Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 15 § 15.189
ELECTRICAL PERMITS AND FEES (Bloomington Buildings and Structures Code)
Operative Text
(a) Permits required. (1) No person shall erect, construct, alter or change any electrical installation, work or wiring in the city until proper application for a permit has been received and a permit has been issued by the Electrical Inspector. When required, plans and specifications must be filed with the Electrical Inspector before the permit will be issued. (2) Electrical permits will be issued to licensed state electrical contractors or persons qualifying under subsections (b)(1) and (d)(2) below. (3) Electrical permits and fees are required for all work described in subsections (b) through (h) below. (b) Residential permits. (For multiple residential occupancies, see subsection (c) below.) (1) Electrical permits for work in residential structures may be issued to a person who owns and actually occupies the structure as a residence, or owns and will occupy the structure as a residence upon completion of construction. (2) Residential Fees as set forth in City Code Appendix A . (c) Commercial and industrial permits. (1) This is to also include energy management systems, multiple residential occupancies, sign wiring and 120 volt alarm systems. (Note: A fire alarm permit is required for all low voltage fire alarm installations.) (2) The schedule of Commercial fees shall be based on the value of the electrical job cost, including a minimum fee, as set forth in City Code Appendix A . (3) The job cost shall include all fixtures, switch gear, electrical heat equipment, installation cost and all other electric components necessary for a complete electrical installation whether furnished by the electrical contractor, owner or others and shall be based on billing cost to the customer. Upon completion of the job, the electrical contractor will furnish the city with a notarized statement of the full cost of the job. (d) Factory, shop or building maintenance permits (required quarterly). (1) The fee shall be 2.5% of the job cost which is incurred on a quarterly basis. The job cost is described in subsection (c)(2) above. Arrangements shall be made with the Electrical Inspector for quarterly inspections. (2) Electrical permits for factory, shop or building maintenance will be issued only to a licensed state electrical contractor or to the following full-time employees of a company: a maintenance electrician, an electrical engineer or a Class A master electrician. All must be licensed and registered with the State Board of Electricity. (e) Elevator and moving stair permits. Per unit fee as set forth in City Code Appendix A . (f) Temporary service installed during construction fee as set forth in City Code Appendix A . (g) Transitory projects, events, special inspections or re-inspection. A per inspection fee as set forth in City Code Appendix A . (h) Plan-check fees. There shall be a plan-check fee of 10% of the permit fee when the job cost exceeds $50,000. (1958 Code, § 60.09) (Added by Ord. 133, passed 4-17-1958; Ord. 190, passed 9-16-1952; Ord. 195, passed 11-25-1952; Ord. 97, passed 12-17-1956; Ord. 107, passed 5-20-1957; Ord. 109, passed 5-20-1957; Ord. 197, passed 8-17-1959; Ord. 63-20, passed 6-24-1963; Ord. 63-26, passed 8-26-1963; Ord. 69-9, passed 1-20-1969; Ord. 69-44, passed 6-2-1969; Ord. 72-58, passed 11-20-1972; Ord. 79-2, passed 1-22-1979; Ord. 87-21, passed 3-16-1987; Ord. 88-3, passed 1-11-1988; Ord. 90-53, passed 12-10-1990; Ord. 93-5, passed 1-11-1993; Ord. 2007-22, passed 6-25-2007; Ord. 2016-25 , passed 11-7-2016; Ord. 2022-40 , passed 8-29-2022)
Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 15.189 requires that a permit be obtained from the Electrical Inspector before any electrical installation, alteration, or wiring work begins within the city. Different permit categories apply depending on the type of property and work involved — residential, commercial, industrial, factory/maintenance, elevator, temporary service, and transitory projects each carry their own fee structures, many of which are set by City Code Appendix A. For larger commercial jobs exceeding $50,000 in cost, an additional plan-check fee equal to 10% of the permit fee is also required.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in Bloomington should be aware that § 15.189 requires a permit from the Electrical Inspector before any electrical work begins, regardless of property type. For residential structures, permits may be issued directly to an owner-occupant, while commercial and multi-residential properties must use licensed state electrical contractors whose fees are calculated based on total job cost as defined in the ordinance. Compliant operators ensure that all fixtures, switchgear, and installation costs are captured in the job cost figure, and that a notarized statement of full job cost is submitted to the city upon commercial project completion.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants in Bloomington can look to § 15.189 to understand that any electrical work performed in their residence or building is supposed to be covered by a permit issued by the city's Electrical Inspector before work begins. If electrical work appears to have been done without a permit, tenants may raise this as a concern with the city's building or inspection department, or consult a tenant-rights organization familiar with Bloomington's code enforcement processes. Unpermitted electrical work can be relevant to habitability and safety discussions, and tenants have general avenues — including contacting city inspectors — to flag potential violations of this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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