Find out when you need to submit your electrical plans for plan review

L&I’s jurisdiction is everything outside of cities that have their own inspection programs and Tacoma Power's service area.

Homeowners and anyone excluded from requirements below: Do not submit drawings for review or preapproval. Rules prohibit us from consulting on your electrical system design.

In L&I jurisdiction, rules require electrical plan review for all new or altered electrical projects in educational, institutional, or health care occupancies defined in WAC 296-46B-900(1) when not excluded by WAC 296-46B-900(3)(a).

Before you begin electrical work on a project requiring plan review, you must have set of reviewed and approved plans on the jobsite.

An initial submittal fee initiates review. We calculate the rest of the review fees in accordance with WAC 296-46B-906(9). Outstanding fees are due upon completion of review.

Plan review fees are totally separate from electrical permit fees. Installers must obtain their own electrical permits; no one else can do it for them.

Get access to the electrical plan review system in 2 steps:
If you have done this before, you do not have to do it again.

  1. Complete an Application for Access to Online Electrical Plan Review System (F500-146-000); and
    Send it to ElectricalPlanReviewMailQuestions@Lni.wa.gov. Look for a reply by email with further instructions.
  2. Create a Box.com account. Sign up for free: https://www.box.com/personal.
Learn how the system works:
  1. Confirm your plans are reviewable according to the Electrical Plan Review Submittal Guide.
  2. Log in to your My L&I account and select Electrical Plan Review from your list of services.
  3. For all types of plans, including resubmittals:
    1. select the “Submit New Electrical Plan” option; and
    2. In the “Plan type” field, select “New plan” and complete all fields in the submittal form and checklist. If a field does not apply to your project, please enter “NA”.
  4. Pay the initial submittal fee by e-check or credit/debit card and select Submit.
  5. Be on the lookout for an email from noreply@box.com with instructions on how to upload your plans to a folder we create for you in Box.com.

If you do not receive this email within one business day, check your junk email folder. Contact us if we have overlooked something.

  1. You can log in to your My L&I account and check status anytime:
    • Pending – The review process has not yet started.
    • Under Review – A plans examiner is reviewing your plans.
    • Ready for Review – Review is complete.
  2. Whenever we have questions or approve plans, we let you know by email.
  3. “Ready for Review” means 3 things are available:
    1. Through your My L&I account:
      i.  A “Pay” button appears so you can pay outstanding fees.
      ii.  After payment, in the “Correspondence” section you can download your letters and worksheets.
    2. Contact us through your Box.com account after you have made payment above so we know to release the plans for download.
      Once released, you have 15 days to download. After that, your plans no longer exist anywhere. Contact us if we have overlooked something.

Approved plans and worksheets must be available on the jobsite before work begins.
Questions?
Phone: 360-902-6778
Email: ElectricalPlanReviewMailQuestions@Lni.wa.gov