Electricians in Austin

Anyone who does, or offers to do, non-exempt electrical work in Texas must be licensed by TDLR and work through a licensed electrical contractor. That contractor must be, or employ, a Master Electrician. Below the master sit the Journeyman Electrician (at least 8,000 hours of training) and the Residential Wireman (4,000 hours), and apprentices must work under a master's supervision.

A TDLR license is good statewide, and no Texas city may make a state licensee sit a local exam. What Texas cities can do is require inspections, adopt local amendments to the National Electrical Code and set local rules for work inside city limits. Austin adds its own step: electrical contractors register with Building and Trade Contractor Services before work on a trade permit begins and update the registration annually.

• Search the company and the master electrician on TDLR's License Data Search. Licenses last one year, so check the expiration date.
• Look at the truck. Texas electrical contractors must show their business name and TDLR license number on both sides of every vehicle they own, in letters at least two inches high.
• Request the insurance certificate and the workers' compensation status. State liability minimums are $300,000 per occurrence, $600,000 aggregate and $300,000 for products and completed operations, and a contractor without workers' comp must have filed a notice of no coverage with TDI.
• Get the City of Austin registration and the permit number, and track the permit in the Austin Build + Connect (AB+C) Portal.

Complaints about a licensed electrician go to TDLR through its online complaint process. Questions about an Austin permit or inspection go to Austin Development Services at 512-978-4000.

HomeGuide's February 2026 national figures give a starting range, and Austin quotes can differ: $50 to $130 an hour, a $100 to $200 service call covering the first hour, $150 to $600 for small jobs and $2,000 to $10,000 or more for large projects. Replacing a panel with a 200-amp unit runs $1,400 to $2,800 including labor. More detail is in our Texas electrician guide.

The 2026 electrical code in Austin

Texas adopted the 2026 National Electrical Code as the state electrical code effective September 1, 2026, replacing the 2023 edition, with a limited exception to the GFCI rule for certain outdoor outlets. Cities may adopt their own amendments, so for a job permitted this fall, ask the electrician which edition and local amendments the Austin review will apply.

Austin jobs that mix trades

Pool pumps, heaters and lights can be replaced by a Residential Appliance Installer on the load side of the control center, but a new or upgraded circuit for pool equipment is electrical contractor work; see pool service in Austin. A licensed plumber may likewise reconnect a water heater on an existing circuit, but not extend the wiring.

Austin Energy lists rebates of $650 to $950 for qualifying heat pumps installed by participating contractors, and amounts change. Ask whether a heat pump needs panel work, and have the electrician and the HVAC contractor line up their permits. A new AC condenser circuit pairs with AC repair in Austin. The Austin hub covers the permit rules every trade shares, and electricians in Cedar Park are listed for comparison.