Replacing a water heater, a furnace, an air conditioner, an electrical panel, or adding solar looks like a simple swap. In San José each one needs a permit. This guide covers which permit each job needs, what the City checks, who is licensed to do it, and what happens when a swap was done without one, with sources linked.
- San José requires a permit to install or replace a water heater, heating and cooling equipment, a main electrical panel, and solar panels or storage batteries.2, 3, 4, 6
- For a single-family home or duplex, the City lets you download many of these permits online at SJPermits.org, often without plans.7
- California's $1,000 minor-work exemption from contractor licensing only applies to work that does not require a building permit.14 These swaps require permits in San José.2, 3, 4, 6
- If the work was done without a permit, the City makes a special investigation before it issues a permit, and charges an investigation fee on top of the permit fee.12
Why a simple swap needs a permit
San José's code says no building service equipment it regulates may be constructed, altered, repaired, moved, improved or removed without a separate permit for each piece of equipment.1 None of the code's permit exemptions covers a water heater, furnace, air conditioner, heat pump, panel or solar replacement.1 The exemptions are narrow:1
- Plumbing: stopping leaks and clearing stoppages, as long as no valves, pipes or fixtures are replaced or rearranged.
- Mechanical: portable heaters, fans and coolers, and replacing a component part of an appliance when that does not alter its original approval.
- Electrical: minor repairs like replacing lamps, and replacing a single breaker of the required size in the same location in a one- or two-family home.
An exemption never allows work that breaks the code.1 For the wider picture, see San José building code and when a San José remodel needs a permit.
Water heaters
The permit. The City says installing or replacing a water heater requires a plumbing permit, and depending on the type, an electrical permit may also be required.2 A heat pump water heater needs both plumbing and electrical permits.2 For a single-family home or duplex, standard water heaters, new electric heat pump water heaters and new tankless gas water heaters are all on the City's online permit list.7
What the City checks.
- Earthquake straps. State law says all new, replacement and existing home water heaters must be braced, anchored or strapped against earthquake motion.8 The City's page says a unit up to 52 gallons needs 2 straps, a 75-gallon unit needs 3, and a 100-gallon unit needs 4.2
- The relief valve. Every water heater needs a temperature and pressure relief valve with a drain. The drain runs to the outside of the building, pointing down, between 6 inches and 2 feet above the ground. Ending it under the floor is not acceptable.2
- Expansion tank. The City says you must install one in a closed system, such as a house with a pressure reducing valve at the water service.2
- Panel capacity for heat pumps. If the existing panel cannot handle the added load of a heat pump water heater, the City says you will need to upgrade it.2
Who is licensed. CSLB's classification for plumbing contractors is C-36.15
Furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps
The permit. The City says installing or replacing heating and cooling equipment requires an electrical permit, and may also require a mechanical or plumbing permit, depending on the equipment. If the work alters structural parts of the home, a building permit with plan review is required.3 A furnace generally needs mechanical, electrical and building permits, which can all be obtained through one application at SJPermits.org.3 Plug-in window air conditioners and portable fans and heaters do not need a permit.3
What the City checks.
- Efficiency and emissions. New home central furnaces must meet the state's Ultra-Low NOx standards, and gas furnaces need at least 80 percent AFUE.3
- Safety. Seismic anchorage, a 30 by 30 inch workspace for maintenance, and a dedicated gas shutoff valve within 6 feet of the unit.3
- Noise. For a heat pump, a sound level of 55 dBA must be maintained at the property line.3
- Ducts. Replacing ductwork needs a mechanical permit. Ducts must be sealed and verified by a HERS rater, and the inspector will ask for the HERS rating report.3
The California Energy Commission says properly permitted work will trigger any necessary HERS testing, and that a homeowner has the right to hire a rater who is independent of the contractor.9 Since January 1, 2026, those field verification rules sit in the Energy Code itself.9
Who is licensed. CSLB's classification for heating, ventilating and air-conditioning contractors is C-20.15
Electrical panels
The permit. The City says an electrical permit is required to upgrade the main electrical service panel of a home.4 A service change up to 400 amps can be downloaded online, but for a single-family home or duplex only for like-for-like replacements in the same location, with no changes to exterior finishes.7
What the City checks.
- Clear space of 30 inches wide by 36 inches deep in front of the panel, and at least 6 feet 6 inches of headroom.4
- Breakers listed for that panel, and combination-type AFCI breakers where branch circuit wiring is modified, replaced or extended.4
- Grounding and bonding of the water and gas piping.4
- A surge-protection device when service equipment for a home is replaced.4
- For service equipment over 225 amps, utility documentation of the available short circuit current before the meter is released.4
Who is licensed. CSLB's classification for electrical contractors is C-10.15
Solar panels and home batteries
The permit. The City says a building permit is required before installing solar panels or energy storage batteries.6 A rooftop system on a single-family home, duplex or townhouse can get its permit online if it meets all of the City's criteria, including panels under 5 pounds per square foot, no more than 18 inches above the roof, and not ballasted.6 Battery projects qualify for the online permit on a limited basis, and the bracket anchorage is inspected, typically before the battery goes in.7, 6
State law on your side.
- Cities must approve solar systems through a building permit or similar nondiscretionary permit, and review is limited to health and safety requirements.10
- A small home rooftop system, 10 kilowatts AC or less on a single-family home or duplex, that is eligible for expedited review needs only one inspection.10
- HOA rules that effectively prohibit or restrict solar are void. Reasonable restrictions are allowed, and an HOA application not denied in writing within 45 days is deemed approved, unless the delay comes from a reasonable request for more information.11
Who is licensed. CSLB's classification for solar contractors is C-46.15
Can a handyman do it under $1,000?
No, not for these jobs. The state's minor-work exemption covers a project under $1,000 only when the work is casual, minor or inconsequential and does not require a building permit.14 San José requires a permit for each of these swaps.2, 3, 4, 6 The City's online permits are open only to property owners and licensed contractors, and contractors can only pull permits that match their license classification.7
If the swap was already done without a permit
Here is what San José's code says happens next.
- An investigation comes first. When work that needs a permit was started without one, the City makes a special investigation before any permit can be issued.12
- There is an extra fee. The investigation fee is collected in addition to the permit fee, whether or not a permit is then or later issued.12 The City's fee schedule sets it at an amount equal to the permit issuance, plan review and permit fees.13
- It does not excuse the work. Paying the fee does not exempt anyone from the rest of the code or from any penalty.12
- Insurance. The City's permit pages warn that insurance companies may deny claims related to unpermitted work.2, 3, 5
- Selling the home. A seller must certify in writing to the buyer that the water heater is strapped as state law requires.8 For other disclosure questions, see selling a San José home with a code violation.
- HVAC paperwork. The Energy Commission says that even when some tests cannot be done, HERS documentation is still required to close the permit.9
The City says if an inspector finds work beyond what an online permit covers, you will be required to pull the additional permits.7 For the full process, see code violation and permit resolution.
How we help
We are a licensed general contractor, CSLB #1050108. We pull the permits, coordinate the licensed trades, and schedule the inspections. If a swap was done without a permit, we find out what the City needs, correct what does not pass, and close out the permit. All our guides are on the San José code compliance page.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in San José?
Do I need a permit to replace a single breaker?
Can my HOA stop me from installing solar?
Sources
- 1. San José Municipal Code 24.02.100 to 24.02.150: permits required and plumbing, mechanical and electrical exemptions
- 2. City of San José: Water Heaters (updated April 14, 2026)
- 3. City of San José: Air Conditioning, Heating & Fireplaces (updated April 7, 2026)
- 4. City of San José: Electrical Service Panel Upgrades (updated April 15, 2026)
- 5. City of San José: Electrical Projects (updated March 30, 2026)
- 6. City of San José: Solar & Storage Battery Projects (updated April 15, 2026)
- 7. City of San José: Building Online Permits at SJPermits.org
- 8. California Health and Safety Code 19211: water heater strapping
- 9. California Energy Commission: Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Program
- 10. California Government Code 65850.5: solar permit streamlining
- 11. California Civil Code 714: solar rights and HOA restrictions
- 12. San José Municipal Code 24.02.440: investigation fees for work without a permit
- 13. City of San José: Building Permit Fees (fee schedule in effect as of August 11, 2026)
- 14. California Business and Professions Code 7048: minor work exemption
- 15. CSLB: Licensing Classifications
This page explains the construction side of San José's rules. It is not legal advice. The City and its inspectors decide what applies to your property.