Not sure what you need? Electrical Inspections in Hamilton
Has the City, your insurer or a buyer asked for an electrical inspection?
We do electrical safety inspections and reports in Hamilton for rental housing licences, short-term rental licences, buying or selling a home, and insurance.
ElectricSafe is a licensed electrical contractor (ECRA/ESA #7014704), and John is a master electrician.
If the inspection finds something that needs fixing, we can quote it and book the work.
"He's upfront with the cost and explained clearly what he would be doing during inspection."
Which inspection do you need?
| Why you need it | What you get | Who asks for it |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton rental housing licence | The City's signed Electrical Inspection form | City of Hamilton |
| Short-term rental licence | Documentation that the rental complies with the Electrical Safety Code | City of Hamilton |
| Buying or selling a home | An electrician's inspection and report | You, your buyer or your lender |
| Insurance | An electrician's report on the panel and wiring | Your insurer |
| New electrical work | An ESA inspection and Certificate of Acceptance (we file the notification) | Ontario's rules (ESA) |
Need something else? We do all electrical inspections. That covers anything a City program, an insurer, a buyer or a lender asks for, in a house, a condo or a rental unit.
Hamilton rental housing licence inspections
The City's rental housing licence covers rentals in Wards 1 and 8 and parts of Ward 14: detached houses, townhouses and buildings with five or fewer units.
The City ran it as a pilot from January 2024 to December 2025, and Council has made it permanent in the same areas.
Electrical safety assessment for City of Hamilton licensing: $250 plus HST, including the written report the City needs.
"John and Edgar were very knowledgeable about all my requirements to get an electrical inspection for licensing purposes."
The licence needs a Certified Electrician Inspection from a licensed electrician. The City's document has to show:
We fill in the City's own Electrical Inspection form, which asks for the contractor's ECRA licence number and the master electrician's name. Read the City's rental housing licence page and see the Electrical Inspection form.
- the property address
- the date of the inspection
- a statement that the proposed use of the property complies with the Electrical Safety Code, O. Reg. 164/99
- the electrician's signature and ESA licence number
Short-term rental (Airbnb) licence inspections
A short-term rental licence in Hamilton needs documentation that the rental and its proposed use comply with the Electrical Safety Code.
It has to come from a licensed electrical contractor.
- We inspect the property and write it up.
- If anything needs fixing first, we tell you what, quote it and book the work.
"an electrical report for my Short Term Rental Licensing ... recommended a couple of things that needed to be fixed. Then he was able to book for those fixes to be done the next day"
Inspections when buying or selling a home
A home inspector's report can flag the electrical: an old fuse panel, knob and tube, or aluminum wiring.
An electrician's inspection tells you what you are dealing with before you close, and what it takes to fix it. Selling? An inspection before you list tells you what a buyer's inspector is likely to find.
Real estate agents: we can inspect before a listing or a closing.
Inspections for insurance
Some insurers ask for an electrician's report on the panel and wiring, for example on an older home or a rental.
John can quote small jobs over the phone or give you a range, and we can fix what we find while we are there.
"We needed an ESA inspection completed for our insurance company and John provided a quote over the phone for the service and on site was able to make fixes as he found them."
ESA inspections and the Certificate of Acceptance
These are two different things.
When we do electrical work, we file a notification with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). ESA inspects the work and issues a Certificate of Acceptance when it passes.
Our inspection report for a licence, a sale or an insurer is our own document; ESA does not issue it.
How the inspection works
We call it an Electrical Safety Assessment.
- Book it. John can quote small jobs over the phone or give you a range.
- The inspection. A licensed electrician does a general inspection of the property against the Ontario Electrical Safety Code. Neither the City nor ESA publishes a checklist for it.
- Repairs, if needed. Defects have to be repaired before the City's form can be signed. Repairs usually need an ESA permit, and we file it.
- The signed form. We complete and sign the City's form, or the short-term rental documentation.
If something needs fixing
We list what we found, quote the work and can book the fixes.
"We asked for a full inspection and it was very thorough. He answered all of our questions and helped with a couple small jobs as he was going through the inspection and noticed some issues."
Frequently asked questions
What is an ESA inspection in Ontario?
When a licensed contractor does electrical work, they notify the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). ESA inspects the work and issues a Certificate of Acceptance when it meets the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.
Is an electrician's inspection report the same as an ESA certificate?
No. ESA issues a Certificate of Acceptance only for electrical work it has inspected. An inspection report for a licence, a sale or an insurer comes from the electrician.
Do I need an electrical inspection for a Hamilton rental licence?
Yes, if your rental is covered by the licence (Wards 1 and 8 and parts of Ward 14; houses, townhouses and buildings with five or fewer units). The City asks for a Certified Electrician Inspection from a licensed electrician.
Who can do the inspection for the rental licence?
A licensed ESA/ECRA electrician. We are a licensed electrical contractor (ECRA/ESA #7014704), and we complete the City's form.
Do I need an electrical inspection for a short-term rental in Hamilton?
Yes. The City asks for documentation that the rental complies with the Electrical Safety Code, from a licensed electrical contractor.
What happens if my property doesn't pass?
Defects have to be repaired before the City's form is signed. We list them, quote the repairs, fix them and then sign the form.
How much does an electrical inspection cost?
It depends on the property and what the inspection is for. John can quote small jobs over the phone or give you a range. Electrical safety assessment for City of Hamilton licensing: $250 plus HST, including the written report the City needs.
How do I check that an electrician is licensed?
Look the contractor up on ESA's website. Our licence number is ECRA/ESA #7014704.
How often should I get an inspection done?
There's no fixed schedule for every property. It's a good idea when you buy a property, after major renovations, or if it's been more than ten years since the last check. Some programs and insurers set their own requirements.
We work 7 days a week, 7 AM to 8 PM.