Cost to Replace a Federal Pacific Panel

It costs $1,800 to $4,000 to replace a Federal Pacific panel, close to the price of any other panel swap. What is different about this job is not the price. It is the urgency: most electricians, inspectors, and insurers recommend you replace a Federal Pacific panel on sight rather than wait for it to fail.

This guide covers why the Federal Pacific Electric, or FPE, Stab-Lok panel earned that reputation. It explains how to identify one in your own home, what a replacement costs, and how the job affects your insurance and a future home sale.

What It Costs to Replace a Federal Pacific Panel

A like-for-like 150 or 200-amp replacement typically runs $1,800 to $3,000. That includes the new panel, breakers, labor, and permit. If the amperage falls short for a modern home, or the electrician finds outdated wiring behind the panel, the total can reach $3,500 to $4,000.

The panel and breakers themselves are a small share of the bill. Most of the cost is labor. The electrician has to kill power to the house, move every circuit to new breakers, and pass inspection before the utility restores service.

The table below shows typical pricing by scope. The sections after it explain why this specific brand gets treated as an urgent replacement rather than an optional upgrade.

Why a Federal Pacific Panel Is Considered a Fire Hazard

Federal Pacific Electric, commonly branded Stab-Lok, manufactured panels widely from the 1950s through the 1980s. Independent testing over the decades has found a troubling pattern. A meaningful share of Stab-Lok breakers fail to trip during an overload or a short circuit, which is the one job a breaker exists to do.

When a breaker does not trip, the wiring behind it can overheat well past a safe limit. That is how a routine electrical fault becomes a house fire. Because of this, most licensed electricians will not simply repair or swap a single breaker in one of these panels. They recommend replacing the whole unit instead.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International tracks aging panel hazards. It consistently names Federal Pacific panels, alongside a small list of other discontinued brands, as a leading concern in older homes.

How to Identify a Federal Pacific Panel

Open your panel cover and look at the branding on the breakers and the panel door. "Federal Pacific Electric" or "FPE" printed directly is the clearest sign. So is the "Stab-Lok" name on the breakers themselves.

The panel is often gray, with breakers that have a distinctive red toggle switch and stab-in connection. That connection style is where the "Stab-Lok" name comes from. If you are not sure, a licensed electrician can confirm in a few minutes during any other service call.

Did your home get built or last rewired between the 1950s and the early 1980s? If nobody ever replaced the panel, it is worth checking, even if nothing seems wrong yet.

Insurance and Resale Implications

A growing number of homeowners insurers now decline new policies, or non-renew existing ones, on homes with a Federal Pacific panel still in service. Some insurers, in fact, require proof of replacement before they will write or renew coverage at all.

A home inspection almost always flags an FPE panel during a sale. Buyers or their agents then frequently ask for it to be replaced before closing. Replacing it proactively, rather than under deadline pressure during a sale, is usually cheaper and less stressful.

If you are already planning other work, our cost to replace an electrical panel guide covers the general replacement process and pricing that applies here too.

Replacement vs. a Service Upgrade at the Same Time

A straight swap replaces the FPE panel with a new one of the same amperage. That is the version priced above. But say your panel is only 100 amps, and you are adding an EV charger, a heat pump, or other major loads. Upgrading to 200 amps while the panel sits open already saves a second visit later.

Ask your electrician for pricing on both options side by side. The incremental cost of going from a straight swap to a 200-amp service upgrade is usually smaller than doing the upgrade as its own separate job down the road.

If you are planning an EV charger specifically, our cost to install a home EV charger guide covers when the charger alone forces a service upgrade. A simpler dryer or range circuit is worth planning at the same time too; our cost to install a 240V outlet guide covers that smaller add-on.

What to Expect on Install Day

The crew coordinates a utility disconnect, then works with the power off for roughly four to eight hours. In that window, they remove the old panel, mount the new one, and move every circuit onto new breakers with clear labeling.

A city inspector checks the work before the utility reconnects and reseals the meter. That can add a short wait if the inspection cannot happen the same day. Plan around losing power to the whole house for the day.

If your panel also feeds a garage or workshop, this is a good time to add a subpanel while the main service is already open. Our cost to install a garage subpanel guide covers that add-on separately.

Where the Money Goes

The new panel and breakers run $300 to $700, depending on amperage. Labor for a full day of work is $900 to $1,800. A permit and inspection add $75 to $500. The utility disconnect and reconnect adds another $100 to $500, though some utilities handle it free on a scheduled window.

If the electrician finds aluminum branch wiring or knob-and-tube behind the old panel, expect an additional charge. Those have to be brought up to code before the new panel can pass inspection.

How to Keep the Cost Down

First, get three itemized quotes from licensed electricians. Confirm each one includes the permit, the utility coordination, and disposal of the old panel. Also, bundle any other electrical work, like a new 240V outlet or a subpanel, into the same visit to avoid a second trip charge.

Ask about your specific insurer's requirements before the work starts. Some insurers want a letter or a specific form from the electrician confirming full removal of the FPE panel. Getting that documentation during the job is easier than requesting it afterward.

Zinsco Panels Share the Same Reputation

Zinsco is another discontinued brand from roughly the same era. It has a similar track record of breakers that fail to trip, and in some units, a bus bar that can burn and fuse the breakers in place. Electricians generally treat a Zinsco panel exactly the same way as a Federal Pacific one: replace it, do not repair it piecemeal.

If you are not sure whether your panel is FPE, Zinsco, or a safer brand, the same quick visual check applies. Look for the branding on the door and the breakers, and ask an electrician to confirm during any other visit to the house.

Bottom Line

Budget $1,800 to $3,000 for a like-for-like Federal Pacific panel replacement, and up to $4,000 if you are upgrading service size or fixing outdated wiring at the same time. Treat this one as urgent rather than optional, and confirm with your insurer what documentation they need once it is done.

Is the ceiling fan in that same room also on your list? Our cost to install a ceiling fan guide is an easy, low-cost add while the electrician is already on site.