Birmingham, AL
Birmingham Electrical Permit Cost
Electrical permits in the City of Birmingham are issued as standalone trade permits to licensed electrical contractors.
Permit fees are calculated on the declared electrical contract valuation at a rate of $10.00 per $1,000 of work for major works — the same schedule keeps flat itemized tiers for minor items — subject to a minimum permit fee of $100.00. Electrical work must comply with the National Electrical Code (NEC) as locally adopted.
How this fee is calculated
These are the components the schedule defines for this permit, as they applied on 2026-09-28. A component only applies to your project if its conditions match — read that column before assuming a figure. Want a figure for your own project? Estimate this fee with the permit fee calculator.
| Component | Formula | Applies when | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical permit fee ($10.00 per $1,000 valuation)Permit fee | $10.00 per $1,000 of project valuation, or fraction thereof | Every permit of this type | — |
| Minimum electrical permit fee ($100.00)Permit fee | the shortfall up to the $100.00 minimum on calculated permit fee | permit fee under 10000 | — |
A real permit fee is these components added together. The department’s final calculation is the one that applies — this is the schedule it will be based on.
A worked example
Follow the arithmetic by hand. Every line is produced by the engine from the rules above, so the total cannot drift away from the schedule behind it.
Worked example
An electrical service upgrade to 200 amps with wiring for a home addition, valued at $6,500.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Project valuation | $6,500 |
Example total
$100.00
An estimate, not an official fee. It is calculated from the published fee schedule as it applied on 2026-09-28. The permit office’s own calculation is the one that applies, and your project may fall under rules this schedule does not describe.
Fee schedule as of 2026-09-28Rules applied 2Rules considered 2
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Electrical permit fee ($10.00 per $1,000 valuation)Permit feeCity of Birmingham electrical permit fee calculated on the valuation of electrical installation work.Show the working
| $10.00 per $1,000 of project valuation, or fraction thereof, in $1,000 steps | $70.00 |
Minimum electrical permit fee ($100.00)Permit feeCity of Birmingham minimum fee for standalone electrical permits.Show the working
| $100.00 minimum on calculated permit fee, less the $70.00 calculated | $30.00 |
| Total | $100.00 |
Assumptions
- Calculated from 2 fee rules in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
The electrical permit valuation rate is $10.00 × 7 ($1,000 units rounded up) = $70.00. Because this is below the city's trade minimum of $100.00, the final permit fee charged is the $100.00 minimum floor.
What is different in Birmingham
All new electrical installations, service upgrades, rewiring, and subpanel installations in Birmingham require an electrical permit. Permits must be applied for through the Birmingham Accela portal, and Planning, Engineering & Permits handles applications and inspections from Room 210, City Hall, 710 20th Street North, at (205) 254-2211. Rough-in and final inspections must be passed before power authorization is issued to Alabama Power.
What this figure does not include
Impact fees, utility connections and other departments’ permits are the usual omissions, and in some jurisdictions they are larger than the permit fee itself.
Not included in these figures
Utility connection charges by Alabama Power, meter reconnection fees, low-voltage telecommunication permits under separate registration, and after-hours inspection fees.
What you need before applying
- Alabama Electrical Contractor LicenseRequired
Electrical permits must be pulled by a contractor licensed with the Alabama Electrical Contractors Board.
Common questions
Who can pull an electrical permit in Birmingham?
Electrical permits in Birmingham must be pulled by an electrical contractor licensed by the Alabama Electrical Contractors Board and registered with the City of Birmingham.
Birmingham PEP Electrical Division
What is the minimum electrical permit fee?
The minimum fee for an electrical permit in Birmingham is $100.00, which covers standard review and single inspection phases.
City of Birmingham PEP Fee Schedule
How are inspections scheduled for electrical work?
Inspections can be scheduled online via the Birmingham Citizen Access (Accela) portal or by calling the PEP inspection line with the permit tracking number.
City of Birmingham Citizen Access Portal
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- Permit portalCityPrimary source
Birmingham Citizen Access Portal — Trade Permit Fee Schedule
Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits are issued through the Birmingham Accela portal with a base minimum fee of $100.00.
Verification
Last verified against the official source in Sep 2026.