Questions to ask
1. Are you a NYC-licensed master electrician, what is your license number, and who will actually do the work?
Why it matters: DOB licenses master and special electricians, and city law makes it unlawful to do electrical work unless you hold one of those licenses or work under the direct and continuing supervision of someone who does. A special electrician license covers only the buildings listed on it and cannot be used to work as an independent contractor, so for a hired job you want a master electrician. To get licensed, an applicant generally needs seven years of supervised hands-on experience within the last ten, including at least two in New York City. Master electrician businesses must show the licensee’s name, the words “N.Y.C. licensed electrician,” and the license number on their vehicles, ads, and websites. Check the number with DOB’s electrician license search on its Know Your Construction Professional page and ask who will be on-site each day.
2. Will you file the electrical permit in DOB NOW: Build before starting?
Why it matters: DOB says no installation or change to any electrical system can be done without a permit and a licensed master electrician. Even minor work, such as replacing a defective 30-amp-or-smaller breaker or swapping up to five fixtures on existing outlets, still needs a licensed electrician and a permit, though DOB may not inspect it. Only a master or special electrician can file the electrical (ED16A) application in DOB NOW: Build, and you as the owner are added to the filing through an NYC.ID account. If work is done without a permit, both the owner and the person who did it can face violations, summonses, and fines. Ask for the job number so you can look up the permit yourself.
3. Can my handyman, general contractor, or I do some of the electrical work to save money?
Why it matters: No. DOB says electrical work needs a permit and a licensed master electrician. The city’s Home Improvement Contractor license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) does not cover electrical work, and DCWP tells home improvement contractors they must use a licensed electrician for anything involving light, heat, and power, regardless of voltage. Electricians working only within their licensed craft don’t need a DCWP license. If the electrician is also doing non-electrical work, such as remodeling, or a solar panel installation, which NYC311 lists as needing a DCWP license, ask for that license too and check it with DCWP.
4. Which electrical code will my job be filed under?
Why it matters: The 2025 New York City Electrical Code, which is the 2020 National Electrical Code with NYC amendments, took full effect December 21, 2025, and applies to electrical applications filed on or after that date. Applications filed before that date stay under the 2011 code. The city amendments matter in older and taller buildings: nonmetallic-sheathed cable (often called Romex) isn’t allowed in dwellings more than three floors above grade, new concealed knob-and-tube wiring is prohibited, and living rooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms need an air-conditioner outlet on its own circuit unless the building has central air. Ask which code year your filing uses.
5. Who requests the DOB inspection, and how will I know the job is signed off?
Why it matters: Electrical inspections are requested in DOB NOW: Inspections by the owner, the licensed electrician, or someone delegated to the record. The permit holder must keep the work accessible for inspection, so ask before drywall or ceilings get closed up. The filing moves to “complete” only after the job passes inspection and all fees are paid. Electrical permits last at most 12 months and can expire early if the electrician’s license or insurance lapses. If you have to change electricians mid-job, the new one can take over the permit, and you sign that request too.
6. My building is old. Will you check whether the wiring and service can handle what I’m adding?
Why it matters: The NYC Electrical Code lets older wiring stay in use if it is maintained and creates no hazard. Repairs or alterations must not make an existing installation unsafe, hazardous, or overloaded, and the owner is responsible for maintenance. The FDNY says relying heavily on power strips means you have too few outlets and should call a licensed electrician, and that cords that feel warm to the touch are a warning sign. Ask an electrician to check any outlet or switch plate that feels hot. It also suggests adding GFCI protection in kitchens and bathrooms in homes built before 1975. Before you add air conditioners, an induction range, a heat pump, or an EV charger, ask for a written load assessment and what it would take if the service or riser is too small. In a co-op or condo, also ask your managing agent what approvals the building requires.
7. Does the job touch the service or meter, and will you handle Con Edison through Project Center?
Why it matters: Con Edison says all electric work must be done by licensed electricians, and for a service upgrade your contractor submits a work request through its Project Center. Con Edison then sends a service layout spelling out its responsibilities and yours, and after a final inspection installs the meter and turns on service. Its Electric Service “Blue Book” sets the specifications, layouts and cost estimates are valid for 90 days, and only an authorized Con Edison employee may break a meter seal or move or change a meter. Ask who schedules each Con Edison step and how long you could be without power.
8. If I want a backup generator, what transfer equipment, permits, and Con Edison approvals are included?
Why it matters: Con Edison says it must be consulted before any generator is connected to circuits it supplies. You need an automatic or manual transfer switch approved by Con Edison and the city, and Con Edison tells customers to get its specification EO-2113 before buying transfer equipment. Before installation, it requires a one-line diagram and a signed statement that the generator will run only during outages, announced voltage reductions, and testing. DOB’s electrical filing FAQ also says jobs that install generators, other power sources, or energy-storage systems require Electrical Plan Review. Ask the electrician to include all of these steps in the written scope.
9. For solar or a battery, will you get Con Edison’s interconnection approval before installing anything?
Why it matters: Con Edison says you need to complete an interconnection application in its PowerClerk portal before installing any solar, other distributed generation, or energy storage. Home-sized systems of 50 kW or less go through the Small DG process, which has no application fee and a utility review that typically takes about ten business days, followed by final acceptance. Ask who files the application, and whether the installer also holds the DCWP license NYC311 lists for solar panel installation.
10. For an EV charger, will you file the upgrade with Con Edison and explain what programs still apply?
Why it matters: Con Edison asks that all electrical upgrades, including Level 2 home chargers, be filed by a licensed contractor through its service update process. Its SmartCharge New York program pays drivers for charging between midnight and 8 a.m., but customers on residential time-of-use rates can’t earn its incentives. Its PowerReady make-ready program, which does not cover the charger itself, stopped taking new Level 2 applications on April 22, 2026. Be wary of a quote that promises a utility incentive Con Edison no longer offers, and ask for a load calculation in writing.
11. Will we sign a written contract that meets New York’s home improvement rules, and how will payments be protected?
Why it matters: New York’s Attorney General says home improvement contracts must be written in plain English, given to you before work starts, and include the contractor’s name, address, and phone number, start and completion dates, a specific description of the work and materials, and notice of your right to cancel within three business days. Deposits must go into a New York escrow account within five business days or be covered by a bond. DOB also recommends that a tradesperson’s contract list the company name, a New York City address, and license numbers. An unpaid contractor, subcontractor, or supplier can file a mechanic’s lien within four months after the work is completed on a single-family home, or eight months on other property, so hold final payment until the DOB inspection passes and the job is signed off.
Red flags
- Cannot give you a NYC master electrician license number, or the number doesn’t match the name on the quote, truck, or website.
- Offers a lower price to skip the permit, says small jobs don’t need one, or won’t give you the DOB NOW job number.
- Is a handyman or general contractor who plans to do the wiring with no licensed master electrician filing the permit.
- Asks you to file anything or do part of the electrical work yourself.
- Wants to close walls or ceilings before the DOB inspection.
- Offers to cut a Con Edison meter seal, move a meter, or jump a meter to keep the power on.
- Plans to connect a generator to your panel or an outlet with no approved transfer switch.
- Starts a solar or battery installation before Con Edison has approved the interconnection application.
- Wants cash, full payment up front, or a large deposit with no written contract, no cancellation notice, and no escrow or bond.
Next-step checklist
- Look up the electrician’s master license on DOB’s Know Your Construction Professional page.
- Get at least two written quotes for the same scope, listing circuits, breaker sizes, wiring method, panel and device brands, and any service, meter, or Con Edison work.
- Confirm the electrician files the ED16A permit in DOB NOW: Build, get the job number, and set up your NYC.ID so you can see the filing.
- Ask which code year the filing uses and who requests the DOB inspection, and keep the work open until it passes.
- For service upgrades, get the Con Edison Project Center steps, timing, and outage window in writing.
- For generators, solar, batteries, or EV chargers, get a load calculation and confirm Con Edison and DOB approvals before buying equipment.
- Use a written contract that meets New York’s home improvement rules, confirm where your deposit is held, and hold final payment until the job is signed off.
- Keep the permit, inspection results, sign-off, warranty paperwork, and final invoice for your insurer, your building, and any future sale.
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