There is no standard number of days for a panel upgrade, because the panel swap itself is the short part of the job. What sets your wait is everything around it: the permit, and above all your utility, which alone can disconnect and reconnect your service and pull the meter.
Key Takeaways
- No standard duration exists; be wary of exact promises made before the utility is booked.
- The panel swap is quick — the permit, the utility’s meter work and the inspection hand-off set the wait.
- Plan the power-off day in advance, and confirm who books every visit.
- An adjustable charger or load management can get you charging while you wait.
A Panel Upgrade Is a Separate Project From the Charger Install
Guides to how long EV charger installation takes describe the common case: a charger added to a panel that already has room. An upgrade is different work. It replaces the panel, and often the service coming into the house, so that the home can carry more load in total. It usually starts with a load calculation: if the sums say your service is full, a smaller charger or load management may still avoid the upgrade — our guide to panel capacity and charger size explains how that decision is made. This article starts where that one ends: the upgrade is going ahead, and you want to know what the wait depends on.
The Stages, and Where the Time Actually Goes
| Stage | Who does it | What sets the wait |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment and load calculation | Your electrician | The electrician’s diary, and whether a site visit is needed |
| Permit | Local building department | Local processing times and backlogs |
| Service disconnect and meter work | The utility only | The utility’s scheduling — usually the longest and least flexible part |
| Panel swap and new charger circuit | Your electrician | The work itself, done while the power is off |
| Inspection, then reconnection | Inspector, then the utility | Both visits lining up in the right order |
Two stages are outside your electrician’s control. The utility decides when it disconnects your service and when it reconnects it after the new panel passes inspection — and that hand-off, inspection passed and message sent, is where days quietly disappear. Ask at the quote stage who books the utility, and what happens if the inspection and the reconnection do not line up on the same day.
The Day the Work Happens: Living Without Power
For the working window of the swap, the whole house is off. Plan for it the way you would for a planned outage:
- Keep the fridge and freezer closed; they hold their temperature for hours if left shut.
- Charge phones, laptops and the car the night before.
- If anyone at home relies on powered medical equipment, tell the electrician and the utility in advance and agree a plan.
- Walk the house with the electrician afterwards and test the outlets and appliances you use daily before they leave.
This is licensed work on the live service entry, not a DIY job. The electrician also confirms the new charger circuit meets the National Electrical Code’s continuous-load rule: the breaker is sized at 125% of the charger’s current, so 48 A needs a 60 A breaker.
If the Wait Is Too Long, Ask About the Alternatives Again
A long utility queue is a good reason to revisit the options that avoid an upgrade. An adjustable charger turned down to a current your existing panel can carry gets you charging now, and load management can do the same. The EV-ACS3210T portable charger adjusts from 10 A to 32 A in six steps, and the EV-ACS4005T from 16 A to 40 A, so either can match what a load calculation allows today. If you do upgrade, the EV-ACT5006T wall charger can then run at its full 48 A.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be without power overnight?
The aim is to disconnect, swap and reconnect within one working visit, but that depends on the inspection and the utility lining up. Ask your electrician for the plan, including what happens if the inspection slips, before the date is fixed.
Can the charger be installed before the panel upgrade?
The charger can often be mounted and the circuit run in advance, but it cannot be used until the new panel is in, inspected and reconnected. Let your electrician sequence the two jobs.
Who schedules the utility — me or the electrician?
Usually the electrician coordinates the disconnect and reconnect as part of the job, but practice varies. Confirm in writing who books each visit; a missed booking is the most common reason these projects stall.
Related Reading
- How Long Does EV Charger Installation Take?
- What Size EV Charger Can I Have at Home? Panel Capacity Explained
- Adding EV Chargers to a Building: Load Calculation Basics
- What Size Breaker Do I Need for an EV Charger?
