a. The commissioner or any officer or employee of the department authorized thereto by the commissioner, or any other person designated by the commissioner pursuant to section 27-3005 of this code, may enter or go upon any premises in or upon which there are any wiring or appliances for electric light, heat or power to make an inspection of the same. Any person who willfully refuses to permit such entry or inspection, shall be guilty of a violation of this subdivision, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars, imprisonment for a period not exceeding thirty days, or both.
b. Before commencing any electrical work, other than low voltage electrical work, a master electrician business or special electrician shall file with the commissioner an application for a work permit to be issued by the department. All applications for permits shall be submitted on forms furnished by the department. Applications shall include all information required by this code, other applicable law, including but not limited to the applicable energy conservation code, or the rules of the department. No such work shall be performed until the commissioner has reviewed and approved such application and issued an appropriate permit for such work. The permit shall be conspicuously posted at the work site at all times while the work is in progress. Each permit shall be issued with an expiration date of three years.
1. Permits shall be deemed to incorporate the provisions that the applicant, the owner, and their employees, shall carry out the permitted work in accordance with the provisions of this code and other applicable laws or rules, whether specified or not, except as variations have been legally permitted or authorized.
2. All work shall conform to the approved submittal documents and any approved amendments thereto. Changes and revisions during the course of work shall conform to the requirements of this code.
3. The permit shall expire by operation of law if the insurance required pursuant to section 27-3013 of this chapter, and upon which the permit was conditioned, lapses, expires or is cancelled, unless the permit holder files proof of valid insurance before such event.
c. Fees. The fee for a permit for minor electrical work as described in subdivision h of this section shall be fifteen dollars, payable upon filing of the application.
1. An initial application fee for electrical work requiring a permit shall be payable as follows: forty dollars upon filing of the application for such work.
2. The balance of the application fee shall be payable at electrical sign-off from the department or as otherwise provided by the department's rules.
3. The fee for electrical work requiring a work permit by the department shall be computed as follows but shall not exceed five thousand dollars:
(i) Each outlet, each fixture, each horsepower or fraction thereof of a motor or generator, each kilowatt or fraction thereof of a heater, each horsepower or fraction thereof of an air conditioner, each kilovolt-ampere or fraction thereof of a transformer installed, altered or repaired shall be assigned the value of one unit. In computing the aforementioned fee, the sum of the units will determine the charges as set forth herein below:
Sum of units | Fee |
1-10 | $0.00 |
Over 10 | $0.25 per unit |
(ii) For each service switch installed, altered or repaired: | |
0-100 Amperes | $8.00 |
101-200 Amperes | $30.00 |
201-600 Amperes | $105.00 |
601-1200 Amperes | $225.00 |
Over 1200 Amperes | $375.00 |
(iii) For each set of service entrance cables and for each set of feeder conductors installed, altered or repaired: | |
Up to #2 Conductors | $15.00 |
Over #2 to #1/0 Conductors | $30.00 |
Over #1/0 to 250 MCM | $45.00 |
Over 250 MCM | $75.00 |
(iv) For each panel installed, altered or repaired: | |
1 Phase up to 20-1 or 10-2 pole cutouts or breakers | $15.00 |
1 Phase over 20-1 or 10-2 pole cutouts or breakers | $37.50 |
3 Phase up to 225 amperes | $50.00 |
3 Phase over 225 amperes | $75.00 |
(v) (a) For each sign manufactured (in-shop inspections): | $40.00 |
(b) For each sign manufactured (on-site inspections): | |
0 to 30 square feet | $65.00 |
31 to 60 square feet | $90.00 |
Over 60 square feet | $115.00 |
(vi) For each elevator: | |
10 floors or less | $125.00 |
Each additional ten or fewer floors | $83.00 |
(vii) For wiring or rewiring boiler controls in buildings: | $12.00 |
d. If, after inspection, such wiring or appliances shall be found to have been installed, altered or repaired in conformity with the requirements of this chapter, the electrical code, the electrical code technical standards and the rules of the department, and the required fees paid, the commissioner shall issue to the applicant a sign-off of the approved work completed. The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to work performed pursuant to a permit for minor electrical work as defined in subdivision h of this section.
e. Whenever a master electrician business or special electrician files an application for a permit covering electrical work installed by an unlicensed or unauthorized person, it shall be his or her duty to specify such fact upon the application.
f. The commissioner shall be entitled to charge the following special fees:
1. For an application with respect to electrical work made after a violation was issued for failure to file an application for a permit for such work – up to ten times the total fee that would otherwise be payable as set forth in subdivisions c and d of this section.
2. Duplicate copy of notice of violation – $5.
g. No application or fees shall be required for electrical work relating to the construction and maintenance of city street lights and city traffic lights owned, operated or controlled by the city government or any agency thereof.
h. 1. For purposes of this section a permit for minor electrical work may be issued for any of the following:
(i) replacement of defective circuit breakers or switches rated thirty amperes or less, excluding main service disconnects;
(ii) replacement of parts in electrical panels where voltage does not exceed one hundred fifty volts to ground;
(iii) replacement of minor elevator parts as defined by rule;
(iv) replacement of defective controls rated at thirty amperes or less;
(v) repair of defective fixtures;
(vi) replacement of fixtures in existing outlets, provided the number of such fixtures does not exceed five and does not increase existing wattage; (vii) replacement, repair, disconnection or reconnection of motors not to exceed one horsepower, and associated devices;
(viii) repairs to low pressure heating plants with a capacity of less than fifteen pounds per square inch, except as may otherwise be required by rule of the commissioner.
(ix) installation of any ten or fewer units not requiring the installation of an additional branch circuit;
(x) installation of motors of fractional horsepower;
(xi) installation of transformers rated at one thousand volt amperes or less.
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an electrical sign-off by the department shall not be required for electrical work performed pursuant to a permit for minor electrical work.
3. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the commissioner may promulgate a rule providing that minor electrical work may be performed without a permit or the payment of a fee under the conditions to be prescribed in such rule.
i. The department shall not issue a permit or, if applicable, an electrical sign-off pursuant to an application that involves the energizing of a meter in a one-, two-, three-, or four-family residence, if the department finds that such action will cause the total number of meters for the building to exceed the number of dwelling units specified for such building in the certificate of occupancy, or if there is no certificate of occupancy, as determined by the department, except as permitted herein. A building specified as a one-family residence in the certificate of occupancy or, if there is no certificate of occupancy, as determined by the department, may have only one electric meter. A building in which two or more dwelling units have been constructed in accordance with the certificate of occupancy, or if there is no certificate of occupancy, as determined by the department, may have one meter for each dwelling unit and one additional meter for the common areas of the building, provided that smoke detecting devices are installed in all common areas in accordance with departmental requirements. Such common areas may include boiler rooms, shared hallway lighting, shared stairway lighting, and outdoor perimeter lighting but shall not include any habitable space. In the event that a meter has been found to have been installed or to exist in violation of this section, the department may take action leading to the disconnecting of such meter in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in section 27-3020 of this chapter.
j. Any application for a permit filed with the department in relation to a request for the authorization to power or energize/electrical wiring or appliances or power generation equipment, or in relation to work that will result in the issuance of a new or amended certificate of occupancy must include a statement, signed and sealed by the electrician, that the building owner or his or her authorized representative has authorized in writing the work to be performed. This signed authorization must be available upon request by the department. In addition, any electrical application filed with the department involving the energizing of a meter, must include as well, a statement, signed and sealed by the electrician, that the building owner or his or her authorized representative has indicating in writing the intended use or purpose of such meter and has affirmed that such meter will be maintained in compliance with the provisions of this section. This statement must be available upon request by the department.
k. Any authorization to power or energize electrical wiring or appliances issued by the department shall expire ninety days after the date of issuance unless a sign-off has been issued by the department or an extension of such authorization has been granted by the department. In the event no such sign-off has been issued or extension authorization granted, the department may take action leading to the disconnecting of such meter(s) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in section 27-3020 of this chapter.
l. Any permit application filed with the department that requires the selective coordination of overcurrent protective devices must include documentation from a professional engineer demonstrating how selective coordination was achieved, including but not limited to short circuit overlay curves and calculations. Such documentation shall be submitted to the department prior to sign off.
m. For permit applications requiring compliance with the applicable energy conservation code, documentation demonstrating compliance must be available upon request by the department.
n. The provisions of this section shall not apply to low voltage electrical work.
o. An application for a work permit may be amended by filing with the department a post-approval amendment in a form prescribed by rule of the department.
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1997/065, L.L. 2001/064, L.L. 2003/081, L.L. 2006/049 and L.L. 2011/039.