Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Electricians in Philadelphia
Pennsylvania does not license electricians, so Philadelphia does. The city also has an unusual inspection system: electrical work is inspected by private agencies licensed by the city, and their certification is filed with the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
- Licensing
- City of Philadelphia, Licenses and Inspections
- Inspections
- City-licensed third-party agencies
- Utility
- PECO
- Typical housing
- Brick rowhouses, many built before 1930
- State registration
- Home improvement contractor, Attorney General
Two credentials, two purposes
City electrical contractor license
- Issued by Licenses and Inspections
- Required to pull electrical permits in the city
- The credential that relates to electrical competence
State home improvement registration
- Issued by the Pennsylvania Attorney General
- A consumer protection registration with insurance requirements
- Does not by itself allow electrical work in Philadelphia
A contractor working on a Philadelphia house should have both. Ask for both numbers.
How permits and inspections work
Permit
The licensed electrical contractor applies to Licenses and Inspections through the city's online system.
Choose an inspection agency
The contractor engages a city-licensed third-party electrical inspection agency.
Rough and final inspections
The agency inspects and certifies the work.
Certification to the city and PECO
The certification closes the permit and is what PECO needs for a service change.
What rowhouses do to an electrical job
- Knob-and-tube on the upper floors
- Kitchens and basements have usually been rewired; second and third-floor lighting often has not. See knob-and-tube replacement.
- Party walls
- Solid brick shared walls cannot be fished, so cable routes run through floors and interior partitions.
- Plaster on lath
- Slower to open and to patch than drywall.
- Services at the rear or in the basement front
- Meter positions that PECO may want moved when the service is upgraded.
- Conversions
- Houses split into apartments need a separate panel and meter for each unit.
Insurers and old wiring
Buyers of older Philadelphia houses are frequently asked by insurers whether any knob-and-tube remains. A written electrical inspection that identifies which circuits are original gives a seller and a buyer a defined scope to negotiate over, in place of a guess. Where the insurer sets a deadline for replacement, staging the work floor by floor is usually acceptable as long as the schedule is agreed in writing.
Confirming Philadelphia requirements
License lookups and permit requirements are published by Licenses and Inspections. For the rest of the state, see electricians in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia electrical questions
Can a suburban electrician work in Philadelphia?
Only with a City of Philadelphia electrical contractor license. A township license from Montgomery or Delaware County does not transfer.
Who pays the inspection agency?
The contractor engages the agency and normally includes the fee in the price. Ask whether it is included.
Does every rowhouse need rewiring?
No. Many have been rewired in stages. The question is which circuits are still original and what condition they are in.
Reach an electrician in Philadelphia
Call to be connected with an independent electrical contractor that works in the Philadelphia area, where one is available, or leave your number and one will call you back.
(888) 555-0167Call availability varies by area and time of day
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