Best Electrical Companies in Milwaukee, WI (2026)

The Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) issues electrical credentials, including the Electrical Contractor license for businesses and Master, Journeyman and Registered Electrician credentials for individuals. State law says no one may install, repair or maintain electrical wiring unless licensed or registered by DSPS, apart from a few exemptions.

Use the DSPS LicensE license lookup at license.wi.gov and search by business name for the Electrical Contractor credential or by person for a Master or Journeyman Electrician. Check that the credential is active before you sign a contract.

New homes, additions and alterations of one- and two-family dwellings fall under the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code, and DSPS rules (SPS 305) say a master electrician may not start wiring that needs a uniform building permit until it is issued. The permit comes from your municipality, or from a state-certified inspection agency where the town does not run the program, so ask your local building office what applies to your job.

State law exempts owners who work on wiring in a home they own and live in from the license requirement, unless a local ordinance requires a license. Permits and inspections still apply, and some cities add their own limits, so check with your local building department first.

Wisconsin's electrical code, SPS 316, adopts the 2023 National Electrical Code with state changes, effective September 1, 2026. It replaced the earlier code based on the 2017 NEC.

DSPS lists new requirements for whole-home surge protection, limits on how many feeders can supply a building, and permits and inspections for electrical services on vacant land. Ask your electrician how these rules affect a service upgrade or new panel.