San Marino Municipal Code Art. 06 Electrical Code

Except as hereinafter provided, the California Electrical Code, 2025 Edition, based on the 2024 National Electrical Code as published by the National Fire Protection Association, including all annexes, is hereby adopted by reference and incorporated herein as though set forth herein in full and shall constitute the Electrical Code of the City. A copy of such code shall be located in the Planning and Building Department and shall be, at all times, maintained by the Planning and Building Department for use and examination by the public.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019; amd. Ord. O-22-1400, 1-11-2023; Ord. O-25-1423-U, 9-26-2025)

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 25.06.01 of this article, article 100 of the Electrical Code is amended by amending the definition of "Accessible, Readily" to read as follows:

Accessible, Readily: (Readily Accessible.) Capable of being reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections, without requiring those to whom ready access is requisite to climb over or remove obstacles or to resort to portable ladders, chairs, etc. (See "Accessible.") Attic and crawl spaces are not considered readily accessible.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019; Ord. O-25-1423-U, 9-26-2025)

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 25.06.01 of this article, all fees pursuant to the Electrical Code shall be those amounts established by resolution of the City Council.

Plan Review Fees. When a plan or other data are required to be submitted by this code a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review. The plan review fees for electrical work shall be equal to 100 percent of the total permit fee as established by resolution of the City Council. The plan review fees specified in this subsection are separate fees from the permit fees and are in addition to the permit fees. When plans are incomplete or changed so as to require additional plan review, a fee shall be charged in the amount established by resolution of the City Council.

Expiration of Plan Review. Applications for which no permit is issued within 180 days following the date of application shall expire by limitation, and plans and other data submitted for review may thereafter be returned to the applicant or destroyed by the Building Official. The Building Official may extend the time for action by the applicant for a period not exceeding 180 days upon request by the applicant showing that circumstances beyond the control of the applicant have prevented action from being taken. No application shall be extended more than once. In order to renew action on an application after expiration the applicant shall resubmit plans and pay a new plan review fee.

Investigation. Whenever any work which requires a permit pursuant to the Electrical Code has been commenced without first obtaining said permit, a special Investigation shall be made before a permit may be issued for such work.

Investigation Fee. An investigation fee, in addition to the permit fee, shall be collected whether or not a permit fee is then or subsequently issued. The investigation fee shall be equal to the amount of the permit fee that would be required by the City Code if a permit were to be issued. The payment of such investigation fee shall not exempt any person from compliance with all other provisions of the Electrical Code nor from any penalty prescribed by law.

Fee Refunds. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of any fee paid hereunder that was erroneously paid or collected. The Building Official may authorize the refunding of not more than 80 percent of the permit fee paid when no work has been done under a permit issued in accordance with the Electrical Code. The Planning and Building Department shall not authorize refunding of any fee paid except upon written application filed by the original permittee not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of fee payment.

Expiration. Electrical permits will remain valid if the work on the site authorized by that permit is commenced within 12 months after its issuance, unless the permittee has abandoned the work authorized by the permit. Before such work can be recommenced, the permit shall first be renewed, provided no changes have been made or will be made in the original plans and specifications for such work. If an applicant wishes to renew a permit that has been expired for less than 180 days, 50% of the original fees paid shall be required to renew the permit. If an applicant wishes to renew a permit that has been expired for more than 180 days, 100% of the original fees paid shall be required to renew the permit. The Building Official may extend the permit expiration date for a period not exceeding 180 days on written request (submitted prior to the expiration date) by the applicant showing that circumstances beyond the control of the applicant have prevented action from being taken. No application shall be extended more than once.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019; Ord. O-25-1423-U, 9-26-2025)

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 25.06.01 of this article, the Electrical Code is amended by adding the sections as set forth in sections 25.06.05 through 25.06.11 of this article.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019; Ord. O-25-1423-U, 9-26-2025)

A. All new residences shall be provided with a minimum service capacity of not less than two hundred (200) amperes main. Service conduit shall be two-inch (2") conduit.

B. On existing dwellings if the service is replaced, the minimum service shall be one hundred (100) amperes main. Service conduit shall be one and one-half inches (1-½").

C. Branch circuit panel shall contain space for a minimum of twenty (20) single pole overcurrent devices.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019; Ord. O-25-1423-U, 9-26-2025)

A. The connection of grounding conductor to grounding electrode shall be readily accessible.

B. The connection of the bond from the grounding conductor to the cold water and gas systems shall be readily accessible.

C. All conduit shall contain a green ground wire.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019; Ord. O-25-1423-U, 9-26-2025)

Notwithstanding any provision of the Electrical Code to the contrary, the following is prohibited in new installations:

A. Factory assembled conduits, such as:

1. Mineral insulated sheathed cable.

2. Armored cable unless:

a. Factory assembled in an Underwriters Laboratory approved fixture;

b. Green insulated copper grounding conductor; and

c. Is used for applications not to exceed nine feet (9') from a power source to a single fixture.

3. Extension of any knob and tube.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019; Ord. O-25-1423-U, 9-26-2025)

Notwithstanding any provision of the Electrical Code to the contrary, the following are prohibited in new installations:

A. Aluminum wire is not permitted.

B. Aluminum conduit is not approved as a self-grounding conduit.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019; Ord. O-25-1423-U, 9-26-2025)

A. New service entrance conductors on all commercial buildings shall be installed underground.

B. A contractor licensed C-10 or B-1 must apply for the permit for any new service or service change out.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019; Ord. O-25-1423-U, 9-26-2025)

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 25.06.01 , an additional exception is added to section 250.50 to read as follows:

Exception: Grounding of electrical services replaced in existing residential buildings.

When an electrical service in an existing R1 or R3 occupancy is replaced or upgraded, and the material of the water pipe in direct contact with the earth is unknown, the connection of the grounding conductor to the interior metal water pipe may be made at any accessible point, provided that at least one grounding electrode of a type specified in Sections 250.50 or 250.52 is installed as close as possible to the service and connected directly to the service equipment with an independent grounding electrode conductor.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019; Ord. O-25-1423-U, 9-26-2025)

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 25.06.01 , Section 690.19 is added to the Electrical Code to read as follows:

690.19 Disconnecting Means for Multiple Arrays. Where more than one array is combined to form a single output rated more than 50 volts and/or 10 amperes, a disconnecting means rated for the output shall be installed immediately adjacent to the combiner box on the output side.

Exception: If the combiner box is located adjacent to the inverter(s), the disconnecting means as stated above shall not be required.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019; Ord. O-25-1423-U, 9-26-2025)

Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions or failing to comply with any of the mandatory requirements of the Electrical Code shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable as provided in section 01.04.03 A of this Code. Each such person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of any provision of the Electrical Code is committed, continued or permitted by any such person, and he/she shall be punishable as herein provided.

(Ord. 0-19-1357, 11-13-2019)