SMUD and PG&E Safety Inspection Requests

Inspections are to be scheduled as normal. On the day of your inspection, your inspector will contact you by phone to set up an inspection time.

If you have questions, you can visit our Inspection Status page for up-to-date information on scheduled inspections, your inspector's name, and cell phone number.

If services have been disconnected at a property for an extended period, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and the Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) may require that the existing, currently inactive, electrical or gas systems be inspected for code compliance prior to restoration.

STEP 1

Simply sign up for a free Public Permit Portal account and create an application choosing either the Commercial or the Residential Safety Inspection Request application type. There is a non-refundable and non-transferable fee to perform this inspection. Safety Inspection requests include only one inspection per discipline (gas plumbing and/or electrical).

STEP 2

After creating your Safety Inspection Request, schedule your inspection online. Also refer to the SMUD Safety Inspection Guidelines (Form CDD-0309) and PG&E Safety Inspection Guidelines (Form CDD-0310) prior to scheduling a safety inspection.

Our Public User Registration Guide provides additional information on creating accounts and scheduling inspections online.

Note that Safety Inspection Requests do not authorize any work to be performed. If repairs are required, a separate building permit must be obtained by a California Licensed Contractor or the legal property owner (or their authorized agents) prior to commencement of work. Our Online Permitting page provides information on the types of permits that are currently also available online for California Licensed Contractors.

Frequently asked questions

Below are frequently asked questions about SMUD and PG&E safety inspections

When and why do I need a safety inspection?

If services have been disconnected at a property for an extended period, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and the Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) may require that the existing, currently inactive, electrical or gas systems be inspected for code compliance prior to restoration. When contacting these agencies, if a safety inspection is needed to restore services, customers are advised to make an inspection request at their local building departments.

Who can request a safety inspection?

  • Property owners (and their legal representatives)
  • Tenants with a valid lease or rental agreement
  • Property management companies
  • Real estate agents listing the property

What type of properties qualify?

Both Commercial and Residential properties qualify.

Is my property Commercial or Residential?

  • Residential Safety Inspection Request is for dwellings with 1-2 units (Single Family Home, Duplex or Half Plex)
  • Commercial Safety Inspection Request is for dwelling units with 3 units or more (apartments, condos) and other commercial properties (office, warehouse, industrial, etc.)

How can a safety inspection request be scheduled/obtained and what is needed?

The best and easiest way is to utilize the Public Permit Portal. It can also be obtained at the CDD public counter during regular business hours. Customers may be asked to provide proof of relationship to the property at the public counter or during the inspection. For example: recorded deed for new owners, rental or lease agreement for tenants.

How can a safety inspection be requested and scheduled online, and how much does it cost?

  • A basic Public Permit Portal account is needed to create a Commercial or Residential Safety Inspection Request record online. 
  • The fee for all safety inspection requests is a minimum half-hour charged at the current Staff Hourly Rate.
  • Once the Safety Inspection Request record is created online, a safety inspection can be scheduled at the same time:    
  • Go to the Building Tab and locate the COM- or RES- record number that was created, select it and expand the “Record Info” drop down to see the “Schedule Inspection” option.

What do customers need to do to prepare for a safety inspection?

  • Review the SMUD and/or PG&E Safety Inspection guidelines located on the Building Forms page:
  • Ensure that inspectors have access to the entire property, including the interior of the building. If access is not provided to areas requiring inspection, the inspection will fail, and a new Safety Inspection Request record must be created.
    Re-inspection options are not permitted for safety inspections.

Do I have to get a separate Safety Inspection Request record for SMUD and PG&E if I need both?

No. Both commercial and residential Safety Inspection Request records have the option of requesting either SMUD or PG&E, or both inspections.

What happens if the inspector can't gain access to the property on the scheduled inspection day?

Safety Inspections authorize one inspection per discipline (gas plumbing and/or electrical). If inspectors are unable to access the property to perform this inspection, a new Safety Inspection Request must be obtained.

What happens with “Failed" inspection results?

  • If failed due to electrical or gas plumbing systems not being up-to-code, a separate building permit is required prior to commencement of repair work and scheduling additional inspections.
  • If the failed status is due to a lock-out: obtain another safety inspection request record and schedule an inspection.

Can any work be performed under a Safety Inspection Request?

Safety Inspection Requests do not authorize any work to be performed.

If repairs are required, a separate building permit must be obtained by a California Licensed Contractor or the legal property owner (or their authorized agents) prior to commencement of work. See the Online Permitting page for information on the types of permits that are currently also available online for California Licensed Contractors.

What inspection code do I need when scheduling my safety inspection?

Residential Safety Inspection Request:

  • PG&E Safety Inspection Request only: “48 Plmg PGE Safety Inspection”
  • SMUD Safety Inspection Request only: “69 Elec SMUD Safety Inspection”
  • SMUD and PGE Safety Inspection Request: “70 Elec SMUD and Plmg PGE”

Commercial Safety Inspection Request:

  • PG&E Safety Inspection Request only: “48 Plmg PGE Safety Inspection”
  • SMUD Safety Inspection Request only: “69 Elec SMUD Safety Inspection”
  • SMUD and PGE Safety Inspection Request: both “48 Plmg PGE Safety Inspection” and “69 Elec SMUD Safety Inspection”

Note that when scheduling either 48 or 69 on these combo requests, both inspections are automatically scheduled by the system.

How do I know if my safety inspection passed?

Residential Safety Inspection Request:

  • Record Status: Failed:
  • Inspection did not pass either due to a lockout or because repairs are needed, and a separate building permit is required.
  • Record Status: Approved:
  • Inspection passed and SMUD and/or PG&E were notified by the inspector.

Commercial Safety Inspection Request:

  • Record Status Approved:
  • Inspections passed for SMUD only requests, PG&E only requests, or combination SMUD and PG&E safety inspection requests.
  • Record Status: SMUD Approved:
  • SMUD and PG&E Safety Inspection Request where the electrical inspection discipline 69 passed, BUT plumbing inspection discipline 48 did not pass and failed.
  • Record Status: PGE Approved:
  • SMUD and PG&E Safety Inspection Request where the plumbing inspection discipline 48 passed, BUT electrical inspection discipline 69 did not pass and failed.

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