Key takeaways
- Tesla works with trained, independent Certified Installers to install its home energy and charging products, including Powerwall and the Wall Connector.
- You can find one by entering your ZIP code on Tesla's Certified Installer search page.
- In California, the installer must also hold an active CSLB contractor license for electrical work. Certification doesn't replace a license.
- Certified Installers have access to Tesla's installer tools for commissioning, which is where output settings, breaker size and warranty registration are set.
- CL Electric is a Tesla Certified Installer and a licensed C-10 electrical contractor (#1123510) serving San Diego and Orange County.
The short answer
A Tesla Certified Installer is an independent company that Tesla has trained and approved to install its home products, such as Powerwall 3 and the Wall Connector. Tesla points homeowners to Certified Installers when it isn't doing the installation itself. The certification tells you the installer knows Tesla's equipment and design requirements. It doesn't replace a state contractor's license, which you should verify separately.
What Certified Installers do
- Powerwall: Depending on your area, Tesla lets you buy and install through a Certified Installer, or order a system and use an installer for the installation only.
- Wall Connector: You can buy the charger from Tesla's shop and have a Certified Installer install it.
- System design: output settings and breaker sizing, the backfeed calculation, Gateway 3 or Backup Switch selection, and backup load planning.
- Commissioning: configuring the system in Tesla's installer app, registering the warranty and connecting the equipment to your Tesla app.
- Permits and utility paperwork: electrical permits and the SDG&E or SCE interconnection application for batteries.
Certified Installer vs licensed electrician
You want both. In California, battery and EV charger installations are electrical work that requires a contractor licensed by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). A C-10 electrical license covers panels, circuits, batteries and chargers. The best installs come from a company that holds both the Tesla certification and the electrical license, so the panel work, backup circuits and battery are all handled by one team, without handoffs.
How to verify an installer
| Check | How | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla certification | Tesla's Certified Installer search, by ZIP code | The company listed for your area and product |
| Contractor license | CSLB online license check | Active license, C-10 classification, bond and workers' comp on file |
| Scope in writing | The proposal | Equipment list, backup configuration, panel work, permit, utility interconnection and commissioning spelled out |
| Local experience | Ask | Experience with SDG&E interconnection, local permitting and power-shutoff backup |
Technical questions to ask before you sign
- What output setting and breaker size will the Powerwall use, and how does the design pass the NEC 705.12 busbar rule?
- Gateway 3 or Backup Switch, and why for my home?
- Whole-home or partial-home backup? Can the system start my A/C or well pump (nameplate LRA)?
- For a Wall Connector: what breaker size, wire gauge and route? Is power sharing planned for a second EV?
- Is the electrical work done by your own licensed team or subcontracted?
- Who do I call if something needs service after installation?
About CL Electric
CL Electric is a Tesla Certified Installer and a licensed California C-10 electrical contractor (CSLB #1123510) based in San Diego. We design, permit and install Powerwall 3 and the Tesla Universal Wall Connector across San Diego County and Orange County, along with the panel upgrades, solar and generator work that often go with them. CL Electric is an independent company, not part of Tesla. Tesla, Powerwall and Wall Connector are trademarks of Tesla, Inc.
Looking for a price?
Every installation depends on your panel, wiring route and equipment choices, so we don't publish prices. A licensed C-10 electrician will look at your home and give you a written estimate.
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