How to Hire an Electrician: A Homeowner’s Guide

To hire an electrician, start with a short list of local companies, confirm each one holds the license your state or city requires, and check that it carries liability insurance. Then compare at least three written quotes for the same work, sign a detailed contract, and make sure the electrician pulls the permit and schedules the inspection.

That sounds simple, but the details change from state to state. This guide walks through each step, from licensing and insurance to quotes, contracts, permits and the warning signs that should make you walk away. It covers the ten states in our directory, and the same steps work almost anywhere in the US.

What should you check before you hire an electrician?

Before you call anyone, write down what you need done. “Add a 240-volt circuit for an EV charger in the garage” gets you better answers than “some electrical work.” If you are not sure what is wrong, say what you are seeing, such as breakers that trip or lights that flicker.

Then check every company on your list for these basics:

• License: the right state or local license for the work and for your address.
• Insurance: current liability coverage, and workers’ compensation if the company has employees.
• Permits: a clear answer on who pulls the permit and books the inspection.
• Written quote: a detailed estimate with the scope, materials, timeline and price.
• Track record: years in business, a real office address and reviews from homeowners.

Our state rankings are one place to build that short list. You can read how we rank electrical companies to see what we check and what we leave for you to confirm.

Does an electrician need a state license?

It depends on where you live. Some states license electricians and electrical contractors statewide. Others leave licensing to cities, villages or counties, so the rules change from one town to the next. Knowing which model your state uses tells you where to look up a license.

States with a statewide electrical license

Michigan regulates electrical work under the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (2016 PA 407). A business doing electrical work for hire needs an electrical contractor license from the state board or the local municipality, backed by a licensed master electrician. Individual electricians are licensed as apprentices, journeymen or masters through LARA’s Bureau of Construction Codes.

Minnesota requires any business that contracts to do electrical work to hold an electrical contractor license from the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI). The license needs a responsible master electrician, a $25,000 surety bond and liability insurance.

Wisconsin says no one may install, repair or maintain electrical wiring for others without a credential from the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), apart from a few exemptions. The business needs an Electrical Contractor license, and individuals hold Master, Journeyman or Registered Electrician credentials.

Kentucky licenses electrical contractors, master electricians and electricians statewide through the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC). A contractor must name its affiliated master electrician and show proof of insurance.

Ohio is a partial case. The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) licenses electrical contractors for commercial work, while residential electricians are regulated by local building departments. State law lets those departments require the OCILB license for home jobs, and many do.

States where licensing is local

Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New York have no statewide electrician license. In Illinois, Chicago’s Department of Buildings licenses electrical contractors, and suburbs set their own rules. In Indiana, Indianapolis, Allen County, Evansville-Vanderburgh County and others license or register contractors. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh run their own licenses, and New York City, Buffalo, Westchester County and Suffolk County license electricians locally.

Pennsylvania adds one statewide rule. Contractors who do $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year must register with the Attorney General and print their HIC number on contracts and ads. That registration is not a skills license, but it is worth checking.

Missouri’s optional statewide license

Missouri offers an optional statewide electrical contractor license through the Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors. Under RSMo 324.925, cities and counties that keep their own license must accept the statewide one in its place. Many places, including Kansas City, St. Louis County and Springfield, still license electricians themselves, so ask which license covers your address.

Each of our state guides covers the local details, such as the Michigan electrician license and permit guide, the Illinois guide to local licensing, the New York electrician license guide and the Missouri guide to state and local licenses.

How do you check an electrician’s license?

Do not rely on a license number printed on a truck or a website. Look it up yourself in the official database, and confirm three things: the name matches the company you are hiring, the license type covers electrical contracting, and the status is active.

In statewide-license states this takes a few minutes. Wisconsin’s DSPS license lookup lets you search by business or person, and Kentucky’s HBC Licensee Search shows the license type, status and expiration date. Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Missouri have similar public searches.

Where licensing is local, call or search your city or county building department. Ask whether the company is licensed or registered there. In some cities, such as Fishers, Indiana, and Naperville, Illinois, contractors must register with the city before they can pull a permit.

How should you use reviews and references?

Reviews help you spot patterns, not single bad days. Read the most recent ones, and look for comments about showing up on time, explaining the work, cleaning up and passing inspection the first time. A company that answers complaints calmly and fixes problems is often a better sign than a perfect score.

For bigger jobs, ask for one or two references from similar projects, such as a panel replacement or a generator install. Ask those homeowners whether the price changed, whether the permit was pulled and whether they would hire the company again. The FTC also suggests asking people you trust for recommendations and checking with local consumer protection officials for complaints.

What insurance should an electrician carry?

Liability insurance pays for damage the electrician causes to your home. Workers’ compensation covers the crew if someone is hurt on your property. Without them, a serious accident could become your problem.

Some licenses set a minimum. Minnesota requires contractors to carry at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate in liability coverage. A Pennsylvania HIC registration requires at least $50,000 of personal injury and $50,000 of property damage coverage, and Missouri’s statewide license requires $500,000 in liability insurance.

Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from the insurance agent, and check that the dates cover your project. A minimum required by law is a floor, not a guarantee that coverage fits a large job.

How do you compare electrician quotes?

Get at least three written quotes, and give every company the same description of the job. The Federal Trade Commission’s guide to avoiding home improvement scams advises homeowners to get estimates in writing that list the work, materials, completion date and price, and not to pick the lowest bid automatically.

When quotes differ a lot, ask why. Common reasons include:

• One quote includes the permit fee and another does not.
• One company plans to replace the panel while another only adds a breaker.
• Drywall patching, painting or trenching is included in one quote and left to you in another.
• Equipment differs, such as a basic surge device versus a higher-rated one.

A good electrician explains the difference in plain language. If someone cannot tell you what is included, that tells you something too. If you would rather not make the calls yourself, you can request 3 free quotes from local electricians.

What should an electrical contract include?

For anything beyond a small repair, get a written contract before work starts. It should include:

• The company’s legal name, address, phone number and license number.
• A detailed scope of work, including equipment brands and amperage where relevant.
• Who obtains the permit and who pays the permit fee.
• Start and completion dates.
• The total price, the payment schedule and how changes will be priced.
• Warranty terms for labor and materials.
• Cleanup and any wall or ceiling repair.

State law may add more. In Pennsylvania, a home improvement contract must show the contractor’s registration number and give you three business days to cancel, and the down payment is generally limited to one-third of the price plus special-order materials. In New York, home improvement contracts must be in writing, you can cancel until midnight of the third business day, and early payments must be held in escrow unless the contractor gives a bond or similar guarantee.

Never pay the full amount up front. The FTC notes that some states limit down payments, and it advises holding the final payment until the work is done, inspected and you are satisfied.

Who should pull the electrical permit?

In most cases, the licensed electrician should pull the permit. Most new circuits, panel upgrades, service changes and major wiring jobs need a permit and at least one inspection. The permit ties the work to a licensed contractor, and the inspector checks it against the adopted electrical code before walls are closed or power is restored.

Some states and cities let homeowners pull their own permit for a single-family home they live in, but then you take on the responsibility for the work. A contractor who asks you to get the permit yourself is a warning sign; the FTC lists it among common home improvement scam tactics. Our guide to electrical permits and inspections explains when a permit is needed and what inspectors look for.

What are the red flags when hiring an electrician?

Other warning signs include a license you cannot find in the official lookup, no written quote, a quote far below the others with no explanation, and no physical business address. Be careful, too, with anyone who suggests skipping the permit to save money or time.

Which electrical projects need extra planning?

Some jobs involve your whole electrical system, your utility or equipment outside the house. For these, it pays to understand the project before you compare quotes.

• Panel and service upgrades: our electrical panel upgrade guide covers signs you need one, 100 vs 200 amp service and load calculations.
• EV chargers: read our home EV charger installation guide for circuit sizing, panel capacity and permits.
• Standby generators: the home standby generator guide explains transfer switches and sizing.
• Old wiring: homes with knob and tube or aluminum branch wiring may need the steps in our whole-home rewiring guide.
• Surge protection: see whole-home surge protection for how a panel-mounted device works.

Not sure whether you need an electrician at all? Our list of signs you need an electrician covers warning signs such as warm outlets, burning smells and breakers that keep tripping.

What happens after the work is done?

Before you make the final payment, confirm that the inspection passed. Ask for a copy of the final inspection record or permit sign-off, and keep it with your home records. You may need it when you sell the house or file an insurance claim.

Ask the electrician to label any new or changed circuits in the panel. Keep the invoice, the warranty terms and any equipment manuals together. If a problem shows up later, start by contacting the contractor in writing, and keep copies of what you send.

Compare licensed electricians in your state

When you are ready to hire an electrician, start with our ranked lists of local companies in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York, Minnesota, Missouri and Kentucky. Build a short list, check each license in the official lookup, and compare written quotes. Or get 3 free quotes from local electricians and compare them side by side.