When does New Brunswick require an electrical permit for a renovation?

In New Brunswick, an electrical permit is required whenever you're doing new electrical work, extending an existing circuit, or making significant changes to your home's wiring — and the rules are slightly different from most other provinces because two separate bodies are involved.

Here's how it works: NB Power issues the electrical wiring permit (province-wide, regardless of whether you're an NB Power, Saint John Energy, Edmundston Energy, or Perth-Andover customer). A licensed electrical contractor must obtain this permit before construction begins for any installation exceeding 10 outlets or 5 kW of load. You can reach NB Power's permit line at 1-800-615-0522 or apply online at nbpower.com, Monday to Friday 8am–4:30pm.

Once the wiring is complete, the contractor contacts NB Dept. of Justice and Public Safety — Technical Inspection Services (TIS) at 1-888-659-3222 to schedule the final inspection. TIS is the province-wide authority that licenses electricians and conducts inspections — think of NB Power as the permit issuer and TIS as the inspector.

Common renovation scenarios that trigger a permit:

• Adding a new circuit (kitchen appliance circuit, EV charger, hot tub, subpanel)
• Finishing a basement with new lighting and outlets
• Upgrading your electrical panel
• Installing a heat pump or central air conditioning unit
• Any installation over 600A at 120/240V requires a full plan review before the permit is issued

What doesn't require a wiring permit is minor work under the 10-outlet/5 kW threshold — but in practice, most meaningful renovation electrical work will cross that line. Replacing a single light fixture or outlet (like-for-like) generally falls outside the permit requirement, but if you're adding circuits or expanding capacity, you're in permit territory.

One critical point for New Brunswick homeowners: you cannot legally do your own electrical work unless you hold a valid NB electrician's licence issued by TIS. This is a firm rule — unlike some provinces that allow homeowner electrical work on their own primary residence, New Brunswick requires a licensed electrical contractor for all wiring work. If you hire someone without a licence and permit, your home insurance could be voided, and you'll face a special inspection fee on top of the regular permit cost when it's eventually discovered.

When hiring an electrician, always ask for their TIS licence number and confirm they'll be pulling the NB Power wiring permit before starting. Also request a WorkSafeNB clearance certificate — if your contractor has fewer than 3 workers and isn't registered, you as the homeowner could be assessed for their coverage.

You can find licensed electrical contractors throughout New Brunswick in the New Brunswick Construction Network directory — a good starting point before your next renovation.