Permits, inspection and the order things have to happen in
Most delays in this small project are not electrical. They are approvals waiting on other approvals. This page sets out the order things have to happen in, and the two steps that are worth starting before anyone visits.
The four approvals, and who they come from
- The permit, from the local building or electrical authority. Usually pulled by the electrician; confirm who is doing it, because “the customer will handle it” is a sentence that stops projects.
- The inspection, from the same authority, after the work.
- The utility, where a service upgrade, a notification or a program enrolment is involved.
- The property: an HOA, a landlord, a condo board or a facilities manager. Not a legal permission in the same sense, and just as capable of stopping the job at the door.
For anything that is not a house you own outright, the fourth is the one to start first, see multifamily and HOA.
A sensible order
- Establish who authorizes the work on this property. Owner, board, landlord, employer.
- Get the panel assessed and the load calculation done. This decides whether the project is small or large.
- Ask the utility what applies: notification, programs, and, if a service upgrade is in play, current lead times.
- Choose equipment, now that the possible circuit is known rather than assumed.
- Permit, work, inspection, and the paperwork filed somewhere you will find it in five years.
The two steps most often taken in the wrong order are the first and the fourth. Equipment bought before the panel is assessed is equipment chosen for a circuit that may not exist.
What varies locally, and how much
Permit fees, processing times, whether a plan review is required, whether the inspector wants to see the work before it is closed up, and whether the utility has to be notified, all of it varies. In some jurisdictions the whole thing is same-week and routine. In others it is a fortnight and a form.
The question that gets a useful answer, asked of any electrician: “In this jurisdiction, what does the permit process look like for this job, and how long is it taking at the moment?” Somebody who works there every week knows. Somebody who does not is the wrong bidder.
Keeping the paperwork
This is a permanent alteration to the electrical system of a property. Five years from now a buyer's inspector, an insurer or the next electrician will want to know what was done.
- The permit and the signed-off inspection.
- The invoice, naming the equipment installed and its rating.
- The electrician's license number.
- The equipment documentation and warranty.
- A photograph of the finished installation and of the labelled breaker.
Five minutes at the end of the job. It is the difference between a documented improvement and an unexplained box on a garage wall.
Frequently asked
Do I really need a permit for a charger?
In most places, permanent 240-volt work is permitted work. Whether it applies to your jurisdiction is a local question with a definite answer, and the building department will tell you over the phone.
How long does the whole project take?
The electrical work is often hours. The calendar is set by the permit, the utility if it is involved, and any approval you need from a board or a landlord.
Who pulls the permit, me or the electrician?
Usually the electrician, and it should be written down. A permit pulled by the homeowner for work performed by somebody else can shift responsibility in ways that surprise people later.
Last reviewed July 29, 2026.
Get the project sequenced before it stalls
Who authorizes it, what the panel allows, what the utility needs. Tell us the property and we will put those in order before quoting.
Level 2 Charge Pro installs Level 2 charging equipment: the dedicated 240-volt circuit, the panel work it depends on, the cable run, and the inspection that closes the job.