Electrical power and the building permit exemption for backyard pods
Electrical power is addressed in 10 of the 15 permit exemptions here. Los Angeles, San Jose, Citrus Heights and Sacramento County exempt only buildings with no electrical work. Denver allows two lights and two receptacles with an electrical permit.
| City or county | Electrical power in the published rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | The exemption conditions do not list wiring. Seattle City Light takes applications for new or changed electrical service. | Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections |
| Portland | Electrical, plumbing, or heating and cooling work needs trade permits. | Portland Permitting & Development |
| Washington County | Not listed. | Washington County Land Use & Transportation |
| Denver | A maximum of two lights and two receptacles are permitted with a valid electrical permit. | Denver Community Planning and Development |
| Austin | New wiring is not on the exempt list for residential electrical work (the list covers items such as cord-and-plug decorative lighting and like-for-like replacements). | Austin Development Services Department |
| Phoenix | City commentary: “If utilities are provided to a detached accessory structure exempt from permit, a permit is required for the installation of the utilities.” | City of Phoenix Planning and Development |
| Los Angeles | Exemption requires that the structure “does not contain any heating, plumbing or electrical installation”. | Los Angeles Municipal Code |
| San Jose | No permit “unless it includes electricity or plumbing”. | City of San Jose Development Services Permit Center |
| San Francisco | Lights or outlets are allowed if an electrical permit is obtained and the work is inspected and approved. | San Francisco Department of Building Inspection |
| Oakland | A permit is needed if mechanical, electrical or plumbing work is involved. | City of Oakland Planning and Building |
| San Mateo (city) | Not listed. | City of San Mateo Building Division |
| San Mateo County (unincorporated) | Not listed. | San Mateo County Planning and Building |
| Citrus Heights | Exemption requires that “no power will be ran to the building”. | City of Citrus Heights Building and Safety |
| Sacramento County (unincorporated) | Electrical or plumbing added to an exempt structure requires a miscellaneous permit. | Sacramento County Building Permits and Inspection |
| Raleigh | Not listed. | City of Raleigh |
Power on pods as shipped
- All three Autonomous pods ship pre-wired. One outdoor cable from the house powers the whole pod. A 66 ft cable is included, and Autonomous recommends a 20A dedicated circuit. Source: Autonomous pods compare page.
- The Studio Home finished installation includes a “code-compliant electrical package”. The FAQ says more places now require permits for a unit of any size with electrical. It also says heating or cooling will likely require a permit for the entire structure. Source: Studio Home frequently asked questions page.
- Kanga does not list power details for the Kwik Room kit.
Solar power
Autonomous offers solar on the WorkPod with 3 x 430 W panels and on the StudioPod with 4 x 460 W panels. Each solar option has a 10.2 kWh battery and a 3,000 W inverter limit. None of the 15 rules here covers solar on an exempt shed. The building department for the address decides whether a solar setup needs a permit.
The building department for the address decides whether a permit is required. This site repeats published rules and compares them with published pod sizes. Zoning rules, HOA rules and setbacks can also apply.