Most EV chargers go in without touching the home's electric service. Some cannot. When the load calculation shows the house has no room, or the equipment at the meter is worn out, the answer is a bigger service: more capacity from the utility, through new equipment at the house. That is a bigger project than a charger circuit, because it involves your utility as well as your building department, and the power has to be off for part of it. This guide explains what "the service" actually is, how to tell when an EV needs a bigger one, and the sequence a service upgrade follows in South Florida.
Panel vs service: what actually gets upgraded
People say "panel upgrade" for two different jobs. The panel is the box of breakers. The service is everything that brings power to it:
| Part | What it is | Usually belongs to |
|---|---|---|
| Service drop or lateral | The overhead wires from the pole, or the underground cable from a transformer | Overhead: usually the utility. Underground: varies, so ask the utility |
| Meter | Measures your use | The utility |
| Meter base (meter can) | The enclosure the meter plugs into | The homeowner |
| Service entrance conductors | The wires from the meter base to the main disconnect | The homeowner |
| Main disconnect | The main breaker, in the panel or in a meter-main outside | The homeowner |
| Panel | Distributes power to the branch circuits | The homeowner |
The service rating is set by the smallest of these. A new 200 amp panel on a 100 amp meter base and 100 amp conductors is still a 100 amp service. A real service upgrade replaces the homeowner's parts at the new rating, and the utility confirms or upgrades its side to match.
When an EV actually needs a bigger service
- The calculation says so. With the charger added, the calculated load exceeds the service rating, and a lower charger setting or load management will not close the gap. Our worked examples in EV charger on a 100 amp panel show how that looks.
- More is coming. A second EV, a pool heater, an addition or a kitchen remodel. One upgrade that covers all of it is usually better than a load manager now and an upgrade later.
- The equipment is due anyway. A rusted meter can, weathered service cable, a fuse panel or a panel we recommend replacing. See EV charging in older Florida homes.
- You want full-rate charging at any hour. Load management trades some charging speed at busy times for avoiding the upgrade. Some households would rather not make that trade. EV load management vs a panel upgrade compares the two.
Sizing the new service
The new size comes from the same load calculation, run with the charger and anything else you expect to add. Common residential sizes are 150 and 200 amps. We size to the calculated load with a margin for what you have told us is coming, not to the largest service available. The utility's side also has limits, and it decides what it can supply at your address.
The sequence, step by step
1. Assessment and load calculation
We look at the existing service, meter base, panel and the route from the pole or transformer, and list the house's large loads. The calculation follows the 2020 NEC, Florida's current electrical code under the Florida Building Code 8th Edition (floridabuilding.org).
2. Design and equipment location
The new equipment may not go exactly where the old one was. The 2020 NEC requires one- and two-family homes to have an emergency disconnect at a readily accessible outdoor location (IAEI Magazine, residential changes for the 2020 NEC). On a replacement service we confirm how the building department applies it; it often means a meter-main combination outside. Clearances, the route of the service, and in flood-prone areas the height of the equipment all shape the design. Our storm readiness page covers the wider picture for storm and flood exposure.
3. Permit
Service work needs an electrical permit. In unincorporated Miami-Dade, the county states plainly that an electrical permit is required for electrical work (Miami-Dade electrical permits), and each Miami-Dade municipality has its own building official (Miami-Dade, how to apply for a permit). Broward and Palm Beach cities run their own building departments too. KRW pulls the permit. More in EV charger permits in South Florida.
4. Utility application and planning
For FPL customers, a service upgrade starts with an application through FPL's project portal, submitted early in the project, with project plans including electrical loads and panel detail and a construction schedule. FPL defines the scope, cost and schedule of its side, and reviews the request to decide whether its own equipment needs to be upgraded, replaced or added. If FPL's equipment does not need upgrading, the project may only need a service disconnect and reconnect while the electrician works (FPL Project Portal, project types).
Homestead and Lake Worth Beach operate their own electric utilities (City of Homestead, HPS Energy; Lake Worth Beach Electric Utilities), so homes they serve follow those utilities' processes. Ask how the utility serving your address handles upgrades before the work is scheduled.
5. The work day
The service is disconnected, the old equipment removed and the new meter base, service conductors, main and panel installed, with the existing circuits reconnected. FPL notes that upgrading its equipment requires a power outage while the new equipment is installed (FPL Project Portal).
6. Inspection and reconnection
The building department inspects before the power comes back. FPL states that an inspection is required for new electric service installations and when it disconnects service for an electrical contractor to work on your equipment (FPL Project Portal, how it works). After the inspection passes, the utility reconnects.
7. The charger
With the new service in, the EV circuit is often installed the same project, under the same or a separate permit depending on the building department. See EV charger installation.
Planning around the outage
- Ask for the work to start early in the day, before the house heats up. In a South Florida summer, a house without A/C warms quickly.
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed; stock a cooler if the outage may run long.
- If anyone depends on powered medical equipment, tell us early so the plan accounts for it.
- Know how to release your garage door manually.
- If you can choose, avoid scheduling during an active storm threat. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 (National Hurricane Center), and a storm can push scheduled utility work back.
What to ask your electrician
- What does the calculation show today and with the charger, and what size service do you recommend and why?
- Does the utility's side need an upgrade, or only a disconnect and reconnect?
- Where will the new equipment go, and will it include an outdoor emergency disconnect?
- Who applies to the utility, and who schedules the inspection?
- How long will the power be off on the work day?
- Is the EV circuit part of the same permit?
Questions homeowners ask
Does every panel upgrade involve FPL?
No. Replacing a panel at the same rating, or adding a subpanel, often stays on the house's side. Any job that needs the meter pulled or the service disconnected involves the utility, and a larger service needs its planning.
Do I have to contact FPL myself?
Usually the electrical contractor handles the paperwork with the utility, but as the account holder you may be asked to confirm details. Agree on who does what before the job starts.
Will my electric bill change with a bigger service?
A bigger service means the house can draw more power, not that it does. Your bill depends on how much energy you use and your rate plan. For charging at home, see FPL EV rates and off-peak charging.
Is 200 amps always the right size?
It is common, not automatic. The calculation, your plans and what the utility can supply decide it.
The rest of the series is in the Florida Home EV Charging Guide, and our panel upgrades for EV chargers page explains how we decide between an upgrade and load management. KRW Electric (EC13012832) handles service upgrades across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, including the permit and the inspection. Send us photos of your meter and panel or call (305) 359-7312.
Reviewed by Kyle White, KRW Electric Company LLC — licensed electrical contractor EC13012832.
