How Much Is an Electrical Panel Permit? 30 Cities Compared

Short answer: the permit for a 100-to-200-amp service upgrade costs the city fee shown in each city's own worked example, and across the 30 largest U.S. cities we cover that runs from $57 in Baltimore, $70.99 in Kansas City and $72.61 in Fort Worth to $321 in Dallas, $364.85 in Seattle and $450 in San Francisco, with a median of $108. What sets the fee differs more than the fee itself: nine cities price by service amperage (New York, Seattle, Portland, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Fort Worth, San Diego, San Francisco and Phoenix through a fixed valuation per size), eleven charge one flat fee whatever the amperage, six price on the stated value of the job and four add up itemized components. Fifteen cities let an owner-occupant pull the permit, three more after an exam or with limits, and nine issue it only to a licensed electrician. A like-for-like breaker swap needs no permit in fifteen cities, usually up to a stated amperage, and needs one in six. We read each city's fee schedule, exemption list and licensing rule and recorded the city's own figure.

$57–$450the range of city fees for a 100 to 200 A service upgrade; the median is $108

9cities price the permit by service amperage; 11 charge one flat fee at any size

15cities let the homeowner pull the panel permit; 9 issue it only to a licensed electrician

15cities exempt a like-for-like breaker swap; 6 require a permit even for that

Every row links to the city page that quotes the rule, so you can read the source language yourself. The table sorts by any column.

All 30 cities

City	What sets the fee	The city's own figure for a 100 to 200 A upgrade	May the homeowner pull it?	Breaker swap exempt?	Schedule the city cites, and notes
Albuquerque, NM	Itemized	$95 for a 100 to 200 A upgrade with a new meter loop: $47 administrative charge + $40 meter loop + $8 panel. A same-size panel replacement is $55 ($47 + $8); an EV charger circuit adds $8 for a fixed appliance of 30 A or more. No plan review on a residential panel change.	Yes, for an owner-occupant who passes the city's written electrical exam at 75% (four hours, two attempts, one passing exam a year); rentals need a licensed contractor.	Yes: UAC 109.2.3 exempts the current-carrying parts of switches and control devices and same-type receptacle swaps.	2024 Uniform Administrative Code Table 112-B, 109.2.3, 111.1, 113.5.2 Service upgrades and replacements must be inspected within 180 days; re-inspections $47; the utility's own service drop and metering are outside the city permit.
Baltimore, MD	By amperage	$57 for a 100 to 200 A upgrade: $30 service fee (over 100 to 200 A) + $25 application fee + 5% permit tax rounded up. Up to 100 A is $25 ($52 all in); over 200 to 400 A is $40 ($67); each new or replaced branch circuit adds $6, so a 200 A upgrade with four circuits is $82.	No. Electrical permits issue only to master, master restricted, restricted or maintenance electricians licensed in the City (Section 2706.2).	No. The city marks the model code's same-location breaker exemption Not Adopted, so even a like-for-like breaker swap is permit work.	BFRCBC 109.6.2(a) and (b), 109.5.7, 109.7; Part X R105.2 electrical item 3 A $10 electrical certificate is required before the service is energized; services up to 400 A need no plan review; unpermitted work pays the greater of $1,000 or 50%.
Charlotte, NC	By job value	About $87.08 for a $5,000 service upgrade on Mecklenburg County's valuation table ($59.70 up to $3,000 + $12.19 per $1,000 + $3 technology charge); about $74.89 for a $3,500 panel swap. An owner-occupant doing the work pays $60 + $45 per inspection trip + $3, about $108.	Yes, under G.S. 87-43.1(5a) for the owner on the tax records who lives in the home and will not sell within a year, with a homeowner account, bond and certificate.	Like-kind receptacle, switch and fixture swaps are exempt only when a licensed electrician does them; breakers are not named and a panel is never exempt.	LUESA Fee Ordinance rev. 2026-07-01; G.S. 160D-1110; G.S. 87-43.1 Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement issues it, not the City; contractors buy it instantly through TIP; the County urges a contractor for service equipment.
Chicago, IL	Flat fee	$75 express permit for a service or panel under 400 A, whatever the amperage; $225 with up to 10 new branch circuits; $300 for a service of 400 to under 1,000 A; plus a $25 review fee if the application needs review.	No. All permitted electrical work must be performed by a Chicago-licensed electrical contractor; no owner-occupant exception.	No. A breaker swap is not on the exemption list (lamps, cord-and-plug, low voltage); it is a $75 express permit under the repair-or-alter subtype.	Table 14A-12-1204.2; DOB list of work not requiring a permit; Express Permit Program An annual CPI adjustment starts with the 2027 schedule; owners 65 and older meeting income and residency tests can have the fee waived.
Cincinnati, OH	Flat fee ⚠	$100 for a panel replacement or 100 to 200 A upgrade: the Inspection Bureau, Inc.'s $60 processing and certificate fee + $40 service-entrance line (one inspection trip); IBI's pre-calculated list rounds it to $101. With added wiring the line is $85, so $145 ($146.45). A two-family house adds $30.	Ask IBI: the city requires an OCILB-licensed contractor for permit work, but its contractor chapter exempts an owner-occupant of a one- to three-family home and IBI says it serves do-it-yourselfers.	Yes: a breaker of the required capacity and type in the same location is exempt under RCO 102.10, and IBI treats minor repair as exempt.	Cincinnati Building Code 1101-17.4 and 1106-5; IBI fee schedule (eff. 2025-01-01) The permit is a private agency's, not the city's, filed in CAGIS ezTrak since 2026-09-14; starting early doubles the fee.
Dallas, TX	Flat fee ⚠	$321 for any panel replacement or service upgrade: $181 Table B-II alteration fee + $125 inspection fee (one trade) + $15 technology fee; $339.10 in a planned development, SUP or deed-restricted area. Amperage and job price do not change it.	Only on a homestead after passing the city's oral or written exam; the permit is issued at the field office.	Yes, for branch or feeder breakers and fuses rated 30 A or less, and device repairs under $1,000 with no service change.	Chapter 52 Table B-II and Sec. 301.2.4; fee schedule eff. 2025-07-01 Only Master Electricians registered with the city obtain the permit; a failed inspection is $75.
Fort Worth, TX	By amperage ⚠	$72.61 for a 200 A upgrade ($33.08 application fee + $39.53 service item for over 150 A), or $89.48 if the $16.87 technology fee is added; a 100 A panel is $52.83 ($19.75 item) and 125 to 150 A is $62.25 ($29.17). New devices add $0.54 each.	Not the main panel: the homestead permit covers only work after the first main breaker, so subpanels and circuits, never the service.	Yes: replacing an overcurrent device of the required capacity in the same location is exempt, as are like-for-like switches, outlets and fixtures.	Fee Ordinance 26-28781 (eff. 2026-10-01); Administrative Code 105.2 (Ord. 25387-03-2022) 2026 NEC with city amendments since 2026-09-01; the utility reconnects only after the city's release; reinspection $66.15.
Houston, TX	Flat fee	$127.56 for the Electrical Meter and Loop Service permit on a 200 A upgrade ($94.00 up to 50 kW + $33.56 administrative fee); a panel permit alone is $124.62 ($91.06 minimum + admin). Amperage does not change either figure.	No. Electrical permits are issued only to registered master electricians; Houston has no homeowner electrical permit.	No exemption listed: the Top 10 sheet says any work to repair, replace, alter or install electrical equipment requires a permit.	2026 Building Code Enforcement fee schedule; HPC Circuit Panel (HPWCODE 1062) and Meter and Loop (1055) pages A panel plus a meter loop are two permits; CenterPoint's meter and service-drop charges are separate.
Indianapolis, IN	Flat fee	$169 for a panel replacement or 100 to 200 A upgrade in a house of up to 1,000 sq ft, plus $23 per additional 500 sq ft ($192 at 1,500, $215 at 2,000, $238 at 2,500). No application fee on craft permits; amperage does not change it.	Only an owner who occupies a one- or two-family home, with the electrical board's written approval through DBNS's homeowner exam (Sec. 875-222).	Yes: breaker replacement and plug-in appliances on existing circuits are exempt under Sec. 536-201(b)(18) and (b)(20).	DBNS fee schedule 2026-01-05; Sec. 536-201(b)(29); Sec. 875-222; Sec. 536-404 A same-size meter base, riser or weatherhead repair is exempt; a $22 self-certification tag lets a licensed contractor have power reconnected before the city inspects.
Jacksonville, FL	By amperage	$100 for a 101 to 200 A service upgrade (the residential service charge); $80 up to 100 A; $20 per additional 50 A, so $180 at 400 A. A panel replacement with no service change is the $60 repairs line. Florida's 1% and 1.5% surcharges ($2 minimum each) are extra.	Yes, under FS 489.503(6) for an owner-occupied single-family or duplex home: on the deed, in person, with proof of homestead exemption.	Like-for-like fixtures, switches, fans and receptacles get a no-inspection permit under 320.408(f); breakers are not on that list.	Ordinance Code Sec. 320.409 and 320.408(f); FS 489.503(6) A job over $5,000 needs a recorded Notice of Commencement; a failed inspection is $45; 2020 NEC.
Kansas City, MO	By job value	$70.99 for a $5,000 upgrade to 200 A on the one- and two-family valuation table ($58 for $1,001 to $2,000 + $4.33 per additional $1,000); a $2,000 panel swap is $58; the minimum is $52. No drawings for a service under 400 A.	Yes, for an owner who lives in a single-family home and does the work personally with family or friends, on the IB146 affidavit; two-family homes are contractor-only.	Switch, receptacle and fixture swaps on an existing circuit are exempt under 18-16(b)(5); breakers are not listed.	KCBRC 18-20(b)(2) and 18-16(b)(5); Information Bulletin 160 Starting before the permit triples the fee; a utility-requested inspection of an existing service is $54, credited toward a permit; 2017 NEC.
Long Beach, CA	Flat fee ⚠	About $215 for a 200 A changeout or upgrade: $23 service item + $17 panel item, lifted to the $100 permit minimum, + $115 processing fee; a like-for-like 400 A replacement is also $215 ($34 + $17). An upgrade above 200 A adds electrical plan check at a $216 minimum, about $431 to $466.	Yes, for a one- or two-family principal residence occupied 12 months, at most twice in three years (IB-029); otherwise a CSLB contractor with a Long Beach business license.	Yes: breaker swaps and same-type receptacle, switch and fixture replacements are exempt under LBMC 18.04.020.D.	Electrical Permit and Plan Check Fee schedule; IB-058 items E1, E10, E11; IB-002; LBMC 18.04.020.D Panel changeouts are issued online through the Customer Portal at any hour; express service is not available in the Coastal Zone or a Historic District.
Los Angeles, CA	Flat fee	$107.91 on the city's calculator for a 200 A service plus panel ($16 + $16, lifted to the $99 minimum subtotal with the issuing fee and surcharges); a 400 A service plus panel is the same $107.91. Four new circuits make it $118.10; $206.01 if LADBS charges plan check.	Yes, after 12 months of residence, as owner-builder; otherwise a CSLB C-10 contractor.	Not addressed on the page; LADBS lists no small-job exemption for panel or service work.	LADBS electrical fee schedule; Express Permit list; Permit Fee Calculator The items are tiered by amperage ($34 service and $38 panel for 201 to 600 A) but the $90 minimum makes a 200 A and a 400 A job cost the same.
Louisville, KY	By job value	$100 for a panel replacement or 100 to 200 A upgrade, the fee for work costing over $750 ($75 at or under $750), one inspection included and $50 for each extra. Amperage does not change the fee on a one- or two-family home.	Yes, in a home the owner lives in or will live in, on a notarized homeowner certification that the home is not for sale and the owner does all the work.	Yes: a breaker of the required capacity in the same location is exempt under KRC R105.2.	LMCO 150.096 (rev. 2024-02-06); KRS 227.480; Kentucky Residential Code R105.2 Electrical work started without a permit carries a $1,000 minimum penalty; contractors file in the Louisville Metro Business Portal.
Miami, FL	By job value ⚠	About $180 for a service upgrade over $2,500: the $110 minimum (0.5% of cost) + $40 application + $26 minimum solid-waste surcharge + about $4 in state surcharges. A panel swap under $2,500 pays the fixed $45 instead, about $115. A county surcharge of unstated rate is extra.	Yes, as owner-builder of an occupied single-family or duplex home under FS 489.503(6), appearing in person to sign.	Only by a licensed electrical contractor: City Code 10-5(b) exempts replacement of damaged breakers, receptacles, switches and lights when a licensed contractor does it.	City Code 10-5(b) and 10-18(b)(1); FS 489.503(6) No engineer-sealed drawings unless the residential service exceeds 600 A; unpermitted work pays double plus $110 on a homestead.
Milwaukee, WI	Itemized	$157.08 for a 100 to 200 A upgrade: the $130 line for a service with one service switch up to 400 A + 1.6% surcharge + $25 processing fee. A subpanel's $55 feeder line is lifted to the $100 one- or two-family minimum ($126.60); a duplex's second service switch adds $35 ($192.64).	No. The homeowner exemption covers only replacing a switch, receptacle or fixture rated 20 A or less; panels go to a state-licensed electrical contractor.	No. Correctly sized fuses may be replaced without a permit; breakers are not on the list, so a licensed electrician pulls a permit.	MCO 200-33-11; MCO 222-1 and 222-13 Starting before the permit can quadruple the fee; missed inspections cost $110 and reinspections $110, $140 then $220.
Minneapolis, MN	Itemized	$101 for a 200 A upgrade that reconnects 20 circuits, with one inspection: $35 for a service up to 400 A + $2 per reconnected circuit + $25 permit fee + $1 surcharge (the itemized $75 beats the $55 trip minimum); $136 if a rough-in inspection is also required. The smallest permit is $81.	Yes, for an owner who occupies a single-family home with its own electrical service; never on a duplex, condo or rental.	Not addressed on the page.	Minn. Stat. 326B.37; Minneapolis Code 91.300; DLI homeowner application The permit comes from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, not the city; it is void 12 months after filing; new circuits are $12 each.
New York, NY	By amperage	About $150 in DOB fees for a 200 A upgrade: $40 application + $30 service switch (101 to 200 A) + $45 for a set of 4/0 or 250 MCM service cables + $37.50 for a panel over 20 spaces. The switch is $8 up to 100 A and $105 for 201 to 600 A.	No. Only a NYC Licensed Master Electrician may file and perform electrical work; there is no homeowner exemption.	No. Replacing a breaker of 30 A or less is minor work: a $15 permit by a Licensed Master Electrician, no DOB inspection. The main disconnect is general work.	1 RCNY 101-03; DOB electrical owner and registrant requirements The electrician's price and Con Edison's service work are separate; the rule caps additional per-unit fees at $5,000.
Philadelphia, PA	By job value ⚠	$107.50 for a $4,000 service upgrade ($25 per $1,000 of electrical cost + $3 city and $4.50 state surcharges); a panel replacement at the $63 minimum is $70.50. Service equipment up to 200 A is an EZ permit with no plans, auto-issued; over 200 A takes plans and 20 business days.	No. A licensed electrical contractor must perform all electrical work; an owner who applies must attach the contractor's letterhead statement and contract.	Yes: replacing lamps, circuit breakers, fuses, switches and receptacles is exempt under Title 4-A-301.2.3.	L&I fee summary PG_012; EZ Residential Service Equipment standard PB_028; Title 4-A-301.2.3 The owner also hires a licensed third-party electrical inspection agency whose rates the city does not publish; new and upgraded services need an outdoor emergency disconnect.
Phoenix, AZ	By amperage	$219 for a 200 A service: Table A ($195 on the first $1,000 + $12 per additional $1,000) on the city's fixed valuation of $2,620. A 100 A service is valued at $1,750 ($207), 400 A at $3,850 ($231); a higher contract price is used instead.	Yes, for a home the owner will occupy, under ARS 32-1121.A.5; the city licenses no electrical journeymen.	Yes, in kind up to 125 A, and devices up to 60 A; the service disconnect is excluded from both exemptions.	2026 Development Fee Schedule App. A.2; Valuation Guide TRT 00001; 2024 PBCC 105.2 No plan review fee under $5,000 with a counter review; 2023 NEC; 20 ft of #4 copper Ufer and #4 bonding on services of 200 A or less.
Pittsburgh, PA	By job value ⚠	$141.50 for any panel or service job valued up to about $21,600: the $130 minimum ($6 per $1,000 of construction value) + $4.50 state training fund + $5 digital record + $2 technology fee; a $25,000 service relocation is $161.50. Over 400 A needs stamped drawings.	Plan on no: anyone performing work that needs an electrical permit must hold a City of Pittsburgh electrical trade license, and panels are excluded from the EZ work homeowners may do.	No. PLI's exempt list covers lamps, portable equipment, test systems, communications wiring and utility equipment; breakers are not on it.	PLI 2026 Fee Schedule; PLI electrical permit scopes and EZ Permit pilot Panels are not EZ-eligible, so standard review takes 15 to 30 business days; 40% of the base fee is due at application.
Portland, OR	By amperage	$237.44 for a 200 A service ($212 + Oregon's 12% surcharge); $333.76 for 201 to 400 A ($298); $391 before surcharge for 401 to 600 A. Branch circuits bought with the service are $21 each; a reconnect-only permit is $212.80.	Yes, for the recorded owner (not an LLC) who lives in the home and is not selling, renting or leasing it; never on a rental or an ADU.	Fuse replacement and appliance swaps are exempt; breakers are not listed on the page.	PP&D 2026 electrical fee schedule; ORS 479.540 Trade permits issue within 24 hours on DevHub; a 25% plan review fee applies only when plans are required; reinspections $161.
Sacramento, CA	Flat fee ⚠	About $134.50 for a $6,000 contractor-filed 100 to 200 A upgrade: the flat $105 Residential Minor Electrical fee + 10% technology surcharge + $2.60 per $1,000 General Plan fee + $1 green building fee + the business operations tax. An owner-builder's $3,000 panel swap is about $124.30. Same $105 at any amperage.	Yes, as owner-builder, but by email with forms CDD-0200, CDD-0220 and CDD-0035; homeowners cannot pull electrical permits online.	Not addressed on the page.	Table B.1 (eff. 2025-07-19); Planning Express form CDD-0035 No plans; a relocated exterior panel must be screened from the street; a $107 safety inspection may be needed before SMUD reconnects.
San Antonio, TX	Itemized	$69.29 for a 200 A upgrade with CPS Energy work ($57.50 base + $3.74 service rating 0 to 200 A + $5.58 panelboard + $2.47 CPS item), $74.83 with the two 4% surcharges. A panel swap without CPS work is $66.82; a 400 A service with two panels $78.61 ($84.90).	No. Homeowners must use licensed trade contractors for electrical work; only homestead plumbing is open to owners.	Possibly, as minor repair or maintenance by a licensed electrical contractor under 10-6(e)(2)a; the page says confirm with DSD.	DSD FY2027 Development Fee Schedule (rev. Sept 2026); City Code 10-6 Paper applications add $11.50 and cards 3%; PE-sealed drawings only over 600 A; CPS reconnects after the final inspection.
San Diego, CA	By amperage	$176.57 Simple Permit for a panel replacement or upgrade up to 200 A, online with no plans. A service of 225 to 400 A uses the $353.13 line; over 400 A needs plans. Five new circuits add $176.57.	Yes, as owner-builder with form DS-3042, issued in about two business days; tenants cannot sign.	Yes: same-size, same-type replacement of breakers, switches, fixtures and receptacles is exempt under SDMC 129.0303(a).	IB 103 Table 2; SDMC 129.0302, 129.0303, 129.0306 No plan check, so the $737 General Plan Maintenance Fee does not apply; historic properties file a plan permit instead.
San Francisco, CA	By amperage	$450 flat for a panel or service replacement with equipment rated 225 A or less (Category 3, two inspections included); $709 for 250 to 500 A. When the panel is part of a rewiring job, Category 1's $580 tier for up to 40 devices includes a 200 A upgrade.	Only the owner of a stand-alone single-family house, for work done personally, after meeting an inspector at the Permit Center; LLC-owned homes excluded.	Yes, for a defective breaker of the same type and rating up to 100 A; replacing the main service disconnect is permitted and inspected at any rating.	SF Electrical Code 89.120 and 89.121; DBI Table 1A-E (permits issued on or after 2026-07-12) Fees are paid in full before DBI grants permission to energize; a return inspection costs $259 per half hour.
San Jose, CA	Flat fee ⚠	$315 minimum (one hour of inspection time at $315) for a service change up to 200 A, an online permit with no plans; about $526 with the $211 processing line the FY2026-27 schedule lists for a counter-filed permit. The online checkout shows the exact amount.	Yes, as owner-builder of a principal residence occupied for 12 months; contractors must be CSLB-licensed for jobs of $1,000 or more.	Yes, in a one- or two-family home: a breaker of the required capacity in the same location is exempt under SJMC 24.02.150.6.	FY2026-27 Schedule of Fees and Charges (eff. 2026-07-01); SJMC 24.02.100, 24.02.150 2025 California Electrical Code since 2026-01-01; the utility reconnects only after the city inspection.
Seattle, WA	By amperage	$364.85 for a 150 to 200 A service ($292 + $55.48 administrative fee + 5% technology fee), issued instantly online. Up to 125 A is $211.55 ($146 base); 225 to 350 A is $441.50 ($365 base); 400 A and up is plan review priced on the value of the work.	Yes, for an owner who occupies the home and does the work; contractors need a Washington electrical license and a Seattle business license.	Yes: like-in-kind branch-circuit breakers, thermostats and controls are exempt under 80.50(B)(3); service equipment is not.	2026 Fee Subtitle Table D-15 item 6; Seattle Electrical Code 80.50 Fees rose 18% on 2026-01-01; Seattle City Light must be coordinated for a service change; the service inspection passes before energizing.
St. Louis, MO	Flat fee ⚠	$85 for a panel replacement or 100 to 200 A service change ($25 application fee + $60 service-only line); $125 when the service change comes with other alterations ($100 line). The fee page's note prices a new-service-only job at $100, so budget $125.	No. The homeowner permit (owner-occupied single-family, written test) excludes electrical service changes; panels go to a contractor licensed by the City.	Yes, for lamps, fuses and breakers up to 60 A, and like-for-like outlets, switches and single fixtures, under Electrical Code 80.3.2.1.	Electrical fee table (Ord. 70802); Electrical Code 80.3.1, 80.6.2.1, 80.8.1 Most trade applications are approved in 1 to 3 business days; a house without service for six months needs a $30 re-inspection before reconnection.
Tucson, AZ	Flat fee ⚠	About $169 for a panel replacement or upgrade up to 400 A: the $150 first trade item (half an hour of review and two inspections) + the 1% digital filing fee at its $18.54 minimum. Each added item, such as a new circuit, is $50, so about $219 with one circuit. Same at any amperage to 400 A.	Yes, for a home the owner occupies, on the Owner/Builder Affidavit under ARS 32-1121.A.5; rentals need a licensed contractor.	Yes, for a breaker, fuse or switch of the same type and rating in the same location; a main-breaker swap may skip the city inspection under Policy 2016-01 if every condition is met.	PDSD FY27 fee schedule (eff. 2026-07-01); PDSD Policy 2016-01 Residential electrical permits run in the same-day Express Lane; 2023 NEC as amended for applications from 2026-07-01.

The status says what the city's fee schedule keys the electrical permit to, as the city page reads it on the date it was last verified: a tier by service amperage, one flat fee at any size, a percentage or table on the job's stated value, or itemized components (application charge, service switch, panel, meter loop, circuits). The fee column is the city's own worked example for a residential 100-to-200-amp upgrade, all city add-ons included where the page includes them, and sorts by that figure; other sizes are quoted where the city prices them. The homeowner column sorts yes, then exam or limited, then no; the breaker column sorts exempt, then conditional or not addressed, then not exempt. Prices from the electrician and the utility are never included. A flag marks a row where the city's documents disagree or a figure is superseded. Download the table as CSV.

What the comparison shows

What sets the fee: amperage in nine cities, a flat fee in eleven, value in six, items in four

Baltimore, Fort Worth, Jacksonville, New York, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle tier the fee by service size. New York's service switch is $8 up to 100 A, $30 for 101 to 200 A and $105 for 201 to 600 A, on top of a $40 application, cable and panel items; Seattle's base is $146, $292 and $365 for its three residential tiers; Portland charges $212, $298 and $391; Jacksonville $80, $100 and $20 per extra 50 A; Baltimore $25, $30 and $40; Fort Worth $19.75, $29.17 and $39.53; San Diego $176.57 to 200 A and $353.13 for 225 to 400 A; San Francisco $450 to 225 A and $709 for 250 to 500 A; Phoenix fixes the valuation itself at $1,750, $2,620 and $3,850 and runs Table A on it. Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Jose, St. Louis, Tucson charge one fee whatever the amperage: Chicago's $75 express permit under 400 A, Dallas's $321, Houston's $127.56 meter-loop permit, Sacramento's $105 minor permit, Tucson's $150 item to 400 A, San Jose's $315 hour of inspection, Cincinnati's $100, St. Louis's $85, Indianapolis's $169 by house size, and Los Angeles and Long Beach, whose amperage-tiered items are flattened by a permit minimum so a 200 A and a 400 A job cost the same. Charlotte, Kansas City, Louisville, Miami, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh price on the job's stated cost: Philadelphia at $25 per $1,000 ($63 minimum), Charlotte and Kansas City on valuation tables, Miami at 0.5% with a $110 minimum, Louisville at $75 or $100 either side of $750, and Pittsburgh at $6 per $1,000 with a $130 minimum that every ordinary panel job sits under. Albuquerque, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, San Antonio add up components: Albuquerque's $47 + $40 meter loop + $8 panel, San Antonio's $57.50 base + $3.74 + $5.58, Milwaukee's $130 service switch + $25 processing, and Minneapolis's $35 service + $2 per reconnected circuit, set by the state.

The fee runs from $57 to $450, and the expensive cities are expensive for different reasons

Eight cities come in under $100 for a 200 A upgrade: Baltimore $57, Kansas City $70.99, Fort Worth $72.61, Chicago $75, San Antonio $74.83 with surcharges, St. Louis $85, Charlotte $87.08 and Albuquerque $95. Fifteen sit between $100 and $199: Cincinnati, Jacksonville and Louisville at $100, Minneapolis $101, Los Angeles $107.91, Philadelphia $107.50, Houston $127.56, Sacramento $134.50, Pittsburgh $141.50, New York about $150, Milwaukee $157.08, Indianapolis and Tucson $169, San Diego $176.57 and Miami about $180. Three are in the $200s: Long Beach $215, Phoenix $219 and Portland $237.44. Four are $300 or more, each for its own reason: San Jose prices the permit as an hour of inspection time at $315; Dallas adds a $125 per-trade inspection fee and a $15 technology fee to a $181 flat alteration fee, so the permit costs $321 whether the panel is 100 or 400 A; Seattle's $292 tier for 150 to 200 A carries a $55.48 administrative fee and a 5% technology fee, $364.85; and San Francisco's DBI charges a flat $450 for service equipment up to 225 A with two inspections included. The cheapest permits are the ones whose schedule has not moved: Baltimore's 2024 code, Kansas City's 2016 table, Louisville's 2024 revision.

Application charges and surcharges are where the small fees grow

Twenty-two of the thirty cities add something to the line item. Fixed charges on every permit: Houston $33.56, Fort Worth $33.08 (plus a $16.87 technology fee the page cannot confirm applies), Albuquerque $47, Cincinnati's $60 processing and certificate fee, Baltimore $25, St. Louis $25, Milwaukee $25, Minneapolis $25 + $1, New York $40, Miami $40, Seattle $55.48, Long Beach $115 and San Jose $211 for a counter filing. Percentages: Oregon's 12% state surcharge, San Antonio's two 4% surcharges, Sacramento's 10% technology surcharge, Baltimore's 5% permit tax, Seattle's 5% technology fee, Milwaukee's 1.6%, Florida's 1% and 1.5% in Miami and Jacksonville, and Philadelphia's $7.50 and Pittsburgh's $11.50 in flat add-ons. The permit is not always the city's: Minneapolis sends electrical permits to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, Cincinnati to the Inspection Bureau, Inc., a private agency, and Charlotte to Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement; Philadelphia issues the permit but the owner pays a licensed third-party inspection agency whose rates the city does not publish. No page includes the electrician's price or the utility's reconnection charge, and every page says the utility reconnects only after the city's inspection or release.

Fifteen cities let the homeowner pull the panel permit, nine do not

An owner-occupant may take out the permit and do the work in Charlotte (with a bond and the County's certificate), Jacksonville and Miami (Florida's FS 489.503(6), in person), Kansas City (single-family only, IB146 affidavit), Long Beach, Los Angeles and San Jose (12 months of residence), Louisville (notarized certification), Minneapolis (a home with its own service), Phoenix and Tucson (ARS 32-1121.A.5), Portland (the recorded owner, not an LLC), Sacramento (by email, not online), San Diego (form DS-3042) and Seattle. Three cities add a test or a limit: Albuquerque's written exam at 75%, Dallas's homestead exam at the field office, Indianapolis's electrical board approval; San Francisco allows only the owner of a stand-alone house after meeting an inspector, Fort Worth's homestead permit stops at the first main breaker, and Cincinnati's code and contractor chapter point different ways, so the page says ask IBI. Nine cities issue the permit only to a licensed electrician: New York (a Licensed Master Electrician files in DOB NOW), Chicago, Houston (registered master electricians only), San Antonio, Philadelphia (the contractor's letterhead statement goes with an owner's application), Baltimore, Milwaukee (the owner exemption stops at 20 A devices), St. Louis (the homeowner permit excludes service changes) and Pittsburgh (a city electrical trade license, and panels are not EZ work).

A breaker swap is free in fifteen cities, and permit work in six

Replacing a failed breaker with one of the same rating in the same slot needs no permit in Albuquerque, Cincinnati, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Long Beach, Louisville, Philadelphia, San Jose, Seattle and Tucson, and up to a stated size in Dallas (30 A), St. Louis (60 A), San Francisco (100 A, never the main disconnect), Phoenix (125 A, never the service disconnect) and San Diego (same size and type). Nine cities are conditional or silent: Miami exempts it only when a licensed contractor does it, San Antonio calls it possibly exempt as minor repair, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Kansas City and Portland exempt switches, receptacles or fuses but do not name breakers, and Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Sacramento do not address it. Six treat it as permit work: Baltimore struck the model-code exemption (Not Adopted), Chicago's exempt list stops at lamps and cord-and-plug equipment ($75 express permit), Houston's Top 10 sheet covers any repair or replacement of electrical equipment, Milwaukee exempts fuses but not breakers, New York makes a breaker of 30 A or less a $15 minor-work permit by a Licensed Master Electrician with no inspection, and Pittsburgh's exempt list does not reach it. Tucson adds a twist: a main-breaker swap may skip the city inspection under Policy 2016-01 when every condition is met.

Where the city's documents disagree or leave a gap

Fort Worth's ordinance lists a $16.87 technology fee for all permits and the page cannot confirm it applies to a standalone trade permit, so it shows $72.61 and $89.48. Sacramento's average-cost page still prints $95 against the $105 in its fee table. St. Louis's fee page prices a new-service-only job at $100 in its note and $60 in its table. Tucson's reconnect is $135.59 on one page and a $150 trade item in the schedule. San Jose's itemized electrical table, which could set a lower figure than $315, was unreachable, and whether its $211 processing line applies online is unconfirmed. Miami's code prints the residential rate as 0.50 without a percent sign. Dallas's pages disagree on the NEC edition (2020 or 2023). Pittsburgh's permitting page puts attached houses in a commercial category with a $605 minimum. Philadelphia's electrical page lists a $100 filing fee that its processing sheet shows as $0 for auto-issued service permits. Cincinnati's code and its contractor chapter point different ways on owner-occupants. Long Beach's fees changed on October 1, 2026 before the new schedule was posted. The table flags those rows rather than resolving them.

Method

The 30 cities are the ones whose BuildPermitGuide pages have been rewritten from primary sources as of October 2026: the city's adopted electrical code and exemption list, its permit page or bulletin, its current fee schedule or ordinance and its contractor licensing rule, each fetched and quoted on the city's electrical panel permit page. The status in the table is the city page's own reading of what the schedule keys the fee to, and the fee is the city's own worked example for a residential 100-to-200-amp upgrade with the add-ons the page includes; where the page gives a range, the lower all-in figure is used for sorting and both are quoted. Nothing in this table is taken from a model code alone unless the row says so, and nothing is estimated from another city's schedule; where a city's documents disagree or a figure is superseded, the row carries a flag instead of a resolution. Each city page carries the date its sources were last verified, and the change log records when a cited document changes.

Use this data. The table and CSV are published under CC BY 4.0. Cite it as:

BuildPermitGuide, “How Much Is an Electrical Panel Permit? 30 Cities Compared” (2026), https://buildpermitguide.com/research/electrical-panel-permit-fees/

Questions, corrections or a city you want added: contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Across the 30 largest cities we compared, the city fee for a 100-to-200-amp service upgrade runs from $57 in Baltimore, $70.99 in Kansas City and $72.61 in Fort Worth to $321 in Dallas, $364.85 in Seattle and $450 in San Francisco, with a median of $108. Eight cities are under $100, fifteen between $100 and $199, three in the $200s and four at $300 or more. The electrician's price and the utility's reconnection are separate everywhere.

In nine cities, yes: New York, Seattle, Portland, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Fort Worth, San Diego and San Francisco tier the fee by service size, and Phoenix fixes a valuation per size. Eleven cities charge one flat fee at any amperage, including Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Sacramento and Tucson. Six price on the job's stated value and four add up itemized components.

Using each city's own example: $57 in Baltimore, $75 in Chicago, $85 in St. Louis, $100 in Jacksonville, Louisville and Cincinnati, $107.91 in Los Angeles, $127.56 in Houston, about $150 in New York, $169 in Indianapolis and Tucson, $176.57 in San Diego, $219 in Phoenix, $237.44 in Portland, $321 in Dallas, $364.85 in Seattle and $450 in San Francisco. Amperage changes the figure only in the nine tiered cities.

In 15 of the 30 cities, yes for an owner-occupant, usually with a residency condition or an affidavit. Albuquerque, Dallas and Indianapolis require the owner to pass an exam first; San Francisco allows only stand-alone houses, Fort Worth stops at the main breaker and Cincinnati says ask the Inspection Bureau. Nine cities issue the permit only to a licensed electrician: New York, Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Pittsburgh.

Not in 15 of the 30 cities, when the new breaker is the same rating in the same location, sometimes up to a stated size (30 A in Dallas, 60 A in St. Louis, 100 A in San Francisco, 125 A in Phoenix) and never for the main disconnect. Nine cities are conditional or silent. Six require a permit even for a breaker swap: Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Milwaukee, New York and Pittsburgh.

The basis differs. San Francisco charges a flat $450 for service equipment up to 225 amps with two inspections included. Seattle's $292 tier carries a $55.48 administrative fee and a 5% technology fee. Dallas adds a $125 per-trade inspection fee and $15 technology fee to a $181 flat alteration fee. San Jose prices the permit as an hour of inspection time at $315. The cheapest cities are on older schedules: Baltimore's 2024 code, Kansas City's 2016 table.

In 22 cities, yes: fixed application or processing charges (from $25 in Baltimore and St. Louis to $115 in Long Beach and $211 in San Jose) or percentage surcharges (Oregon 12%, San Antonio two 4% surcharges, Sacramento 10%, Baltimore and Seattle 5%, Florida 1% and 1.5%). Philadelphia's owner also pays a licensed third-party inspection agency. New York, Indianapolis, Louisville and Kansas City add nothing beyond the schedule.

The city pages behind this table

Each page quotes the code section, exempt-work list and fee schedule it relies on and records the date they were last verified.