Circuit Breaker Replacement Cost: Single Breakers to Full Panels
Replacing a single standard circuit breaker typically costs $150 – $300 installed, while AFCI or GFCI breakers run $200 – $400 because the breaker itself is far pricier. Adding a brand-new breaker and circuit is a bigger job at $250 – $900, depending on the wiring run. Here is the breakdown by breaker type and job.
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| Breaker type | Installed range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard single-pole breaker | $150 – $250 | 15A or 20A, 120V circuit |
| Standard double-pole breaker | $175 – $300 | 240V: dryer, range, AC |
| GFCI breaker | $200 – $350 | Ground-fault protection at the panel |
| AFCI breaker | $200 – $400 | Arc-fault, now code for living areas |
| Dual-function (AFCI/GFCI) | $250 – $400 | Combines both protections |
| Obsolete-brand breaker | $250 – $500 | FPE, Zinsco, Pushmatic: scarce parts |
| Scope | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Add a breaker to an open slot | $150 – $300 | Breaker plus a short circuit run |
| New 120V circuit, short run | $250 – $600 | One new outlet or light circuit |
| New 240V circuit (dryer, EV) | $400 – $900 | Heavier wire, longer run |
| Add a subpanel for more slots | $700 – $2,000 | When the main panel is full |
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Why the breaker type drives the price
The labor to swap a breaker is roughly the same no matter which breaker it is: shut the power, pull the old one, snap in the new one, and test. What changes the bill is the part. A standard breaker is $5 – $15 at the supply house, so a $150 – $250 job is almost all labor and trip charge. A GFCI or AFCI breaker is $40 – $90, which is why those land at $200 – $400.
The outliers are obsolete brands. A breaker for a Federal Pacific, Zinsco, or Pushmatic panel is scarce, sometimes only available used or as a refurbished part, and can run $40 – $120 for the breaker alone. That is one reason electricians often recommend a full Federal Pacific panel replacement on those brands rather than chasing replacement breakers.
Replacing a breaker vs adding a new circuit
Replacing an existing breaker reuses the wire already in the panel, so it is a quick job. Adding a new circuit means running new cable from the panel to wherever the new outlet, appliance, or light lives, then landing a fresh breaker. The wire run is the variable: a new circuit to a wall on the other side of an unfinished basement is cheap, while a run that fishes through finished walls and floors costs far more in labor.
A 120-volt circuit (a new outlet, a dedicated kitchen circuit) typically runs $250 – $600. A 240-volt circuit for a dryer, electric range, or EV charger uses heavier cable and a double-pole breaker, landing at $400 – $900 for a reasonable run. If the panel has no open slots, you either add a tandem breaker where allowed or install a subpanel, which changes the math.
When a tripping breaker means replacement
A breaker that trips is usually doing its job: something on the circuit is drawing too much current, or there is a fault. Replacing the breaker does not fix an overloaded circuit or a short, and swapping in a higher-amp breaker to stop the tripping is dangerous because it lets the wire overheat. When a breaker keeps tripping, the fix is to find the load or fault first.
A breaker itself can fail, though. Signs the breaker (not the circuit) is the problem include a breaker that feels hot, will not reset, trips with nothing plugged in, or buzzes. Those warrant replacement at $150 – $300. If several breakers in the same panel act up, the issue may be the panel or its bus, which moves the job toward a full panel replacement.
AFCI and GFCI: why code keeps adding them
Arc-fault (AFCI) breakers detect the erratic current signature of a dangerous arc, the kind that starts fires inside walls, and they now cover most living-area circuits under current code. Ground-fault (GFCI) breakers cut power when current leaks to ground, the shock hazard in kitchens, baths, garages, and outdoors. Many circuits now need both, which is what dual-function breakers provide.
When you replace a breaker on a circuit that code now requires to be protected, the inspector expects the protective type, not a plain breaker. That is why a "simple" breaker swap during permitted work sometimes comes back as an AFCI or dual-function breaker at $200 – $400. It is not an upsell; it is the code-compliant part for that circuit.
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