Yes. Replacing an electrical panel or changing your electrical service in Colorado needs an electrical permit and an inspection. In Loveland and most of Northern Colorado, the permit comes from your city or county building department. A licensed electrical contractor normally pulls it, and the utility has to disconnect and reconnect your power for the work. Skipping the permit can cause problems with insurance, a home sale or the utility reconnect. Eggers Electric pulls the permit, schedules the inspection and coordinates with your utility for you.
Who issues the permit
The permit comes from whoever has jurisdiction over your address, not from the company doing the work:
- In most of Northern Colorado, your city or county building department issues electrical permits and does the inspections.
- In some areas, such as Estes Park, the Colorado State Electrical Board issues electrical permits. We confirm which office covers your address and pull the permit.
If you are not sure which one applies, your address decides it. We check this before we quote the job.
Why the utility is involved
A panel or service upgrade means the power to your home has to be shut off at the meter. That is the utility’s equipment, so the utility schedules the disconnect and reconnect. In Loveland that is Loveland Water and Power, the city’s municipal utility; in other towns it can be Xcel Energy, Poudre Valley REA or another provider depending on your address. In many areas, the utility restores power only after the inspection passes or the building department releases it. We coordinate that step for you.
What the inspection checks
The inspector looks at the work against the electrical code your jurisdiction has adopted. That typically includes the panel and breakers, the service conductors, grounding and bonding, labeling, working clearance in front of the panel, and any required protection such as surge protection, AFCI or GFCI. If something needs correcting, the electrician fixes it and the inspector signs off.
What happens if a panel was replaced without a permit
- A home inspector or buyer’s agent may flag it when you sell.
- Your insurer may ask questions after a claim.
- The utility may not reconnect power without a released permit.
- Nobody independent has checked that the work is safe.
If you bought a home with unpermitted electrical work, an electrician can inspect it and tell you what it would take to bring it into compliance.
Can a homeowner pull the permit?
Colorado lets homeowners pull a permit for wiring they do themselves on the home they live in, as long as it isn’t for sale or rent, and the work must pass inspection. When you hire an electrician, the contractor pulls the permit, not you. Panel and service work is not a do-it-yourself job: it involves the utility connection and live service conductors, so leave it to a licensed electrician.
How Eggers Electric handles it
- We look at your panel, service and load and recommend what you need.
- We pull the permit with the right building department.
- We schedule the utility disconnect and reconnect.
- We do the work, schedule the inspection and meet the inspector.
More on panel upgrades.
Talk to a local electrician
Every Eggers Electric visit includes the repair, installation or service you called us for, plus the $89 Eggers Safety Inspection. A licensed electrician looks at your home and the work you need and gives you a written price before any work starts; the $89 is credited toward the job when you go ahead. We are locally owned in Loveland since 1973, rated 4.9 on Google with 400+ Google reviews, and every job is backed by our 2-year workmanship warranty. Call 7 days, 7am–8pm at 970-669-1883 or Schedule Service. More on our Loveland electricians.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to replace a breaker?
Replacing a single breaker with a matching one is sometimes treated as a repair that doesn’t need a permit, but rules vary by city, so we check before we start. Replacing a panel always needs a permit.
How long does a panel permit take?
It depends on the building department and the utility schedule. We give you a timeline with your estimate.
Who pays for the permit?
The permit cost is included in your written price.
Does the utility have to be involved?
Yes, for a panel or service change. The utility disconnects and reconnects the power at the meter.