Property Owners & Homeowners

Processing time for L&I permits purchased:

  • Online: Immediately.
  • In person at a service location: Immediately.
  • Postal mail: Same day as received.

Property owners and homeowners

As a property owner or homeowner, you should only purchase an electrical permit if you are doing the work yourself on your own property. We strongly encourage you to hire an electrical contractor for all electrical work.

  • If you hire an electrical contractor, they must purchase the permit for the work they do for you. Make sure your electrical contractor is licensed.
  • Make sure to contact your serving utility (power company) if you are making changes that require the power to be disconnected and re-connected, or connected for the first time. You must comply with all of their requirements.

Annual permits: Businesses that have regularly employed, qualified electricians or maintenance staff who do electrical work on the business property can purchase annual electrical permits. To see if you qualify for an annual permit, refer to our annual electrical permit publication.

Buying your permit online

Apply online with Electronic Permit/Inspection System (EPIS) (no subscription required). This site does not enable the ability to validate Class B permits.

  • We accept credit/debit cards and electronic checks.
  • You will need a printer to print your permit.

Buy your permit by mail or in person

Visit your local L&I office or mail your application:

  1. Fill out the Property Owner Electrical Work Permit Application (F500-094-000).
  2. If applying by mail, include a check or money order payable to the Department of Labor & Industries with your application.
  3. If you are paying with cash or a debit/credit card, you must visit your local L&I office.

Next steps

Once you have a permit, you can begin your electrical work. Permits are good for 1 year.
You must request inspection:

  • Before you bury or conceal anything.
  • Within 3 days of completing the installation or one day of energizing, whichever occurs first.
Contractors

Processing time for L&I permits purchased:

  • Online: Immediately.
  • In person at a service location: Immediately.
  • Postal mail: Same day as received.

Contractors can purchase electrical permits online two ways

Option 1

Use the My L&I secure site to access EPIS (This site is restricted to contractors who are licensed/registered with My L&I).

Contractors with an account in My L&I and are subscribed to EPIS (Electronic Permit and Inspection System) can:

  • Track permits issued to the contractor license associated with their account.
  • Purchase permits.
  • View inspection results.
  • View open corrections.
  • Request inspections.
  • Pay outstanding permit fees.
  • Check your job status at a glance.

Electrical contractors can validate their Class B permits through My L&I and EPIS. You can use the following payment options: Contractor deposit (CD) account, ACH (E-check), or credit/debit cards.

How to get access to EPIS through My L&I

  1. Fill out the application for EPIS access (F500-055-000). When completing the application, the contractor must identify a "Primary User" and provide the Primary User's name and email address. This primary use has the ability to manage other users on the account.
  2. Email a copy of the completed application form with the notarized signature of the owner or member of the contracting firm to EPISAppsRequest@Lni.wa.gov.
  3. The Primary User will receive an email from EPIS with directions for creating the account and getting access. This email will include the required approval code. Follow the instructions in the email to get access to EPIS.

Option 2

Apply online with Electronic Permit/Inspection System (EPIS) (no subscription required).
This site does not have the ability to validate class B permits. A printer is required to print your permit.

Payment options: credit/debit cards or an electronic Check, a one time deduction from your bank account. A printer is required.

Buy your permit by mail
  1. Fill out the Contractor Electrical Work Permit Application (F500-093-000).
  2. Include your Contractor Deposit (CD) account number or a check or money order with your application and send it to, or visit your local L&I office.
  3. If you are paying with cash, you must visit your local L&I office.
Requesting Inspections

Interested in becoming an electrical inspector? Look for available positions at careers.wa.gov”. To apply you must first take an electrical assessment, available on the first (Tumwater), second (Tukwila), and third (Moses Lake) Tuesday of each month. To sign up for the assessment, contact electricalassessment@lni.wa.gov.

Requesting inspections

If you obtained your permit from L&I:

  • Requests can be made online 24 hours a day.
  • To schedule an inspection, call the request line and leave a message.
  • If you have special arrangement requirements such as access to the site or building, you must provide that information when requesting your inspection.
    • Enter the information in the comment box when requesting your inspection online. You will have a total of 255 characters (spaces) to record that information.
    • Requests left on the request line after 4 p.m. will not be recorded until the following business day.

If you obtained your permit from a city, contact the city electrical inspector to request an inspection.

What you need to know about inspections

You must request inspection no later than 3 business days after completing the work or 1 business day after any part of the installation has been energized, whichever occurs first. Failure to request an inspection may result in civil penalties. See Electrical Inspection Basics for more information.

We will strive to get to your inspection within 48 hours of the date of the request.
  • Do not cover any electrical work prior to inspection.
Make sure we have the information to get the inspector to the jobsite and get the job done.
  • When purchasing your permit, provide turn by turn directions to the jobsite from the nearest main crossroad to the job.
  • Request an inspection when the work is ready to be inspected.
  • Provide any special instructions for building access.
    • Enter the information in the comment box when requesting your inspection online. You will have a total of 255 characters (spaces) to record that information.
  • No unrestrained animals or children under the age of 18 without an adult present.
Class B Electrical Permits

Class B Labels

How do I purchase Class B Labels?

  • After July 1, 2021, Class B Labels can only be purchased through My L&I: Sign in (EPIS account).
  • If you do not already have an EPIS account, then you must first go to the Contractors tab and apply for one.
  • Class B Labels are only available 20 at a time.
  • Under Manage Class B Labels (Purchased after 3/1/2013), see Purchase Class B Labels box.
  • Instructions for using EPIS for Class B Labels to purchase and validation.

I purchased a book prior to March 1, 2013. Are my Class B Labels still valid?

  • Yes, Class B Labels purchased prior to March 1, 2013, are still valid, but cannot be validated using EPIS.
  • Continue to fill out both parts of the label and mail a copy to us at:
    Department of Labor & Industries
    Electrical Program
    P.O. box 44460
    Olympia, WA 98504

Can I get a refund on Class B Labels?

  • No, Class B Labels sales are non-refundable.

Do the new rules defining what is Class B work apply to all Class B Labels sold before or after March 1, 2013?

Is there other information available?

Fees

The Fee Worksheets and Tables with Notes (fee schedule training) documents are based on the electrical WAC rules effective July 1, 2024.

This will help you determine the fees for your L&I electrical permit. These fees cover the cost of the inspection. Please note that in some cases additional city fees may be added to the L&I fees below.