Ontario renovation paperwork has two words that sound interchangeable and are not: building permit and electrical notification. The municipality handles the Building Code. The Electrical Safety Authority handles the Ontario Electrical Safety Code. ESA says you may need both, because a building permit does not cover electrical work. Two clipboards, two jobs.
What an ESA notification actually does
ESA calls the filing a notification of work, though people commonly call it an electrical permit. It creates a permanent record and starts ESA's risk-based review process. Depending on the project, review may include one or more site inspections or another authorized review method. The goal is compliance with the electrical code, not decorative paperwork for the kitchen drawer.
ESA says almost all electrical work must be reported. It lists a residential-renovation notification for changes to original wiring, including repairs and replacement of devices. Limited owner-occupied replacement work may be exempt, so call ESA for the exact scope instead of extending a narrow exception until it covers a basement rewiring by sheer enthusiasm.
Who files it
Swipe to compare
| Situation | Who files | Homeowner check |
|---|---|---|
| You hire electrical work | The Licensed Electrical Contractor | Verify its 7-digit ECRA/ESA licence number |
| A general contractor manages the renovation | The Licensed Electrical Contractor hired for the electrical scope | Ask for the electrical business name, licence number, and notification number |
| A homeowner legally performs work in their own home | The homeowner doing the work | Confirm eligibility and notification requirements with ESA first |
If you hire someone, ESA says the business must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor. A person being an electrician or Master Electrician does not by itself authorize a separate business to offer electrical work to the public. ESA's contractor guidance says the licensed business carries a seven-digit ECRA/ESA number. Verify it. Vests are not searchable; licence numbers are.
Never take out an owner notification on behalf of a hired person. ESA explicitly says the person doing the work files it. Making the homeowner the applicant for somebody else's paid work muddies responsibility and can leave the wrong person holding defects after everyone has packed up.
When to file and when work can be covered
For planned renovation work, the notification should be filed before work starts. ESA's notifications and inspections page says electrical installations cannot be concealed before permission from ESA. Coordinate rough review before drywall, tile backer, insulation, or cabinetry closes the view. Opening a finished ceiling for an inspection is an expensive way to learn what rough-in means.
- Put the electrical contractor and licence number in the renovation contract.
- Ask for the notification number before the electrical rough-in begins.
- Confirm who calls when rough and final stages are ready.
- Do not cover wiring until the notification holder has ESA permission.
- Hold the electrical closeout item open until the final ESA document arrives.
What the Certificate of Acceptance proves
After the notified installation is accepted, ESA issues a Certificate of Acceptance to the notification holder. Ask the Licensed Electrical Contractor for a copy and keep it with the permit, drawings, panel schedule, appliance manuals, and warranty records. ESA describes it as important for insurance, resale, and peace of mind.
The certificate relates to the work under that notification. It is not a warranty on every wire installed since the house met gravel. Read the scope and address, then save the PDF somewhere more durable than one person's text-message history.
Common renovation scopes that need coordination
- Kitchen circuits, receptacles, lighting, appliance connections, and service-capacity changes.
- Bathroom GFCI protection, fan wiring, lighting, and electric floor heat.
- Basement apartment circuits, interconnected alarms, panels, and metering decisions.
- Exterior receptacles, deck lighting, sheds, pools, hot tubs, and landscape wiring.
- EV chargers, heat pumps, electric water heaters, solar, and energy storage.
Large electric loads need early planning. A beautiful induction range cannot negotiate with a full 100-amp service. Put the load calculation and utility coordination before cabinet fabrication, not after the appliance arrives looking powerful and unemployed.
A clean homeowner closeout
At handover, collect the notification number, Certificate of Acceptance, final panel directory, equipment manuals, and any required utility or manufacturer commissioning record. For kitchens, coordinate this with the range hood and makeup-air plan. For the whole project, use the milestone and paperwork checks in our Ontario renovation quote guide. Good closeout is boring. That is its finest quality.
