It is the owner's responsibility to pull permits, and it is NOT the electrician's job to make sure that permits have been pulled. If the inspector discovers that there is no permit for a project you are working on, all that can be done is to stop you from working on that job only. No fines, no license penalties.
It is not part of YOUR job to get the permit. If you do voluntarily take on that responsibility, then, yes, you have to show your license, and call for inspections. If you don't, then it is the responsibility of the owner or contractor.
Yes, all towns want permits for all work done in their towns. As responsible contractors, we want our work to be inspected, it is just not our responsibility. That burden belongs to the owner. He has to pay the fines, not us.
Make it clear at the beginning of the job who has this responsibility.
Next time the inspector asks you why there wasn't a permit pulled, tell him: "It's not my job, man. I told the owner, and he decided what he decided."
Of course, you might want to get your money up front, because I don't think the owner will want to pay you for an uncompleted job.
