Electrical Inspections

INSPECTION SERVICES: WHAT WE DO

In accordance with the Nova Scotia Electrical Installation and Inspection Act, Inspection Services is appointed on behalf of the Department of Labour and Advanced Education to perform electrical inspections in Nova Scotia. When a wiring permit is opened by your electrical contractor, and a wiring inspection is scheduled through our Wiring Permit Contact Centre, one of our experienced inspectors will visit your site to start the inspection process. Our inspector will look for safety hazards to ensure the installation meets the requirements of the Canadian Electrical Code. The scope of the project determines the type and number of inspections required.

Metering Standards: The Nova Scotia Power Metering Standards 2018 (PDF) contains metering standards and guidelines for the most common metering configurations required by us.

 

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ARE YOU A CONTRACTOR OR CUSTOMER STARTING A NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECT?

SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR INSPECTION OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS

The applicable costs for Wiring Permits and Inspections of electrical installations are available for online viewing, or for your convenience, through a downloadable (PDF) version by accessing the Schedule of Fees link.

For more information regarding Wiring Permit Fees and scheduling of an Electrical Inspections, you may contact our Wiring Permit Centre at 1-800-464-1520.

For additional information related to Electrical Inspection Fees please reference Nova Scotia Power Bulletin B-2-008.

PRODUCT RECALLS

See the below links for current information on product recalls relating to electrical safety. Each link will open in a new window.

 

GET IN TOUCH

Wiring Permit Contact Centre

Electrical contractors  or anyone with questions about wiring permits or the inspection process contact us through our Wiring Permit Contact Centre toll-free at 1-800-464-1520 from 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Mailing address

25 Lakeside Park Drive
Lakeside, NS
B3T 1M9

Attention: Inspection Services

General Inquiries

For general inquiries regarding new installations or to request service be connected in your name please contact our Customer Care Centre at 1-800-428-6230.

FAQs

Who can obtain an electrical or communications wiring permit and how?

Only a person who holds a valid Nova Scotia certificate in the Electrical Construction trade or a Certified Communications Cabling Specialist can obtain an electrical or communications wiring permit.

For additional information regarding certification for Construction Electricians please contact the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency, toll free within Nova Scotia, at 1-800-494-5651.

For additional information regarding certification of Communications Cabling Specialists, please contact the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education at 902-424-8018.

What if I am connecting service to a location that has not had electricity in more than a year?

We require a general inspection permit for those premises where electrical service has been disconnected for a period greater than one year. Please contact a qualified electrician. Your electrician will arrange for an inspection through us as required under the Electrical Installation and Inspection Act.

What is involved in an electrical inspection and why perform them?

An electrical contractor may contact the Nova Scotia Power Wiring Permit Centre at 1-800-464-1520 to schedule a wiring inspection. The Nova Scotia Power wiring inspector will visit the site and perform an electrical inspection. Inspections are required prior to any wiring being concealed with backfill, lathing, boarding, insulation or other covering materials. This inspection is referred to as a rough-in inspection.

Upon the completion of the wiring, the contractor will arrange for a final inspection. A final inspection may include but not limited to an inspection of electrical devices, lighting, and labeling of electrical panels and equipment.

Wiring inspectors will inspect the electrical installation to ensure the installation conforms to applicable standards, Regulations and the latest edition of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1. These standards ensure the electrical installation is safe from fire and shock hazards.

Who can perform electrical and communications installations?

Electrical installations must be performed by someone who holds a certificate of qualification in the Electrical Construction trade issued by the Department of Labour and Advanced Education. Communication wiring installations must be completed by a holder of a certificate as a Communications Cabling Specialist as issued by Department of Labour and Advanced Education. 

Does electrical equipment need to be approved? If so, by whom?

In accordance with the Electrical Code Regulations Section 15(1), no corporation, company, or person shall sell, have for sale, display, rent, lease, advertise, install or use any electrical device, appliance or equipment unless it is certified as approved equipment, as defined in the Code, by a certification organization acceptable to the Department of Labour's Chief Electrical Inspector. 

Only equipment bearing one of the marks or labels shown in “Electrical Inspection Bulletin B-2-024.1”, Department of Labour and Advanced Education Electrical Bulletin "Approval of Electrical Equipment” or an equivalent marking approved by the Department of Labour and Advanced Education are acceptable for use in Nova Scotia.

What work is exempt from permits and inspections?

Electrical permit exemptions

An electrical permit isn’t needed for the following categories of installations, as long as the work is performed by a construction electrician who maintains a record of the work completed for inspection:

  • The replacement or repair of wiring devices or electrical equipment with an electrical rating no greater than 30 A, 120 V to ground or 50 A, 240 V and that are not in a location referred to in Sections 18 and 20 of the Code;
  • The installation of one 15 A to 30 A, 120 V branch circuit or one 15 A to 50 A, 240 V branch circuit that is not in a location referred to in Section 18 and 20 of the Code;
  • The replacement of light fixtures in a dwelling unit;
  • The replacement of motors; and
  • Wiring supplied from an approved class II transformer in a single dwelling, provided it is not part of a lighting installation.

Communications cabling permit exemptions

A communications permit is not required for the following communications systems installations, as long as the work is performed by a communications cabling specialist who maintains a record of the work completed for inspection:

  • An installation that does not exceed 6 cabling drops and is not in a location referred to in Sections 18 and 20 of the Code; and
  • A relocation of 20 communication outlets, where the installation does not involve any new cable runs or penetrate any existing fire wall and the relocation meets all current Code requirements.

General permit exemptions

The following types of installations are exempt from the permit requirements of these regulations:

  • Communications and cable TV installations in a single dwelling as defined by the Code;
  • Security and intrusion alarm systems; and
  • Installation of signs and outline lighting where the work is completed according to Section 34 of the Code by a certified electrical sign manufacturer acceptable to the Chief Inspector

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