# When you need an electrical permit

Find the authority for the job address and agree who files and closes the permit.

Updated 2026-11-10. Also on the [web page](https://electricianpros.fyi/guides/when-you-need-electrical-permit).

Before work starts, give the permit office the job address and a plain description of the work. Include new circuits, panel changes, charging equipment and generator connections. Ask which permits, drawings and inspections apply. Keep the answer with your quote.

## Washington example

Washington L&I says electrical work requires a permit and inspection, with some exceptions. It directs readers to the state rules for those exceptions. It says permits must be purchased before electrical work starts. It also says a hired electrical contractor must purchase its own permits. We checked the page on 2026-11-10.

The same page explains that some cities and Tacoma Power issue their own permits and inspections. L&I handles the other Washington locations described there. Search by the job address. A contractor's office address does not decide the permitting authority.

## Ontario example

Ontario ESA says almost all electrical work needs a notification of work. Its page says the person doing the work should file before work begins. A building permit is separate, and both may be needed. We checked this guidance on 2026-11-10.

ESA says installations must be inspected before concealment or burial. It describes service, rough-in and final inspection stages. Its risk review can affect the inspection process. Ask the contractor which milestones apply to your project before closing a wall or trench.

## Put responsibility in writing

Record who files, who pays the fee, who requests inspections and who corrects defects. Ask for the permit or notification reference. Do not accept a statement that an unrelated permit automatically covers the work. Ask the issuing office to resolve any doubt.

For jobs outside these examples, contact the local electrical or building authority. This guide does not give a national exemption for repairs, small jobs or owner work. Ask about the actual scope.

## Close the file

Keep the approved scope, inspection results and final acceptance record. Ontario ESA says it issues a Certificate of Acceptance after reviewed work passes. If the contractor filed the notification, ask for a copy. Resolve an open permit before treating the job as complete.

Use the permit checker to reach the cited Washington and Ontario guidance. It is a route to the authority, not an automated approval.

## Sources

All sources below were fetched and checked on 2026-11-10. This is the check date, not a claim that each page was published that day.

- [Washington L&I, Electrical Permits, Fees & Inspections](https://www.lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/electrical/electrical-permits-fees-and-inspections/). Checked 2026-11-10.
- [Ontario ESA, Notifications and Inspections](https://esasafe.com/compliance/what-you-need-to-know/). Checked 2026-11-10.

## Questions

### Is a building permit the electrical permit?

Ontario ESA says a building permit is not the same as an electrical notification. You may need both.

### Who buys the permit in Washington?

Washington L&I says a hired electrical contractor must buy its own permits for its work.