Electrical Panel Upgrade Guide: When, Why, and How Much It Costs

Your electrical panel is the heart of your home's power system. Every circuit in your house runs through it. When it can't keep up with demand—or when it becomes a safety hazard—an upgrade isn't optional. It's essential.

An electrical panel upgrade from 100 amps to 200 amps costs $1,500 to $4,000 in most markets. If you also need the meter base replaced, new wiring to the utility connection, or a full rewire of existing circuits, the total can reach $5,000 to $10,000+.

This guide explains when you need an upgrade, what's involved, how much it costs, and how to avoid common pitfalls.

What Does an Electrical Panel Do?

The electrical panel (also called the breaker box, load center, or distribution panel) receives electricity from the utility company and distributes it to individual circuits throughout your home. Each circuit has a breaker that trips if the circuit draws too much current, preventing overheating and fires.

The panel's amperage rating determines how much total electrical capacity your home has:

60-amp panel: Common in homes built before 1960. Inadequate for modern use.
100-amp panel: Standard from the 1960s through the 1980s. Marginal for today's homes.
200-amp panel: Current standard for new construction. Handles modern electrical loads comfortably.
400-amp panel: Used in large homes or homes with very high electrical demand (large workshops, multiple EV chargers, all-electric heating and cooling).

Signs You Need an Electrical Panel Upgrade

Your Breakers Trip Frequently

If you're regularly resetting breakers—especially when running common appliances like a microwave and hair dryer simultaneously—your panel or circuits are overloaded.

You Have a Fuse Box

If your home still has a fuse box instead of a circuit breaker panel, it's time to upgrade. Fuse boxes aren't inherently dangerous, but they're inconvenient (you need to replace blown fuses), they typically have only 60 amps of capacity, and they can complicate home insurance and home sales.

You Have a Federal Pacific or Zinsco Panel

These two brands are known safety hazards. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panels ([manufactured](/blog/heloc-on-manufactured-home) from the 1950s through the 1980s) have a well-documented failure rate—breakers that don't trip when they should, creating fire risk. Zinsco panels have a similar problem with breakers that fuse to the bus bar.

If you have either brand, replace the panel regardless of whether you're experiencing problems. Many electricians and home inspectors consider this urgent.

You're Adding Major Electrical Loads

Common triggers for needing more capacity:

Electric vehicle charger: A Level 2 EV charger draws 30–50 amps. On a 100-amp panel, that's a huge chunk of your total capacity.
Heat pump or electric HVAC: 30–60 amps depending on size.
Hot tub or pool equipment: 30–50 amps.
Home addition: Any added rooms need additional circuits.
Kitchen remodel: Modern kitchens need multiple 20-amp circuits for appliances.
Electric water heater or tankless unit: 30–50+ amps for electric tankless heaters.

You're Selling Your Home

Buyers (and their inspectors) will flag outdated panels. A 100-amp panel isn't a deal-breaker for most buyers, but a fuse box, Federal Pacific panel, or double-tapped breakers will show up on every inspection report and may need to be addressed before closing.

Your Insurance Requires It

Some insurance companies won't cover homes with fuse boxes, Federal Pacific panels, or aluminum wiring without a panel upgrade. Others will cover them but at a higher premium. Call your insurer to check.

What's Involved in a Panel Upgrade

100-Amp to 200-Amp Upgrade

This is the most common upgrade. Here's what happens:

Permit: Your electrician pulls an electrical permit from the local building department ($50–$300).
Utility coordination: The utility company disconnects power to your home (or your electrician coordinates a temporary disconnect).
Meter base replacement: The meter base (outside your house) often needs to be replaced to accommodate the larger service. Cost: $300–$800.
Service entrance cable: The cable running from the meter to the panel is replaced with a heavier gauge to handle 200 amps. Cost: $500–$1,500.
New panel installation: The old panel is removed and a new 200-amp panel (typically 30–40 circuit spaces) is installed. The new panel costs $200–$500 for the hardware. Labor is $500–$2,000.
Circuit reconnection: All existing circuits are reconnected to the new panel. If existing wiring is in good condition, this is straightforward. If wiring is degraded, additional work is needed.
Inspection: The local inspector verifies the work meets code.
Utility reconnection: Power is restored.

Total time: 6–10 hours of work, typically completed in one day. Power is out for most of the day.

Sub-Panel Addition

If your main panel has enough amperage but not enough circuit spaces, a sub-panel is a cheaper alternative:

Cost: $500–$1,500
A sub-panel takes a single high-amperage feed from the main panel and provides additional circuit breaker spaces
Common for additions, garages, workshops, or basements

Full Service Upgrade (Underground or Overhead)

If your utility service entrance needs upgrading (the connection from the street to your house), costs increase significantly:

Overhead service upgrade: $2,000–$5,000
Underground service upgrade: $3,000–$8,000 (trenching costs)
The utility company may cover part of this cost—check with your provider

Cost Breakdown

Component	Cost Range
Panel hardware (200-amp, 30-40 space)	$200–$500
Labor (panel swap)	$800–$2,000
Meter base replacement	$300–$800
Service entrance cable	$500–$1,500
Permit and inspection	$50–$300
Typical total	$1,500–$4,000

Add-ons that increase cost:

Whole-house surge protector: $200–$500 installed
AFCI/GFCI breakers (required by current code for most circuits): $30–$50 each
Moving the panel to a new location: $1,000–$3,000
Bringing wiring up to current code (grounding, bonding): $500–$2,000
Adding new circuits during the upgrade: $150–$300 per circuit

Choosing an Electrician

Electrical panel work is not a DIY project. In most jurisdictions, it must be performed by a licensed electrician and inspected by the local building department.

What to Look For

State-issued electrician's license. Verify it with your state licensing board.
Experience with panel upgrades. Ask how many they've done in the past year.
Familiarity with your utility company's requirements. Each utility has specific rules about meter bases, service cables, and disconnects.
Itemized written estimate. You should know exactly what's included.
Permit included in the price. A licensed electrician should always pull permits.

Getting Quotes

Get at least three quotes. Panel upgrades are fairly standardized, so pricing shouldn't vary wildly. If one quote is dramatically lower, find out what's excluded. If one is dramatically higher, ask why.

Typical pricing:

Low end: $1,500 (panel-only swap, no meter base or service cable replacement needed)
Mid-range: $2,500–$3,500 (panel, meter base, service cable)
High end: $4,000–$6,000+ (full service upgrade, new circuits, panel relocation)

Electrical Code Requirements

When you upgrade your panel, the new installation must meet the current National Electrical Code (NEC), even if the rest of your home's wiring doesn't. Key current requirements:

AFCI protection on most habitable rooms (bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, etc.)
GFCI protection on kitchens, bathrooms, garages, outdoors, laundry, and basements
Proper grounding and bonding of the panel
Working clearance in front of the panel (30 inches wide, 36 inches deep, 78 inches high)
Labeling of all circuits

Your electrician should handle all of this, but it's worth understanding because code-required upgrades (especially AFCI breakers) can add $300–$800 to the total cost.

Panel Upgrade vs. Whole-House Rewire

A panel upgrade replaces the panel and service entrance but keeps your existing wiring. A whole-house rewire replaces the wiring throughout the house. These are different projects, though they're often done together.

You need a rewire if:

Your home has knob-and-tube wiring (pre-1950s)
Your home has aluminum branch circuit wiring (1960s–1970s)
Wiring insulation is degraded or brittle
You're doing a gut [renovation](/blog/bathroom-renovation-cost-guide) with open walls

Rewire costs: $8,000–$20,000 for a typical 3-bedroom home, depending on accessibility. If walls are open (during a renovation), costs are on the lower end. If walls are closed and the electrician needs to fish wires through finished spaces, costs are higher.

Preparing for Your Panel Upgrade

Clear the area around your existing panel. The electrician needs 3+ feet of clear space.
Plan for no power for 6–10 hours. Charge devices, plan meals that don't require cooking, and note anything that needs continuous power (fish tanks, medical equipment, sump pumps).
Inform your household. Everyone should know the power will be off and when it's expected to return.
Discuss the scope in advance. If you want additional circuits, a surge protector, or generator hookup, tell the electrician before work day so they bring the right materials.

Future-Proofing Your Electrical System

If you're upgrading your panel, consider these additions while the electrician is there:

Whole-house surge protector ($200–$500): Protects electronics from power surges. Cheap insurance.
Generator interlock or transfer switch ($500–$1,500): Allows you to safely connect a portable or standby generator during outages.
EV charger circuit ($300–$600): Even if you don't have an EV yet, running a 240V/50A circuit to your garage now is much cheaper than doing it later.
Extra circuit spaces: Choose a panel with more spaces than you need today. A 40-space panel costs marginally more than a 30-space panel and gives you room to grow.

[Attic Insulation Guide](/blog/attic-insulation-guide)
[Basement Waterproofing Guide](/blog/basement-waterproofing-guide)
[Bathroom Addition Cost](/blog/bathroom-addition-cost)
[Best Home Renovations for Resale Value in 2026](/blog/best-renovations-for-value)
Exterior Paint Cost Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to upgrade from 100 to 200 amps?

$1,500–$4,000 for a standard upgrade including the panel, meter base, and service entrance cable. Add $500–$2,000 if your service entrance needs work or if you're adding circuits.

How long does a panel upgrade take?

Most panel upgrades are completed in one day (6–10 hours). Complex jobs involving service entrance upgrades or panel relocation may take two days.

Do I need a permit for a panel upgrade?

Yes. Electrical panel upgrades require permits in virtually every jurisdiction. Your electrician should pull the permit and schedule the inspection. Unpermitted electrical work is a safety hazard and a liability when selling.

Can I upgrade my panel myself?

No. Panel upgrades involve working with the utility service entrance, which carries lethal voltage. This work requires a licensed electrician by law in most states, and it must be inspected. Even experienced DIYers should not attempt this.

Will upgrading my panel lower my insurance?

Possibly. If you're replacing a fuse box, Federal Pacific panel, or other flagged equipment, your insurance premium may decrease. Contact your insurer before and after the upgrade.

Is 200 amps enough for a house with an EV charger?

For most homes, yes. A Level 2 EV charger draws 30–50 amps. A 200-amp panel with careful load management handles this comfortably alongside normal household demand. If you have two EVs, all-electric HVAC, an electric water heater, and a large home, consider 320 or 400 amps.

What's the lifespan of an electrical panel?

A quality electrical panel lasts 25–40 years. Breakers may need individual replacement sooner. Have your panel inspected by an electrician every 10 years or if you notice any signs of problems (burning smell, discoloration, flickering lights, warm panel cover).

Electrical Panel Upgrade Guide

Key Takeaways