It shall be unlawful for any person to install, alter, repair, replace or remodel any premises wiring (system) or equipment regulated by this code, except as specified in Section 301.2 of this code, or cause the same to be done, unless the person has an active permit for the work or is working under the supervision of a person who has a permit.
Exemption from the permit requirements of this code shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in violation of the provisions of this code or any other laws or ordinances.
Except as otherwise provided by law, no person or electric utility company that does not operate under a franchise granted by the city shall have the right to install any electrical conduit, wires, ducts, poles or equipment of any character for the transmission, distribution or utilization of electric energy, or for the operation of signals or the transmission of data on, over or under the streets in the city, without first obtaining from the City Council a franchise right or grant for the particular installation so desired to be made, and any installation so made under a franchise or grant shall be in strict conformity with all rules, regulations and ordinances of the city pertaining thereto. Compliance with this provision shall not be construed to excuse compliance with any other provision of the ordinances of the city.
Upon making written application and payment of all applicable fees, a person having ownership or control over a building may obtain an annual maintenance permit for the keeping in safe repair of any and all electrical maintenance work as defined by this code on existing premises wiring (systems), electrical installations, apparatus and equipment in the building and on the real property on which the building is located if the applicant employs a person as a full-time employee who will actually perform the electrical maintenance work. A "full-time employee" shall mean an employee who works for the maintenance permit holder at least 36 hours per week. A permit for maintenance electrical work shall be valid for only one premises.
The fee for an annual maintenance permit specified in the city fee schedule shall be paid to the building official. An annual maintenance permit shall expire on September 30th of each year.
No permit shall be issued under any master electrician license or registration unless the master electrician complies with the requirements of Section 403 of this code or is employed by an electrical contractor who complies with that section.
A master electrician may apply for a permit for any electrical work. A line master electrician may apply only for a permit relating to outside electrical work. A sign master electrician may apply only for a permit relating to sign electrical work.
An application for which no permit is issued within 180 days following the date of application shall become inactive, and plans and other data submitted for review thereafter shall be returned to the applicant or destroyed by the building official. The building official is authorized to grant one or more extensions of time for additional periods not to exceed 180 days each, for a maximum of two years from the date of the original application, upon written request and justifiable cause demonstrated by the applicant. If an application for permit does not result in a permit within two years after the date of original application, the permit application shall expire. In order to renew action on an application after expiration, the applicant shall submit a new permit application and plans and shall pay a new plan review fee.
Plans, calculations, diagrams and other data shall be submitted in two or more sets with each application for a permit. The building official may require all plans, computations and specifications to be prepared by a master electrician of record and/or prepared and sealed by a professional engineer licensed in the State of Texas in compliance with The Texas Engineering Practice Act (Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1001).
EXCEPTION: The building official may waive the submission of plans, calculations, etc., if he determines that the nature of the work is such that review of plans is not necessary to comply with this code.
Plans shall be drawn to scale and shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that it will conform to the provisions of this code and all relevant laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.
The application, plans and specifications and other data filed by an applicant for a permit shall be reviewed by the building official. The plans and specifications may be reviewed by other departments of the city to verify compliance with any applicable laws under their jurisdiction. If the building official finds that the work described in an application for a permit and the plans, specifications and other data filed therewith conform to the requirements of this code and other pertinent laws and ordinances, and that all applicable fees have been paid, the building official shall issue a permit therefor to the owner or owner's authorized agent.
When the building official issues a permit where plans and specifications are required, the building official shall endorse in writing or stamp the plans and specifications "APPROVED." Approved plans and specifications shall not be changed, modified or altered without authorization from the building official, and all work shall be done in accordance with the approved plans and specifications.
The building official may issue a permit(s) for the construction of part of premises wiring (systems) and equipment before the entire plans and specifications for the whole system have been submitted or approved, provided adequate information and detailed statements have been filed complying with all pertinent requirements of this code. The holder of the permit shall proceed at his or her own risk without assurance that the permit for the entire building, structure or building service will be granted.
One set of approved plans and specifications shall be returned to the applicant and shall be kept on the site of the building or work at all times during which the work authorized by the permit is in progress. One set of approved plans, specifications and computations shall be retained by the building official until final approval of the work.
The issuance or granting of a permit or approval of plans and specifications shall not be construed to be a permit for, or an approval of, any violation of any of the provisions of this code or of any other applicable laws, or ordinances of the jurisdiction. Permits presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this code or other ordinances of the jurisdiction shall not be valid.
The issuance of a permit based on construction documents, specifications, and other data shall not prevent the building official from thereafter requiring the correction of errors in the construction documents, specifications and other data, or from preventing construction, occupancy or use of a structure when in violation of this code or of any other applicable law.
A permit and all its privileges are issued to the property owner of the property for which the permit is issued, regardless of who submits the application or pays the fees. Where a Texas license is required to perform specific work, a permit shall be valid only for work performed under the licensed master electrician, sign master electrician or line master electrician named on the application.
A name change on the existing permit must be obtained if the licensed master electrician, sign master electrician or line master electrician listed on the existing permit is no longer responsible for the work performed. Provided that a refund has not been issued, the property owner has not changed, and written authority to amend the permit to designate a different master electrician, sign master electrician or line master electrician has been provided by the property owner to the building official, the building official shall issue an amended permit. A name change fee and an administrative fee shall be charged as provided in Section 118.1 of the Building Code and the city fee schedule.
In the case of the death or dissolution of the original property owner or master electrician, sign master electrician or line master electrician, pursuant to a timely name change request submitted within 45 calendar days after such death or dissolution, the permit will be transferred to the new property owner or amended to designate the new master electrician, sign master electrician or line master electrician at no fee except for the administrative fee established in Section 118.1.1 of the Building Code and the city fee schedule. Failure to apply for a name change within the requisite 45 calendar days shall subject to the applicable permit fees established in Section 118 of the Building Code and the city fee schedule based on the on the scope of work for remaining construction and uninspected work.
Every permit issued shall become inactive on the 180 th day after its issuance unless the work authorized by such permit has commenced and been inspected by a city inspector within 180 days after its issuance, or if the work authorized on the site by such permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of 180 days after the date the work was commenced. The building official is authorized to grant, in writing, one or more extensions of time, for periods not more than 180 days each. The extension shall be requested in writing and justifiable cause demonstrated.
For purposes of this subsection, the determination of whether work has commenced under a permit or whether work has been suspended or abandoned under a permit shall be based upon whether the permit holder requests an inspection of the work performed under the permit by the building official. If work is not commenced under a permit within two years after the date of issuance or is abandoned at any time for a period of two years, the permit shall expire.
In order to recommence work under an expired permit, the permit holder shall pay the full permit fee applicable and submit plans that comply with this code for the previously uninspected portion of the work.
EXCEPTION: The building official may, upon request, perform a final inspection of work for which the permit has expired or reactivate a permit for the purpose of issuing a certificate of occupancy or a certificate of compliance.
The building official is authorized to grant, in writing, one or more extensions of time, for periods not more than 180 days each. The extension shall be requested in writing and justifiable cause demonstrated.
A permit shall be valid only for work done under the master electrician of record, line master electrician of record or sign master electrician of record who signed the application. A new permit must be obtained if the person who signed the application ceases to have a contractor-master relationship as stated in Section 403.5 and 403.6 of this code. The cost of the new permit shall be charged at no fee except for the administrative fee as established for this provision in the city fee schedule.
The building official is authorized to suspend or revoke a permit and may revoke approval of any plans issued under the provisions of this code whenever the permit is issued in error or on the basis of incorrect, inaccurate, or incomplete information, or in violation of any ordinance, regulation, or provision of this code. Any suspension or revocation shall be accompanied by notice of a right to a hearing as provided in Section 108 of this code. Upon written request, the hearing shall be afforded within three business days from receipt of the request.