Know what your electrical panel upgrade should cost
A 200 amp electrical panel upgrade costs $1,850 to $3,350 in 2026, about $13 per amp installed. Across every option it runs from $1,450 (replace the panel, same amperage) to $5,700 (upgrade and relocate the panel).
Four questions gets you an itemised range, adjusted for construction wages where you live. The whole number, up front, before we ask for anything.
What electrical panel upgrade work costs in 2026
| Project | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Upgrade to a larger service The common 100 to 200 amp job | $1,850 – $3,350 |
| Replace the panel, same amperage Usually a recalled Federal Pacific or Zinsco board | $1,400 – $2,500 |
| Upgrade with utility service work New service drop, meter base or mast | $2,500 – $4,500 |
| Upgrade and relocate the panel | $2,800 – $5,000 |
Where the money goes
Licensed electrician labour
$880 · 34% of the job
Panel, breakers and meter base
$780 · 30% of the job
Service wire and grounding
$420 · 16% of the job
Permit and inspection
$310 · 12% of the job
Utility disconnect and reconnect
$210 · 8% of the job
Electrical Panel Upgrade cost by state
Labour is the part of this job that moves with geography. These are the same 200 amp project, priced against construction wages in each state.
- California $1,950 – $3,450 +4.6% vs national
- Texas $1,900 – $3,400 +1.3% vs national
- Florida $1,750 – $3,150 -6.0% vs national
- New York $1,950 – $3,450 +4.4% vs national
- Arkansas $1,750 – $3,050 -8.4% vs national
- Arizona $1,850 – $3,350 -0.9% vs national
- Colorado $1,850 – $3,350 +0.2% vs national
- Connecticut $1,950 – $3,450 +3.6% vs national
- District of Columbia $2,000 – $3,600 +7.1% vs national
- Delaware $1,850 – $3,250 -1.9% vs national
- Georgia $1,850 – $3,350 -0.4% vs national
- Hawaii $2,000 – $3,500 +6.4% vs national
Questions homeowners ask
How much does it cost to change a 100-amp panel to a 200-amp panel?
About $1,850 to $3,350 for the standard job, including the panel, labour, permit and inspection. Utility coordination fees are usually separate and add several hundred more. If the house still has knob-and-tube or aluminium branch wiring, expect the total to roughly double.
How much does it cost to upgrade a 100-amp panel to a 150-amp panel?
Roughly $1,400 to $2,500. The saving against going straight to 200 amps is small, most of the cost is labour, the permit and the utility work, none of which changes much with amperage. Most electricians will tell you to go to 200 for that reason.
How much does an electrician charge to upgrade an electrical panel?
Labour is about a third of the bill, roughly $880 on a typical $2,600 job, with the panel and meter base close behind. Permit and inspection are around 12%, and they are not optional: unpermitted panel work is the kind of thing that surfaces during a sale and has to be redone.
Is it worth upgrading to a 200-amp panel?
If you are adding an EV charger, a heat pump, or an electric range or dryer, usually yes, a 100 amp service runs out of headroom quickly with any two of those. If nothing is changing and the panel is a modern brand in good condition, no. The exception is a recalled panel, where replacement is worth doing regardless of amperage.
Reviewed and maintained by Anchorcost. Last checked September 3, 2026. Figures are verified against this page's own calculator on every build. How these figures are worked out.