Permits for School District

[DanVanStang]

I work for a School District in Massachusetts. Electrical Maintenance. I work on everything, repair golf carts, replace heating and ventilation motors, switches, receptacles, ballasts, swapping out fluorescent light fixtures with LED fixtures. the high school also offers carpentry, machine shop, and automotive. I also do repairs on all machines in the shops. I put all of this in the category of Maintenance. no adding of something new. just maintaining what we have.
My question is:
Do I need to pull permits to perform maintenance?
Annual Permit?

 

[kwired]

Most places replacing worn or malfunctioning components with like components does not require permits and often doesn't even require licensing, but you really need to check with whatever authority would have jurisdiction to know for certain.

 

[tom baker]

In WA full time employees don’t have to be licensed but permits and inspections are required. Most schools and colleges get an annual permit covers all work but services.
Permits, licensing are not part of the NEC, so as KWired stated, check with your AHJ, city or state

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Most places replacing worn or malfunctioning components with like components does not require permits and often doesn't even require licensing, but you really need to check with whatever authority would have jurisdiction to know for certain.

And that may not be the same authority that governs permits for privately owned structures. In Illinois all of the permits for work in public schools come from the Regional Office of Education for that area. No city permits or inspections, everything through the ROE.

 

[DanVanStang]

ok. thanks for the info.
I was a little confused when the inspector was loosing his mind about replacing receptacles and switches and ballasts.
You need to be qualified but not licensed to do maintenance.
I thought you needed a license to pull a permit.

for 30 years this school had no electrician and they did their own maintenance . now they hire me and we now need permits.

The school committee is freaking out about it, we have to budget for the expense, the expense that didn't exist until you hired a licensed electrician.

I guess we have to play nice with the inspector

 

[kwired]

ok. thanks for the info.
I was a little confused when the inspector was loosing his mind about replacing receptacles and switches and ballasts.
You need to be qualified but not licensed to do maintenance.
I thought you needed a license to pull a permit.

for 30 years this school had no electrician and they did their own maintenance . now they hire me and we now need permits.

The school committee is freaking out about it, we have to budget for the expense, the expense that didn't exist until you hired a licensed electrician.

I guess we have to play nice with the inspecto

Seems like you arrived coincidentally when the AHJ discovered something, changed the rules hired new inspector or other staff, or something. Or the previous person was buddies with an inspector or something and they let him get away with things they shouldn't have.

Or you have a bad name with the AHJ or in inspector and they found out you are working there

 

[HEYDOG]

I work for a School District in Massachusetts. Electrical Maintenance. I work on everything, repair golf carts, replace heating and ventilation motors, switches, receptacles, ballasts, swapping out fluorescent light fixtures with LED fixtures. the high school also offers carpentry, machine shop, and automotive. I also do repairs on all machines in the shops. I put all of this in the category of Maintenance. no adding of something new. just maintaining what we have.
My question is:
Do I need to pull permits to perform maintenance?
Annual Permit?

If the school is Public and if the AHJ is a city or government inspector….if you pull a permit all your doing is swapping money with the government. I worked at a school as an instructor for juniors and seniors in high school. We often did work around the school ….new construction and we’re not required to pull permits. I am licensed as a Master Electrician. Even so they could have required a permit but both the school and inspection agency are goverment agencies. I did ask the inspector to come by and have a look to see if he found any problems. Inspector would drop by no permit required. However different places may have different rules!

 

[DanVanStang]

Everyone that responded to this thread is Awesome, thanks for all the information.

Have a good one.

Happy Friday

 

[tortuga]

Mass Electrical permit law:

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter143/Section3L

Exemption for buildings owned, operated or controlled by the commonwealth:

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter143/Section2A

 

[mtnelect]

In California government agencies are exempt from filing permits.

 

[mtnelect]

The City of Los Angeles Electrical Code Division 95 Section 93.9503 Maintenance Certificate of Registration
(a) A Maintenance Certificate of Registration may be issued to an owner or occupant of an existing building for the sole purpose of the repair, addition or alteration of an existing installation.
(b) The owner or occupant shall register a Maintenance Supervisor who is a holder of a valid Certificate of Qualification in the proper classification.
(c) An annual registration fee shall be paid for the premises covered by a Maintenance Certificate of Registration.

 

[kwired]

In California government agencies are exempt from filing permits.

But does their facilities still need to comply with installation codes? Chances are they still get inspected, at least at initial construction or during major remodels and additions.

 

[kwired]

If the school is Public and if the AHJ is a city or government inspector….if you pull a permit all your doing is swapping money with the government.

Yes to the taxpayer it is all "government money". But each of those entities has their own operating budgets and funds need transferred between those entities separate budgets when one does what is a normally paid service for the other. It's still public funds, just transferred for accounting reasons.

Where those funds come from can vary from place to place as well. Here the school would be mostly tax funded but the electrical AHJ is state controlled but their operating expenses are not tax funded, they operate on the fees they collect for their services

 

[mtnelect]

But does their facilities still need to comply with installation codes? Chances are they still get inspected, at least at initial construction or during major remodels and additions.

From my experience the facilities follow the code, but no permits are required, and the work is inspected "In House".

 

[mtnelect]

On major projects the government agencies put those "Out for Bid" which do require that permit(s) be pulled.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

On major projects the government agencies put those "Out for Bid" which do require that permit(s) be pulled.

But those permits my not be from the same organization that issues the normal electrical permits.

 

[mtnelect]

You are correct, see attachment.

 

[brantmacga]

When I’ve done work at public schools, we never had to pay for a permit. You fill out the paperwork but there is no fee.

I’ve worked at our local state university and and AFB, and there was no permit at all as the AHJ has no authority at state or federal buildings here. University was inspected by the on-staff architect and facilities director.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mtnelect]

It is clearly a double standard. Governments have successfully excluded themselves from standards that they imposed on others.

So, what are you going to do about it !

 

[mtnelect]

I am going to write a strong worded letter to my congressman !