Frequently Asked Questions

Things such as flickering lights, frequently tripped circuits and outdated equipment indicate that your home’s electrical panel may be due for an upgrade. If you plan to add additional load to your home’s electrical system, such as an electric vehicle charger, you will need an electrical panel of at least 200 amps. Homes with an existing main panel less than 200 amps qualify for the Charge Ready Home rebate if the household meets the income-based or geographic-based rebate eligibility requirements. If you're uncertain of how to assess your home’s electrical panel, consult a qualified electrician for an assessment. Upgrading your panel ensures safety and meets increased power demands.

Tenants are eligible for receiving a Charge Ready Home rebate if they provide written approval for electrical panel upgrade work from the property owner.

To obtain precise details, it's essential to consult with an electrical contractor. However, as a baseline, to receive the rebate, the program requires that you install a minimum of a 200-amp panel and include a dedicated 240-volt outlet within 25 feet of an off-street parking location, like a garage, carport or driveway. 

The time it takes to upgrade an electric panel varies based on factors like the complexity of the project and the electrician's efficiency. On average, a panel upgrade typically takes 6‒8 hours. However, it's best to consult with a licensed electrician for a precise estimate tailored to your specific circumstances. 

Consult with your selected contractor to better understand what is required during the panel upgrade work.  

Level 2 charging is installed on a 240-volt circuit (compared to a standard 120-volt household outlet). It's faster than charging from a regular household outlet, and it provides around 10-20 miles of range per hour. 

Charge Ready Home rebate requires participants plan to install L2 charging within 180 days of upgrading a home’s electrical panel. 

You may qualify for one of two rebate levels: income-qualified or geographic-based. To be eligible for the income-qualified rebate, your total household income must be less than 80% of the area median income or you must actively participate in a qualified public assistance program. To be eligible for the geographic-based rebate, you must reside in a disadvantaged community (DAC) per CalEnviroScreen 4.0. 

Please see the “Which Rebate do I Qualify for” section on our “Residents” page. You can check your eligibility through a ZIP code lookup tool.

We’ve made the process of finding an electrical contractor to upgrade your electrical panel easy with our Contractor Directory by entering your city, county and ZIP code.   

When selecting an electrical contractor, make sure they hold an active Contractors State License Board (CSLB) C-10 or General B license and have a general liability insurance policy. Appendix A and Appendix B of the Implementation Manual include tips and guidance on how to select a contractor. 

The Contractor Network is a list of eligible Charge Ready Home contractors who have provided information such as their CSLB license information, counties served and services provided. Contractors in the network are required to complete a mandatory annual training about the Charge Ready Home program, eligibility requirements and application processes. 

Inclusion in the Contractor Network means the contractor has met the minimum requirements necessary to participate in Charge Ready Home. The program in no way endorses or guarantees any contractor or their work.

No. You are not required to work with an in-network contractor to receive a rebate through the Charge Ready Home program. However, the application process does differ slightly.  

If you work with a contractor in-network, you will follow the Direct Participation Application Process. After you apply through the program database, you will receive an application ID that you will provide to the in-network contractor. From there, the contractor will claim your project and manage the rebate on your behalf.  

If you work with a contractor that is not part of the Charge Ready Home Contractor Network, you are responsible for managing your rebate and you will follow the Customer-Managed Application Process.

Find more details on each process in Section 5 of the Implementation Manual.

On average, panel upgrades cost about $4,200. The income-qualified rebate level was set to cover up to 100% of the electric panel upgrade costs. The rebate may be adjusted during the life of Charge Ready Home to account for changes in average panel upgrade costs to ensure the rebates provide the target coverage for residents – 50% for geographic-based (DAC) rebate and 100% for income-qualified rebate.  

Amp stands for ampere and is the unit of measurement for electric current. It quantifies the flow of electric charge in a circuit, representing how many electrons pass through a point in one second. 

The documents you provide will depend on the rebate (income or geographic) you qualify for. A list of all required documentation is on the “Required Documentation” section of the “How to Apply” page.  

You can apply for the rebate by creating a Charge Ready Home account, filling out the application form and providing the required documentation. Find more details on the “How to Apply” page. 

You can still apply for the rebate if you upgraded your home’s electrical panel within the last six months. 

It’s easy to join the Charge Ready Home program as an eligible contractor. You just need to meet the following requirements: 

• Hold an active CSLB C-10 license. 
• Have a general liability insurance policy. 
• Submit a pre-enrollment form. 
• Attend an annual online training to confirm understanding of the application process, required documentation and eligibility requirements.  
• Submit a minimum of three prior customer paid invoices in the past 18 months for 200-amp panel upgrades including line item and unit pricing for equipment, labor and wire length runs. 

To learn more, visit the Charge Ready Home Contractor's page.

Charge Ready Home is limited to single-family residences. This includes both detached single-family homes and attached single family homes. The property must have its own unique electric panel and not share an electric meter with other residences.