Power from SCE
Electrician in Fontana: plan check times and SCE power
In Fontana, SCE supplies the power and the city checks the work. The city says a first plan review typically takes 3 to 4 weeks, and Building & Safety is closed every Friday.
Permit office
City of Fontana Building & Safety Department (Development Services)
(909) 350-7640 · Permit page · Online portal
Permit fees in Fontana
City of Fontana Building & Safety Department (Development Services)
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical permit issuance fee (each permit) | $71.00 |
| Services of 600 volts or less and not over 200 amps | $105.00 |
| Electrical meter reset, residential Commercial/industrial meter reset is $157.00. | $105.00 |
| Receptacle, switch and light outlets, first 20 fixtures | $131.00 |
| Alternate energy, other (energy storage and similar) Photovoltaic multi-family first 1,000 sq. ft. permit is $105.00. | $105.00 |
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. The city's Plan Check page says a first review typically takes about 3 to 4 weeks and later reviews about 2 weeks. Expedited solar reviews take about 3 to 5 business days when the PV expedite requirements are met. The Permits page says some plan checks may be completed over the counter.
EV charger permits. Applications go through the Build Fontana (Accela) portal or the counter. AB 1236 (Gov. Code 65850.7) requires every city to run an expedited, administrative review for EV charger permits and publish a checklist, and AB 970 (Gov. Code 65850.71) adds review timelines (GO-Biz). Ask Building & Safety whether a residential charger circuit is an over-the-counter plan check.
Inspections. Schedule through Build Fontana. The city posts a Daily Inspection Schedule on a separate Accela page. Hours are Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed every Friday. A Residential Pre-Inspection is available by calling (909) 350-7640.
Rebates listed for Fontana
From SCE and the city
| Program | Amount |
|---|---|
 SCE Charge Ready Home SCE residential customers who are income-qualified or on a qualifying assistance program or live in a disadvantaged community; licensed contractor required; SCE takes applications while you plan, during the work or up to six months after | Up to $4,200 toward a panel upgrade to 200 amps plus a dedicated 240 volt circuit for income-qualified households whose main panel is under 200 amps; if the panel is already 200 amps or more, the outlet-only rebate is up to $1,000; check the current SCE terms. Does not pay for the charger. |
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.
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Fees and the Friday gap
Fontana’s January 2026 fee listing is detailed, with named lines for a service by size, a residential meter reset and energy storage. It has no separate residential EV charger line, so ask the counter how a charger circuit is billed. The fixture fees have risen since 2023, so an old quote may be stale. For the general rules, see electrical permits in Southern California.
Building & Safety, at 8353 Sierra Avenue, is open Monday to Thursday and closed Fridays. Plan inspections around that when you book through Build Fontana. Since late September 2026 payments go through an online system that adds a processing charge.
Waiting on plan check
A first review that takes 3 to 4 weeks is long for a homeowner who wants a charger by next month. The city offers a Residential Pre-Inspection by phone for people planning an addition, which lets you talk through the plan with an inspector first. The city does not post a charger checklist page, though state law under AB 1236 requires an expedited path, so ask whether a charger circuit can be reviewed over the counter. Read AB 1236 permit rules.
A city of newer tracts
Most of Fontana is newer tract housing: about 1 in 5 homes predate 1970, roughly a third went up after 2000, and four in five are single-family. In the newer tracts, the job is usually added capacity for a charger or an ADU rather than a safety repair. The older stock near downtown and along Foothill Boulevard is where original-panel and service work shows up.
If a second unit is planned, ADU electrical requirements and subpanel installation are the place to start. Where the main panel has no room, see 200 amp panel upgrade.
Shutoffs and one rebate
Fontana was on the October 2019 list of San Bernardino County cities SCE was considering for a shutoff, and a Fontana resource center stayed open through the January 2025 event. The city points residents to SCE’s outage map. See what a shutoff is and battery installation.
One program is worth a look: Charge Ready Home pays toward a panel upgrade and a 240 volt circuit for SCE households that are income-qualified or in a disadvantaged community. SCE takes applications while you plan, during the work or up to six months after. It does not cover the charger. The guide lists the current terms.
Home age and heating, from Census data
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; QuickFacts for Fontana. Climate zone 10.
SCE: meter, service and rate steps
SCE sets and reconnects the meter. Its published targets cover only SCE steps, and city review time is extra. How the steps fit together.
The city's PSPS page says Fontana does not operate or oversee electric utilities and sends residents to SCE. No CCA is serving Fontana customers as of this check, so the supply charge stays with SCE.
Backup power for shutoff days
Wildfire and outage notes for Fontana
Shutoff record: Power was cut in a past event
In the SCE January 17 to 27, 2025 PSPS event (509,245 customers notified, 152,393 de-energized across nine counties), SCE kept a Fontana community resource center open until January 26, 2025 at 2 p.m. after all customers were restored (CPUC post-event report).
Local notes
- A city solicitation for CCA formation and operation (CM-26-242-SP) closed June 23, 2026, with Grand Terrace and Rialto as partner cities. Nothing is in operation yet, so customers' supply charges stay with SCE, but pages should not say there will never be a CCA. Source
- SCE kept a community resource center open in Fontana until January 26, 2025 during SCE's January 17 to 27 PSPS event, the longest-running of the three San Bernardino County centers (Yucaipa closed January 24; Running Springs closed January 25). That is concrete evidence that Fontana-area customers were de-energized in 2025. Source
Where to start on a job
Cities next door
Questions about electrical work in Fontana
How long does a Fontana electrical permit take?
The city says a first plan review typically takes about 3 to 4 weeks, and later reviews about 2 weeks. Some plan checks may be done over the counter. Expedited solar reviews take 3 to 5 business days when the PV requirements are met. Ask Building & Safety at (909) 350-7640 which path your job takes.
Will Fontana join a community choice energy program and change my electric bill?
Not yet. The city has been exploring forming or joining a community choice program, with Grand Terrace and Rialto as possible partners. As of October 2026 no program serves Fontana customers, so the supply charge stays with SCE. Watch for city notices before assuming any change to your bill.
Do I need a battery or generator inlet in Fontana for SCE shutoffs?
It depends on how you use power. Fontana was on a 2019 list of cities SCE was considering for a shutoff, and in the January 2025 event SCE kept a Fontana community resource center open through January 26. The city says shutoffs are SCE's decision. If you rely on medical gear, a battery or inlet is worth pricing.
Why does Fontana's fee step up past 200 amps?
The January 2026 city fee listing shows a $71.00 permit issuance fee plus $105.00 for a service of 200 amps or less. Services over 200 up to 1,000 amps are $157.00. The city's online payment system adds 3 percent plus $0.20 per transaction. Fees change, so confirm the current figure with the city.
Can I use SolarAPP for solar plus a battery in Fontana?
Fontana has a SolarAPP option and an expedited PV review of about 3 to 5 business days when the requirements are met. Energy storage has its own city fee line under Alternate Energy. Ask Building & Safety whether the battery rides on the same expedited path before you plan the schedule.
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