Power from SCE
Electrician in Highland: fire zone map and online permits
Highland sits at the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains, and fire weather drives most backup power questions. The city posted a new State Fire Marshal fire zone map in 2025, and permits go through iWorQ.
Permit office
City of Highland Building & Safety (Community Development)
(909) 864-6861, ext. 232 · Permit page · Online portal
Permit fees in Highland
City of Highland Building & Safety (Community Development)
No current fee line is listed here. Ask the permit office for the amount before you budget. See how other cities compare.
Turnaround. The city accepts permit applications in person at the Building counter or online through its iWorQ portal. Solar needs plan check and approval before installation.
EV charger permits. The Building & Safety Permits page lists 'Electrical and solar systems' among permits required and issues separate Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing and Demolition permits. 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). Confirm with the counter how a residential charger is handled.
Inspections. The city's Permits page links an Inspection Requests form. Counter hours Monday to Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., permits issued 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Rebates listed for Highland
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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Fire weather first
Highland sits against the mountains, so Santa Ana wind days and brush fire are the starting point for any backup power plan. Highland appeared on an October 2019 list of San Bernardino County cities SCE was considering for a shutoff. In March 2025 the State Fire Marshal published a new fire hazard map, and the city posted it for review. Read wildfire zones and electrical work and the PSPS explainer.
Fire zone status matters for siting equipment. Homes in a Very High zone face defensible-space and disclosure rules that affect where a generator or battery can go. Compare generator vs. battery backup, then see home battery installation.
Permits and the counter
Building and Safety is at 27215 Base Line, and the counter closes on Fridays. Ask the permit counter for the current lines. List the service size, any subpanel and each new circuit so the answer covers the whole job, and get the total in writing before the electrician orders equipment. The permit is only one part of the cost, so compare it with the panel and labor figures on the cost pages. Ask about the separate residential meter reset, which is the city step that follows an SCE meter spot on a service job. The city shows no EV charger checklist page, but the state’s AB 1236 rule still requires an expedited process, so ask how a residential charger is routed.
Solar approvals
Any ground-mounted solar system needs Planning Division approval before a building permit, and so does a roof-mounted system on a structure designated Historic. Highland lists residential solar on a separate Photovoltaic Energy Systems page with SolarAPP+ resources, so solar and battery work follow their own path. See solar and battery tie-in.
Homes by age
One Highland home in three predates 1970, and 11% predate 1950, so a meaningful share are old enough to have a small original panel. The median year is 1983. Owners hold 64% of homes and 77% are single-family. The foothill edge brings fire and wind questions for backup power on top of the usual panel checks. See the panel upgrade page and how to read your panel.
Power and rebates
SCE serves Highland. Charge Ready Home is open to SCE customers in income-qualified or disadvantaged-community households; check current terms. SCE takes applications while you plan, during the work or up to six months after. The Charge Ready Home guide has the current terms. Redlands is the nearest city with its own fire map and permit rules.
Home age and heating, from Census data
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; QuickFacts for Highland. 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.
SCE serves Highland.
Backup power for shutoff days
Wildfire and outage notes for Highland
Shutoff record: Named on a possible-shutoff list only
Local notes
- Highland accepts permits in person at 27215 Base Line or online through an iWorQ portal. Its Building counter is open Monday to Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Source
Where to start on a job
Cities next door
Questions about electrical work in Highland
Where do I find Highland's current panel permit fees?
Ask the permit counter for the current lines. Call the Building counter at (909) 864-6861 ext. 232 and list the work: the service size, any subpanel, new circuits and whether the meter has to be reset. Get the total in writing before you budget, since the permit is only part of the job.
Can I apply for an electrical permit online in Highland?
Yes, for many jobs. The city accepts applications in person at 27215 Base Line or online through its iWorQ portal. The Building counter is open Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mention it if your panel job needs the meter reset, since the city treats that as its own step.
Do I need a generator inlet or battery in Highland because of shutoffs?
It is worth pricing, since fire weather drives the question. Highland appeared in October 2019 on a list of San Bernardino County cities SCE was considering for a shutoff. A list of places under consideration is not a history of outages, so base the decision on your own needs. Price a battery or inlet against how long you can go without power and what must stay on.
Is my Highland address in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone?
Check your parcel. The city posted the State Fire Marshal's March 2025 recommended map for public review, and cities must adopt the map by ordinance within 120 days of receiving it. Ask the city whether it has done so for your area. A Very High zone brings defensible-space rules and seller disclosure.
Does roof-mounted solar on a historic Highland home need extra approval?
Yes. Highland says roof-mounted systems on a structure designated Historic need Planning Division approval before a building permit. Any ground-mounted system needs it too. The city has a Photovoltaic Energy Systems page with SolarAPP+ resources for other roof systems, so ask the Planning Division which path your roof falls under.
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.
