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Get a fair quoteBy Our research team · Last verified · 12 jobs priced · Methodology
Panel upgrade, 100A → 200A. The full price list is below.
How we get this data$1,500–$4,500 to upgrade a panel from 100A to 200A, typically $2,500, including the panel, breakers, permit and the utility meter pull. A 400A service runs $4,000–$12,000; if the panel only needs more spaces, a subpanel ($400–$1,750) may do.
Prices verified November 2026 · Cross-referenced against 52+ American pricing sources · See methodology
Installed prices with a licensed electrician. The common job — 100A to 200A — is $1,500–$4,500.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel upgrade, 100A → 200Ainstalled | $1,500 | $2,500 | $4,500 |
| Service upgrade, 60A → 100Ainstalled | $850 | $980 | $1,100 |
| 400A service upgradeinstalled | $4,000 | $7,000 | $12,000 |
| Replace a fuse box with a breaker panelinstalled | $1,500 | $2,500 | $4,500 |
| Replace a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panelinstalled | $1,500 | $2,500 | $4,000 |
| Add a subpanelinstalled | $400 | $1,000 | $1,750 |
| Move the panel and meterinstalled | $1,000 | $2,500 | $4,000 |
| Smart panel (replaces the main panel)installed | $3,000 | $5,500 | $9,500 |
| Replace the main breakerinstalled | $200 | $350 | $600 |
| Replace the meter box (meter base)installed | $500 | $1,200 | $2,100 |
| Whole-home surge protector at the panelinstalled | $200 | $500 | $800 |
| Permit for panel or service workper permit | $50 | $150 | $300 |
US prices, November 2026. Low is a simple job in a low-cost area; high is a bigger job or a high-cost city.
Yes. The same job costs more where labor and rent cost more. Here's how electrician prices in the biggest US metros compare with the US typical of $90/hr.
Labor, rent and demand move every job on this page in the same direction. Open your city's guide for its full local price list.
A 60A or 100A service with plans for an EV charger, heat pump, electric range or hot tub; breakers that trip when two big loads run; no free spaces for new circuits; or a fuse box, Federal Pacific Stab-Lok or Zinsco panel that an inspector or insurer has flagged.
A 200A panel is the standard size for most single-family homes today. Larger all-electric homes with two EV chargers and heat pumps sometimes need 400A service.
A typical $1,500–$4,500 quote covers the new panel and breakers, grounding and bonding to current code, the permit and inspection, and coordinating the utility's meter pull. The panel itself is only a few hundred dollars; most of the price is licensed labor. Where the 2020 or 2023 NEC is adopted, a whole-home surge protector is required when the panel or service is replaced — check it's in the quote ($200–$800).
Ask whether the meter box ($500–$2,100 to replace) and the service-entrance wires are included. If they need changing, or the utility has to upgrade its line to the house, the price climbs and the timeline depends on the utility.
Start with a load calculation. If the house truly needs more power, upgrade the panel. If the panel is only out of spaces, a subpanel ($400–$1,750) is cheaper. If one new load, like an EV charger, would push you over the line, a load-management device ($400–$1,500) or a charger with built-in load sharing can sometimes avoid the upgrade.
Smart panels ($3,000–$9,500 installed) replace the main panel and let you monitor and switch circuits from your phone. They do not add power from the utility on their own.
Panel work needs a permit almost everywhere ($50–$300), and the electrician normally pulls it. The work itself is usually about a day, but the utility has to disconnect and reconnect the meter, and in some areas that wait is weeks.
Quotes vary widely by region. Some premium-market contractors quote well above these national ranges, especially when the meter, service wires or utility side also change, so get two written quotes with the same scope.
The federal 25C credit, which covered panels of 200A or more installed with a qualifying heat pump, AC, furnace or water heater, up to $600, ended for improvements made after December 31, 2025. Some utilities and state programs still pay toward panel upgrades tied to heat pumps or EV chargers — check yours before you sign.
A 100A to 200A upgrade is typically $2,500. Older homes often need two more items. Here is how that adds up.
Uses typical prices. If your meter box is fine and surge protection is already included, you pay only the first line. Ask for each item on its own line.
Not every panel problem needs a full upgrade. Find your situation, then the usual fix.
| Your situation | Usual fix | Typical cost range |
|---|---|---|
| No free spaces for new breakers, but enough power | Add a subpanel (see upgrade vs subpanel) | $400–$1,750 |
| Adding an EV charger, heat pump or electric range to a 100A home | Load calculation first. Upgrade only if the numbers say so. | $1,500–$4,500 |
| Old 60A service | Upgrade to at least 100A | $850–$1,100 |
| Fuse box | Replace it with a breaker panel | $1,500–$4,500 |
| Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel flagged by an inspector or insurer | Replace the panel | $1,500–$4,000 |
| Main breaker failed, rest of the panel is fine | Replace the main breaker | $200–$600 |
| Panel in a bad spot, or a remodel moves the wall | Move the panel and meter | $1,000–$4,000 |
| Large all-electric home with two EV chargers, a pool or several heat pumps | 400A service | $4,000–$12,000 |
Installed prices with a licensed electrician.
Most of the wait is paperwork and the utility. The work itself is usually one day.
If an item is missing, ask whether it is included or extra.
There has been no federal recall. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) looked into Federal Pacific Stab-Lok breakers and closed the case in 1983. It did not rule on whether the breakers are safe. It later updated its notice to make that point clear.
So be wary of anyone who says these panels were recalled. The real reasons people replace them are age, worn parts, and home inspectors or insurers who flag them. Replacing one costs $1,500–$4,000, about the same as a normal panel swap.
The CPSC's advice applies to any panel. Don't overload a circuit. Don't just keep resetting a breaker that trips. When in doubt, call a licensed electrician.
Get a second quote if you hear any of these.
The 25C credit for panels ended for improvements made after December 31, 2025. The 30C credit for home EV chargers covered chargers installed by June 30, 2026. Neither applies to new work now. Check your utility and state for rebates. Planning a charger? A typical install is $1,700. See EV charger cost.
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Usually about a day of work — four to eight hours for a straight swap — plus the wait for the permit and the utility's meter disconnect. Expect the power to be off for most of the work day.
Not always. Many 100A homes can add a charger after a load calculation, sometimes with a load-management device. If the math doesn't work, the upgrade is $1,500–$4,500.
Only for large all-electric homes with several big loads, such as two EV chargers, heat pumps and a pool. At $4,000–$12,000 it costs roughly three times a 200A upgrade.
Not a federal one for new work. The 25C credit ended for improvements made after December 31, 2025. Check your utility and state for panel or electrification rebates.
Most electricians and inspectors recommend it, and some insurers require it. It costs $1,500–$4,000, about the same as a standard panel swap.
It depends on the utility. Meter work is often included, but a new service line or transformer upgrade can carry a utility fee. Ask the utility and your electrician before you sign.
Look at the large breaker at the top of the panel. That is the main breaker. The number on its handle, such as 100 or 200, is the amps. If you can't find it, check the label inside the panel door or ask an electrician. The meter box and the wires from the utility also limit how much power you can use.
The panel is the breaker box inside. The service is everything that brings power in: the utility wires, the mast, the meter box and the main breaker. Going from 100A to 200A usually means both. Swapping a panel for a new one of the same size is only a panel job.
It is risky, and the rules vary. Some places let owners pull a permit for work on their own home. But the wires coming into the panel stay live even with the main breaker off. Only the utility can cut them, at the meter. Most homeowners should hire a licensed electrician.
Usually not for an upgrade you choose. A policy may pay to fix a panel damaged by a sudden event, such as fire or lightning. Some insurers want fuse boxes or certain old panels replaced before they will cover a home. Ask your insurer and get the answer in writing.
Mostly scope. One quote may reuse the meter box and service wires. Another may replace them, add a surge protector and patch the wall. The utility may also charge for its side. Line the quotes up item by item before you compare totals.