Structured cabling and low-voltage installation in Philadelphia
Cablify installs network cabling, fiber, security cameras, access control and Wi-Fi across Greater Philadelphia, from Center City and University City to King of Prussia, Conshohocken, South Jersey and Wilmington.
Pennsylvania’s first statewide electrician license
Pennsylvania has licensed electricians town by town. Act 108 of 2026, signed on October 22, 2026, creates a State Board of Electrical Licensure and statewide licenses for electrical contractors, electricians, residential electricians and apprentices.
The license requirement starts two years after enactment, around October 2028. Until then local licensing stays in place, and towns keep their own permits and inspections after it.
The act exempts communications circuits, cable TV distribution and broadband systems. It does not mention security, access control or fire alarm systems, so we will confirm how those are treated as the new board writes its rules.
Working in the City of Philadelphia
Philadelphia licenses electrical contractors through L&I and uses private inspection agencies.
Electrical contractor license
L&I’s electrical contractor license covers low-voltage wiring, so data, security and camera work in the city is done under it.
EZ permits for low voltage
Telecom and low-voltage wiring other than fire alarm qualifies for an EZ electrical permit with no plans. Work in one- and two-family homes may need no permit at all.
Private inspection
The owner hires a licensed electrical inspection agency to inspect permitted work, so we schedule the agency into the job from the start.
Fire alarm
Fire alarm wiring is left out of EZ permits and goes through full review, and systems are inspected and certified by licensed fire alarm inspectors.
Delaware
Delaware exempts communication and low-voltage contractors installing energy-limited systems, such as telephone, sound, CCTV and satellite, from electrical licensing. Low-voltage fire alarm is not covered by that exemption.
Security alarm companies are licensed by the Delaware State Police, and fire alarm companies by the State Fire Marshal. The state’s electrical board discussed low-voltage licensing in 2026, so we check the current rule for each Wilmington job.
South Jersey
Camden, Cherry Hill and the rest of South Jersey follow New Jersey’s rules, where voice and data work runs under an electrical contractor license or the limited telecommunications wiring exemption.
See the New Jersey column of the licensing table on our New York City page.
Across the region
Office numbers are from Cushman & Wakefield’s MarketBeat reports for the third quarter of 2026.
| Area | What is there | Office market |
|---|---|---|
| Center City | Downtown towers and the carrier hotel at 401 North Broad Street, where more than 80 networks meet | 40.3 million sq ft, 20.4% vacant |
| University City | Penn, Drexel and a growing life sciences district, including the Roche Gene Therapy Innovation Center | 4.2 million sq ft, 9.0% vacant |
| Navy Yard | A 1,200-acre campus with more than 150 companies and about 16,000 employees | 783,000 sq ft |
| King of Prussia and Route 202 | Suburban office campuses and corporate headquarters | 17.4 million sq ft in King of Prussia and Valley Forge |
| Conshohocken | Riverfront offices along I-476 with positive absorption so far in 2026 | 4.2 million sq ft, 13.1% vacant |
| Wilmington | Banking and corporate offices in a state where finance employs about 53,000 people | 9.0 million sq ft downtown |
Warehouses are still going up. Cushman & Wakefield counts 218.8 million square feet of industrial space in the Philadelphia market, with 4.2 million under construction in the third quarter of 2026. Each new building needs fiber, Wi-Fi over the racking and cameras at the docks.
Common questions
Does Pennsylvania’s new license law change anything yet?
Not for most jobs today. The statewide license requirement starts around October 2028. Until then local licensing applies, and in Philadelphia that means L&I’s electrical contractor license.
Do I need a permit for data cabling in Philadelphia?
Yes, in commercial buildings. Telecom and low-voltage wiring other than fire alarm qualifies for an EZ electrical permit, and a licensed inspection agency checks the work.
Do you work in South Jersey and Delaware?
Yes. Our Philadelphia market covers the metro area, including Camden, Cherry Hill and Mount Laurel in New Jersey and Wilmington and Newark in Delaware.
Can you work in University City labs?
Yes. We follow each lab’s access and safety rules, schedule around research, and keep instrument networks separate where the lab needs it.
Request a quote in Philadelphia
Send the address, building type and what you need installed. For sites in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, list each address.