Electrical permits and inspections

Most electrical work in Canada, beyond like-for-like replacement of small devices, needs a permit. The permit is usually taken out by the licensed electrical contractor doing the work, the work is inspected by the authority having jurisdiction before it is covered and again when it is finished, and new or upgraded services are not connected by the utility until the authority approves them. Who issues permits and exactly what needs one differs between provinces and sometimes between cities.

Permits can feel like paperwork, but they are the main way the system checks that electrical work is safe before people rely on it. They also protect owners: unpermitted work can cause trouble with insurance claims, building sales, occupancy approvals and future renovations, when inspectors may ask for walls and ceilings to be opened.

What usually needs a permit

• New services, service upgrades and changes to service equipment.
• New circuits, panels, feeders and transformers.
• Renovations and tenant fit-outs that add or move wiring.
• Generators, transfer switches, solar PV, energy storage and EV chargers.
• Fire alarm, emergency lighting and other life safety electrical work.
• Electrical work for new mechanical equipment, such as heat pumps and rooftop units.

Small like-for-like replacements, such as a receptacle or switch, may be exempt in some places. The exemptions are narrow and differ by province, so check before assuming.

Who issues permits

Each province sets up its own system. In Alberta, electrical permits are issued under the Safety Codes Act, by accredited municipalities or, where a municipality is not accredited, through the province's system. In British Columbia, Technical Safety BC issues most electrical permits, while some cities, such as Vancouver, run their own. In Ontario, the Electrical Safety Authority oversees electrical work, and contractors file a notification of the work with it. The details change from time to time, so confirm the current process with the authority where your building is.

Most provinces require the work, and the permit, to be handled by a licensed electrical contractor employing qualified electricians. Some provinces allow homeowners to take out a permit for certain work on their own single-family home, under conditions. That allowance does not extend to commercial, rental or multi-unit buildings.

How the process works

The steps are similar everywhere. The main variables are whether the project needs engineered drawings, which depends on its size and complexity and on local rules, and how many inspections the authority carries out.

Rough-in inspection

The rough-in inspection happens after boxes, raceways and cables are installed but before they are hidden behind drywall, ceilings or concrete. The inspector checks wiring methods, conductor sizes, box fill, support, bonding and the routes of cables. Covering work before this inspection is one of the most common and costly mistakes, because it may have to be opened again.

Final inspection

The final inspection checks the finished installation: devices, panels, labelling, protection, grounding and bonding, working clearances and equipment installation. For new or upgraded services, the authority's approval is what allows the utility to connect or reconnect power.

Deficiencies

If the inspector finds a problem, they issue a deficiency notice. The contractor corrects it and the authority re-inspects or accepts confirmation, depending on its process. Permits that are left open with unresolved deficiencies can cause trouble later, during a sale or an occupancy approval.

What inspectors commonly flag

• Missing or inadequate bonding of boxes, raceways and equipment.
• Panels with blocked working space, missing covers or filler plates, or incomplete directories.
• Boxes overfilled with conductors and splices.
• Cables not supported or protected where they pass through framing or exposed areas.
• Equipment without a recognised Canadian certification mark.
• Breakers that are not the type listed for the panel.
• Missing ground fault or arc fault protection where the code requires it.
• Disconnects missing or out of sight of the equipment they serve.

Most of these are easy to avoid when the contractor knows them, and expensive to fix once finishes are in. On larger projects, a review by the design engineer before the authority's inspection catches many of them early.

What owners should do

• Confirm in the contract that the electrical contractor will take out and close all required permits.
• Ask for the permit number and keep it with the project records.
• Ask early whether the project needs drawings sealed by a professional engineer.
• Make sure no work is covered before the rough-in inspection, and tell other trades.
• Get a copy of the final inspection or permit closure for your records.
• For tenant fit-outs, require the tenant's contractor to provide the same records.

A typical case: buying a building with unpermitted work

A buyer's due diligence on a small commercial building finds a newer sub-panel and a set of circuits in the basement with no permit record. The seller says a previous tenant had the work done. The options are to ask the seller to obtain a permit for the existing work, which usually means an inspection and possibly opening some finishes; to have the work assessed by an independent inspector and a licensed contractor, and price any corrections into the deal; or to require removal. Ignoring it risks problems with insurance and with the next renovation, when an inspector may ask about it. Whatever the choice, the buyer is better off knowing before closing.

How ehZee can help

We prepare drawings for permit, sealed by a licensed professional engineer where required, and support projects through inspection and close-out. Installation is done by licensed electrical contractors under permit. See our electrical design service, and read Canadian Electrical Code basics and occupancy permits vs building permits.

Common questions