How much does landscape lighting cost in Virginia?

What you pay for landscape lighting in Virginia depends far more on the design than on the place: how many fixtures, what they are made of, how big a transformer they need, how much cable has to be buried, and whether an electrician must add an outdoor outlet first. Running the system costs little. The useful way to budget is to understand those drivers and get written quotes that price the same design.

What drives the installed price

Number and type of fixtures. Fixtures are usually the largest line on a quote. Path lights, spotlights, well lights and hardscape lights differ in price, and so do materials and warranties. Fixtures that take a replaceable bulb cost differently over time from integrated ones, where if the LED board fails, the whole fixture is replaced rather than a bulb.^[5]

The transformer. It is sized to the total fixture wattage plus headroom. VOLT advises staying at or below 80 percent of a transformer's rated capacity,^[5] so a design with many fixtures, or one you plan to add to, needs a bigger and more expensive unit. A smart transformer or app-controlled timer adds to the cost.

Cable and connections. Long runs need heavier cable, and heavier cable costs more per foot. The wiring layout matters too: eight fixtures on a daisy chain mean eight splices, while two hubs can serve the same eight fixtures with two,^[6] and fewer splices means less labor and fewer weak points.

Labor and digging. By Kichler's estimate, even a seasoned professional takes a full day or two to install a system, and a beginner could take up to a week.^[8] Professionals bring equipment such as a trencher to dig the 6-inch trench for the wires, and tools to get under sidewalks and patios.^[8] Rocky soil, mature beds, and runs under driveways or walks add hours. So does a design that needs testing and re-aiming at night.

The outdoor outlet. The transformer plugs into a GFCI-protected outdoor outlet. If there is not one in the right place, an electrician adds it, and that is the part of the job that brings a permit. See what a low-voltage system involves for how the parts fit together.

Permit costs

Under Virginia's Uniform Statewide Building Code, wiring and equipment that operates at less than 50 volts is exempt^[3] from permits, so the 12-volt side of the system usually adds no permit fee. The 120-volt outlet is different: the same section lists installations or alterations involving electric wiring among the work that needs a permit.^[3]

Fees are set by each county and city. As one example, Prince George County's fee schedule, effective July 1, 2021, lists a $100.00 minimum permit fee for residential renovations and repairs and charges the auxiliary permit at 1% of estimated cost,^[2] plus a Virginia state levy of 2% of the permit fee.^[2] Your own building department publishes its schedule, and the electrician normally pulls the permit and includes it in the quote.

What it costs to run

Virginia's average residential electricity price was 17.64 cents per kilowatt-hour in August 2026,^[1] according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a preliminary figure, up from 15.85 cents in August 2025.^[1] To estimate your own cost, multiply the system's total watts by the hours it runs, divide by 1,000 and multiply by your rate. For example, an LED system drawing 100 watts for six hours a night uses 18 kilowatt-hours over 30 days, roughly $3 at that average rate. Your utility bill shows your actual rate.

Older halogen systems use far more. VOLT's example is that a 30-watt halogen bulb can be replaced with a 5-watt LED,^[7] which VOLT counts as an 80% saving on that fixture, and it lightens the load on the transformer.

Ongoing costs

Lights need occasional attention: lamps fail, fixtures get knocked by mowers, plants grow over beams. Kichler encourages installers to offer a maintenance contract and walk the property once or twice a year to replace lamps that are out, clean dirty fixtures and re-aim lights.^[9] Ask whether a contract is offered and what a service visit costs outside one. Our answer on keeping landscape lights working through winter covers the seasonal checks.

What a written quote should show

A useful quote lists every fixture by model and location, the transformer wattage and controls, the cable gauge and footage, the connector or hub method, any boring under hardscape, the outdoor outlet and permit if needed, who requests the utility locate before digging, cleanup, and the warranty on fixtures and labor. DPOR, Virginia's licensing agency, advises homeowners to get at least three written bids based on the same specifications,^[4] notes that Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work,^[4] and suggests a deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less.^[4]

DPOR's guide says that if the work is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia contractor's licence is required for the category of work,^[4] Ask for the licence number and check it before you sign. The outlet work is done by an electrician.

When to call a licensed pro

Call a licensed electrician when the transformer needs a new outdoor outlet or circuit, when an existing outdoor outlet is not GFCI-protected or keeps tripping, or when you want 120-volt fixtures. Call a landscape lighting professional for design, fixture selection and installation of a full system, and check the licence of whoever you hire. Our answer on whether you need an electrician for landscape lighting explains who does which part.

You can also browse landscape lighting on Loclis, see what electricians charge per hour in Virginia, find electricians in Blacksburg, or read more electrical answers.

Describe your landscape lighting project and licensed local pros quote it.