(a) Scope.
This section establishes charges for electrical
permits, inspections, and reinspections.
(b) Permit required.
No installation, alteration, or removal
shall be made in or of the wiring of any building or structure for
light, heat, or power or to increase the load of energy carried by
such wires or equipment, nor shall any building or structure be wired
for electric lights, appliances, motors, apparatus, or heating devices
nor alterations made thereto, without a written permit being first
obtained from the city building official or his or her designee by
the person, firm, or corporation having direct charge of such installation.
(c) Inspection.
Upon completion of the wiring, installation
or alteration of any building or structure for light, heat, power,
appliance or apparatus, it shall be the duty of the person, firm or
corporation having direct charge of such installation to notify the
electrical inspector, who shall, within 24 hours excluding weekends
and holidays, inspect such wiring, installation, appliance, and apparatus
and, if installed, altered, and constructed in accordance with the
requirements as set forth by the National Electrical Code, the electrical
inspector or his designee shall sign and date the issued permit card
to demonstrate acceptance of said installation, alteration, or wiring.
In the event said installation, alteration, apparatus, or appliance
does not meet the requirements of the adopted code, no electric current
shall be allowed to be turned on to said wiring, installation, apparatus,
or equipment until all such requirements are met.
(d) Fees.
The amount of fees or charges to be made for such permits, inspections, service connections and related matters shall be as set forth in the fee schedule in appendix
A of this code.
(e) State license required.
Any person, firm, or corporation
that engages in the business of electrical contracting, electrical
construction, or the installation or alteration of wiring and apparatus
for electrical lights, appliances, heating, or power in the city shall,
before doing so, submit to the city a valid electrical contractor’s
license issued from the state department of licensing and regulation,
and a certificate of insurance as required by section 73.40 of the
administrative rules of the state department of licensing and regulation,
16 Texas Administrative Code, chapter 73.
(f) Licensed individual to be on jobsite.
Any person, firm,
or corporation engaged in the business of electrical contracting in
the city shall have, at a minimum, one licensed electrician, journeyman
level or higher, on the jobsite at all times and the responsible electrical
contractor shall have a thorough knowledge of the work being performed
and permits issued to his or her license.
(g) Failure to comply.
Any person, firm, or corporation
who shall fail to correct any defect or defects in his or her work
or to meet the required standards after having been given notice of
the unfit condition by the electrical inspector or his or her designee,
within a reasonable time, shall be refused any other permit until
such defect or defects have been corrected and shall be subject to
recommendation by the city for suspension or revocation of license(s)
to the state department of licensing and regulation.
(h) Notice of violation; stop work order.
Upon discovering
a contractor’s failure to comply with this division, the electrical
inspector shall issue due notice or a stop work order, as appropriate,
and shall have the authority to order a cessation of any supply of
electric current to the applicable location.
(i) Work by homeowner.
Any individual desiring to perform
his or her own electrical work at his or her place of residence shall
not be required to be licensed nor submit the proper insurance documentation.
However, he or she shall be required to obtain the proper permit and
shall be subject to all other requirements as set forth by this division.
Such work shall be completed by said homeowner personally on his or
her residence.
(j) Work performed on commercial properties.
Any electrical
installation, alteration, or wiring of any building or structure used
for any commercial, industrial, or institutional purpose shall be
performed by a licensed master electrician with a valid electrical
contractor’s license, with the exception of minor electrical
repairs, which may be completed by a full-time maintenance employee.
Such installations shall meet the standards set forth by the National
Electrical Code.
(k) Unlawful use of license.
No licensed electrical contractor
shall allow another person to permit work under his or her license
unless said person is in the full-time employment of the responsible
licensed electrical contractor.
(l) Existing city licenses.
Except to the extent that licenses
heretofore issued by the city are licenses for a project pursuant
to chapter 245, Texas Local Government Code, all city-issued master
and journeyman licenses heretofore issued shall become null and void
on December 31, 2004, and no electrical installation, alteration or
wiring shall be performed unless by a state licensed electrical contractor
or authorized designee pursuant to this division.
(m) Oversight does not excuse violation.
No oversight of
any city official, manager, employee or representative shall excuse
a violation of this division.
(n) Enforcement generally.
The city council, through the
city manager or other designated agent or representative, is responsible
for the enforcement of this division.
(o) Penalty.
Any person, firm or corporation found guilty of violating any of the provisions of this division shall be subject to a fine in an amount in accordance with the general penalty provided in section
1.01.009, enforceable in municipal court, and a complaint being filed with the state department of licensing and regulation.
(Ordinance 964 adopted 11/17/04; 2004 Code, art. 3.600, div.
6; Ordinance adopting 2019 Code)
(a) Office created.
There is hereby created the office of
electrical inspector in and for the city.
(b) Appointment.
The electrical inspector shall be appointed
by the mayor, subject to the confirmation of the city council.
(c) Qualifications.
The person appointed as electrical inspector
shall be of good moral character and shall be versed in the approved
methods of electrical construction for safety of life and property
and the National Electrical Code.
(d) Duties generally.
The electrical inspector shall have
the duty and is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to regulate
and determine the placing of electric wires or other appliances for
electric lights, heat or power in the city, and to cause all such
wires, appliances or apparatus to be placed, constructed and guarded
so as not to cause fires or accidents endangering life or property,
and to cooperate with the fire marshal.
(e) Enforcement.
It shall be the duty of the electrical
inspector to enforce all provisions of this division.
(f) Inspections.
It shall be the duty of the electrical
inspector to inspect and test all electrical work, equipment or apparatus
for compliance with this division. Whenever any electric wiring, appliance
or apparatus is defective or hazardous through improper manufacture
or improper or insufficient insulation or for any other reason, he
shall at once cause the removal of such defect at the expense of the
owner of such wiring, appliance or apparatus.
(g) Right of entry.
The electrical inspector shall have
the authority to enter all buildings in the city in the performance
of his duties between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily,
except that in an emergency and within the limits of reason he may
enter buildings for such purposes at other than the designated hours.
(1975 Code, secs. 13-16–13-22; 2004 Code, secs. 3.606–3.612)
Any person engaged in the business of electrical construction
and the installation of wiring and apparatus for electric light, heat
or power in the city who shall fail to correct promptly any defects
in any work done by him contrary to this code, after having been notified
thereof by the city electrical inspector, shall not be issued any
further permits until such defects have been corrected.
(1975 Code, sec. 13-1; 2004 Code,
sec. 3.601)
Every person owning or controlling electrical wires and apparatus
for the transmission of light, heat or power shall in time of fire
or in case of severe climatic conditions or any other emergency wherein
lives or property of the citizens of the city may be endangered by
the operation of such wires and apparatus, upon notice by the electrical
inspector, the mayor, the chief of the fire department or the chief
of police, disconnect such dangerous wires from current or service
as so designated by such official.
(1975 Code, sec. 13-2; 2004 Code,
sec. 3.602)