Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost in North Texas (2026)

Most Dallas-Fort Worth homeowners pay between $2,200 and $4,500 to replace or upgrade an electrical panel in 2026. The most common project in the region — moving from 100-amp to 200-amp service — typically lands between $2,500 and $4,500 installed, including the new panel, meter base, exterior emergency disconnect, grounding updates, labor, and the city permit. That sits above the $1,300 to $3,000 national average reported by This Old House, largely because DFW electricians usually quote the complete service upgrade, with meter equipment and code corrections included, rather than a bare panel swap.

The ranges below come from published 2026 price guides from DFW contractors (TLC Electrical and Epic Electrical), a Texas contractor cost guide, and national data, cross-checked against Fort Worth permit fees and Oncor requirements.

Typical costs in Dallas-Fort Worth

Two line items move quotes more than most homeowners expect. AFCI and GFCI breakers, which current code requires on most circuits, run roughly $35 to $60 apiece, and a full panel can need a dozen or more. And when the meter base or service mast must be replaced too, the quote usually lands in the upper half of the range.

What drives the price in North Texas

Mid-century housing stock with recalled panels. Large parts of East Dallas, Oak Cliff, Garland, Richardson, Arlington, and the Mid-Cities were built between the 1950s and early 1980s, when Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels were widely installed. Both brands have documented failure-to-trip problems, and many Texas insurers now surcharge or decline coverage until they are replaced. The fix is priced as an ordinary replacement or 200-amp upgrade — be skeptical of quotes that charge a premium for the brand name.

Aluminum branch wiring. Homes wired in the late 1960s and 1970s often carry aluminum branch circuits. A new panel does not fix that, but electricians frequently propose AlumiConn or COPALUM remediation during the same visit, which can add $1,500 or more depending on circuit count. Ask for it as a separate line item.

City-by-city permitting. DFW is dozens of separate municipalities, each with its own permit office, fee schedule, and adopted edition of the National Electrical Code. Fort Worth charges roughly $120 to $150 for a standard panel upgrade; most other DFW cities fall between $100 and $200. Cities that have adopted the 2023 NEC require an exterior emergency disconnect on service changes, which adds equipment cost but is not optional.

Oncor coordination. Nearly all of DFW is served by Oncor, and the utility must pull and reseal the meter whenever service equipment changes. Your contractor schedules this; coordination typically adds $100 to $300 and is why panel work happens on weekdays.

Summer demand. Panel problems tend to surface in summer, when air conditioning pushes old equipment to its limits, and June through September is peak season for the electricians fixing them. Lead times stretch and discounting disappears. EV chargers, pool equipment, and electric ranges are steadily pushing more DFW homes past what 100-amp service can carry.

Overhead versus underground service. Older neighborhoods with overhead drops are generally cheaper to upgrade because the mast and weatherhead are accessible. Newer suburbs with underground laterals cost more when the service entrance itself must change.

Brick veneer exteriors. Most DFW homes are brick. Cutting and patching masonry to set a new meter base, or to relocate a panel out of a closet, adds labor that wood-sided markets do not see.

How to get honest quotes

• Collect three itemized bids. Each should state the amperage, whether the meter base and mast are included, the exterior disconnect, grounding work, surge protection, the number of AFCI/GFCI breakers, the permit, and Oncor coordination. A one-line "panel upgrade" price cannot be compared to anything.
• Verify the license. Texas licenses electricians at the state level through TDLR. Look up the master electrician's license number before signing; the search is free.
• Never agree to skip the permit. Unpermitted service work resurfaces at resale, and a contractor who offers to skip it is telling you no inspector will check the work.
• Ask for a load calculation before buying 400-amp service. A standard NEC load calculation shows whether 200 amps covers your actual demand, including an EV charger. Heavy-ups at $8,000 and up are occasionally necessary and frequently oversold.
• Pay the balance after the city inspection passes, not before. Modest equipment deposits are normal; large up-front payments are not.
• Schedule in shoulder season if you can. October through April quotes are easier to get and easier to negotiate than peak-summer ones.

What to expect on installation day

A standard 200-amp upgrade is a one-day job for a two-person crew, typically eight to ten hours. Power goes off in the morning when Oncor pulls the meter, the old panel and meter base come out, the new equipment goes in with updated grounding, and power is normally restored the same evening. The city inspection follows within a few business days; reputable contractors correct anything flagged at no charge.