Outdoor Electrical Installation Guide: Outlets, Lighting, and Subpanels

Outdoor electrical work opens up your yard, patio, and garage for practical use—power for tools, lighting for security and ambiance, and circuits for outdoor kitchens or workshops. It all requires a licensed electrician because it involves running circuits from your panel to outdoor locations, and all of it is subject to weatherproofing and code requirements.

Outdoor Electrical Costs at a Glance

Project	Typical Cost
Single outdoor GFCI outlet	$200-$450
Two or three outdoor outlets (one job)	$300-$700
Low-voltage landscape lighting (per fixture)	$50-$150 installed
Line-voltage security or area lighting	$200-$600 per fixture
Outdoor circuit for a patio kitchen	$400-$1,200
Outdoor subpanel (for a workshop or garage)	$1,000-$3,500
Underground circuit (per linear foot)	$8-$20
Covered deck or pergola electrical rough-in	$800-$2,500

Outdoor Outlets

Every outdoor outlet must be GFCI-protected and installed in a weatherproof enclosure with an in-use cover (the kind that keeps the cover closed even when a cord is plugged in). Standard weatherproof covers are only adequate when nothing is plugged in.

Where to add outdoor outlets:

• Front and rear of house at minimum for general use
• Near the garage or driveway for EV chargers or power tools
• On a deck or patio for string lights, grills, or appliances
• Near a water feature or pool (must be installed by a licensed electrician—these have specific clearance and GFCI requirements)

A licensed electrician will run the circuit from your panel, bury conduit if needed, and install the outlet box with proper weatherproofing. Expect the job to take 2-4 hours for a single outlet and a full day for multiple circuits.

Outdoor Lighting

Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting

Low-voltage (12V) landscape lighting runs off a transformer plugged into a standard outdoor outlet. It is relatively inexpensive to install and can often be done as a DIY project because it does not involve line-voltage wiring. An electrician or landscape contractor installs the transformer, and you run the low-voltage wire to fixtures.

Cost: $50-$150 per fixture installed, including transformer and wiring.

Line-Voltage Outdoor Lighting

Floodlights, security lights, garage lights, and soffit lighting typically run on 120V and must be wired by a licensed electrician. These lights are brighter, more reliable, and often integrated with motion sensors and smart home systems.

Cost: $200-$600 per fixture, depending on location and wiring distance.

Under-Eave and Soffit Lighting

Recessed fixtures mounted under the eaves or soffit give homes a clean, finished look and provide security lighting. Electricians typically wire these during new construction or addition projects, but they can be retrofitted. Each fixture requires a junction box in the eave and a wired connection back to the panel or a junction point.

Post Lights and Pillar Lights

Driveway or pathway post lights require underground conduit run from the house. Trench depth for buried conduit varies by conduit type: PVC requires 18 inches of cover, armored cable (UF-B) requires 12-24 inches depending on circuit type, and rigid metal conduit requires 6 inches. Always check local code—some municipalities require more depth.

Underground Wiring

Running power to a detached garage, workshop, shed, or a lighting circuit at the far end of your property requires underground wiring. Options:

PVC conduit: The most common approach. Electrician trenches to the required depth (typically 18-24 inches), lays rigid or flexible PVC conduit, and pulls wire through it. More expensive but allows future wire upgrades without re-trenching.

Direct burial cable (UF-B): Wire rated for direct burial can be laid in the trench without conduit. Less expensive but the wire cannot be replaced without digging.

Cost: $8-$20 per linear foot, including trenching, conduit, and wire.

Outdoor Subpanels

If you are powering a detached garage, workshop, barn, or outdoor kitchen that will draw significant power (several circuits), a subpanel makes sense. The electrician runs a large-gauge feeder from your main panel to the detached structure and installs a subpanel there.

Typical subpanel sizes for detached structures:

• 60A: Workshop with a table saw, lighting, and outlets
• 100A: Garage with EV charger, welder, compressor, and lighting
• 200A: Barn or large structure with heavy equipment

Cost: $1,000-$3,500 depending on distance and amperage.

A detached structure requires its own grounding electrode system (ground rods) in addition to the grounding conductor from the main panel.

Code and Permit Requirements

All outdoor electrical work requires a permit in virtually every jurisdiction. Key code requirements:

• All outdoor outlets must be GFCI-protected
• Outdoor outlets must have in-use weatherproof covers
• Underground wiring must be at required burial depth
• All junction boxes must be accessible (not buried)
• Detached structures need their own grounding system

Your electrician will handle permits and schedule inspections.

FAQ

Can I run an extension cord instead of adding an outdoor outlet?

Extension cords are for temporary use only. Permanently running an extension cord outdoors is a fire and shock hazard and a code violation. If you need power somewhere outdoors regularly, add a proper outlet.

How deep do outdoor wires need to be buried?

Minimum burial depth depends on the wiring method: direct burial cable (UF-B) requires 12-24 inches, PVC conduit requires 18 inches, and rigid metal conduit requires 6 inches. Many electricians use PVC conduit to 18 inches as a standard approach.

Do outdoor lights need their own circuit?

Not necessarily. Outdoor lights can share a circuit with outdoor outlets in many cases. Dedicated circuits are warranted for high-draw lighting (like security floods on motion sensors) or when the existing circuit is at capacity.

What is the best outdoor outlet location?

On most homes: one outlet on the front and one on the back at minimum, at least 18 inches above grade, and within 20 feet of any point along the house perimeter (per code for new construction). Adding outlets on the deck, near the driveway, and at any outbuilding greatly expands your usable outdoor space.

Can smart switches or smart plugs work outdoors?

Yes. There are smart outlets and smart plugs rated for outdoor use. They work well for controlling holiday lights, fountains, or string lights on a schedule. Your electrician can install an outdoor smart outlet directly, or you can use a weatherproof smart plug in an existing outdoor outlet.