Online application (staff review): 2–5 business days
In-person application: 1–3 days (small counties) to 2 weeks (large metros)
High-volume metros (LA, NYC, Chicago, Houston): 5–21 business days
The Single Biggest Factor: Online vs. In-Person Submission
The most important determinant of approval time is whether your jurisdiction has an online permit portal with automated review — or requires manual review by a staff plan checker. Online portals in smaller and mid-sized jurisdictions often auto-approve simple residential electrical permits within hours of submission. The system checks that all fields are complete and that the work type is categorically approvable, then issues the permit automatically.
Larger jurisdictions — particularly in California, New York, Illinois, and Texas metro areas — require staff review even for online applications. A licensed plan checker or electrical inspector on staff reviews the application, which adds 2–10 business days depending on their current backlog.
Timeline Expectations by Region
| Region / Jurisdiction Type | Typical Approval Time | Online Portal? |
|---|---|---|
| Small rural county, most states | Same day – 3 days | Sometimes |
| Mid-size county (100K–500K pop.) | 2–5 business days | Usually |
| Florida (most counties) | 1–5 business days | Yes |
| Georgia | 2–5 business days | Usually |
| Ohio | 2–5 business days | Usually |
| Texas (mid-size cities) | 3–7 business days | Usually |
| Texas (Austin, Houston, Dallas) | 5–14 business days | Yes |
| California (rural/small counties) | 3–7 business days | Sometimes |
| California (LA, Bay Area, San Diego) | 7–21 business days | Yes |
| New York City | 7–21 business days | Yes |
| Upstate New York | 3–10 business days | Sometimes |
| Chicago | 10–21 business days | Yes |
| Illinois (downstate) | 2–7 business days | Sometimes |
What About the Utility Company Timeline?
For any service upgrade (changing amperage), the utility company must disconnect and reconnect the service. This is completely separate from the permit timeline — and it's often the longer delay. Utility scheduling for non-emergency service work commonly runs:
- PG&E (California): 2–4 weeks for standard scheduling
- Southern California Edison: 1–3 weeks
- Oncor (Texas): 1–2 weeks in most service areas
- FPL (Florida): 1–2 weeks
- Con Edison (NYC): 2–5 weeks
- ComEd (Illinois): 1–3 weeks
The practical implication: contact your utility the moment your permit is approved (or even while your application is pending), because utility scheduling is almost always the longest part of the timeline. See our utility disconnect guide for the full process.
How to Speed Up Your Permit Approval
- Use the online portal. Even if your jurisdiction offers in-person applications, the online portal is almost always faster — no waiting in line, no missed business hours.
- Submit a complete application. Incomplete applications are the single biggest cause of delays. Have your APN, property owner info, work description, and owner-builder declaration ready before you start. Use our pre-application checklist.
- Ask about expedited review. Most jurisdictions offer expedited plan check for an additional fee — typically $50–$150 extra. In large metro areas, this can cut weeks off your timeline.
- Apply Tuesday through Thursday. Applications submitted Monday often sit in a queue behind weekend accumulations. Late-week submissions miss the Friday processing push. Midweek applications tend to get reviewed fastest.
- Call after 2 business days. If your application is still pending after 2 days, a polite call to the building department often moves it to the top of the review queue.
Permit Timeline FAQ
Related Pages