Do I Need a Permit to Install a Ceiling Fan in Ontario?
If you’re planning to add or replace a ceiling fan in your home, you might be wondering: do I need a permit? The answer depends on your situation.
Permit vs. Notification . What’s the Difference?
In Ontario, the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) doesn’t actually issue “permits.” The correct term is a Notification of Work. Filing a Notification lets ESA know that electrical work is being done, and once the work passes inspection, ESA issues a Certificate of Acceptance.
Many homeowners are more familiar with the word “permit,” so you’ll often hear people use the terms interchangeably. For clarity, you can explain it as an “electrical permit (officially called a Notification of Work).” But when dealing with ESA, it’s always best to use the official term: Notification.
When a Permit Is Not Required
A permit is not required if you are simply replacing a fixture with another of the same type. For example, swapping out an existing ceiling fan for a new one does not require a new permit if the old fan was already installed on a proper fan-rated box.
However, just because a previous installation used a standard box doesn’t mean it was correct. If the fan isn’t on a fan-rated box, a licensed electrical contractor must replace the box — and that work does require a permit.
Also, if you own and live in your home, you may replace “like-for-like” fixtures without a permit. This does not apply to rental properties.
A comparison I like to use is that of a parachute packer. They have to be ready to jump with the chute they’ve packed, so they make sure every one is done safely. It’s the same idea with a licensed electrician: we make sure your installation is safe and code-compliant, even if the previous installation wasn’t.
When a Permit Is Required
A permit (Notification of Work) is required in these situations:
* Any electrical work in a tenanted dwelling or a commercial space
* Installing a new ceiling fan where no fan was installed before
* Replacing a standard light fixture with a ceiling fan, since a fan is heavier, hangs lower, and creates constant vibration, which requires a properly rated fan support box
Standard light fixture boxes are only designed for fixtures up to about 28 pounds. Fan-rated boxes are built to handle at least 35 pounds of moving fan load. This ensures the fan remains secure and safe over time.
The Bottom Line
In official ESA terms, you cannot use “permit” and “notification” interchangeably. The correct term is Notification of Work. For customers, it may help to explain it as “an electrical permit (officially called a Notification).”
A permit is not required when replacing a ceiling fan with another fan on an existing fan-rated box in your own home. A permit is always required for any electrical work in a rental property, or when installing a new fan where there wasn’t one before, or when replacing a light fixture with a ceiling fan (because a fan-rated box must be installed). After inspection, ESA will issue a Certificate of Acceptance, which is the official record that the work meets the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.
