What Fails a Home Electrical Inspection?

You booked the inspection. The electrician showed up. The report comes back with a list of defects and a big red “Not Approved” line. What just happened? This guide covers the most common reasons a home electrical inspection fails in Ontario, what each defect actually means, and how to prep so your Toronto or GTA home passes the first time.

Why home electrical inspections fail

The most common reasons a home electrical inspection fails in Ontario are unpermitted DIY wiring, missing GFCI or AFCI protection where the current code requires it, overloaded or double-tapped panels, damaged or improperly supported cable, buried junction boxes, and old wiring types (knob and tube or aluminum branch circuits) still in service without remediation. Each of those is a defect an ESA inspector will call out under the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, and each is preventable.

The most common defects that fail an inspection

Across GTA field data, the following defects come up repeatedly:

• Missing GFCI protection. Bathroom, kitchen counter, garage, outdoor, laundry, and unfinished basement receptacles all require GFCI under the current OESC. Anything wet-area without protection fails.
• Missing AFCI protection. Bedroom and living-area circuits require AFCI protection. See what is an arc fault breaker.
• Double-tapped breakers. Two conductors landed under one breaker terminal on a breaker not rated for it.
• Oversized breaker on undersized wire. A 20-amp breaker feeding 14-gauge wire, for example. See can I replace a 15-amp breaker with a 20-amp breaker.
• Buried junction boxes. Junction boxes must remain accessible — no drywall over a splice.
• Missing nail plates. Cables drilled through studs less than 32 mm from the stud edge require a nail plate.
• Insufficient cable support. Cables must be supported within a set distance of each box and along the run.
• Overfilled boxes. Too many conductors, clamps, and devices for the cubic inch capacity of the box.
• Reversed polarity or open ground. Hot and neutral swapped, or a three-prong outlet with no ground path.
• Bootleg grounds. The neutral bonded to the ground at a receptacle to fake a grounded outlet.
• Wet-area cable in the wrong location. NMD90 used outdoors, indoor cable buried underground. See can you bury indoor electrical wire underground.
• Active knob and tube. Still-live knob-and-tube in the attic or walls.
• Aluminum branch wiring on non-CO/ALR devices. Cu-Al pigtails or AlumiConn connectors required.
• Undersized service for the calculated load. A 60-amp service supplying a modern family often fails on load calculation.
• Missing bonding on water lines or gas piping.
• Unlabelled or mislabelled panel. Circuits must be identified.
• Damaged cable jacket or exposed conductor. Frayed sheathing, nicked insulation, or exposed copper.
• Missing tamper-resistant receptacles where required. See are tamper-resistant outlets required by code.
• Clearance violations at the panel. See what is the clearance requirement in front of an electrical panel.

Any one of the above will typically result in a written defect notice. Multiple defects can result in a full “Not Approved” outcome that requires correction and reinspection.

Inspection-fail categories and what they mean

Defects generally fall into four buckets:

• Immediate safety hazards such as exposed live conductors, missing bonding, or an overloaded panel. These get an urgent correction order.
• Code non-compliance like missing GFCI in wet areas, wrong cable type, or insufficient support.
• Documentation or labelling issues such as an unlabelled panel or missing certification marks on installed equipment.
• DIY or unpermitted work discovered during the inspection.

The inspector’s report will typically categorize each finding so you know what to correct first.

What happens after a failed inspection

1. You receive a defect notice listing each failed item.
2. Your ECRA/ESA-licensed contractor reviews the list and quotes correction work.
3. Corrections are completed to code.
4. The contractor requests a reinspection. Some minor items can be corrected without a full revisit.
5. Once corrections pass, ESA issues the Certificate of Inspection. See what is a Certificate of Inspection.

Reinspection fees may apply. Corrections that require reopening walls can add days or weeks to a project timeline.

How to prep for a first-time pass

• Hire a properly licensed contractor from the start. Handyman work causes most of the failures we see — background at can a handyman legally do electrical work.
• File the ESA notification before starting.
• For renovations, book the rough-in inspection before drywall goes up. See what is a rough-in electrical inspection.
• Label the panel clearly. Every circuit identified.
• Torque every terminal to spec. See how to properly tighten screw terminals on outlets.
• Verify GFCI, AFCI, and tamper-resistant devices are installed in every required location.
• Test every device with a plug-in outlet tester before the inspection.
• Keep the load calculation, single-line diagram, and panel schedule available for the inspector.
• Ensure a licensed contractor is on site or reachable during the appointment.

What if the inspection is on an existing home

Pre-purchase inspections on older GTA homes almost always find at least a handful of defects. This is normal and not a deal-breaker on its own. Common defects on existing homes include:

• Two-prong ungrounded receptacles.
• Missing GFCI in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, or outdoors.
• Old panels on ESA’s watch list.
• 60-amp service that no longer supports modern load.
• DIY basement wiring from a previous owner.
• Active knob-and-tube or aluminum branch wiring.

The report becomes a prioritized to-do list, not a rejection notice. See do I need an electrical inspection when buying an older home.

Expert tip from our ESA-licensed electricians

The one defect that fails more first-time inspections than any other in the GTA is missing GFCI or AFCI protection in a room where the code changed since the home was built. Homeowners assume that if the existing wiring is legal, adding a new outlet on the same circuit is legal too. It is not. Any new work must meet the current OESC in force at the time of the notification, which usually means the new outlet needs GFCI protection even if the existing ones do not. If you take one lesson from this list, it is that: new work meets the current code, not the code when your house was built. Plan the retrofit and it passes the first time.

Related reading from ezsmart.ca

• What Happens During an ESA Electrical Inspection?
• What Is a Rough-In Electrical Inspection?
• How to Tell if Your DIY Wiring Is Up to Code
• What Is a Certificate of Inspection and Why Does It Matter?
• Do I Need an Electrical Inspection When Buying an Older Home?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common inspection failure?

Missing GFCI or AFCI protection in areas the current code requires, plus DIY-installed unpermitted wiring.

Do old panels always fail inspection?

Not automatically, but certain legacy brands and split-bus panels are frequently flagged.

What is a bootleg ground?

Neutral bonded to ground at a receptacle to fake a grounded outlet. Always a failure and a shock risk.

Can I appeal a failed inspection?

Correct the defect and request reinspection. If you disagree with a finding, discuss with the inspector and ESA.

Are reinspection fees expensive?

Modest per visit. Repeated reinspections add up, so passing the first time is worth planning for.

Contact us

Facing a failed inspection or planning work you want to pass on the first try in Toronto or the GTA? Call ezsmart at 416-838-9006 or use our contact page. An ESA-licensed electrician will review the defect notice or the scope, quote corrections, and get you to a Certificate of Inspection.

Amir Azimipour

Electrician Since 2008 Journeyman Electrician Designated Master Electrician at EZSMART Corp