Somerville Electrical Permit, Plumbing and Gas Permits: Who Can Pull Them

If you're planning a renovation and searching for a Somerville electrical permit, here is the short answer: the licensed trade pulls it, not you. Somerville's Inspectional Services Department (ISD) says a licensed electrician must apply for all electrical permits, and a licensed plumber must apply for all plumbing and gas permits.

As a general contractor I coordinate these permits on almost every job, from a bathroom in Davis Square to a gut renovation of a triple-decker in East Somerville. Here is how it actually works.

Who can pull a Somerville electrical permit?

The City is direct about this. On its ISD Building Division page, Somerville states that:

• Electrical permits: a licensed electrician must apply for and obtain them.
• Plumbing and gas permits: a licensed plumber must apply for and obtain them.
• Applications: everything is filed online through the City's CitizenServe portal.

The state backs this up. The Massachusetts electricians consumer fact sheet says only a master or journeyman electrician licensed by the state board can legally be hired for electrical work at your home. The plumbers and gas fitters fact sheet says the same for plumbing, with a permit from the local plumbing inspector.

Can a homeowner pull an electrical permit in Massachusetts?

You'll find a lot of online debate on this one. The state's wiring notice law, MGL c.143 §3L, is written for people who install wiring "for hire," and some towns read that differently. Even the state's own home improvement law page tells homeowners to check with the local inspector.

In Somerville, the local answer is clear: the licensed electrician pulls the permit. Plumbing is even stricter statewide. Under 248 CMR 3.00, plumbing and gas permits are issued only to properly licensed people, not to apprentices and not to homeowners.

What homeowners can and can't do

• You can: fix a leaky faucet, valve or other working part of a fixture, or clear a clogged drain. The state fact sheet says those minor repairs don't need a plumbing permit.
• You can: paint, tile and install flooring. Somerville's FAQ lists those as the interior jobs that don't need a building permit.
• You can: pull your own building permit if you own and live in a 1- or 2-family home. For a 3-family or larger building, Somerville requires a licensed contractor to pull it.
• You can't: pull an electrical, plumbing or gas permit in Somerville, or do that work yourself under someone else's permit.

Somerville electrical permit fees and other costs

Fees depend on the scope. Here is what the City has posted:

The electrical numbers come from the City's electrical fee schedule, which notes its last increase in July 2010, so confirm with ISD before you budget. It also says a permit not obtained within the required five-day window is subject to a triple fee. The building numbers come from the Building Division fee schedule, effective January 1, 2025. That schedule points to a separate plumbing fee schedule, which I could not find posted, so ask your plumber for the current plumbing and gas fees.

How trade permits fit with the building permit

On a renovation, the building permit is the umbrella. Somerville says a building permit must be in hand before work starts and posted at the job site, and that the scope decides which other permits you need: electrical, plumbing, sheet metal and so on. My own Somerville building permit guide walks through that first step.

In practice, a typical kitchen or bath job looks like this:

1. I file the building permit with the scope and an estimated cost.
2. The electrician and plumber each file their own permits under their own licenses.
3. Demo, then framing and rough wiring and piping.
4. Rough inspections before any wall is closed.
5. Insulation, drywall, tile and finishes.
6. Final inspections for each trade, then the building final.

Rough and final inspections

Each trade gets inspected on its own schedule.

• Plumbing and gas: under the state rules, the inspector may require at least a rough inspection and a final inspection. The licensed plumber has to confirm the piping will pass its test before calling for the rough.
• Electrical: state law requires the electrician to notify the wire inspector in writing when the work is done. The inspector then has five days to approve or disapprove it in writing, and a disapproval has to point to the rule that was broken.
• Building: ISD does field inspections on building permits. Plan for a re-inspection fee if something isn't ready.

Want to see how busy ISD is? Our breakdown of Somerville's 7,174 building permits shows what your neighbors are filing. And before you hire anyone, check their license on the state's lookup.

Need a hand?

I'm a licensed Construction Supervisor and registered Home Improvement Contractor, and I coordinate the building, electrical and plumbing permits and inspections for my clients across Somerville, Cambridge and Medford. Book a free walkthrough and you'll usually get a written line-item budget within 48 hours.

About the author

Mateus Magno is the founder of Magno & Co — a licensed Massachusetts Construction Supervisor (CS-123658), registered Home Improvement Contractor (HIC #220484) and certified Lead-Safe Renovator Supervisor who has renovated and managed over $3 million in projects across Greater Boston.

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