What's Required in Chicago
- Replacing or upgrading a service or panel, and adding circuits, requires an express electrical permit; only lamp replacement, cord-and-plug connections and low-voltage work are exempt.
- All permitted electrical work must be performed by a Chicago-licensed electrical contractor with a general license, under its licensed supervising electrician.
- Homeowners cannot obtain or work under an electrical permit; the license requirement applies whether or not a permit is required.
- The panel or service upgrade subtype covers services rated under 1,200 amps; the add-circuit and device subtypes exclude panel replacement.
- At least one photograph of existing conditions must be uploaded for panel and new-circuit work.
- Electrical drawings and load calculations are required for a new service of 400 amps or larger, a 277-volt service, or panel work in a residential building of 3 or more stories.
- Existing deficiencies in grounding and bonding must be identified in the application and corrected as part of the work.
- The listed electrical contractor must accept the job by email before the permit issues, and no general contractor is required for a single-trade electrical job.
Do You Need a Permit to Upgrade an Electrical Panel in Chicago?
Yes, and it is not a permit you can pull yourself. The Department of Buildings lists only trivial electrical work as exempt: replacing a lamp, plugging cord-and-plug equipment into a receptacle, low-voltage fixtures such as a doorbell or thermostat, and, at a residential building up to 4 stories, low-voltage or communication wiring. Everything else, including replacing a panel, upgrading a service, or adding a circuit, needs an electrical permit, and a licensed electrical contractor is required to perform all electrical work that requires a building permit in Chicago. The license page adds that the requirement applies whether or not a permit is required, and there is no owner-occupant exception of the kind that exists for plumbing.
Panel work is filed under the Electrical Work worktype in the Express Permit Program, which replaced the old Easy Permit process on November 6, 2023. The program has three general subtypes: repair or alter devices on existing circuits; add circuits to an existing panel (an EV charger, new outlets, an air conditioner); and new service or service disconnecting means (panel), which covers replacing or upgrading a service or panel rated under 1,200 amps and installing new branch circuits on it. The device-level and add-circuit subtypes exclude panel replacement, and because the job is a single trade by a Chicago-licensed contractor, no general contractor is needed on the permit.
Chicago Electrical Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Replacing a light bulb, plugging in an appliance, low-voltage doorbell or thermostat | None | DOB list of work not requiring a permit (Electrical) |
| Low-voltage or communication wiring at a home up to 4 stories | None | DOB exemption list (residential up to 4 stories) |
| Replacing a panel like for like, or 100 A to 200 A service upgrade | Express electrical permit, new service subtype, $75 | Table 14A-12-1204.2 (service disconnecting means under 400 A) |
| Upgrade plus up to 10 new branch circuits on the new panel | Express electrical permit, $75 + $150 = $225 | Table 14A-12-1204.2; fees stack per 14A-4-412.1 |
| Adding a circuit to the existing panel for an EV charger or AC | Express electrical permit, add-circuits subtype, $150 for up to 10 circuits | Table 14A-12-1204.2; EPP Electrical |
| Replacing a fixture or adding an outlet on an existing circuit | Express electrical permit, $75 per service | Table 14A-12-1204.2 (Electrical) |
| New 400 A or larger service, or panel work in a home of 3 or more stories | Express electrical permit with single-line diagram and load calculations; $300 for 400 to under 1,000 A | EPP Electrical documents; Table 14A-12-1204.2 |
How Much Does an Electrical Panel Permit Cost in Chicago?
Electrical fees are flat stand-alone fees from Table 14A-12-1204.2, itemized by what is installed. Installation of an electrical service disconnecting means only, less than 400 amps, is $75; 400 to less than 1,000 amps is $300. New circuits are priced in tiers: up to 10 new circuits on a single service, $150; 11 to 20, $300. Fees stack when one permit covers more than one listed scope, so a typical 100-to-200-amp upgrade with a new panel is $75, and the same upgrade with six new branch circuits for a kitchen, EV charger and air conditioner is $75 + $150 = $225. No drawings are needed for a small residential service, so the fee is paid at issuance, plus a $25 review fee if the application must be reviewed. The 2026 Revenue Ordinance added an annual CPI adjustment to this table, with the first adjusted schedule effective the following January 1. Owners aged 65 or older who meet the income and ten-year residency tests can have the fee waived if they ask before paying.
Who Files and What They Submit
The application is filed by or for a Chicago-licensed electrical contractor with a general (not low-voltage) license, and the work must be performed by that contractor's employees under its licensed supervising electrician. The contractor must click an emailed link to accept the job before the permit issues. Uploads are light: at least one photograph of existing conditions for panel and new-circuit work, and a single-line diagram with load calculations only for a new service of 400 amps or more, a 277-volt service, or panel work in a residential building with 3 or more stories. The express terms make the contractor responsible for confirming that the new panel and any reused wiring have adequate capacity, and require that existing deficiencies in grounding and bonding be identified in the application and corrected as part of the job. The permit does not cover the utility side, so your contractor coordinates the service disconnect and reconnect with ComEd. A first inspection must pass within 540 days or the permit expires.
How to Get a Electrical Panel Permit in Chicago
Hire a Chicago-licensed electrical contractor
Verify the contractor's general electrical license in the city's License Lookup; a state license or a low-voltage license is not enough for panel work.
Contractor files the express application
In the Express Permit portal the contractor chooses Electrical Work, line voltage, and the new service or service disconnecting means subtype, and uploads a photo of the existing panel.
Contractor accepts the job
The listed contractor receives an email and must click the acceptance link before the permit will issue.
Pay the fee
$75 for a service or panel under 400 amps, $150 more for up to 10 new circuits, plus any $25 review fee; senior owners may request a full waiver before paying.
Upgrade, coordinate the utility, and inspect
The contractor arranges the utility disconnect and reconnect, corrects any grounding or bonding deficiencies, and requests the inspection through the portal before the 540-day deadline.