Online Electrical Permits
Small electrical projects can be applied for and permitted online. See our online electrical permit page for details.
OTC Electrical Permits
Many of the electrical permits available from DPD are over-the-counter (OTC) permits, which can be obtained and processed at the OTC Desk at DPD's Applicant Services Center (location & hours). The application for these non-plan-reviewed electrical permits is available online at the OTC Forms website.
OTC permits can be faxed to (206) 684-8113. Processing time for faxed permit applications is a minimum of one business day. Payment will be required over the phone with a credit card, and a cashier will call the applicant's contact phone number to collect the payment. For more information, visit our Over-the-Counter Permits website or call (206) 684-8464.
Plan Reviewed Electrical Permits
Electrical permits that require plan review require two sets of plans and one set of specifications as detailed in CAM 104, Getting an OTC Permit. (These permits are also processed at DPD's OTC Desk.) Also, there is an application online for this plan-reviewed type of electrical permit at our Forms website. Some electrical projects that fall under this category include:
- Any installation over 2,500 square feet
- All switches, fuses, circuit breakers and equipment rated at 400 amps or higher
- All electrical equipment operating at over 600 volts
- Services, feeders and power supplies for emergency, legally required, or fire pump systems
- Electrical work in hospitals, schools and institutions
- Transformer install over 112.5 KVA
- Unique or particularly complex projects or an installation that can’t be adequately described on an OTC or online permit form
Information required on the plans includes:
- Complete riser and one-line diagram including services and feeders showing wire sizes and conduit sizes
- Floor plans showing basic circuitry
- Switchboard and panel schedules
- Load calcuations and load summaries showing demand factors
- Fault current calculation (provide this information on the application if the the available fault current is known at that time; the calculation must be provided prior to the service inspection)
- Voltage—120/240 single phase; 120/240 three phase; 120/208 three phase; 277/480 three phase
- Key to symbols on the plans
- Fixture schedule
- Lighting summary schedule for compliance with the Seattle Energy Code
- Any other information that is significant or relevant for the plans examiner review of the drawings
Licensing
The professional who applies for electrical permits must have a state of Washington Electrical Contractor's license. Find more information about contractor's licensing from the Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) and the Guide to Seattle's Business License & Taxes.
(Note: Owners completing their own work are NOT required to be licensed, but any professional hired to do electrical work is required to have the appropriate licenses and business designation.) For more about licensing, see our Trade Licensing website.
Be Prepared
To save time, find information and fill out your electrical permit forms before heading to DPD. Find all the most updated electrical permit applications and lists of requirements on our Publications website.
