Electricians across Tampa Bay
Half the house dark, a panel the insurer flagged, a generator hookup before the next storm, a charger in the garage. Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Brandon and the rest of the bay.
- Hillsborough and Pinellas
- English and Spanish
- Calls answered 24/7
Electrical work
Eight kinds of calls cover almost every house around the bay. Each page covers what the work involves, what the permit covers, and what to have ready when you call.
No power or partial power
A dead circuit, half the house out, a breaker that will not reset, lights that dim when the AC starts.
See the work
Outlets, switches, lights and fans
Dead or warm outlets, GFCIs that trip, new circuits, fixtures, ceiling fans and outdoor lighting.
See the work
Panel replacement and upgrades
A full or failing panel replaced or upsized, with the permit, the meter appointment and the surge protector the code asks for.
See the work
Rewiring older homes
Cloth wiring, knob-and-tube and aluminum branch circuits in the older houses around the bay.
See the work
Four-point and insurance repairs
What a four-point inspection flags in the electrical section, fixed and documented for the policy.
See the work
Surge protection
A surge protector at the panel and at the equipment that matters, in the lightning belt of the country.
See the work
Generator hookups and transfer switches
Inlets, transfer switches and standby units, so a generator powers the house without feeding the street.
See the work
EV charger installation
A 240-volt Level 2 charger on its own circuit, with the load calculation the panel needs.
See the workTwo power companies, two sets of rules
Most of Hillsborough is Tampa Electric and most of Pinellas is Duke Energy Florida. The name on the bill decides who pulls the meter, who approves a standby generator, and which charger program applies.
Tampa Electric (TECO)
Tampa, Brandon, Riverview, Carrollwood and most of Hillsborough
- Meter and service workThe meter seal is TECO's; the electrician books the disconnect with TECO before a panel or service change.
- GeneratorsA double-throw transfer switch after the meter, and TECO's approval before a standby unit is connected.
- ChargersPrime Time Plus gives bill credits for hardwired Level 2 chargers TECO may pause at peak times.
Duke Energy Florida
St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park and most of Pinellas
- Meter and service workService changes and meter work are scheduled with Duke by the electrician pulling the permit.
- GeneratorsDuke asks for a licensed electrician on standby units and warns against wiring a generator into a panel or meter box without a transfer switch.
- ChargersThe Charger Prep Credit goes toward the wiring for a Level 2 charger, not the charger itself or the permit.
What the house's age leaves in the walls
Around the bay the year a house was built says most of what an electrician will find behind the plates.
Hyde Park, Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights, Old Northeast
Knob-and-tube remnants, cloth-covered cable, fuse boxes or 60-amp services, two-prong outlets.
Carrollwood, Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, Gulfport
100 to 150 amps, Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels, aluminum branch wiring from about 1965 to 1973.
Westchase, Tampa Palms, Countryside, East Lake
200 amps and early GFCIs, in panels that are now 30 to 40 years old.
New Tampa, Riverview, FishHawk, Apollo Beach
Arc-fault breakers and full panels with no room left for a charger, a generator inlet or a new circuit.
After Helene and Milton
Helene put record surge into Pinellas and the bay side of Hillsborough; Milton followed with wind and days without power. The electrical work that came after still shapes what people call about.
- Flooded equipment is replaced, not dried out. Breakers, GFCIs, arc-fault devices and outlets that sat in flood water are replaced, per NEMA's guidance on water-damaged equipment. Source →
- Generators go through a transfer switch. A cord into a dryer outlet feeds the line crew's wires. Both utilities say so. Source →
- A new service gets a surge protector. The 2020 electrical code asks for one whenever service equipment is replaced. Source →
- Equipment goes above the flood line. Exterior electrical equipment replaced after a flood has to meet the local flood elevation; in unincorporated Pinellas that is the base flood elevation plus one foot. Source →
Permits, code and paperwork
The rules that come up on most electrical jobs around the bay.
- Permits
- Electrical work is permitted by the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, or the Pinellas city the house is in; each Pinellas city runs its own building department. Source →
- Code
- Florida's 8th Edition building code applies the 2020 National Electrical Code. Source →
- Notice of Commencement
- Recorded when the job costs more than $5,000; the contractor tells you when it applies. Source →
- Four-point inspections
- Insurers ask for one on houses more than 20 years old; the electrical section reports the panel, the wiring type and any hazards. Source →
Where the work is
Hillsborough and Pinellas. Each area page covers who permits the work there, whose power it is, and what its houses tend to need.
Questions
Do I need a permit to replace an electrical panel in Tampa Bay?
Yes. Panel and service work is always permitted, by the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County or the Pinellas city the house is in. The electrician pulls it and schedules the meter disconnect with the utility.
My insurer flagged my panel. What now?
Four-point inspections report the panel brand, its age and any hazards. Many carriers decline Federal Pacific, Zinsco, Sylvania and Challenger panels, so the usual fix is a permitted replacement and an updated four-point.
Can I plug a generator into a dryer outlet?
No. Without a transfer switch the generator feeds back into the utility lines, which is a danger to line crews. Both Tampa Electric and Duke Energy say a generator connects through proper transfer equipment.
Does Tampa Electric or Duke help with an EV charger?
Duke Energy Florida has a Charger Prep Credit toward the wiring. Tampa Electric gives bill credits through Prime Time Plus for hardwired Level 2 chargers it can pause at peak times. The federal home charger credit ended for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026.
Which power company do I have?
The bill says. Most of Hillsborough is Tampa Electric and most of Pinellas is Duke Energy Florida, but the line between them does not follow city limits everywhere.
Can I explain the problem in Spanish?
Yes. Call in English or Spanish.
Need an electrician? Call 000-000-0000
Say what is happening and where the house is.