What Happens If I Do Electrical Work Without a Permit?

What Happens If I Do Electrical Work Without a Permit?

In Ontario, most electrical work requires a permit from the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) and a Certificate of Inspection before the work is considered complete. Doing electrical work without a permit is illegal, and the consequences extend well beyond the work itself.

Legal and Financial Consequences

• Insurance denial: If a fire or electrical incident occurs and unpermitted work is discovered, your insurer may deny the claim. Many policies specifically exclude damage caused by unpermitted alterations
• Real estate complications: Unpermitted electrical work discovered during a home inspection or title search can delay or kill a sale. Buyers, lenders, and their lawyers will require the work to be properly permitted and inspected before closing
• ESA fines: Ontario’s Electricity Act allows the ESA to impose fines on homeowners who perform or knowingly allow unpermitted electrical work. The work must still be permitted, inspected, and any deficiencies corrected — at the owner’s cost
• Removal and redo: An inspector may require finished surfaces to be opened up to verify wiring behind walls if work was done without a permit and then closed in

What Requires a Permit in Ontario

Adding or replacing circuits, panel upgrades, service upgrades, new outlets in finished spaces, EV charger installation, generator connections, and most other wiring work that opens walls or adds new circuit capacity requires a permit. Replacing an existing outlet, switch, or fixture in kind (same type, same location) generally does not require a permit, but the work must still meet code.

EZSMART pulls permits and obtains Certificates of Inspection for all permitted work. Contact us to discuss what your project requires before starting any electrical work.

Amir Azimipour

Electrician Since 2008 Journeyman Electrician Designated Master Electrician at EZSMART Corp