Breaker panel replacements and electrical service upgrades for Pinellas County homes and businesses. We’re licensed electrical contractors based in Seminole, and we handle the load math, the permit, the inspection and the utility so you deal with one company.
Call (727) 476-7079 for a panel or service assessment · Request a quote online
IllustrationIllustration: a new breaker panel and meter on the block wall of a Florida home.
Same amps, or more amps?
A panel replacement swaps the breaker panel and keeps the power coming into the house where it is. A service upgrade raises that limit, which means new service equipment at the meter, heavier conductors, a new main disconnect and a scheduled outage with the utility. Which one you need comes down to a load calculation, not a sales pitch. Plenty of homes only need the panel.
Why so many Pinellas panels are due
Pinellas is an older county. Census estimates (ACS 2020–2024) put the median home at 1977, with 58.8% of all housing built before 1980 and only 5.8% built in 2010 or later. A panel sized for a 1970s ranch house now carries central air, a pool pump, an electric water heater and sometimes an EV charger or a heat pump. When the main breaker trips under that load, or the panel has no open spaces left, it’s time to look at capacity.
Your city or the county: who signs off
Most incorporated cities in Pinellas run their own building departments, and a couple of small towns contract theirs to SAFEbuilt. Unincorporated communities, such as Lealman and Palm Harbor, and several smaller cities permit through Pinellas County Building & Development Review Services (BDRS), 440 Court St in Clearwater. County permits, plan uploads and inspection requests all run through the Access Portal. Very simple standalone jobs can qualify for the county’s Express permit; panel and service work usually goes in as a Residential permit, or Commercial for a business.
Two county details shape the schedule. Inspection requests made before 3:30 p.m. can be booked for the next business day, and jobs over the state threshold need a recorded Notice of Commencement uploaded before the first inspection. We take care of both. Work is done to the code in force: the Florida Building Code 8th Edition with the 2020 NEC, with the 9th Edition (2023 NEC) expected to take effect Dec 31, 2026.
The utility side: Duke Energy or Tampa Electric
Duke Energy Florida serves Pinellas County, and Tampa Electric serves parts of it. Which one is yours depends on the address, so we go by your bill.
- Duke Energy Florida. Service changes and upgrades are requested through Duke’s Builder Portal. Only Duke can remove a meter seal, and where a local inspection is required, Duke won’t restore service until it’s done. The customer owns the meter enclosure, so a rusted meter can is part of our job.
- Tampa Electric. Upgrades go through TECO’s Construction Center. The disconnect and reconnect are arranged ahead of time, and TECO reconnects after the building inspection passes. On overhead single-phase services of 300 amps or less, a licensed electrician can make the cut only with TECO’s approval and a scheduled reconnect.
Condos, mobile homes and small multifamily
About 30% of Pinellas homes are in buildings with five or more units, and 9.0% are mobile or manufactured homes (ACS). In a condo, the meter bank and feeders are often association equipment, so we work with the board or manager before quoting a unit panel. In a mobile home, we start by confirming exactly what service equipment feeds the home. In a small apartment building, the work can include the whole meter bank.
After storm damage: the 49% rule
If a panel, meter or disconnect took on water, leave it off until it’s checked. For homes in unincorporated Pinellas, the county counts a building as substantially damaged when repairs reach 49% of its market value (land excluded), and utility and service equipment costs count toward that total. Cities run their own process. We itemize electrical repairs separately so your permit file shows exactly what the service work cost.
What the job includes
- A site visit, a look at your grounding and bonding, and a written load calculation
- An itemized quote after the site visit, with any service work as its own line
- Permit, inspection and utility coordination
- Whole-house surge protection at the new panel
- Every circuit tested and labeled
- Our 2-year workmanship warranty, or a full 5 years for Member Care Plan members
Financing available through Acorn Finance, subject to credit approval. If your home still has a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel, see FPE and Zinsco panel replacement. Want circuit-level control instead of a standard panel? Read about SPAN smart panels.
Keywest Lights & Electric is licensed (EC13014717), insured and woman-owned. Outside Pinellas, we also take planned panel and service upgrades in Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Our Pinellas County electrician page covers permits, utilities and storm rules county-wide.
Pinellas panel and service upgrade FAQ
Who issues the permit for a panel or service upgrade in Pinellas County? It depends on the address. Most cities run their own building departments. Unincorporated areas and several smaller cities permit through Pinellas County Building & Development Review Services (BDRS) in the county Access Portal, and a couple of towns contract permitting to SAFEbuilt. We confirm the jurisdiction for your parcel and file the permit.
Do I have to call Duke Energy or Tampa Electric myself? No. We set up the disconnect, meter work and reconnect with whichever utility serves your address. You may need to confirm the account holder’s details, but we handle the scheduling.
My meter can is rusted. Whose job is that? Under Duke Energy Florida’s rules, the customer owns and maintains the meter enclosure, so replacing a rusted one is electrician work, permitted like the rest of the service. Duke handles the meter itself and the seal.
Can I add an EV charger or heat pump without a service upgrade? Often, yes. A load calculation on your current service decides it. If the numbers are tight, a smaller circuit, load management or a smart panel can sometimes avoid the bigger job, and we’ll tell you which one the math supports.
What warranty comes with the work? Our workmanship warranty is 2 years on every job, or 5 years for Member Care Plan members. Panel manufacturers set their own warranties, which vary by panel line.
Out of room in your panel? Call (727) 476-7079 or request service online.
Related: Panel Upgrades · Service Upgrades · EV Chargers in Pinellas County · Generators in Pinellas County · Pinellas County