[Derived from Art. II of Ch. XI of the Charter and Ordinances, 1974]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Art. II for permits for installations operating on 30 volts or more.
A. 
No electrical work shall be installed, changed or added to without a permit from the Commissioner first having been obtained, excepting work done in their own plants by persons not required to be licensed under Article I of this chapter.
B. 
No permit shall be required for any electrical work described in § 165-27.1, provided that there is no additional new work or change in the existing wiring system.
[Amended 7-20-2004, effective 8-2-2004]
C. 
The Chief Electrical Inspector or a member of his staff is hereby charged with the duty and responsibility of inspecting all work done pursuant to said permit to determine whether the work conforms to accepted standards and thereafter to prepare a written certificate specifically explaining the approval of the work.
D. 
Each permit shall be prepared and issued in duplicate by the Commissioner. The application for a permit shall be in duplicate, made on forms furnished by the Commissioner.
[Added 7-20-2004, effective 8-2-2004]
A. 
Repairs to electrical installations at existing one- and two-family dwellings and their sites which are limited to:
(1) 
Electrical devices and components of less than 30 volts;
(2) 
Electrical and lighting fixtures; and
(3) 
Exhaust and other fans.
Homeowners and appropriately licensed handymen, electrical contractors and construction managers may make such electrical repairs to existing installations, consistent with the definition of "repairs," without applying for and obtaining an electrical permit and paying electrical permit fees.
However, even when electrical permits are not required, all installations, materials, parts, devices and fixtures used in such electrical repairs must conform to current Underwriter's Laboratory standards and the current electrical code, as well as current Underwriter's Laboratory standards and current BCNYS building code requirements and City Charter, codes and ordinances.
No other electrical repairs or repairs of electrical systems, services, wiring, conduit, wiring in conduit, smoke and fire detection systems or alarm systems may be made at existing one- and two-family dwellings without first obtaining an electrical permit and paying electrical permit fees.
B. 
Repairs to electrical installations at existing commercial buildings and their sites which are limited to:
(1) 
Electrical devices and components of less than 30 volts;
(2) 
Electrical and lighting fixtures; and
(3) 
Exhaust and other fans.
Factory-certified service technicians, maintenance personnel, and appropriately licensed electrical contractors may make such electrical repairs to existing installations, consistent with the definition of "repairs," without applying for and obtaining an electrical permit and paying electrical permit fees.
However, even when electrical permits are not required, all installations, materials, parts, devices and fixtures used in such electrical repairs must conform to current Underwriter's Laboratory standards and the current electrical code, as well as current Underwriter's Laboratory standards and current BCNYS building code requirements and City Charter, codes and ordinances.
No other electrical repairs or repairs of electrical systems, services, wiring, conduit, wiring in conduit, smoke and fire detection systems or alarm systems may be made at existing commercial buildings without first obtaining an electrical permit and paying electrical permit fees.
C. 
Replacements in-kind to electrical installations at existing one- and two-family dwellings and their sites which are limited to:
(1) 
Electrical devices and components of less than 30 volts;
(2) 
Lamps/light bulbs;
(3) 
Light fixture ballasts;
(4) 
Light fixture lenses;
(5) 
Surface-mounted light fixtures and surface-mounted fans;
(6) 
Fuses; and
(7) 
Cover plates and escutcheons.
Homeowners and appropriately licensed handymen, electrical contractors and construction managers may make such electrical replacements in-kind, consistent with the definition of "replacement in-kind," to existing installations without applying for and obtaining an electrical permit and paying electrical permit fees.
However, even when electrical permits are not required, all installations, materials, parts, devices and fixtures used in such electrical replacements in-kind must conform to current Underwriter's Laboratory standards and the current electrical code, as well as current Underwriter's Laboratory standards and current BCNYS building code requirements and City Charter, codes and ordinances.
No other electrical replacements in-kind of electrical systems, services, wiring, conduit, wiring in conduit, smoke and fire detection systems or alarm systems may be made at existing one- and two-family dwellings without first applying for and obtaining an electrical permit and paying electrical permit fees.
D. 
Replacements in-kind to electrical installations at existing commercial buildings and their sites which are limited to:
(1) 
Electrical devices and components of less than 30 volts;
(2) 
Electrical and lighting fixtures; and
(3) 
Exhaust and other fans.
Factory-certified service technicians, maintenance personnel, and appropriately licensed electrical contractors may make such electrical replacements in-kind, consistent with the definition of "replacement in-kind," to existing installations without applying for and obtaining an electrical permit and paying electrical permit fees.
However, even when electrical permits are not required, all installations, materials, parts, devices and fixtures used in such electrical replacements in-kind must conform to current Underwriter's Laboratory standards and the current electrical code, as well as current Underwriter's Laboratory standards and current BCNYS building code requirements and City Charter, codes and ordinances.
No other electrical replacements in-kind of electrical systems, services, wiring, conduit, wiring in conduit, smoke and fire detection systems or alarm systems may be made at existing commercial buildings without first obtaining an electrical permit and paying electrical permit fees.
E. 
Installation of listed portable electrical equipment or appliances at existing one- and two-family dwellings. Homeowners and appropriately licensed handymen, electrical contractors, and construction managers may make such electrical replacements in-kind, consistent with the definition of "replacement in-kind," or installations without applying for and obtaining an electrical permit and paying electrical permit fees.
F. 
Installation of listed portable electrical equipment or appliances at existing commercial buildings.
(1) 
Maintenance personnel and appropriately licensed electrical contractors and construction managers may make such electrical replacements in-kind, consistent with the definition of "replacement in-kind," or installations without applying for and obtaining an electrical permit and paying electrical permit fees.
(2) 
Even when electrical permits are not required, all installation methods, as well as all equipment and appliances used for such electrical replacements in-kind or installations must conform to current Underwriter's Laboratory standards and the current applicable electrical code.
G. 
All new work or work on existing electrical services, conduit, wiring in conduit or smoke and fire detection and alarm systems may only be done after first applying for and obtaining an electrical permit and paying electrical permit fees.
H. 
All new or other line-voltage electrical work or the installation of electrical conduit must be performed by either a master electrician licensed by the City of Buffalo or a journeyman electrician who is supervised by a master electrician, both of whom are licensed by the City of Buffalo.
I. 
A City-licensed master electrician or a journeyman electrician who is supervised by a Master Electrician, both of whom are licensed by the City of Buffalo, may, as an employee of a factory or plant, perform electrical work in such factory or plant.
J. 
All other electrical work requires an electrical permit and the payment of electrical permit fees. See Flat Fee and Area-Calculated Fee Schedules.
A. 
A permit shall be issued only to a master electrician duly licensed under Article I and to the persons exempted in said article. Permits shall be issued upon the applicant's compliance with this article and upon payment of the required fees.
B. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a permit shall be issued to an owner-occupant of a one- or two-family dwelling, provided that he has proved to the Chief Electrical Inspector that he is personally qualified to perform electrical work.
The application for a permit must state the name and address of the owner or occupant of the property, the name and address of the applicant for the permit, the general nature of the work to be done and such further information as the Commissioner may require and that the work will be done in accordance with the provisions of this article and the ruled of the National Electrical Code.
Permits issued upon said application will state the name and address of the owner or occupant of the property, the name and address of the applicant for the permit, the general nature of the work to be done thereunder and such further information as the Commissioner may prescribe and that said work must conform to this article and the rules of the National Electrical Code.