How Much Does an RV Electrical Hookup Cost?

Common Range: $525 – $1,285, Installed

National Average: $860

Updated: November 20, 2023. Written by: Steve Hansen and: Santella Electric

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Cost Range for an RV Power Hookup

The cost range you’ll pay for an electrical hookup for your RV is between $525 – $1,285. The exact cost will depend on how much of the physical labor you’re willing to do and whether you install a new panel for the RV. Setting a treated post and digging the trench takes hard work, but DIY is a good way to reduce the cost of this popular outdoor project. Of course, if your RV is parked close enough to your home or garage, digging may not be required at all.

If you hire all the work done, expect estimates in the range of $600 to $1,200 or more. Doing what you can yourself and hiring a licensed electrician for the dangerous work will cut your cost by more than half.

Average Cost

Average Do It Yourself Cost
$250 – $350
Average Contractor Installed Cost
$525 – $1,285
Typical Cost Average
$860

rv travel trailer with electricity running at night

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Overview of RV Electrical Hookup

You can enjoy the benefits of owning an RV at home by installing an electrical hookup next to your driveway, dedicated concrete RV pad, a concrete patio or on grass in your yard.  If you own vacant property with power on it, the hookup will allow you to maximize your enjoyment of the land and RV.

Wherever you locate the electric hookup, it will allow you to keep the recreational vehicle ready to travel at any time and also provide extra living space for guests and a place to unwind. In some cases, if you have an EV, you can combine the use of an electric car charging station with the RV as long as it’s conveniently located.

Installing an RV electrical hookup requires a few simple steps. Most homeowners hire an electrician to hook up the wires to the power source.  Here are the steps that are needed to successfully install an RV electrical hookup:

Note: If your home is located close to where the RV power outlet needs to be, skip steps 1 & 2, and just call an electrician. They can mount the 30-amp or 50-amp outlet box directly to the outside of your home or garage.

  1. Use a 4×4 or 6×6 pressure treated post to place your electrical box for the hookup.  Dig an 8×8 hole, sink the pole at least 2 feet into the ground and use concrete to set it in place.
  2. Dig a trench below the frost line – about 30 inches down in northern climates – from the junction box on the pole to where your breaker box is located at your home or the electrical installed at the property by the power company.
  3. Hire an electrician to hook up the wires and install a new circuit breaker and proper outlets needed to power your RV.
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30amp 50amp rv electric boxes

RV Electric Outlet Cost Factors

These factors will allow you to better estimate the cost of an RV electrical hookup at your home.

  • Where the Outside RV Outlet is Located for Mounting – If you need power to come up out of your yard in a space dedicated to the RV, expect it to cost a bit more due to running the line underground, installing a pole to mount the box, etc. Otherwise, it cost less to mount the outlet directly to the exterior wall of the home or garage. And if you need stump removal or tree removal for the location, these are extra costs.
  • Who Installs the RV Electrical Hookup – Since you are dealing with electricity and incorrectly hooking up any sort of electrical lines can cause injury, hiring an electrician to do the job is a good idea.  However, if you are capable, you can save $300 or more by doing the job yourself.
  • What Type of Electrical Hookup is Installed – You will have two choices when deciding what type of hookup you install, 30 Amp and 50 Amp.  30 Amp – This type of outlet has three prongs, a 120 volt hot wire, a neutral wire, and a ground wire.  30 amps are usually used on smaller RVs with a lower load requirement. 50 Amp – This plug/outlet has four prongs, two 120 hot wires, a neutral and ground wire, which supplies two 120 volt feeds.  This type of plug/outlet is used on large RVs.
  • Where you Live – The going rate to hire an electrician is the only major variable that will affect the cost. Electrical contractors can charge as low $50 an hour all the way up to over $200 per hour.  It all depends on the supply and demand and the cost of living in your area.

Cost of Supplies to Install an RV Power Plug

Here’s what you’re looking at for the supplies needed to complete this job.

  • $2 – $4 per foot | Electrical Wire – Depending on what amperes (30 or 50 amp) your RV requires, you will need to purchase the proper wire to go from your RV hookup to the circuit breaker box at your home.
  • $15 – $50 | Mounting Post – A 8-foot 4×4 pressure treated post sunk into the ground should be sufficient for the electrical box to attach to, but many people choose to use a beefier 6×6 post. Another option is to use a 10-foot or 12-foot post and include a light on the top.  Setting the post with concrete is the best option in most soil conditions.
  • $60 – $80 | Electrical Box – This box is where you will plug in your RV to the power source that is run from your home.
  • $10 – $40 | Circuit Breaker – When installing an electrical hookup for your RV you will most likely need to add another circuit breaker in the electrical box within your home.  Depending on the brand, the price can vary greatly.
  • $8 – $24 per Square Foot | Cost to Add a Pad to or Extend a Concrete Driveway or Asphalt Driveway.

Example Project Costs

All these samples showing the cost of an RV electrical hookup at home include a the materials listed above – a treated post, outdoor/weatherproof 50-amp outlets, a post and wiring, possibly in an underground conduit.

The cost to run a line from an existing electrical panel to an outdoor hookup is $200 to $750.

The cost to add a dedicated circuit to a panel and install a hookup is $355 to $925.

The cost to add a new electrical panel and electrical hookup is $615 to $1,285.

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Permits, Inspection, Related Costs and Installation Time

Permits and Inspection Cost

  • $0 – $200 |  The need to obtain a permit to install an electrical hookup for your RV depends on where you live and the local codes and building requirements in your area.  Check with your local city or county offices to see what permits may be needed.

Related Costs and Installation Time

Most posts on this topic give a price right around $1,200 for this project. RV Share – $1,200. Crow Survival – $1,200. Bayside RV – $1,200. We’re not sure they’re doing independent research.

Based on our experience of hiring a handyman for the dirty work and a licensed electrician for the circuit and connection, we are sure it can be done for less than $1,000 in most cases.

One cost that you can eliminate is the need to rent a trencher for the electrical wires.  Renting a trencher will cost around $150 – $300 for a half day rental.  With a shovel and some hard work, you can save yourself that money by hand digging the trench.

The amount of time that it will take for a licensed electrician to install the wiring, electrical box, and circuit breaker would be an estimated half day of work.  Figuring that electricians can charge between $75 – $150 per hour, hiring an electrician to install the electrical for an RV hookup will cost $300 – $600 or more for just the labor.

Costs of Related Projects

Here are projects that homeowners either must do to complete this job or do in conjunction with it to maximize their enjoyment of having an electrical hookup for their RV at their home or on vacant property they own.

  • New Electrical Circuit Breaker – If you have a 200 amp panel, there is likely room for at least one more circuit. Another option is to add a new, smaller panel for the RV and related use.
  • Concrete Patio – Make the most of your setting with a patio, chairs, a table and other amenities for enjoying the great outdoors. Concrete is affordable at about $9.00 per square foot – or you could boost the look with stamped concrete or pavers.  If the budget is tight, a gravel patio is a cost-effective option.
  • EV Charging StationHaving a convenient place to recharge your electric car is a must for homeowners that rely on the EV as a mode of daily transportation. You can have an EV charging station installed by a licensed electrician for around $2,200 on average.
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Adding an electrical hookup at home for your RV is not a hard project, but does require inspection. Browse other electrical and RV related projects you may consider for your home project.


Pro Contributor, Santella Electric

santella electric contractorSantella Electric is a licensed electrical service and repair company servicing Fairfield County, CT. We have over 55 years. Our electrical technicians are highly skilled and go above and beyond to ensure the highest level of service for every customer.

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DIY or Hire a Pro?

You can tackle parts or all of this project depending on your comfort level with basic electrical work.

Setting the post is hard work but not complicated; ditto for trenching the power line. In fact, if you enjoy DIY, then you can likely do almost all the job short of installing the electrical circuit in the panel, if needed, and connecting the wiring to it. If that’s a skill you’re comfortable with, you probably aren’t reading our DIY vs Pro advice – you’re just doing it.

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Reviewed and edited by Steve Hansen of Costimates

steve hansen of costimates-sm Steve Hansen, that's me, the Senior Editor of Costimates. (Learn more about myself and our team) I'm an avid home improvement professional with more than 37 years experience working on all types of residential new home building, upfits, repairs and remodeling.

"Like most homeowners, I was frustrated with the lack of quality information available on specific home improvement repairs and renovations. In 2015, Costimates was formed to help homeowners learn as much as possible about various projects and their costs so they could make better financial decisions."