How much do breaker box replacement and electrical panel replacement cost?

The short answer is $2,500 to $4,500 in the typical SoCal range as of October 2026. That figure is for the common job: the old panel comes out, a new 200-amp panel goes in at the same spot, breakers are moved over, and the city inspects it. This page is about the decision itself, not one amperage. If you already know you want 200 amps, see the 200-amp page. If you are thinking about 400 amps, see 400-amp service.

For when a home needs one and how the permit and utility steps run, see the electrical panel upgrades guide.

What the typical price covers

A standard quote usually lists:

• A permit
• A new main breaker panel from a major brand
• A new meter socket
• A grounding electrode and bonding
• AFCI and GFCI breakers where code requires them
• Coordination with the utility for the disconnect and reconnect
• Inspection sign-off, if the proposal lists it

Not every quote includes every item. Read the line items before you compare totals.

When the price jumps

A national cost site says panel work is priced by amperage and by how much rewiring comes with it. It also says labor often makes up 40 to 60 percent of a job, at $40 to $120 an hour nationally. SoCal labor tends to sit above that.

Harder jobs run $5,500 to $10,000 in the typical SoCal range. These are jobs with a new service run, a moved meter or mast, trenching or stucco work. That band is a desk range and is not tied to one published source, so use it as a warning sign, not a promise.

Should you upgrade at all?

An upgrade makes sense when one of these is true:

1. The panel is full and has no room for new circuits.
2. You are adding a large load such as an EV charger, a heat pump or an ADU.
3. The panel is a brand with known problems. See the Zinsco and Federal Pacific page and the Zinsco and Federal Pacific replacement cost.
4. The breakers trip often, or the panel shows burn marks or rust.

A load calculation settles it. The guide on load calculations shows how an electrician reaches the number.

Reading the range before you call anyone

The low end, $2,500, fits a house where the panel stays put, the meter is close and the service wires are sound. The high end, $4,500, fits a house with one or two complications, such as a long run to the meter or extra breakers to move. Past $4,500 you are usually in the harder band, and the reason should be written in the quote. If a bid comes in well under $2,500, ask what is missing. Fixr lists an initial electrical inspection by an electrician at $125 to $250, and says some electricians credit that fee back if you hire them for the job. That is a separate visit from the city’s inspection of the finished work. A very low price often leaves out the meter socket, the surge device or the permit.

Permit and utility fees

Permit fees differ by city, and some cities charge more because of recent fee schedule changes. Instead of trusting a national range, see the permit fees page and check your city page, such as Los Angeles, San Diego or Riverside, or the county hubs. Utility work depends on who serves your address. Pasadena, Burbank and LADWP customers deal with city utilities, not SCE or SDG&E.

How to compare quotes

• Ask each bidder for amperage, brand, and meter socket in writing.
• Confirm the permit and inspection are in the price.
• Ask who schedules the utility disconnect.
• Check that repairs to drywall, stucco or paint are named as in or out.
• Compare the same scope. A bid that skips the meter socket is not cheaper, it is smaller.

The quote checklist guide goes further.

What is not included

Typical exclusions are drywall repair, trenching for new underground conduit, a generator interlock or transfer switch, temporary power during the swap, and any rewiring beyond the panel. Rebates, where they exist, are not subtracted from these ranges.