Guide
Electrical permits in Clark County and Vancouver, WA
Which office issues the permit depends on the address. Here is how it works in Vancouver, the rest of Clark County, and Cowlitz County, with links to the agencies that set the rules.
The short answer
Inside Vancouver city limits, the City of Vancouver issues electrical permits and inspects the work. Everywhere else in Clark County and Cowlitz County, the permit and the inspection come from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I).
A licensed electrical contractor buys the permit for the work it does. A property owner may buy one only for work they do themselves on their own property.
Which office covers your address
L&I publishes the list of Washington cities that run their own electrical programs. Vancouver is the only one in Clark or Cowlitz County.
- City of Vancouver: addresses inside Vancouver city limits.
- Washington L&I: Ridgefield, Battle Ground, Camas, Washougal, La Center, Woodland, Kelso, and every unincorporated area.
- Unincorporated neighborhoods with a Vancouver mailing address, such as Hazel Dell, Salmon Creek, Felida, and Orchards, are L&I.
Who can buy the permit
L&I’s rule is that licensed electrical contractors must buy the permits for the work they do. A property owner should buy a permit only when doing the work personally, on their own property. If you hire a contractor, the contractor buys it.
The City of Vancouver adds a rule for commercial space: tenant-improvement work that needs a permit has to be done by a licensed contractor, and a property owner can’t do permitted work on a tenant’s behalf.
Inspections and deadlines
- Every electrical installation has to be inspected by the office that issued the permit.
- Ask for the inspection before any wiring is buried or covered.
- L&I wants the inspection requested within three business days of finishing the work, or one business day after it is energized, whichever comes first.
- An L&I electrical permit is good for one year.
How it works inside Vancouver city limits
The City of Vancouver handles electrical work two ways. When the wiring is part of a remodel, new construction, or a commercial tenant improvement, it is covered under the city’s building permit, and the electrician files an electrical permit of record under it.
A stand-alone electrical job, such as a panel replacement or a new circuit, gets a single-trade permit through the city’s Online Permit Center.
Where the utility comes in
For a panel replacement or service work in Clark County, Clark Public Utilities disconnects and reconnects the power. It asks for the permit number and two business days’ notice, and the permit has to be posted at the job site. In Cowlitz County the utility is Cowlitz PUD.
Does every job need a permit?
New circuits, panel replacements, service changes, and most new wiring do. Some like-for-like repairs don’t. When you hire WestPeak Electric, we tell you which applies before we start, pull the permit, and meet the inspector.
Sources
Checked against these pages in October 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the agency before relying on a detail.
- Washington L&I: City Electrical Permits & Inspections
- Washington L&I: Purchase Permits & Request Inspections
- Washington L&I: Electrical Inspection Basics
- City of Vancouver: Residential Building Permits
- City of Vancouver: Commercial Tenant Improvement Projects FAQ
- Clark Public Utilities: Changing or Upgrading Your Electrical Panel
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