Permit and Inspection Information

Colorado.gov

ELECTRICAL PERMITS ONLINE
This online system was designed to allow homeowners and electrical contractors to obtain electrical permits,
pay for them using a credit card, and request inspections via the Internet.

Online Permits System

Permits || Inspections || Information Guides

Permits
Electrical permits for all state inspected areas, public schools, and state buildings will be issued by the State Electrical Board office in Denver. Please contact the office at (303) 894-2300 to request permit forms or for additional information.

HOMEOWNERS who are doing their own electrical work must take out a permit with the State Electrical Board (if in a state inspected area) or the local building department prior to the commencement of the electrical work.

The electrical law provides you, as the homeowner, the opportunity to perform your own wiring provided that the following conditions are true:

The work is personally performed by the homeowner and the property is not for sale or resale, is not rental property which is occupied or is to be occupied by tenants for lodging, either transient or permanent, and is not generally open to the public.
All work must be inspected prior to covering, i.e. insulation, drywall, etc. and again upon completion of the system prior to occupancy and permanent power release.
All electrical work must be done in accordance with the National Electrical Code adopted by the Colorado State Electrical Board. If the work is being performed in an area that is inspected by a local jurisdiction, then the requirements for home owners are governed by the local building department.

Homeowners may wish to review the Homeowner Guide.

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS are required to take out permits on jobs performed by their companies and must not do work on a "homeowner" permit or permit issued to another company. Please see Electrical Contractor Information for information regarding the requirements to perform electrical contracting in the state of Colorado.

Both homeowners and electrical contractors may order electrical permits online. Alternatively, you may download and print an electrical permit form to request a permit by mail.

Walk-in Policy

If you do not wish to use the on-line permit system, you can mail or drop off your permit at 1560 Broadway, Suite 1350, Denver, CO, 80202. As of November 2, 2009, permits will not be issued while you wait. Permits left at the reception desk require 5-7 working days to process and will be faxed or mailed to you upon processing.

NOTE: Cash is accepted but must be in the correct amount. There is no cash box in this office. If you do not submit the correct fee with your permit, your permit will be delayed in order to obtain the correct fee. To avoid this delay, we recommend using the online permit system which will calculate your permit fee and issue the permit immediately.

Refund Policy

A refund may be allowed for a six-month period of the permit issue date as long as no inspections have been performed. After the six month period of the issue date, a transfer may be allowed if the permit has not expired.

One alternate means to provide services for the funds deposited is to use our permit transfer system. This office will then exchange information on the permit (i.e., the address, the homeowner name, etc.). A corrected copy of the permit will then be returned to you by mail or by fax.

Note: A permit can only be transferred one time. A transfer permit will not be edited.

You may transfer a permit under the following conditions:

1) If there have not been any inspections attached to the permit you wish to transfer; and
2) If the permit fees match (both the original fee and the transfer fee).

Transferring permits makes use of your deposited money immediately without applying for a refund and waiting for the processing time.

Please contact this office with any questions on the above policy and we will be happy to help you apply for a refund or transfer your permit.

Inspections

Effective August 1, 2008, the 2008 edition of the National Electrical Code will become the minimum standard for the State of Colorado. Work performed on permits issued on or after this date must comply with the 2008 code requirements. The Board anticipates adopting the 2011 edition of the NEC effective July 2011

The Colorado State Electrical Board performs electrical inspections in locations throughout the state that are not inspected by a local authority. All public schools and state buildings are inspected by state electrical inspectors regardless of the location.

Inspection Requests

For registered users of the electrical online permit system, it would be advantageous to submit inspection requests online. However, you may also request inspections by telephone or fax. Your inspector's name and telephone number will be listed on the permit. The inspector's fax number may be found in the list of inspectors. Please do not duplicate your inspection request.

Important note: Please do not use your cellular phone to request an inspection. Cellular signals often drop out resulting in an incomplete inspection request with delayed or no inspections.

Inspection Schedule* Now Available Online

After you have requested inspection, the inspector will normally schedule this inspection within three days of receipt of your request.
Once an inspection has been scheduled* by the inspector, you can access that information from your online account by viewing the permit to see if it has been placed on the schedule* for that day.
This information will be posted throughout the morning on the day of the scheduled* inspection, usually by 10 a.m. each day. This information will only be available the day of the scheduled* inspection.
Ensure that the inspection site is accessible to the inspector from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Contact your inspector with any updates as to driving directions, phone numbers, or access codes not found on the permit. Faxing this information the day of the inspection is ill-advised since your inspector will likely be away from the office by the time you send this notification.
To avoid re-inspection fees

Ensure the address number is visibly posted at the driveway entrance of the jobsite.
Ensure that the job is ready for the inspection before you call to request an inspection.

The inspection notification is not a guarantee that the inspection will take place on the date noted, it is a notification that the inspection is scheduled* for that day.
No additional information regarding the inspection schedule is available through the website or Board office.
Inspections will not be performed on State-mandated furlough days or official holidays.

*due to unforeseen delays, your inspector might not be able to complete his/her entire itinerary on any given day.

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