Wilmington DE electrical permit rules
Wilmington's Licenses & Inspections requires electrical permits for circuit additions, panel upgrades, service capacity changes, and new wiring runs. Apply at wilmingtonde.gov. Licensed Delaware electricians must perform permitted electrical work — verify licensing at dpr.delaware.gov. Delaware contractor licensing required for general contractors managing multi-trade projects. Call (302) 576-2420 with scope questions.
Delmarva Power is Wilmington's electric utility (1-800-375-7117 / delmarva.com). Despite not being a household name like Eversource or Dominion, Delmarva serves all of Wilmington and most of Delaware. Delmarva is an Exelon subsidiary — the same corporate family as ComEd in Chicago, BGE in Baltimore, and PECO in Philadelphia. For service-entrance work, panel upgrades, or solar interconnection, contact Delmarva in parallel with the city permit. Chesapeake Utilities handles natural gas (1-800-642-4422) — two separate utilities for projects touching both systems.
Wilmington's row house housing stock has a widespread 60–100A panel issue. Many row houses received mid-century electrical upgrades that brought them to 100A service — adequate for the 1960s but insufficient for EV chargers (7.2–11.5 kW), heat pump systems, and heat pump water heaters stacked together. A licensed DE electrician should assess panel capacity before adding high-load circuits. The Delaware Green Energy Program (administered through Delmarva Power and the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility) offers incentives for EV charger installations and efficiency upgrades — check current offerings at dnrec.delaware.gov or through Delmarva before finalising project scope.
Three Wilmington electrical scenarios
| Factor | What it means for your project |
|---|---|
| Licensed DE electrician | dpr.delaware.gov. Delaware contractor licensing for GC. |
| Delmarva Power (Exelon) | Wilmington's electric utility. 1-800-375-7117. Not a household name but the utility. |
| Row house panel capacity | 60–100A common. EV + heat pump stack often requires 200A upgrade. |
| Delaware Green Energy Program | EV charger, efficiency rebates. dnrec.delaware.gov. |
| Two separate utilities | Delmarva (electric) + Chesapeake Utilities (gas): 1-800-642-4422. |
Phone: (302) 576-2420 | wilmingtonde.gov
DE Contractor Licensing: dpr.delaware.gov
Delmarva Power (electric): 1-800-375-7117 | Chesapeake Utilities (gas): 1-800-642-4422
Common questions about Wilmington, DE electrical work permits
Who is the electric utility in Wilmington DE?
Delmarva Power — an Exelon subsidiary serving Delaware and parts of Maryland's Eastern Shore. Contact Delmarva at 1-800-375-7117 or delmarva.com for service-side coordination. Chesapeake Utilities (1-800-642-4422) handles natural gas separately. Delmarva is in the Exelon family alongside ComEd (Chicago), BGE (Baltimore), and PECO (Philadelphia).
Why do many Wilmington row houses have limited electrical panel capacity?
Wilmington's older row houses typically received their first modern electrical upgrades in the 1950s–1970s, when 100A service was considered adequate for residential use. Today's loads — EV chargers (7–11 kW), cold-climate heat pumps, heat pump water heaters — can quickly exceed 100A service capacity when stacked. A licensed DE electrician should assess panel capacity before adding any high-load circuits.
Information based on Wilmington, DE official sources and applicable state/local building codes as of April 2026. Codes and fees change — verify current requirements before starting work. For a project-specific report, use our permit research tool.