Getting an EV charger permit in Sacramento

Written and checked by the DuloCore research team · Last verified: November 11, 2026

A Sacramento EV charger permit comes from one of two offices, depending on whether your home is inside the City of Sacramento or in unincorporated Sacramento County. Both require a permit for a Level 2 charger. Your electrician normally pulls it; costs and rebates are covered on the home page.

City or County?

Look at your property tax bill or ask the electrician: a home with a Sacramento mailing address can be in unincorporated County territory. Homes inside city limits go to the City of Sacramento Community Development Department. Homes outside any city go to the Sacramento County Building Permits & Inspection Division. Other incorporated cities in the county run their own building departments.

Inside the City of Sacramento

The City treats a new electrical circuit as a "minor permit," with one important exception: "New EV charger circuits require plan review submittal" (City of Sacramento, Minor permits (accessed Nov 11, 2026)). California-licensed contractors can pull residential electrical minor permits through the City's Public Permit Portal. Homeowners and contractors can also apply by emailing the City's EZ Permit desk the Universal Building Permit Application (CDD-0200), the Owner Builder Verification Form (CDD-0220) and the Planning Exemption Form Express (CDD-0035).

City Code section 15.08.190 sets up an expedited permit for EV charging stations under Government Code 65850.7: the building official adopts a checklist, a complete application that meets it is issued, an incomplete one gets a written correction notice, and applications may be filed by email (Sacramento City Code 15.08 (accessed Nov 11, 2026)).

Fees: the City's list of average total costs shows $95.00 for an electrical circuit (adding or repairing) and $95.00 for an electrical panel change-out (City average permit costs (accessed Nov 11, 2026); the page shows no date). Because new EV charger circuits go through plan review, do not assume that average applies to your job. Under City Code 15.08.050, plan review and permit fees are set by council resolution and based on project valuation or hourly time, so fees vary by job. Starting work without a required permit can cost up to four times the normal fees (City Code 15.08.080).

In unincorporated Sacramento County

The County's residential EV charging checklist (EC-07, last updated May 2023) says a Level 1 charger itself needs no permit, but a new 120-volt outlet does need an electrical miscellaneous permit. A Level 2 charger always needs an electrical miscellaneous permit, submitted through the County's online portal (Sacramento County EC-07 (accessed Nov 11, 2026)). The submittal includes:

• a site plan and a scaled floor plan showing the charger and the service panel;
• a single-line diagram with conductor sizes and conduit fill;
• a load calculation including 125% of the EV load when the panel is rated 125 amps or less;
• the charger's manufacturer cut sheets. A main panel upgrade can be included in the same submittal.

The County division accepts electronic submittals only and takes questions at 916-875-5296 (Sacramento County Building Permits (accessed Nov 11, 2026)). We did not find a published EV-specific fee, so expect fees to vary by job.

What AB 1236 changed

AB 1236 (Chiu), signed October 8, 2015 as Chapter 598, added Government Code 65850.7. It requires every city and county to "administratively approve an application to install electric vehicle charging stations," to adopt a checklist of requirements, and to allow electronic submittal; jurisdictions of 200,000 or more people had to adopt their ordinance by September 30, 2016. A local agency can demand more only for a "specific, adverse impact," defined as significant, quantifiable, direct and unavoidable (AB 1236 chaptered text (accessed Nov 11, 2026)). That is why Sacramento's code section exists.

Permits and rebates are linked

SMUD's circuit installation rebate asks for a copy of the permit with the application (SMUD terms). Skipping the permit can cost you that rebate and higher City fees later. See the SMUD rebate page and how to choose an installer.

Sources

1. City of Sacramento, Minor permits: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/community-development/building/permit-services/minor-permits (accessed Nov 11, 2026)
2. Sacramento City Code, Chapter 15.08 (incl. 15.08.190): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sacramentoca/latest/sacramento_ca/0-0-0-28198 (accessed Nov 11, 2026)
3. City of Sacramento, Average total cost for common residential minor permits: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/community-development/building/building-fees/average-total-cost-for-common-residential-minor-permits (accessed Nov 11, 2026)
4. Sacramento County, EC-07 Residential EV charging station submittal list (last update 5/2023): https://development.saccounty.gov/content/dam/cd/building/docs/transition/EC-07%20Electric%20Vehicle%20Charging%20Station.pdf (accessed Nov 11, 2026)
5. Sacramento County, Building Permits & Inspection Division: https://development.saccounty.gov/us/en/building-permits-inspection.html (accessed Nov 11, 2026)
6. California AB 1236 (2015), chaptered text, Chapter 598: https://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/asm/ab_1201-1250/ab_1236_bill_20151008_chaptered.htm (accessed Nov 11, 2026)
7. SMUD, Charge@Home Terms & Conditions: https://www.smud.org/Going-Green/Electric-Vehicles/Charge-at-Home-application-page/Charge-at-Home-Terms-and-Conditions (accessed Nov 11, 2026)