Power from SCE
Electrician in Covina: no online portal, emailed package first
Covina takes electrical permits by email and counter, not an online portal. Its handout says every new panel must be solar ready. About 6 in 10 homes here were built before 1970.
Permit office
City of Covina Building & Safety Division (Community Development)
(626) 384-5460 · Permit page
Permit fees in Covina
City of Covina Building & Safety Division (Community Development)
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Permit issuance (building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing) City of Covina User Fees FY 26-27, Building fees. | $76.00 |
| Single phase service, per 100 amps City of Covina User Fees FY 26-27, Building fees. Per 200 amps up to 400 is $235.00. | $102.00 |
| Three phase service, per 100 amps City of Covina User Fees FY 26-27, Building fees. Per 100 amps up to 400 is $255.00. | $122.00 |
| EV charging, Type I City of Covina User Fees FY 26-27, Building fees. Type II is $126.00; Type III is $246.00. The schedule does not define the types. | $115.00 |
| Temporary service City of Covina User Fees FY 26-27, Building fees. | $70.00 |
| Stand-alone electrical plan check City of Covina User Fees FY 26-27, Building fees. | $203.00 |
Taken from the city's fee page. Fees change, and other charges such as plan check can apply. Confirm at the permit counter. Compare permit fees across cities.
Turnaround. Minor mechanical, electrical and plumbing work can qualify for express permits (city Building & Safety page). No fixed timeline stated.
EV charger permits. Covina has an EV charger handout (#28) aimed at commercial installs. A residential charger goes through the ordinary electrical permit process. California AB 1236 requires an expedited EV permit path.
Inspections. Counter hours are Monday to Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Applicants are asked to email the complete package to [email protected] first so permit technicians can flag issues.
Rebates listed for Covina
From SCE and the city
| Program | Amount |
|---|---|
 SCE Charge Ready Home (run by Center for Sustainable Energy) SCE customers in disadvantaged communities or income-qualifying single-family households; address eligibility varies | Up to $4,200 for a 200 A panel upgrade plus a dedicated 240 V circuit for Level 2 charging |
Amounts as listed by each program, October 2026. Programs have limits and rules.
$2,500 to $4,500
A regional range from the sources on the cost page. Your electrician gives the actual quote after a look.
Get this quote
Email first, then the counter
Covina has no online permit portal. The Building and Safety Division asks you to email the complete package to [email protected] before you visit, so a permit technician can catch problems early. The counter is open Monday to Thursday. West Covina does the reverse and is portal-only, see West Covina.
The city’s 2026 guide for mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits, effective January 1, 2026, asks for a single-line diagram for a new service and the city’s FY 26-27 user fee schedule lists service fees per 100 amps. Ask for the fee total on the phone before you commit to a quote. See the permit and inspection page for the usual steps.
Solar-ready panels change the shopping list
Because the city requires every new panel to be solar ready, a panel quote for Covina should say so. It is worth asking whether the model leaves room for a future solar breaker and what that costs. The 200 amp panel upgrade page covers sizing.
Chargers go through the ordinary permit
The city’s EV charger handout, number 28, is aimed at commercial installs. A home charger goes through the ordinary electrical permit. State law still requires an expedited path, see AB 1236 EV charger permit rules. Charge Ready Home, an SCE program, is open to customers in income-qualified or disadvantaged-community households; the Charge Ready Home guide lists what to verify.
Mid-century houses
Tract houses from the mid-1960s set the pattern: 39 percent of homes date before 1960 and 76 percent before 1980, so a large share were wired when 60 to 100 amp services were normal. Houses like these can run out of panel space once a charger and a heat pump are added. Look at Zinsco and Federal Pacific panels and rewiring. Climate zone 9 brings hot summers and heavy afternoon air conditioning, so a full panel is felt in July.
SCE and the meter
The usual order in SCE territory is: the electrician checks the load, asks SCE for a meter spot if the service is upsized or moved, pulls the city permit, installs, and the city inspects and releases the meter before SCE reconnects. The city has not published its own meter-release step, so ask the counter who calls SCE. City review and SCE work run one after the other, so a service change takes weeks. Read the panel upgrade timeline guide.
Shutoffs
SCE’s December 2024 shutoff report lists Covina officials among the jurisdictions notified. That is a notification list, not a record of customers losing power. Nearby city pages include Arcadia and Glendora.
The housing, in numbers
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; QuickFacts for Covina. Climate zone 9.
What SCE handles on a panel or charger job
SCE sets and reconnects the meter. Its published targets cover only SCE steps, and city review time is extra. How the steps fit together.
Covina is on the SCE Service Territory Cities list. The city's Electrical Service handout names the SCE Covina District for meter spots.
The 2026 MEP permit handout also calls for a single-line diagram for a new service.
Backup power for shutoff days
What the record shows on outages in Covina
Shutoff record: Named on a possible-shutoff list only
Worth knowing in Covina
Jobs Covina homeowners look up
Nearby cities
Questions about electrical work in Covina
Why do all new panels in Covina have to be solar ready?
The city's Electrical Service handout, number 13 and effective January 1, 2023, states that all new panels are required to be solar ready. Ask the electrician what solar ready means for your panel, since it can affect the model chosen and the space left inside the enclosure. The same handout covers meter spots and service relocation.
Do I email or walk in my electrical permit in Covina?
Do both, in order. There is no online portal. The Building and Safety Division at 125 E. College Street asks applicants to email the complete package to [email protected] first, so permit technicians can flag problems before the counter visit. Counter hours are Monday to Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Who gives me a meter spot in Covina when I move my service?
The Southern California Edison Covina District, according to the city's handout. A meter spot is needed when a service is relocated or upsized. SCE owns the service wires and the meter. The city handout also asks for a single-line diagram when a new service is installed.
Is there an expedited permit for small electrical jobs in Covina?
Possibly. The city says minor mechanical, electrical and plumbing work can qualify for express permits, with no fixed timeline stated. The city page does not list which jobs qualify. Ask the Building and Safety counter at (626) 384-5460 whether your panel swap or charger circuit counts before you submit.
Does Covina have Clean Power Alliance or other community choice supply?
Covina is not on Clean Power Alliance's July 2025 member list, although nearby Arcadia and Monrovia are. Generation and delivery charges both stay with SCE. Your EV rate options are SCE's time-of-use plans, including TOU-D-PRIME for homes with an EV, battery or heat pump. Rates change, so compare plans on a recent bill.
Send a photo, get a range.
Share your ZIP and a photo of your panel. Your request goes to a licensed partner electrician, who contacts you.
Get this quoteAurion Electric is a referral service operated by Roviq LLC. Electrical work is done by a licensed partner electrician.
