Permit for portable?

Status
Not open for further replies.

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
There is NO WAY this is considered construction.

Which does not matter in the least.

Without knowing anything about where your friend is, this sounds like a small town where the inspector is unformed, board, and trying to justify his existence by bringing in permitting fees. Is he the only inspector, or is he the junior lackey? Have your friend go over the guy's head, if he can. This inspector is an idiot.

:lol:

I have not seen it done that way therefore it is wrong and they are idiots.

Can you post the code or law that states permits are only required for construction?
 

jumper

Senior Member
Without knowing anything about where your friend is, this sounds like a small town where the inspector is unformed, board, and trying to justify his existence by bringing in permitting fees. Is he the only inspector, or is he the junior lackey? Have your friend go over the guy's head, if he can. This inspector is an idiot.

Pretty harsh words about an inspector since the first words you wrote say that you know nothing about the OPs friends' situation.

Ya know some inspectors are actually quite competent and well informed.
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
I need a clear code reference that portable gear being placed or moved isn't 'electrical construction' and therefore shouldn't require a permit.


Here is the story from a friend who is a stagehand. An inspector recently claimed a permit is needed to set up theatrical lighting. The job was placing a few fixtures and plugging them into the permanently installed receptacles. He probably used some extension cords.

What type of permit did the inspector say would be needed ?

Without some sort of inspection how would the AHJ know that all equipment being used is actually listed for said use.

There are permit applications for things other than electrical contruction. The permit may be for something as simple as a safety inspection. The permit application may not require a license or much of anything to obtain and it may not cost much.

Before getting all bent out of shape I would try to find out exactly what they are talking about because it may not be a big deal at all.
 

mgookin

Senior Member
Location
Fort Myers, FL
I've been working in the Entertainment industry for almost 20 years, and this is the first time I've ever heard of a permit being required for hanging theatrical lights. You'd be laughed out of the Permits office anywhere I can think of if you tried to request a permit for a light hang at a theater. There is NO WAY this is considered construction. Do I need a permit to build the scenery onstage?

Without knowing anything about where your friend is, this sounds like a small town where the inspector is unformed, board, and trying to justify his existence by bringing in permitting fees. Is he the only inspector, or is he the junior lackey? Have your friend go over the guy's head, if he can. This inspector is an idiot.



SceneryDriver

I'll eat some crow here. When I was a young, green, wet behind the ears city inspector I was home for lunch and watching the local news. Broadcast studio was across the street from my condo. They said "Pardon any noise you might hear; we're remodeling the studio". During our afternoon office hours I brought it up.

Chief sparky goes out there the next morning and met with the GC, came back and reported to us that it's only a broadcast television set being built and no permits are required for it.

Our statutes today exempt motion picture production sets and some other related things. Theaters are built with the expectation that things will be moved around daily and even during production; that's why there are house cranes, catwalks, etc.

To the OP:
I agree with Scenery Driver.
Inspector may need some education. It happens.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top