Local building permit costs and complexity vary dramatically across jurisdictions, creating inconsistent and sometimes prohibitive barriers to electrification retrofits that push property owners toward skipping permits altogether or abandoning upgrades.

• Illustrative Example: In Hollister, a permit for a small electrification upgrade costs $2,000 on a $5,000 project (compared to the City of Monterey, where equivalent permits are issued over the counter) demonstrating how local permitting culture can make the difference between a community that electrifies and one that doesn’t.