An electrical contract is the agreement between a client and a licensed electrical contractor for one defined job: a panel upgrade, a kitchen rewire, an EV charger circuit, lighting for a new retail space. It pins down the scope, price, permits and inspections, and what happens when the walls are opened and the wiring isn’t what anyone expected. Our free electrical contract template is for homeowners, landlords and small businesses hiring an electrician, and for electricians who want a clean, fair form.
Hypothetically, think of a bakery owner in San Antonio who needs two new 240-volt circuits for a deck oven and a new subpanel, quoted at $6,800. A one-line quote that says “electrical for oven, $6,800” doesn’t say who pulls the permit, whether patching the drywall is included, or what happens if the service can’t handle the load. This template does.
Is this the right template for your job?
Use it when an electrical contractor is hired directly by the client for electrical work. If the electrician is working for a general contractor on a bigger project, the right document is a subcontractor agreement between the GC and the electrician. If electrical work is just one part of a remodel run by a general contractor, the client signs a construction contract with the GC. For small fixed-price calls like replacing a fixture, a signed quote is plenty.
What does the contract need to say about licensing?
It should name the license, the licensing agency and the license holder responsible for the job. Electrical licensing is set by states and sometimes cities. In Texas, for instance, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses electrical contractors and master electricians under the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act. New York City separately requires a Home Improvement Contractor license for residential home improvement work costing more than $200. Rules elsewhere differ, so check your state’s licensing board, and look the contractor up before you sign.
The template has spaces for the license number, the master or supervising electrician, and proof of insurance.
Permits and inspections: who handles them?
The contract should say who applies for the permit, who pays the fees, and that the work isn’t complete until it passes inspection. Typically the licensed contractor pulls the electrical permit, but your building department sets the rules. Our template makes the contractor responsible for permits and inspections by default, includes the fees in the price or lists them separately (your choice), and ties final payment to passing final inspection.
New York City’s consumer agency, as one example, says contractors must tell homeowners in writing, before the contract is signed, which permits the work needs. That’s good practice everywhere.
What does “code compliant” mean in a contract?
It means the work must meet the electrical code adopted where the property is, plus any local amendments. Texas, for instance, adopts the National Electrical Code as its state electrical code through TDLR; other states and cities set their own code and edition. The template doesn’t name an edition because it depends on your location and the date. It just requires compliance with the code in force where the work is done.
Code compliance applies to the new work. It doesn’t mean the contractor has to bring the whole building up to current code, and the template says so. If an inspector requires extra corrections to existing wiring, those go through a change order.
How are change orders and concealed conditions handled?
Electrical work is full of surprises: a panel with no space, aluminum branch wiring, a junction box buried behind plaster. The template treats these as concealed conditions. The contractor stops that part of the work, tells the client, and prices the fix. Nothing extra gets done or billed without a signed change order, except where there’s an immediate safety hazard, in which case the contractor may make it safe and tell the client right away.
Fixed price or time and materials?
Both work. Fixed price suits a well-defined job. Time and materials suits troubleshooting and old buildings, and it’s fairer with a not-to-exceed amount the contractor can’t pass without the client’s written approval. The template supports either.
How do you fill in an electrical contract and get it signed?
- Write the scope circuit by circuit, with fixture and device counts.
- List exclusions: drywall patching, painting, trenching, utility-side work.
- Pick fixed price or time and materials, and set the payment schedule.
- Fill in license and insurance details.
- Sign before any permit application or material order.
If the contract is sold and signed at the client’s home, the FTC cooling-off rule may give the client three business days to cancel a sale of $25 or more, and the contractor must provide the written cancellation notice. The template includes a line for this.
E-signing works for electrical contracts; see are electronic signatures legally binding. Download the template, fill in the blanks, and send it for e-signature with any tool you like. (We’re building SignWren for this; join the waitlist.)
This template and guide are general information, not legal advice. For a specific job or dispute, talk to a lawyer licensed where the property is.
Template from signwren.com. General information, not legal advice. Check your state's rules and adapt it before you use it.
ELECTRICAL SERVICES CONTRACT
This Electrical Services Contract ("Contract") is made on [date] between:
Client: [full legal name], of [mailing address] ("Client"), and
Electrical Contractor: [business legal name], of [address] ("Contractor").
Electrical contractor license no.: [number], issued by [agency and state]
Responsible master or supervising electrician: [name], license no. [number]
Job site: [street address, city, state, ZIP] (the "Property")
1. Scope of Work
Contractor will furnish labor, materials and equipment to perform the following electrical work (the "Work"):
| Item |
Description |
Quantity |
| [1] |
[e.g. install 100 A subpanel in garage, fed from main panel] |
[1] |
| [2] |
[e.g. new 240 V, 50 A circuit for oven] |
[2] |
| [3] |
[e.g. recessed LED fixtures, kitchen] |
[8] |
| [4] |
[other] |
[qty] |
Drawings or specifications, if any: [list, or "none"].
2. Exclusions
The Work does not include (tick all that apply):
☐ Patching, texturing or painting walls and ceilings opened for the Work
☐ Trenching, boring or lawn and garden repair
☐ Work on the utility's side of the meter, or utility fees
☐ Low-voltage, data, security or audio systems
☐ Correction of existing wiring not part of the Work, unless added by change order
☐ Other: [describe]
3. Licenses and Insurance
Contractor states that it holds the license(s) listed above, that they are current, and that the Work will be performed or supervised by properly licensed personnel as required where the Property is located. Contractor carries general liability insurance of at least [$ amount] per occurrence and workers' compensation as required by law, and will give Client certificates on request before work starts.
4. Permits and Inspections
☐ Contractor will apply for all electrical permits required for the Work and schedule all required inspections.
☐ Client will obtain the following permits: [list].
Permit and inspection fees are ☐ included in the price ☐ billed at cost, estimated at [$ amount]. The Work is not complete until it passes final inspection. If an inspection fails because of Contractor's work, Contractor will correct it at no extra charge. Client will give inspectors reasonable access.
5. Code Compliance
Contractor will perform the Work in line with the electrical code and local amendments in force where the Property is located, the permit conditions, and manufacturer installation instructions. This Contract does not require Contractor to bring existing wiring or equipment outside the Work up to current code. If an inspector requires corrections to existing conditions, that work will be handled as a change order under Section 10.
6. Materials and Fixtures
☐ Contractor supplies all materials and fixtures, of the types listed in Section 1 or of equal quality.
☐ Client supplies the following fixtures or devices: [list]. Contractor installs them but is not responsible for defects in Client-supplied items, and extra trips caused by missing or wrong items are billed at [$ amount] per trip.
7. Price
Choose one:
☐ Fixed price. Client will pay [$ amount] for the Work.
☐ Time and materials. Client will pay labor at [$ amount] per hour for a licensed electrician and [$ amount] per hour for an apprentice or helper, plus materials at cost plus [percentage]%. The total will not exceed [$ amount] without Client's written approval.
8. Payment Schedule
| Payment |
When due |
Amount |
| Deposit |
At signing |
[$ amount] (not more than any limit set by state or local law) |
| Progress payment |
[e.g. after rough-in inspection passes] |
[$ amount] |
| Final payment |
After final inspection passes and Work is complete |
[$ amount] |
Invoices are due within [number] days. Late payments may be charged [percentage]% per month, if permitted by law.
9. Schedule and Access
Contractor will start the Work on or about [date] and expects to complete it in about [number] working days, subject to permit and inspection timing, utility scheduling, and material availability. Client will provide access to the Property during [hours], clear work areas, and provide power where needed. Contractor will tell Client in advance of any planned power shutoff.
10. Concealed Conditions and Change Orders
If Contractor finds conditions that could not reasonably be seen before work started (for example, damaged or undersized wiring, an overloaded panel, or hidden framing obstacles), Contractor will stop the affected part of the Work and tell Client, with a description and a price for the extra work.
No extra work will be performed or billed unless both parties sign a written change order stating the change, the price and any change to the schedule. If a condition is an immediate safety hazard, Contractor may make it safe without a change order, tell Client right away, and bill the reasonable cost of making it safe.
11. Utility Coordination
If the Work needs a service upgrade, meter change or utility disconnect, ☐ Contractor ☐ Client will coordinate with the utility. Delays caused by the utility are not Contractor's fault.
12. Site Safety and Cleanup
Contractor will follow applicable safety rules, lock out circuits it works on, and keep the work area safe. At the end of each day and at completion, Contractor will remove its debris and leave work areas broom clean.
13. Warranty
Contractor warrants its workmanship for [number] months after completion. If a defect in workmanship appears during that time, Contractor will correct it at no charge after Client gives written notice. Materials and fixtures carry the manufacturer's warranty, which Contractor will pass to Client. This warranty does not cover damage from misuse, alterations by others, power surges, or lightning.
14. Termination
Either party may terminate this Contract by written notice if the other materially breaches it and does not cure within [number] days after written notice. If the Contract ends early, Client will pay for Work performed and materials ordered up to that date, and Contractor will leave the electrical system in a safe condition.
15. Right to Cancel (home sales)
If this Contract is signed at Client's home and the FTC Cooling-Off Rule or a state home solicitation law applies, Contractor will give Client the required notice of cancellation, and Client may cancel within the time that law allows.
16. General Terms
Independent contractor. Contractor is an independent contractor and controls how the Work is done.
Notices. Notices must be in writing and delivered by hand, email or mail to the addresses above.
Entire agreement. This Contract and any change orders are the entire agreement about the Work.
Amendments. Changes must be in writing and signed by both parties.
Governing law. The laws of the State of [State] govern this Contract.
Severability. If any part is found unenforceable, the rest stays in effect.
Counterparts and electronic signatures. The parties agree this agreement may be signed electronically and in counterparts, and an electronic signature has the same effect as a handwritten one.
Signatures
Client
Signature: ______________________________
Name: [full name]
Date: [date]
Electrical Contractor
Signature: ______________________________
Name: [full name]
Date: [date]