Electrical Permit Applications

Permit Required. No person, firm, partnership, association or corporation shall erect, construct, enlarge, repair, move, improve, remove, alter or convert any building or structure in the County of Kaua'i which requires electrical work or cause the same to be done, without first obtaining a separate electrical permit for such building or structure from the administrative authority.Exception: Work performed for any Federal or State agency, except where permits are specifically requested by said agency.Application. Any person legally entitled to apply for and receive a permit shall make an application on forms provided for that purpose. He or she shall give a description of the character of the work to be done and the location, ownership, occupancy and use of the premises in connection therewith. The administrative authority may require plans, specifications or drawings and such other information as he or she may deem necessary.Exception: Persons legally entitled to apply for and receive a permit may authorize representatives to undertake the management of applying and receiving a permit. Duly authorized representatives shall be authorized in writing by the person granting authorization.Plans Required. Applications for electrical permits for any commercial, industrial or public building, hotel, apartment building or any single-family dwelling shall be accompanied by a minimum of three (3) sets of drawings for approval of the administrative authority. One (1) set shall be retained by the administrative authority, one (1) set returned to the applicant for their file records and the final set returned to the applicant which shall be kept on such building or jobsite at all times during which the work authorized thereby is in progress. The administrative authority may waive the requirement for submission of drawings when he or she deems it unnecessary.All electrical work shall be designed by a licensed electrical engineer registered in Hawai'i when the total load exceeds forty (40) K.V.A. for private residences and thirty-five (35) K.V.A. for all other buildings or structures.Issuance. If the administrative authority determines that the plans, specifications, drawings, descriptions or information furnished by the applicant is in compliance with this Code, he or she shall issue the permit applied for upon payment of the required fee as hereinafter fixed. Payment for any permit fee shall be paid prior to the issuance of such permit.Payment of Fees. A permit shall not be valid until the fees prescribed by law have been paid, nor shall an amendment to a permit be released until the additional fees, if any, have been paid.Exception.County of Kaua'i and its agencies and contractors shall be exempt from the requirement to pay any fee, except for the Department of Water.Housing projects or portions of housing projects that are developed to be affordable to lowincome households as determined by the Housing Director or his/her authorized representative of the County Housing Agency shall be exempt provided such projects conform to applicable provisions of the County's affordable housing program.Housing projects or portions of housing projects that are developed to be affordable to gapgroup households as determined by the Housing Director or his/her authorized representative of the County Housing Agency shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the electrical permit fee, rounded off to the nearest dollar, provided such projects conform to applicable provisions of the County's affordable housing program.A fee of ten dollars ($10.00) shall be imposed and collected for the reproduction of any electrical permit card, for which a permit was issued by the administrative authority.Validity. The issuance or granting of a permit or approval of plans, specifications and computations shall not be construed to be a permit for, or an approval of, any violation of any of the provisions of this Code or of any other ordinance of the jurisdiction. No permit presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this Code shall be valid.The issuance of a permit based upon plans, specifications and other data shall not prevent the administrative authority from thereafter requiring the correction of errors in said plans, specifications and other data, or from preventing electrical work being carried on thereunder when in violation of this Code or of any other ordinances of this jurisdiction.Performance. A licensed electrician holding a valid license complying to the provisions set forth in Chapter 448E, HRS, shall be at the site at all times during any performance, direction or supervision of any electrical work authorized by a permit, as provided for in said Chapter and administrative rules promulgated thereunder. The enforcement for compliance of Chapter 448E and the administrative rules shall be the responsibility of the State of Hawai'i.Expiration.Every permit issued by the administrative authority under the provisions of this Code shall expire by limitation and become null and void if the work authorized by such permit is not commenced within one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of such permit or if the construction or work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned at any time after the work is commenced for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days; providing further, that a permit issued for work on a project having a valid building permit shall remain valid and expire only when such building permit expires.When a permit expires, been suspended or abandoned, a new permit shall be first obtained by the permittee, his or her agent, or his/her successor in interest, and a new permit fee equal to one-half (1/2) the amount required for a new permit rounded off to the nearest dollar shall be paid, provided no changes have been made or will be made to the original plans and specifications for such work; and provided, further, that such permit has not exceeded a period one (1) year from the date of permit issuance or the date of suspension or abandonment of work authorized, whichever is later.Any permittee, his or her agent or his/her successor in interest holding an unexpired permit, who is unable to commence work, may apply for an extension. Upon written request by the permittee, the administrative authority may, in writing, extend the permit for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days; however, in the event of strikes or other causes beyond the control of the electrical contractor or permittee, the administrative authority may extent the permit for the duration of the event. No permit shall be extended more than once.For electrical permits issued prior to July 1, 1984, the administrative authority shall not activate and reissue a permit. If a permittee, his or her agent, or his/her successor in interest, desires to have the permitted electrical work certified as done in compliance with all County of Kaua'i or State of Hawai'i laws, codes and ordinances at the time the original permit was issued, and the electrical work does not violate any laws, codes and ordinances, he or she may hire a duly registered professional licensed electrical engineer or architect as required by Chapter 464 Hawai'i Revised Statutes as amended, to provide such certification.The administrative authority may activate and reissue an expired permit for the purpose of continuing the work on an incompleted building or to secure all inspections required by this Code. All work that was started on an expired electrical permit and completed according to the approved building plans prior to the reissuance of such permit shall remain valid under the Electrical Code it was issued. Any new work shall conform to the current Electrical Code. The administrative authority may require the submission of building plans.When an electrical permit is activated or reissued, a permit fee therefor shall be required as provided in this Section.Suspension and Revocation. The administrative authority may, in writing, suspend or revoke a permit issued under provisions of this Code whenever the permit is issued in error or on the basis of incorrect information supplied, or in violation of any ordinance or regulation or any of the provisions of this Code.Transferability of Electrical Permit. Any assignment and/or transfer of any substantial interest in any electrical permit shall be subject to the approval and consent of the administrative authority. Such approval and consent shall not be unreasonably withheld provided that the assignee and/or transferee agrees in writing to the following:To comply with the plans and specifications upon which the electrical permit was issued in the absence of any subsequent amendments to any applicable existing laws and ordinances as indicated in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection; orTo comply with the terms and provisions of any subsequent amendments to the Building Code, Electrical Code, as well as all relevant laws, ordinances, and rules and regulations which would affect either the development's height, floor area, lot coverage, fire safety and/or land use.The stricter requirements prescribed in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection shall not be applicable in situations where the permit holder can offer documented evidence to the Department of Public Works that he or she has made, in good faith, a substantial and material change in position in reliance upon the issuance of the electrical permit.Upon approval by the administrative authority, he or she shall issue a transferability permit and receive payment of the required non-refundable fee as hereinafter fixed.Refund of Fees.The administrative authority shall refund an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the permit fee paid under the provisions of this Code where a permittee, due to a material change in circumstance or financial difficulties, is unable to commence work authorized by the permit issued therefor; provided that written application for refund shall be made on forms furnished by the administrative authority, not later than fifteen (15) days after the expiration date.Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, no refund shall be made in any case where a new permit has been obtained under the provisions of this Subsection, for the purpose of recommencing the same work, or where the amount to be refunded is less than fifteen dollars ($15.00).All permits upon which refunds have been made in accordance with the foregoing provisions shall thereafter be null and void.Where more than one (1) permit has been erroneously issued by the administrative authority for the same construction work, the administrative authority shall approve one (1) permit and refund the total amount of fees paid less the permit issuing fee for the other permits upon the surrender thereof; provided that no refund shall be made on any permit which has been surrendered after one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of issuance of such permit, or where the amount to be refunded is less than fifteen dollars ($15.00).