Skip the ESA permit and you are not saving money — you are voiding your home insurance, breaking the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, and setting up a future home sale to collapse under inspection. Here is exactly what an ESA permit is, when you need one, what it costs, and how to get one done right.
In Ontario, the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) calls it a notification of work. Everyone else calls it a permit. It is the mechanism that tells ESA electrical work is happening at your address so an inspector can verify it meets the Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC). No notification = no inspection = no Certificate of Acceptance.
Almost any electrical work beyond a like-for-like device swap needs a notification. Common jobs that require one:
Replacing a broken switch or receptacle with the same type usually does not. If you are unsure, notify — the fee is small compared to the risk of skipping it.
Two paths:
A tradesperson without an LEC licence cannot file for you — that is the whole point of the licence. The person swinging the wrench is typically a 309A electrician certified through Skilled Trades Ontario, but certification alone does not let them file the ESA notification — only the LEC business can.
Per the 2026 ESA Fee Guide, the minimum residential notification fee is $88. Most household jobs land between $100 and $300 depending on the number of devices, circuits, and inspections required. Additional visits and reinspections carry their own fees. Your LEC should include the ESA fee as a line item on the estimate.
Ask your LEC for the ESA notification number when work starts and the Certificate of Acceptance when it passes. Keep both with your home records. If the contractor cannot produce them, the job was never legitimately permitted — push back before you pay the final invoice.
On a panel upgrade, for example, the notification gets filed before the old panel comes out, an ESA inspector may visit once the new panel is roughed in and again once it is energized, and the Certificate of Acceptance arrives once both pass. Homeowners who skip this on a DIY or under-the-table job usually find out the hard way — at a home inspection, an insurance claim, or a real estate closing — that the work was never actually recognized as safe or legal.
An ESA permit is not red tape. It is the difference between electrical work that is legally recognized, insurable, and resellable — and work that is none of those things. Hire an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor, insist on the notification, and keep the paperwork.
A like-for-like fixture swap on an existing circuit typically does not require a notification. New circuits, added devices, panel work, or anything beyond a straight replacement does.
The minimum residential notification fee is $88 under the 2026 ESA Fee Guide. Most household jobs run $100–$300 depending on scope, devices, and required inspections.
Yes, only for work in your own primary residence. You are personally responsible for OESC compliance and for meeting the ESA inspector. Any hired work must go through a Licensed Electrical Contractor.
It is a code violation. Home insurance can deny claims linked to unpermitted work, home sales can fall through when buyers request Certificates of Acceptance, and ESA can order the work reopened for inspection.
Inspections themselves are usually short — often under an hour on residential jobs. Scheduling depends on ESA workload; most residential inspections happen within a few business days of the request.
We’ll handle the notification and the inspection, and give you a clear, upfront quote, no obligation.
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A like-for-like fixture swap on an existing circuit typically does not require a notification. New circuits, added devices, panel work, or anything beyond a straight replacement does.
The minimum residential notification fee is $88 under the 2026 ESA Fee Guide. Most household jobs run $100–$300 depending on scope, devices, and required inspections.
Yes, only for work in your own primary residence. You are personally responsible for OESC compliance and for meeting the ESA inspector. Any hired work must go through a Licensed Electrical Contractor.
It is a code violation. Home insurance can deny claims linked to unpermitted work, home sales can fall through when buyers request Certificates of Acceptance, and ESA can order the work reopened for inspection.
Inspections themselves are usually short — often under an hour on residential jobs. Scheduling depends on ESA workload; most residential inspections happen within a few business days of the request.
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ECRA/ESA-licensed contractor files the notification, meets the inspector, and delivers your Certificate of Acceptance. Call for a free estimate across the GTA.
