Electrical
Book an independent local Pro for light fixtures, switches and outlets, ceiling fans, smoke detectors, EV chargers and electrical repairs.
Subcategories
Lighting & Fixtures
Install or replace ceiling lights, pendants and other indoor or outdoor light fixtures. Book an independent local Pro and compare profiles online.
Switches & Outlets
Replace worn, damaged or outdated switches, dimmers and outlets. Book an independent local Pro, compare profiles and book online.
Fans & Detectors
Install or replace ceiling fans and smoke or carbon monoxide detectors. Book an independent local Pro and compare profiles online.
EV Charger Installation
Install a home charger for your electric vehicle. Book an independent local Pro, compare profiles and availability, and book online.
Electrical Repair
Troubleshoot and fix minor household electrical problems, such as dead outlets or flickering lights. Book an independent local Pro online.
What electrical work covers
Electrical work is anything connected to your home's wiring, from the panel out to the lights, outlets and devices.
- A dated dining-room fixture, a pendant over an island or porch lights: light fixture installation
- A dimmer, a USB outlet or a switch that crackles: outlet and switch replacement
- A ceiling fan for a bedroom, or new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: ceiling fan and detector installation
- A Level 2 charger in the garage or driveway: EV charger installation
- A breaker that keeps tripping, or a room where half the outlets quit: electrical repair
Does an electrician need a license in Virginia?
Yes, for paid work. Electrical work done "for the general public for compensation" needs a DPOR tradesman license, at journeyman or master level, or supervision by someone who holds one (Va. Code § 54.1-1128, as of September 2026). A business that contracts a job worth more than $1,000 also needs a contractor license. Look the Pro up for free on DPOR's License Lookup. On One Stop Pros, that check is the customer's to make.
Permit or no permit?
Under Virginia's building code (as of September 2026):
- No permit for replacing a switch, dimmer, standard 15- or 20-amp outlet, light fixture or ceiling fan like for like, in a house or townhouse.
- Permit needed for a new circuit, a new outlet or fixture, or a fan that needs new wiring or a new box.
- EV chargers need an electrical permit when they go on a new circuit, and none when they plug into an existing outlet.
Your county's building department has the final word. Ask the Pro who will pull the permit.
How to prepare
- Know where your electrical panel is, and clear a path to it.
- Have the new fixture, fan or charger on site, with its box and instructions.
- For a charger, note where you park and roughly how far that is from the panel.
- Photograph the problem, and the panel's labels if you can.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A Pro who adds electrical work to their profile confirms they will take on only work they are legally authorized to do, and One Stop Pros records that statement without checking or certifying the license. Look the Pro up on DPOR's License Lookup, and ask for proof of insurance, before you book.
A hardwired alarm is connected to your home's wiring, so replacing or adding one is electrical work; a battery-only alarm isn't. Tell the Pro which type you have and whether your alarms are linked, so the new ones match.
Note which lights and outlets go dead and what was running when it tripped, then unplug what you can on that circuit. Don't keep resetting a breaker that trips again straight away, and stop using any outlet that is scorched, smells of burning or feels warm.
Mainly whether the job needs a new circuit or a permit, how easy it is to reach the wiring through finished walls or the attic, and the fixtures or parts involved. Ask the Pro how they price the job before work starts.