Our homeowner electrical wiring guide provides important information to help homeowners who are interested in doing their own work. Other methods of installation not identified in this guide may be acceptable; however, all installations must meet the most current requirements of the National Electrical Code of Canada. 

As a homeowner, you can:

• Tie into the main panel without physically changing it
• Add a sub-panel to an existing main service, provided there is an existing main breaker​

Homeowners are not permitted to:

• Install, alter or modify the main electrical service, including the main panel, main breaker or the meter base;
• Install electrical wiring in permanent, in-ground swimming pools and hot tubs;
• Install or alter solar photovoltaic systems;
• Install battery-based energy storage systems;
• Install electrical vehicle energy management systems (EVEMS) or load management systems;
• Install electrical for air conditioning units;
• Install electrical wiring for electric vehicle charging. 
• Conduct load calculations, they must be completed by a qualified electrician.
• Electrical contractors are not permitted to work under homeowner permits, they must obtain their own permit. 

More information about electrification projects for row houses, learn more here.

If your renovation has previously been finished without proper permits, you can still apply for the permits after the work has been completed. A contractor will need to apply for the required permit.

For an electrical permit, when the work has been concealed by drywall, you are required to follow the concealed wiring procedure.

A homeowner’s permit cannot be issued for concealed wiring completed without proper permits. To have the inspection done, the owner must hire a licensed electrical contractor. The contractor will have to obtain an electrical permit and check that the wiring complies with electrical codes. However, the homeowner is responsible for any previously concealed electrical wiring.

Note: There is a possibility the inspector may ask for drywall to be removed to complete their inspection.

Speak to one of our safety codes officers if you have questions about electrical requirements. To connect with us, contact our Technical Assistance Centre by emailing us, calling us at 311 or visiting 311 online services.

Electrification is the process of upgrading a home to use more electrical power. This can be adding electric vehicle (EV) charging, an electric heat pump, an air conditioning (AC) unit, energy storage (battery) or electric heat. Appliances like hot tubs can also significantly increase the electrical load of your home. Only a qualified electrical contractor can apply for an electrical permit for these types of upgrades.

Some homes can handle the demand for more electricity, while homes that share electrical services may require electrical service upgrades or an energy management system. Depending on whether your home is a single-detached, semi-detached, rowhouse or condo, it may require different permissions and permits for electrification projects. If you do not own your home, you need to get permission from the property owner before starting any electrification projects.

Many townhouses, rowhouses and condominiums have electrical services that are shared between all units and have limited spare electrical capacity. Any plans for electrification must be shared with the other people who live there. You must talk to your condo board or homeowner association to make sure your electrification plans are appropriate for the building and the people living there.

Units within a rowhouse are typically provided electricity through a gang meter base. In some cases, they may be provided electricity through fee simple service.

A gang meter base service is when a single electrical service is run directly from the ENMAX transformer to the shared gang meter base. The service is then split, and a cable takes electricity from the gang meter base to each home. The gang meter base can only provide a calculated amount of electricity to each home based on the load capacity determined at the design phase. Based on the design calculation and service, future electrical capacity is often limited.

A fee simple service is when the electrical service connects directly from the ENMAX transformer to each home. This type of service has more electrical capacity for the future, compared to gang meter base service, because each home is connected directly to the ENMAX transformer. A load calculation needs to be performed when adding load to understand the electrical capacity of the home’s electrical service.

If you are planning an electrification project on a rowhouse with gang meter base electrical service, you are required to submit a copy of the Row Housing Electrification Authorization form signed by the condo board or homeowner association. 

When you’re planning significant electrical upgrades to your home, there is a lot to consider. Use the flowcharts to determine if you can make electrical upgrades to your home and understand the steps to get necessary approvals.

• Steps to planning an electrical project for a single-detached/semi-detached home
• Steps to planning an electrical project for  rowhouse, townhouse, condo or apartment

A home has limits on how much electrical load can be added to the existing electrical service to a home. Adding a new electrical load can be too demanding on the existing electrical service. One option to prevent overloading your home’s electrical service is to add an energy management system.

An Energy Management System is a means used to control loads through the process of connecting, disconnecting, increasing, or reducing electric power to the loads and consisting of any of the following: a monitor(s), communications equipment, a controller(s), a timer(s), and other applicable device(s).

An energy management system makes sure the electricity in your home is shared among the different appliances. Managing the electricity prevents electrical appliances from using too much electricity at once. For example, an electric car plugged into a charger might stop charging when an electric stove is on. Instead of both items using electricity at the same time, the power used to charge the car can instead power the electric stove. Please ensure that your energy management system is certified to Canadian standards. 

Another option to prevent overloading of your electrical system is Load Switching. Load switching is the method of sharing an electrical circuit between two pieces of equipment, so that only one piece of equipment is permitted to operate at a time.

A plumbing permit is required when:

• A plumbing system is constructed, extended or altered.
• Water and sewer lines in or around the home are replaced.

Installing or replacing a hot water tank requires a permit in some situations. A permit is required if there are changes to:

• The gas lines located upstream from the water heater shut off valve
• The venting system (e.g. size and design)
• The type of water heater (e.g. changing from a natural draft water heater to a direct vent water heater)

A plumbing permit is not required to:

• Repair a leak in a water distribution or drainage system.
• Replace existing faucets and fixtures.
• Remove blockage in the drainage.

Our homeowner plumbing guide provides important information to help homeowners who are interested in doing their own work. Other methods of installation not identified in this guide may be acceptable; however, all installations must meet the most current requirements of the National Plumbing Code of Canada.

If your renovation has previously been finished without proper permits, you can still apply for the permits after the work has been completed. A contractor will need to apply for the required permit.

For a plumbing permit, when the work has been concealed by drywall, you are required to follow the concealed plumbing procedure.

A homeowner’s permit cannot be issued for concealed plumbing completed without proper permits. To have the inspection done, the owner must hire a licensed plumbing contractor. The contractor will have to obtain a plumbing permit and check that the plumbing complies with plumbing codes. However, the homeowner is still responsible for any previously concealed plumbing.

Note: There is a possibility the inspector may ask for drywall to be removed to complete their inspection.

For further inquiries, please contact our 311 online services.

For additional questions about plumbing requirements, please contact our 311 online services, or email plumbing&gas.tac@calgary.ca.

Visit residential inspections for information about inspection bookings, inspection outcomes, inspection types and more.