A. 
The following are permitted to perform electrical work in the City of Schenectady: licensed master, journeymen and institutional electricians; residential wiremen and apprentices; out-of-town master electricians, journeymen and residential wiremen; and approved homeowners.
B. 
The Board shall review the applications of master, journeymen and institutional electricians and residential wiremen and license those who meet the qualifications for their category. Apprentices are exempt from the licensing requirements.
C. 
An applicant shall submit to the licensing Board a completed application accompanied by the appropriate fee.
D. 
An applicant must be a high school graduate, or equivalent, and have graduated from a two year diploma course in electrical technology from a community college in the State of New York, from a New York State Department of Labor accredited apprentice program or successfully completed any other equivalent course of study as determined by the Board.
E. 
Institutions and industrial and commercial establishments located within the City of Schenectady may employ electricians to engage in the installation, alteration or repair of electrical wiring and equipment on their property only if an official or other authorized representative of the institution or establishment is an institutional electrician.
F. 
Out-of-town master electricians from cities that extend reciprocal privileges to master electricians from Schenectady may apply for and receive a license good for each particular job. Journeymen and residential wiremen not licensed by Schenectady but who would otherwise qualify may apply for and receive a permit to work on a particular job for a licensed electrical contractor or an out-of-town master electrician.
[Amended 4-8-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-14]
A. 
An individual who owns and resides in or is constructing and will reside in a single- or two-family dwelling may personally perform the maintenance, installation or repair of electrical wiring or equipment in the dwelling and normal accessory buildings, upon receipt of the necessary permit. The Electrical Inspector shall issue a permit to the homeowner only if he demonstrates that he adequately knows the National Electrical Code and has a working knowledge of wiring methods and the installation of electrical equipment.
B. 
Property owners, or people with legal control of residential property, may be issued a permit required by this chapter to change existing light fixtures, existing power receptacles, including Arc-faults and ground fault interrupters, and existing light switches. The Electrical Inspector shall issue a permit to the property owner only if he demonstrates that he adequately knows the National Electrical Code and has a working knowledge of wiring methods and the installation of electrical equipment.
[Amended 4-11-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-09]
The fees payable to the City of Schenectady for electrical licenses are:
A. 
Licensed electrical contractor/master electrician: $300 a year.
B. 
Institutional electrician: $200 a year.
C. 
Out-of-town master electricians or licensed electrical contractors: $300 for each job.
[Amended 7-14-1986 by Ord. No. 86-46]
No electrical wiring or equipment may be installed without a permit issued by the Electrical Inspector, except that no such permit shall be required for factory-manufactured homes that bear the insignia of approval as per Chapter D, Part 1200, of the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council as it pertains only to the components structure. Permits may be issued only to licensed electrical contractors, institutional electricians, licensed out-of-town master electricians and approved homeowners.
[Amended 7-11-1988 by Ord. No. 88-56; 2-6-1989 by Ord. No. 89-07; 1-16-1996 by Ord. No. 95-38; 3-10-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-5; 4-11-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-09; 2-10-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-04]
The fee schedule for electrical permits and inspections is as follows:
A. 
Existing residential service:
(1) 
Electrical service fee:
(a) 
One-family: $75.
(b) 
Two-family: $85.
(c) 
Three-family: $95.
(d) 
Four-family: $105.
(2) 
Electrical permit: $50.
(3) 
Inspection fee, per unit:
(a) 
One-family: $50.
(b) 
Two-family: $100.
(c) 
Three-family: $150.
(d) 
Four-family: $200.
B. 
New residential buildings up to four units; permit inspection and service included:
(1) 
One-family: $175.
(2) 
Two-family: $235.
(3) 
Three-family: $295.
(4) 
Four-family: $355.
C. 
New commercial, new residential over four units and new mixed occupancy:
(1) 
Permit fee: $300.
(2) 
Inspection fee: $175 plus 1% of electrical contract.
D. 
Existing commercial, residential over four units and mixed occupancy:
(1) 
Permit fee: $75.
(2) 
Inspection fee: $75 plus 1% of electrical contract.
E. 
Power reconnect inspection fee/per meter: $75; each additional meter: $25.
F. 
Fire alarm systems, permit and inspection fee: $100 plus 1% of alarm contract.
G. 
All fees as required by this section shall be doubled whenever the work which is subject to a fee is commenced prior to the issuance of the appropriate permit.
H. 
Reinspection fee. The permit and inspection fees hereinabove set forth entitle a contractor or the homeowner to one initial inspection and one inspection of the final work. If, for any reason, the Inspector is required to make additional inspections, an additional fee of $50 for each additional inspection shall be charged to and paid by the contractor or the homeowner.
All annual licenses expire at the end of the calendar year in which they are issued. Licenses may be renewed upon receipt of an application for renewal containing the documentation required by §§ 138-79 and 138-80 and upon payment of the annual fee.
No person may lend, rent, transfer or assign, in any manner, his license or permit to any other person. No person may use a license or permit not issued to him.
[Amended 6-2-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986]
Upon the request of the Electrical Inspector and following due notice to the licensee, the Board shall determine whether there is good cause for suspension or revocation of a license. The Board shall hold a hearing prior to such determination if so requested by the licensee. The Mayor shall suspend or revoke a license upon the recommendation of at least six members of the Board.
This chapter does not apply to:
A. 
Persons engaged solely in the selling or attaching of ordinary appliances to existing circuits where no joining or splicing of electrical conductors is required.
B. 
Work in connection with the installation, maintenance and repair of elevators by persons principally engaged in that business.
C. 
Work involved, in the manufacture, test, assembly and repair of electrical machinery, apparatus, materials and equipment, when performed by persons engaged in manufacturing as their principal business.
D. 
Work by authorized public service companies in connection with the erection, construction or maintenance of electrical service from the source of supply to and including the service connection on the premises of the consumer.
E. 
Work by companies authorized to transmit communications by electricity in the installation, maintenance or repair of wires, apparatus, fixtures or other appliances for such transmission.
F. 
Work in connection with the installation, maintenance or repair of electric wiring and equipment of an establishment having its own distribution system of a minimum of 2,300 volts, but only if the work is performed by regularly assigned and trained electrical crews who are employees of the owner of the establishment and, if the electric wiring and equipment is subject to periodic inspection, by an approved industrial insurance carrier or fire rating organization.