Whole-house generators: cost, permits and safe hookup
Published national ranges for an installed standby generator, permit fee examples, and the safety rules for connecting any generator to a home.
On this page: 3 sections
These are published national ranges from cost guides.
What a standby generator costs
| Job | Published range |
|---|---|
| A whole-house standby generator, installed | $6,000 to $11,000 for a typical 13 to 20 kW unit; about $20,000 or more for large units or long gas and wire runs1-2 |
We don't list a range for an installed transfer switch or interlock for a portable generator, since there aren't enough published figures.
Permits
Your state's rules page on this site says whether the state requires a permit for a generator. Fees are set locally: Bridgewater, Massachusetts charges $125,3 San Diego charges $176.57,4 and Riverside, California prices by size, $24 for 3 to 50 kW plus a $41 issuance fee.5
Pick your state's rules page
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Connecting a generator safely
Never run a portable generator indoors or in a garage, even with the door open. Its carbon monoxide can kill.6 Connect a generator to your home only through a transfer switch an electrician installs, because plugging it into an outlet can send power back into the lines and electrocute utility workers.6-7
We found no federal tax credit for a home generator.
The figures are published national ranges, not quotes, and local prices vary. For prices for your own job, get quotes from electricians near you.
Ranges compiled from HomeGuide and Fixr, with city fee schedules, OSHA and CPSC, checked October 2026.
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Sources (7)
- HomeGuide: whole house generator cost ↑
- Fixr: whole house generator cost ↑
- Town of Bridgewater: Residential Electrical Permit Fees ↑
- City of San Diego: Information Bulletin 103 ↑
- City of Riverside: Schedule of Fees and Charges FY 2026/27 ↑
- CPSC: Portable generator safety alert ↑
- OSHA: Using Portable Generators Safely ↑