volts or less and not over 200 amperes (each) | $39.00 | Not listed | $165.46 | Fee schedule storage.googleapis.com, 2026-10-29 |
| Santa Ana Orange County | $67.81 Service meter, subpanel, switchboard or other distribution equipment, under 400 amps | $98.16 | Not listed | $165.97 | Fee schedule storage.googleapis.com, 2026-10-29 |
| Anaheim Orange County | $126.00 Service, meter or panel, 600 V or less, up to 200 amps | Not listed | $167 | $167 | Fee schedule anaheim.net, 2026-10-29 |
| Culver City Los Angeles County | $53 Service panel or subpanel, up to 200 amps | $114 | Not listed | $167 | Fee schedule culvercity.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Glendora Los Angeles County | $118.00 Electrical service 0-600V, not over 225 amp (panel upgrade) | $52.00 | $118 | $170 | Fee schedule cityofglendora.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Escondido San Diego County | $176/permit Service Panel Upgrade, residential (base permit fee) | Not listed | Not listed | $176 | Fee schedule escondido.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Fontana San Bernardino County | $105.00 Services of 600 volts or less and not over 200 amps | $71.00 | Not listed | $176 | Fee schedule fontanaca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| San Diego San Diego County | $176.57 Panel replace/upgrade up to 200 amp (single family, duplex, townhouse; qualifies for Simple Permit) | Not listed | Not listed | $176.57 | Fee schedule sandiego.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| San Marcos San Diego County | $150 New service, single phase | $50 | Not listed | $200 | Fee schedule sanmarcosca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Baldwin Park Los Angeles County | $170.00 Main service panel, up to 200 amps | $37.50 per permit | $69 | $207.50 | Fee schedule baldwinpark.com, 2026-10-29 |
| Ontario San Bernardino County | $172.00 Electrical service, 600 volts or less, not over 200 amperes | $41.00 | Not listed | $213 | Fee schedule ontarioca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Temecula Riverside County | $71.00 Electrical service 600V or less, not over 200 amps (each) | $142.00 | Not listed | $213 | Fee schedule temeculaca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Burbank Los Angeles County | $224.86 each Panelboard | Not listed | Not listed | $224.86 | Fee schedule burbankca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Glendale Los Angeles County | $232.00 Single-family electrical service, up to 225 amps | Not listed | $155 | $232 | Fee schedule glendaleca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Apple Valley San Bernardino County | $121.29 Electrical service, 600 volts or less, not over 200 amps | $121.29 | Not listed | $242.58 | Fee schedule applevalley.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Yucaipa San Bernardino County | $244.00 Electric service, 600 volts or less, up to 225 amps | Not listed | Not listed | $244 | Fee schedule yucaipa.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Victorville San Bernardino County | $260.00 Electrical service, 400 amps or less | Not listed | Not listed | $260 | Fee schedule victorvilleca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Cathedral City Riverside County | $269 per permit Expedited service panel upgrade, residential | Not listed | Not listed | $269 | Fee schedule cathedralcity.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Carlsbad San Diego County | $270.00 Simple single or combination permit (Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing, not associated with a building permit); includes 'services of 600 volts or less and not over 200 amperes' | Not listed | Not listed | $270 | Fee schedule carlsbadca.gov, 2026-10-31 |
| Indio Riverside County | $199 Electrical service under 600 amps | $79 | Not listed | $278 | Fee schedule indio.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Norwalk Los Angeles County | $196 Service panel upgrade, residential | $82 | Not listed | $278 | Fee schedule cms3.revize.com, 2026-10-29 |
| Moreno Valley Riverside County | $74.00 plan check + $155.00 inspection † $229 combined New service or additional panel, 600V or less, not over 200 amps | $51.00 | Not listed | $280 | Fee schedule moval.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Palm Desert Riverside County | $172 Service panel upgrade, residential | $119 | Not listed | $291 | Fee schedule palmdesert.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Hemet Riverside County | $198.00 Electrical panel install or upgrade (max 200 amp), Commonly Requested Minor Permits | $99.00 | Not listed | $297 | Fee schedule hemetca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Beaumont Riverside County | $345.00 † Electrical panel / pedestal or sub-panel, max 200 amp: plan review + inspection | Not listed | $156 | $345 | Fee schedule beaumontca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Corona Riverside County | $372.00 † Service change-out, single family, single phase (plan check + inspection) | Not listed | Not listed | $372 | Fee schedule cdn.prod.website-files.com, 2026-10-30 |
| Brea Orange County | $285.00 Residential electrical main panel upgrade/replacement | $93.00 | Not listed | $378 | Fee schedule cityofbrea.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Upland San Bernardino County | $392.00 New and upgrade to service equipment or subpanels, 0 up to 200 amperes | $82.00 | Not listed | $474 | Fee schedule uplandca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Vista San Diego County | $522.12 New/Replacement Panel (B-PMTNRPNL) | Not listed | Not listed | $522.12 | Fee schedule vista.gov, 2026-10-31 |
| Chino Hills San Bernardino County | $538.00 Electrical Service / Main Panel | Not listed | Not listed | $538 | Fee schedule chinohills.org, 2026-10-29 |
28 cities with fees that do not fit one comparable line
These cities post fees by amp, by project value, or as a plan check percentage, or they list only part of the permit. They are sorted by name, and the first line the city posts is shown. Open the city page for the full list.
| City | First line posted | Fee | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Park Orange County | Permit issuance fee | $25.00 | Fee schedule buenapark.com, 2026-10-29 |
| Chula Vista San Diego County | EV charging station, residential (single-family or duplex) | $863 total ($158 intake + $0 plan check + $705 inspection) | Fee schedule chulavistaca.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Covina Los Angeles County | Permit issuance (building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing) | $76.00 | Fee schedule covinaca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Diamond Bar Los Angeles County | Building permit, total valuation $1 to $700 (floor for small electrical jobs priced by valuation) | $93.33 | Fee schedule diamondbarca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| El Monte Los Angeles County | Permit issuance | $51.69 | Fee schedule elmonteca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Fullerton Orange County | Minimum electrical inspection fee | $181.00 first hour + $97.00 each added hour | Fee schedule cityoffullerton.com, 2026-10-29 |
| Hesperia San Bernardino County | Temporary electrical services, up to 5 additional poles | $623 | Fee schedule hesperiaca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Huntington Beach Orange County | Permit processing charge (flat, per permit) | $41.00 | Fee schedule cms3.revize.com, 2026-10-30 |
| Inglewood Los Angeles County | Electrical permit issuance fee | $28 | Fee schedule cityofinglewood.org, 2026-10-29 |
| La Mesa San Diego County | Electrical permit issuance, each permit | $44.10 | Fee schedule cityoflamesa.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Lake Elsinore Riverside County | Electrical permit, miscellaneous (base fee) | $130.00 | Fee schedule lake-elsinore.org, 2026-10-30 |
| Lakewood Los Angeles County | Permit issuing fee, each | $41.35 | Fee schedule dpw.lacounty.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Mission Viejo Orange County | Electrical permit issuance fee | $25.00 | Fee schedule missionviejo.gov, 2026-10-30 |
| Oceanside San Diego County | Simple M.P.E. permit without plans, residential (single family and duplex) | $215.45 | Fee schedule ci.oceanside.ca.us, 2026-10-30 |
| Orange Orange County | Service or panel, up to 1,000 amps | $426 each | Fee schedule citydocs.cityoforange.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Palm Springs Riverside County | Simple permit, electrical | $284.00 | Fee schedule palmspringsca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Placentia Orange County | Electrical permit issuance fee, each permit | $30.00 | Fee schedule placentia.org, 2026-10-29 |
| Poway San Diego County | Individual electrical permit, residential (not associated with a building permit) | $157 | Fee schedule poway.org, 2026-10-30 |
| Rancho Cucamonga San Bernardino County | EV Charge | $343 | Fee schedule cityofrc.us, 2026-10-29 |
| Redlands San Bernardino County | Electrical permit issuance | $74 | Fee schedule redlands.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Redondo Beach Los Angeles County | Electrical permit issuance | $63.00 | Fee schedule cms2.revize.com, 2026-10-29 |
| Rialto San Bernardino County | Building plan check | 100% of the permit fee | Fee schedule yourrialto.com, 2026-10-29 |
| Santa Monica Los Angeles County | Single trade permit, residential (per dwelling unit), includes 3 inspections max | $444.65 | Fee schedule data.santamonica.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Santee San Diego County | Single phase service, per 100 amps | $55.44 | Fee schedule cityofsanteeca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Torrance Los Angeles County | Residential permit fee at project value $5,001 to $5,100 (example row) | $190 | Fee schedule torranceca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| West Covina Los Angeles County | Permit issuance fee, electrical (each permit) | $55.02 | Fee schedule westcovina.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Westminster Orange County | Permit issuance | $65 per permit | Fee schedule westminster-ca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
| Yorba Linda Orange County | Rooftop solar, residential, 15 kW or less | $450.00 | Fee schedule yorbalindaca.gov, 2026-10-29 |
Cities with no current fee line
For 9 cities, no fee line is shown here. In these cases no current city fee page was available, the amount posted was only a proposal or a draft, or the schedule was tied to project value and not a fixed line. Unconfirmed amounts are left out, so a blank here does not mean the permit is free. Ask the building department for the electrical permit fee, plan check and any surcharges before you budget.
What a permit fee covers, and what it does not
Base permit fee. The charge for issuing the permit and for the inspections the city lists with it. Some cities split it into an issuance fee and a line for each item, such as a panel. Others charge one amount per job.
Plan check. A review of drawings before the permit issues. Many cities charge it as a percentage of the permit fee or an hourly rate, and some need it only for larger jobs. Where the row says it includes plan review, the amount already has it.
Other charges. Technology fees, general plan surcharges, state fees, re-inspection fees and fire review are separate. Commercial jobs also bring valuation-based tables in many cities. The panel upgrade cost guide shows where the permit sits in the full price, and the Orange County commercial page shows how permit offices and fire review differ across one county.
Method
- Each city page carries a list of fee lines copied from the city's own fee schedule or permit page, with a link to the document.
- The same filter that builds the city pages is used here. A fee shows only if it is a confirmed, current amount. Proposed, draft and recommended amounts are dropped, and we show the newest schedule the city publishes that is in force.
- For the comparison, the first line that names a service, panel, switchboard or meter, excluding temporary power, reset, EV, solar, plan check and re-inspection lines, is used. A per-amp rate is not used, and neither is a line whose bracket does not cover a 200 amp service. Where a city posts a permit part and a plan check part for the same line, they are added and the two parts are shown.
- The minimum permit is the first line that names a minimum permit or inspection fee, other than plan check and hourly rates. "At least" is the fee line plus the flat issuance fee, raised to the minimum permit when that is higher. Rows are sorted by it. Nothing is averaged and no fee is estimated.
- The as-of date is the date the fee source was last read. A new schedule can post at any time.
Questions people ask
Can I rank cities by the permit fee line?
Not by the fee line alone. In this table the least a homeowner pays is the fee line plus any flat issuance fee, raised to the city's minimum permit when that is higher. 10 of the 63 cities list a minimum permit, and for some of them it is larger than the panel line. Plan check, surcharges and state fees are extra, and the cities in the other tables post fees that do not reduce to one line. The order is a starting point for a question to the permit counter, not a ranking of which city is cheapest.
Is the permit fee the same as the total cost of the permit?
No. The fee in the table is one line from the city fee schedule, usually the base charge for a service or panel of about 200 amps. Many cities add an issuance fee, plan check, a technology or general plan surcharge and a state fee. Commercial work can also carry fire review. Ask the permit counter for the full total.
Why are some cities shown with no fee line?
9 of the 100 cities have no current fee line here. No current city fee page was available, the posted amount was only a proposal, or the schedule was tied to project value and not a fixed line. Unconfirmed amounts are left out on purpose. Call the building department for the amount.
Who pays the permit fee on an electrical job?
The licensed electrician usually files the permit and the fee is part of the quote. Ask for it to be shown as its own line. If the city charges plan check or re-inspection, those can change the final bill, so a good quote says who pays for them.
How often do city fee schedules change?
Many cities update fees once a year, often on July 1 or at a council vote, and some index them to a construction cost index. The as-of date in the table is when the fee source was last read for this page. If a fee matters to a budget, confirm it with the city before you file.
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