Power from SCE
Electrician in San Bernardino: wind shutoff history and local phone numbers
San Bernardino hands out most panel upgrade permits over the counter and takes inspection requests through one city phone line. Power comes from SCE, and 46 percent of homes were built before 1970.
Permit office
City of San Bernardino Building & Safety Division (Community Development & Housing)
(909) 384-5357 · Permit page · Online portal
Permit fees in San Bernardino
City of San Bernardino Building & Safety Division (Community Development & Housing)
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Permit issuance fee (to be included on all permits) Supplemental issuance fee $15.00. Technology fee and General Plan Update surcharge are added to the total. | $60.00 |
| Electrical service, up to 200 amps Subpanels $22.80 each. | $38.21 |
| Meter reset | $51.11 |
| Electrical Table 4 minimum fee Solar energy systems electrical fee: 'No Charge'. | $60.00 |
| Temporary power pole, meter pole Each extension pole without a meter $15.79. | $29.44 |
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 says minor work such as water heater replacements or electrical panel upgrades is usually issued directly over the counter. Online applications for single-family electrical re-wires and panel upgrades are accepted by email. Solar through Symbium takes about 1 to 3 business days.
EV charger permits. San Bernardino has an 'EV Charging Station Guidelines for Residential Application' form. Submit it with a building permit application. Residential EV charging station applications may be submitted online (email the guidelines form and permit application to Community Development and Housing) or in person, and are expedited. A new 120 V outlet needs a permit with no plans or load calculations; Level 2 needs basic information showing the service can handle the load. 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).
Inspections. Inspection requests go through SB Direct, the City Information Center, at (909) 998-2000 with the permit number ready. Contractors who want to pull permits online need the appropriate state contractor's license and a current city business license. The city verifies both.
Rebates listed for San Bernardino
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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A counter that treats panels as small jobs
The Building & Safety Division sits at 201 North E Street, 3rd Floor. It says minor work such as an electrical panel upgrade is usually issued directly over the counter, and it accepts emailed applications for single-family re-wires and panel upgrades. To pull a permit online, a contractor needs a state licence and a current city business licence. The city checks both.
The fee schedule the city links is dated 2020, and the city does not say it has been replaced. Treat any amount in it as old and phone the counter, then compare the answer to the typical SoCal panel cost. The schedule lists no line for an EV charger, so a charger circuit is priced from other lines.
Inspections have one phone number
Inspections are requested only through SB Direct at (909) 998-2000. Counter hours differ by weekday, and the permit sign-in window closes earlier than the counter, so do not arrive at the last minute. After the city signs off, SCE sets the meter. See how the permit and inspection step works.
Chargers and solar take different paths
For a charger, the city uses its EV Charging Station Guidelines form with a permit application, online or in person. A new 120 volt outlet needs a permit but no plans. A Level 2 charger needs basic information showing the service can carry the load. State law requires this process to be quick, and the AB 1236 guide explains it. Check the load calculation before you buy a 48 amp unit.
If your household is income-qualified or in a disadvantaged community, SCE’s Charge Ready Home can cover a panel upgrade to 200 amps and a dedicated 240 volt circuit, though not the charger. Look up your address. SCE takes applications while you plan, during the work or up to six months after. The Charge Ready Home guide has the details.
Older homes and wind shutoffs
A 1973 median hides the older core: 17 percent of San Bernardino homes date to before 1950 and 34 percent to before 1960. Homes from those decades can have small services, fuse boxes, or aluminum branch wiring from the 1960s and early 1970s. Start with Zinsco and Federal Pacific panels and aluminum wiring risks. Duplexes and apartments add shared panels.
On October 30, 2019, SCE shut off power in San Bernardino during Santa Ana winds. Foothill and canyon neighborhoods get the strongest wind. If you live near them, read the shutoff explainer and plan for backup power. Colton to the west runs its own electric utility, so check your bill if you live near the line.
What the homes in San Bernardino look like
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; QuickFacts for San Bernardino. Climate zone 10 in most ZIPs, 16 in the rest (by ZIP).
Working with SCE on a service change
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 Utilities page lists Southern California Edison (800-655-4555) as the electricity provider. There is no city-run electric utility. The city runs its own water department.
San Bernardino's EV page links an SCE Electrician's Guide (last updated 12/2/2011) that lists SCE's overhead and underground panel clearances (36 inch wide, 36 inch deep, 78 inch high workspace in front of service equipment). The guide's rate-plan names are outdated.
Backup power for shutoff days
Shutoffs and fire weather in San Bernardino
Shutoff record: Power was cut in a past event
The Old Fire began on October 25, 2003 in the San Bernardino National Forest, was human-caused, burned about 91,000 acres and destroyed more than 900 structures (USDA Forest Service).
San Bernardino specifics
- Solar and EV chargers follow a separate path. Residential solar and storage under 38.4 kW go through the Symbium portal under SB 379 (about 1 to 3 business days). A solar-related main panel upgrade needs its own electrical permit. Source
- Inspection requests are made only through SB Direct at (909) 998-2000, the City Information Center, with the permit number ready. The counter is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with permit issuance sign-in closing at 4:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. Friday). Source
- Confirm current figures with the counter at (909) 384-5357. Source
Common electrical jobs in San Bernardino
Other cities close by
Questions about electrical work in San Bernardino
Can I get a panel upgrade permit the same day in San Bernardino?
Often yes. The city says minor work such as panel upgrades is usually issued directly over the counter at 201 North E Street. Single-family panel upgrades and re-wires can also be applied for by email. The city does not publish a guaranteed turnaround, so call (909) 384-5357 to confirm for your job.
Is San Bernardino's 2020 fee schedule still what the counter charges?
Maybe not. The fee schedule the city links is dated July 2020, and technology and plan fees are added on top. It has no EV charger line. Ask the counter at (909) 384-5357 for today's total for your job before you budget, and compare it with typical SoCal panel costs.
How do I schedule an inspection in San Bernardino?
Call SB Direct, the City Information Center, at (909) 998-2000 with your permit number ready. The city takes inspection requests only through that line. Your electrician normally makes the call once the work is done. After the inspection passes, SCE handles the meter side of the job.
Is my older San Bernardino home safe with a fuse box or Federal Pacific panel?
Not necessarily, but they are worth checking. About 34 percent of homes here were built before 1960, the era of fuse boxes and some Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels. An electrician can inspect the panel and tell you whether it should be replaced. Read the page on those panel brands.
Do I need a separate permit for a panel upgrade when I add solar in San Bernardino?
Yes. Residential solar and storage under 38.4 kW go through the Symbium portal, usually in 1 to 3 business days. The city says a solar-related main panel upgrade needs its own electrical permit. Plan for two permits, and ask your installer who is pulling each one.
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