How much does an electrician cost in Portugal?
Call-out fees, hourly rates, typical jobs, IVA and why you should always ask for a fatura with your NIF. Guide ranges, so a quote does not take you by surprise.
The short answer
Small electrical jobs, such as a new socket, a light fitting or finding why a breaker trips, are usually priced as a call-out plus time and parts.
Bigger jobs, such as a new fuse box, rewiring, an EV charger or solar panels, are priced by quote after a visit. Prices are higher in Lisbon, Cascais and the Algarve than in the interior, and higher again at night, at weekends and on public holidays.
How electricians charge
- Call-out or visit fee (deslocação): some electricians charge around €20 to €30 plus travel to come and quote. Some include it in small jobs; others charge it even if you decide not to go ahead.
- Hourly rate: published surveys put labour at roughly €10 to €40 an hour, with averages quoted between about €15 and €30.
- Urgent work: often €20 to €50 more, and sometimes up to double the normal rate.
- Fixed price: common for simple, well-described jobs, such as swapping a socket or fitting a light.
- Diagnosis first: for breakers that keep tripping or faults you cannot see, a paid visit to find the problem, then a quote for the repair.
- Parts and materials: charged on top, ideally listed separately in the quote.
Typical jobs, as guide ranges
Published price surveys for Portugal show figures in these ranges. Treat them as a sense check, not a price list.
- Replacing sockets and switches: around €50 to €300 for several, depending on how many.
- Fitting a light fitting: about €30 to €50 each.
- A check of the whole installation: about €70 to €100.
- A new fuse box (quadro elétrico): labour from about €70; around €250 for a new board fitted, more with extra circuits or surge protection.
- Rewiring an older home: from about €400 in labour; €10 to €15 per m² is also quoted.
- An intercom for a house: about €250.
- A home EV charger, supplied and fitted: about €800 to €2,000.
- Solar panels for a home (3 kWp): about €4,000 to €6,000; batteries add about €2,000 to €5,000.
IVA (VAT)
Prices are often quoted without IVA, so always ask. The standard rate is 23% on the mainland, 22% in Madeira and 16% in the Azores.
For repair, improvement and renovation work on a home, a reduced rate of 6% can apply to the work under a works contract (Lista I of the IVA code, verba 2.27) when the materials are no more than 20% of the total; otherwise the materials are taxed at the normal rate.
Solar panels and air conditioning went back to 23% on 1 July 2025. Whether a job qualifies is for the electrician and their accountant to confirm, so ask before you accept the quote.
Always ask for a fatura with your NIF
A registered electrician issues an invoice (fatura or fatura-recibo). Give your NIF (Portuguese tax number) so it carries your name.
It then shows up on the e-Fatura portal, it is your proof of what was done and paid if anything goes wrong, and your insurer or landlord will usually ask for it. Every electrician profile on electricians.pt shows whether the electrician issues invoices.
What a good quote says
- What is included, and what is not (parts, removing old fittings, making good walls after cables are run).
- Whether the price includes IVA, and at what rate.
- The call-out fee and whether it is deducted if you go ahead.
- Any paperwork included, such as the termo de responsabilidade for new work.
- When they can come, how long the work should take, and the guarantee on work and parts.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal to pay a call-out fee if I do not go ahead?
Yes, many electricians charge it, because they have travelled and looked at the problem. Ask before the visit, and check whether it is deducted from the job if you accept the quote.
Can I pay cash?
Yes, but ask for the fatura with your NIF anyway. MB WAY and bank transfer are also common and leave a record.
Why are emergency call-outs so expensive?
Night, weekend and holiday work means an electrician leaves another job or their family. Expect a higher call-out fee and hourly rate, and ask for the price before they set off.