The 2020 National Electrical Code is hereby adopted as the official electrical code of the city, and is fully incorporated by reference as though copied into this division in its entirety. The material contained in such code shall not be included in the formal municipal codification of ordinances but shall be maintained as a public record in the office of the city secretary and will be available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.30; Ordinance 2006-010 adopted 11/21/2005; Ordinance 2013-027, sec. 6, adopted 6/17/2013; Ordinance 2023-0002 adopted 2/20/2023)
The 2020 edition of the National Electrical Code, as adopted herein is hereby amended by adoption of those local amendments shown on exhibit F on file in the office of the city secretary.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.30; Ordinance 2006-010 adopted 11/21/2005; Ordinance 2013-027, sec. 6, adopted 6/17/2013; Ordinance 2023-0002 adopted 2/20/2023)
(a) 
Building permits are required for new buildings, additions and for remodeling before electrical permits are issued. As a condition of each such permit, electrical contractors shall make application with the city listing the type of occupancy, the type of work, and tendering to the city the fees currently established or as hereafter adopted by resolution of the city council from time to time.
(b) 
Whenever any work for which a permit is required by this section has been commenced without first obtaining a permit, the fee shall be doubled.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.31; Ordinance 2002-006 adopted 10/22/2001; Ordinance 2014-016, sec. 1, adopted 7/21/2014)
(a) 
Upon the completion of any electrical installation for which a permit has been obtained under this article, it shall be the duty of the person making the installation to notify the city's electrical inspector, who shall inspect the installation within 48 hours, exclusive of Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, of the time such notice is given. When any electrical equipment is to be hidden from view by the permanent placement of parts of the building, the person installing the equipment shall notify the electrical inspector and such equipment shall not be concealed until it has been inspected, approved, or authorized by the electrical inspector. On large installations where the concealment of equipment proceeds continuously, the person installing the electrical equipment shall give the electrical inspector due notice, and inspections shall be made periodically during the progress of work. The city's electrical inspector shall have the authority to require building contractors to open works that in any manner conceal electrical wiring that has been closed without his knowledge or permission, and in no case shall the inspector issue clearance until satisfied that the work is in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The inspector shall also have the right to refuse to issue a clearance on any wiring that is concealed in such a manner that it cannot be fully determined that it has been done in accordance with this chapter.
(b) 
If, upon inspection under this section, the installation is not found to be fully in conformity with the provisions of this chapter, the electrical inspector shall immediately notify the person making the installation of the existing defects.
(c) 
When the electrical inspector finds the installation to be in conformity with the provisions of the electrical code, as amended, he shall issue to the person making the installation a certificate of approval, authorizing use of the installation in connection with electrical supply. If a temporary installation approval is requested, such certificate shall expire at a time to be stated therein and shall be revocable for cause by the electrical inspector. Permission may be given authorizing the connection and use of some specified portions of an uncompleted installation. Such permission shall be revocable at the discretion of the electrical inspector.
(d) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to make connection to a supply of electricity or to supply electricity to any electrical equipment for which a permit is required by this chapter, or which has been disconnected by order of the electrical inspector, until a certificate of approval has been issued by the electrical inspector authorizing the connection and use of such equipment, except that the electrical inspector may authorize a temporary connection.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.32)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person who is not registered as a licensed electrician in accordance with state regulations to engage in the business of electrical construction, or in the business of any of the classifications prescribed in this chapter, or to make any repairs, alterations, additions, or changes to any existing system of electrical conductors, wiring, apparatus, or equipment within the city, except as otherwise provided in this section.
(b) 
Nothing contained in this section shall prohibit any bona fide homeowner from personally installing electrical conductors or equipment within his own home, provided that the owner shall file with the electrical inspector as to his ability to install electrical wiring, apply for and secure a permit, pay required fees, do work in accordance with the electrical code, as amended, apply for an inspection and receive a certificate of approval. Personal installation by an owner under this subsection shall be by himself, for himself, on his own homestead premises, and without compensation, and no person shall be employed to assist him in any way on such work.
(c) 
The following classes of work may be carried out by persons who are not registered electricians:
(1) 
The replacement of lamps and fuses and the connection of portable devices to suitable receptacles which have been permanently installed;
(2) 
The installation, alteration, or repairing of any wiring, devices, or equipment for the operation of signal or the transmission of intelligence where such wiring, devices, appliances, or equipment are operated at a voltage not exceeding 30 volts, between conductors, and do not include generating or transforming equipment;
(3) 
The installation, alteration, or repair of electric wiring, devices, appliances, and equipment installed by or for an electrical public service corporation operating under a franchise from the city when for the use of such corporation in the generation, transmission, distribution, or metering of the electrical energy or for the use of such a corporation in the operation of street railways, signals or the transmission of intelligence;
(4) 
Any work involved in the manufacture or test of electrical materials, devices, appliances, or apparatus, but not including any installation wiring other than that required for testing purposes, if such equipment as completed is approved by the electrical inspector before it is installed or used within the city;
(5) 
Any work involved in any factory in the manufacture, fabrication, or testing of products, equipment, or devices wherein electrical wiring, apparatus, devices, or equipment is installed, fabricated, manufactured, incorporated, or otherwise attached.
(d) 
Nothing contained in this section shall prohibit any person from using his regular electrical maintenance employees for installing, repairing, altering, or maintaining electrical conductors or equipment within or on the premises occupied by such person, provided such installation, repair, alteration, and/or maintenance is completed in accordance with the provisions of the electrical code, as amended. Immediately upon the completion of any such repairs, maintenance or installation of electrical work referred to in this section, the person shall call for an immediate inspection of such work by the electrical inspector. Should any hazardous condition be found, it shall be corrected within a reasonable period of time. For the purpose of determining a hazardous condition, the electrical code shall be used as the criteria. Any electrical work which upon completion will be concealed shall receive a rough-in inspection prior to concealment.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.33; Ordinance 2014-016, secs. 2, 3, adopted 7/21/2014)
The fees for registration of licensed electricians shall be as currently established or as hereafter adopted by resolution of the city council from time to time. The annual fee shall be paid before the issuance of a certificate of registration. No certificate shall authorize the holder thereof to enter into a contract for or do any installation, maintenance or repair of any electrical work, unless such person has paid his annual registration fee as required by this section.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.35; Ordinance 2000-047 adopted 9/11/2000; Ordinance 2014-016, sec. 4, adopted 7/21/2014)
It shall be unlawful for any person to lend, rent or transfer his certificate of registration or any rights therein contained to any other person, and for any person to make use of any such rights which are not actually his own. It shall be unlawful for any person other than the electrical inspector to alter or amend in any manner any such certificate of registration.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.37)
Every holder of a certificate as an electrical contractor shall display his certificate in a conspicuous place in his principal place of business. Every holder of a registered master or journeyman electrician's certificate shall carry his registration certificate on his person at all times while doing electrical work and shall produce and exhibit it when requested by an inspector or officer of the city.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.38)
Every certificate of registration shall expire one year following the issuance date and shall be renewed by the electrical inspector upon application and upon the payment to the city of the required fee.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.39; Ordinance 2000-047 adopted 9/11/2000)
It shall be unlawful for any person to falsely represent himself as a registered electrician of any class set out in this chapter or to use the words "electrical contractor," "master electrician," "electrician," or words of similar import or meaning on signs, cards, stationery or by any other manner whatsoever, unless such person is properly registered as provided in this chapter.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.42)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to install or cause to be installed any electrical conductors or equipment within or on any building, structure or premises, publicly or privately owned, or to make or cause to be made any alteration in or addition to any existing electrical conductors or equipment without securing a permit therefor from the electrical inspector, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
(b) 
No permit will be required, however, to execute any of the following classes of electrical work:
(1) 
The replacement of lamps, fuses or the connection of portable electrical equipment to suitable permanently installed receptacles;
(2) 
Any work involved in the manufacture, fabricating, repair or testing of electrical equipment, products, apparatus or devices manufactured, produced or used in any factory or manufacturing facility.
(c) 
A permit shall be secured for all electric signs manufactured by registered electrical sign contractors which are not approved by the Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., and are to be sold, erected or installed in the city.
(d) 
A permit shall be secured for all electrical changes, installations and revisions that are done in electrical elevators. No permit shall be required when electrical conductors or equipment are being maintained by repairs or replacement.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.44)
Application for a permit, describing the work to be done, shall be made to the electrical inspector by the person installing the work. The application shall be accompanied by such information as may be necessary to determine whether the installation as described will be in conformity with the requirements of the electrical code, as amended. When required by the electrical inspector, the applicant shall state the size of conductors to be used for all services, mains, feeders and subfeeders, the size of main and subfeeder switches and fuses, the area to be served by such conductors and the basis used in computing the required sizes of such conductors.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.45)
If a registered electrical contractor fails to correct any defect, error, or deficiency in any work installed under the authority of an electrical permit issued to him, within ten calendar days after written notification thereof by the electrical inspector or within such further reasonable time as may, upon request, be prescribed, the electrical inspector shall, without further notice, stop the issuance of permits to such registered electrical contractor until such corrections have been made, inspected, and approved. In addition thereto, the penalty provided for violation of this chapter may be enforced.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.46)
Every specific permit issued by the electrical inspector under the provisions of the electrical code, as amended, shall expire by limitation and become null and void if the work authorized by such permit has not been started within six months from the date of the permit, or if the work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned at any time for a period of six months after the work is started. Before the work can be started again, a new permit shall be obtained.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.47)
The electrical inspector is authorized to revoke and declare null and void any permit obtained under this chapter by fraud, misrepresentation or in any way contrary to the requirements of this article. Such a permit may also be revoked and declared null and void by the electrical inspector for any violation of the provisions of the electrical code or for any other just cause.
(2008 Code, sec. 150.48)
Editor's note—Ordinance 2014-016, § 5, adopted July 21, 2014, repealed § 8-184 in its entirety. Former § 8-184 pertained to cancellation and reissuance, and was derived from 2008 Code, § 150.49.