Short answer
When hiring an electrician in Massachusetts, ask for the license number and check it, confirm who will file the permit for work that needs one, and request proof of insurance sent directly from the insurer or agent. Then get the scope in writing, including what code updates are expected and how walls and finishes will be handled.
Start with the license, and check it yourself
Massachusetts licenses electricians, with separate licenses for journeymen and masters, and electrical work on a home is expected to be done by licensed people. Ask for the license number of the person who will be responsible for the job, and look it up through the state license lookup rather than relying on a photo or a number on a truck.
It is also fair to ask who will actually be on site. On many jobs a licensed master or journeyman leads the work with apprentices helping, which is normal. What you want to know is that a licensed electrician is responsible for the work and will be present to direct it, and that the person filing the permit is the person standing behind it.
- License number and the name it is issued to
- Which licensed electrician is responsible for your job
- Who will be on site on each day of the work
- A license lookup done by you, not a screenshot
Ask who files the permit and how inspection works
Panel replacements, service upgrades, new circuits, rewiring and generator installs are work that needs a permit. In Boston that goes through the city's electrical permit and inspection process at Inspectional Services, and other towns run their own wiring inspection. The electrician doing the work files the permit and schedules the inspection, so you should not be asked to pull it yourself.
Ask when the inspection happens and whether walls stay open until it does. On rewiring jobs the inspector often needs to see the work before insulation and drywall go back. A final inspection sign off is worth keeping with your house records, because buyers, insurers and future electricians will all ask about it.
Have a scope you want a second opinion on? Call and talk it through with us.
Call (617) 843-6591Proof of insurance should come from the source
Ask for a certificate of insurance showing general liability and, if the company has employees, workers compensation. The cleanest way to get it is directly from the insurance agent, with your name and address listed as the certificate holder. That way you know the policy is current and the coverage matches the business doing the work.
This protects you from two situations: damage to your house during the job, and an injury to a worker on your property. Neither is likely on a well run job, but both happen often enough that asking is routine. A contractor who does this kind of work regularly will not be surprised by the request.
Get the scope and the code items in writing
A good written scope says what will be installed, which circuits are affected, what the inspector is likely to require, and what is not included. Massachusetts enforces the 2023 National Electrical Code with state amendments in 527 CMR 12.00, so touching an old circuit can bring requirements for AFCI or GFCI protection, grounding or box fill that were not part of your original plan.
Ask how the electrician will handle surprises, such as knob and tube found behind a wall or a damaged service cable. The answer you want is that work stops, you hear what was found and what it means, and nothing beyond the agreed scope proceeds without your approval. Also ask how plaster, trim and finished surfaces will be opened and who patches them.
- Equipment and materials to be installed
- Circuits affected and code updates likely to be required
- Who patches walls and how much opening is expected
- How changes to the scope are approved before work proceeds
Questions that show how the job will really go
For a panel or service upgrade, ask whether a load calculation will be done and what it shows. For anything involving the utility, ask who coordinates the disconnect and reconnect. In Boston the utility is Eversource, while Danvers has its own municipal electric division with its own Electric Service Policy Handbook for new and upgraded services, so the steps differ by town.
Ask how long the power will be off, whether the house can stay occupied, and what the electrician needs from you on the day, such as clear access to the panel and the meter. Ask how the panel directory will be labeled at the end. These are practical details, and a clear answer to each is a good sign that the job has been thought through.
Comparing quotes fairly
Two quotes for the same job can look far apart because they cover different work. Line them up on scope before you compare anything else: same panel size, same number of circuits, same code updates, same wall repair. A quote that leaves out the permit or the likely code items is not cheaper, it is incomplete.
Pick the electrician whose explanation you understand and whose scope matches what your house actually needs. Clear answers about the license, the permit, insurance and the written scope tell you more than the bottom line does.
Be cautious with any quote that asks for the whole job paid before work starts, that skips the permit to save time, or that cannot say who will be on site. Also be wary of pressure to decide on the spot. A sound electrical job can wait a day while you read the scope, check the license and call the insurance agent listed on the certificate.
Where we can help
Questions readers ask
Yes. Massachusetts issues journeyman and master electrician licenses, and electrical work is expected to be done by licensed electricians. Ask for the license number and check it through the state license lookup.
Generally no. The licensed electrician doing the work files the permit and arranges the inspection. Being asked to pull it yourself is a reason to ask more questions about who is responsible for the work.
Ask for a certificate showing general liability, and workers compensation if the business has employees. Have it sent from the insurance agent with you named as certificate holder so you know it is current.
Ask the electrician to list them in the written scope. Massachusetts uses the 2023 National Electrical Code with state amendments, and touching older circuits often triggers AFCI, GFCI or grounding requirements.
Yes. Apprentices commonly work under a licensed electrician. What matters is that a licensed electrician is responsible for the job, directs the work and stands behind the permit and inspection.
Keep the written scope, the permit number, the final inspection sign off and a photo of the labeled panel directory. Buyers, insurers and future electricians will all find them useful.