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Generators and Transfer Switches in Massachusetts
After a few nor'easter outages, a lot of homeowners decide they want backup power that's wired in properly. Call (000) 000-0000 or use the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- Costs homeowners nothing
- Electrician license looked up first
- Standby and portable
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Backup power
Standby or portable
A standby generator sits outside on a pad, runs on natural gas or propane, and starts on its own when the power drops. It needs an electrician for the wiring and transfer switch, and a licensed gas installer for the fuel line.
A portable generator can still power the house safely if an electrician installs an inlet and a transfer switch (or another approved transfer setup), so you're not running extension cords through a window.
Either way, the transfer switch is the part that keeps generator power from feeding back onto the street. The state's uniform wiring permit form lists generators by size and type, so the electrical work is reported to your town's inspector of wires (permit application). Some towns also have zoning or noise rules about where a standby unit can sit; the town pages note any we've found.
Massachusetts rules and safety
Permits, the gas side, and carbon monoxide
Gas is a separate permit. Massachusetts requires a gas fitting permit before gas work is installed, altered, replaced or repaired, applied for in writing before work starts, and issues those permits only to properly licensed individuals (248 CMR 3.05). Your electrician will usually coordinate with whoever does the gas line.
Carbon monoxide. The state advises using generators outside because the exhaust contains carbon monoxide, keeping carbon monoxide detectors working, and following the manufacturer's instructions (power outage safety tips).
During an outage. Report it to National Grid at 1-800-465-1212 (National Grid contacts) or on its outage map. If you see a downed wire, stay at least 30 feet away, assume it's live and call 911 (National Grid power line safety).
Last verified November 2026. New England Electric Pros is a referral service. We don't sell or install generators, and we don't pull permits.
FAQ
Generator questions
Do you refer the gas hookup too?
No. We refer the electrical side: the generator wiring and the transfer switch. Connecting a generator to natural gas or propane is gas fitting, which needs its own permit, and Massachusetts issues gas fitting permits only to properly licensed individuals.
Why does the generator need a transfer switch?
A transfer switch is what lets a generator power the house without sending electricity back out onto the utility lines, where it can hurt line workers and neighbors. It's a job for a licensed electrician.
Does a generator install need a wiring permit?
For-hire electrical work has to be reported to your town's inspector of wires on the state permit form, which has an entry for generators. The electrician files it.
Where should a portable generator run?
Outside. The state warns that generator exhaust contains carbon monoxide, and advises keeping carbon monoxide detectors working and following the manufacturer's instructions.
What does it cost me to use New England Electric Pros?
Nothing. We don't charge homeowners for the request or the referral; the electrician prices the job.
Town guides
Local rules for generators by town
Each town page names its inspector of wires, how permits are filed there and what its housing stock means for the wiring. Towns with a local guide so far: Greater Lowell, MA (Lowell, Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Tewksbury and Westford). We add towns across New England as we can cover them properly.
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