Los Angeles, California
Electricians in Los Angeles
The City of Los Angeles runs its own electric utility, the Department of Water and Power, and its own building department, LADBS. Step over the city line into Santa Monica, Burbank or county territory and both change, so the first question is which jurisdiction the address is in.
- Licensing
- California C-10 contractor, certified electricians
- Permits
- LADBS, inside the City of Los Angeles
- Utility
- LADWP in the city; Southern California Edison in much of the county
- Code
- California Electrical Code with city amendments
- Common requests
- EV chargers, panel upgrades, solar and batteries
Which utility and which permit office
Examples only. Confirm for your address, since city boundaries in the basin are irregular.
| Area | Electric utility | Permits from |
|---|---|---|
| City of Los Angeles, including the San Fernando Valley and San Pedro | LADWP | LADBS |
| Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena | Each city's own municipal utility | Each city's building department |
| Santa Monica, Long Beach, Torrance, most other cities | Southern California Edison | Each city's building department |
| Unincorporated Los Angeles County | Southern California Edison | Los Angeles County Public Works |
What older Los Angeles houses tend to have
Small services
Bungalows and post-war tract houses built with 60 or 100 amps and no thought of air conditioning or car charging.
Zinsco and similar mid-century panels
Zinsco was a Los Angeles manufacturer and its panels are common across Southern California. See panel upgrades for why they are flagged.
Knob-and-tube in pre-war neighborhoods
Still found in Craftsman and Spanish-style houses from the 1910s to 1930s.
Unpermitted additions
Garage conversions and back houses wired without permits, which surface when new work is inspected.
The usual path for an EV charger or panel upgrade
Load calculation
Determines whether the existing service can take the charger, with or without load management.
Permit
Many simple electrical permits are issued online by LADBS the same day.
Utility application for a service upgrade
LADWP or Edison sets the meter location and schedules the disconnect. This step usually takes the longest.
Inspection
The city inspector signs off, and the utility then energizes the new service.
Rebate paperwork
LADWP and Edison have each offered charger or rate incentives. Check the current program before buying equipment.
Accessory dwelling units and added load
California law has made accessory dwelling units far easier to build, and Los Angeles has permitted more of them than any other city. An ADU with its own heat pump, cooking and laundry is a second household on the same lot. Whether it gets its own meter, or a subpanel from an upgraded main service, is decided early with the utility and affects the cost of the whole project.
See subpanel installation for how a feeder to a detached building is handled.
Confirming Los Angeles requirements
Check the contractor's C-10 license with the state board and permit requirements with the building department for your address. For statewide rules, see electricians in California. Car charging has its own page: EV charger installation in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles electrical questions
How do I know if I am in LADWP or Edison territory?
Look at your electric bill. The utility named there is the one that handles service upgrades and outages.
Does an EV charger need a permit in Los Angeles?
Yes. A new 240-volt circuit requires an electrical permit.
Do electrical panels need earthquake bracing?
Panels are fastened to the structure as a matter of course. Seismic rules bear more on water heaters, batteries and heavy equipment.
Reach an electrician in Los Angeles
Call to be connected with an independent electrical contractor that works in the Los Angeles area, where one is available, or leave your number and one will call you back.
(888) 555-0167Call availability varies by area and time of day
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