Can ESA approve completed electrical work?

Yes, ESA may review completed electrical work, but acceptance depends on what can be verified

ESA can sometimes inspect work after it has been done, but that does not mean the work will be approved as-is. ESA decides whether the installation can be accepted, whether defects must be corrected, and whether concealed parts need to be exposed for inspection.

The key issue is evidence. An inspector needs to confirm that the work meets the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, not just that the lights turn on. If the work was done without an ESA notification, by an unlicensed person, or behind finished drywall, there may not be enough visible information to approve it without opening walls or redoing parts of the installation.

This comes up often when a homeowner is selling, buying, finishing a basement, legalizing a renovation, dealing with insurance, or discovering work left behind by a previous owner. A licensed electrical contractor can inspect the installation, identify obvious defects, make safe repairs, and help coordinate next steps, but ESA is the authority that decides acceptance.

For a starting point, book a professional electrical inspection before you call everything finished. In the GTA, a proper inspection with a written report usually falls in the $250–$400 range, depending on access and scope. That is separate from any correction work ESA or the contractor finds necessary.

City Power Electrical Services is a Licensed Electrical Contractor, ECRA/ESA #7015314, and we handle this type of assessment carefully because the goal is not to “paper over” old work — it is to find out what is safe, what is not, and what ESA is likely to require.

Concealed wiring is the biggest obstacle because the inspector cannot approve what cannot be checked

Concealed wiring can make retroactive approval difficult because the most important parts of the installation may be hidden behind drywall, tile, cabinets, insulation, or finished ceilings. ESA may need access to boxes, cable routing, splices, grounding, bonding, and support methods before deciding whether the work is acceptable.

A finished surface does not prove the wiring behind it is correct. Common unknowns include whether junction boxes are buried, whether cables are protected from screws and nails, whether box fill is overloaded, whether the right cable type was used, and whether splices are inside approved accessible boxes.

The problem is not cosmetic. A circuit can work and still be unsafe or non-compliant.

This is why photos taken during construction can help, but they are not always enough. Clear photos of open walls, cable paths, box connections, panel work, device locations, and labels may support the review. Blurry close-ups or photos taken after drywall usually do not answer the inspector’s questions.

If you are still mid-renovation, stop covering electrical work until you know what needs inspection. Our related guide on what electrical work needs ESA inspection explains the kinds of work that generally require notification before they are hidden.

A licensed contractor should assess the work before ESA is asked to accept it

A licensed contractor should inspect and correct the work first because ESA inspection is not a troubleshooting service or a renovation sign-off. The cleaner path is to find obvious defects, document the installation, and decide what can reasonably be presented for inspection before ESA arrives.

That assessment usually includes opening the panel dead front, checking breaker sizes against wire sizes, testing grounding and bonding, verifying GFCI/AFCI protection where required, looking for open splices, confirming device boxes are not overcrowded, and checking whether the work appears to have been done by someone qualified. If there are signs of overheating, damaged insulation, double-tapped breakers, mixed aluminum and copper connections, or hidden junctions, those need attention before the file is treated as ready.

A licensed contractor can also tell you when the better answer is replacement, not repair. For example, one incorrectly added receptacle may be straightforward to fix. A finished basement wired with unknown splices, no permit history, and no accessible junction boxes may require larger sections to be opened or rewired before anyone can stand behind it.

The contractor’s role is practical:

• Identify unsafe conditions that should be corrected immediately.
• Separate minor defects from major code problems.
• Recommend where access openings are likely needed.
• Repair or replace wiring that cannot be verified safely.
• Coordinate ESA notification and inspection where appropriate.
• Provide written findings for the homeowner, buyer, insurer, or lawyer.

If the work was done by a handyman, friend, previous owner, or unlicensed person, be especially cautious. Our page on whether a handyman can do electrical work explains why Ontario treats electrical work differently from general repairs.

ESA may require corrections, re-inspection, or replacement before the work is accepted

ESA may require defects to be corrected before any acceptance or documentation is issued. A retroactive inspection is not a guarantee that completed work will pass; it is a process for determining whether the installation meets the required standard or what must change.

Typical outcomes include:

• The visible work is acceptable and no further action is required.
• ESA lists defects that must be corrected by a deadline.
• The inspector requires access to concealed wiring before deciding.
• The contractor must replace sections that cannot be verified.
• A re-inspection is needed after corrections are complete.
• The matter becomes part of a larger correction order if unsafe work is found.

The most common sticking points are not decorative. They are items that affect fire and shock risk: unsupported cables, wrong breaker sizes, missing bonding, hidden junction boxes, overloaded boxes, improper outdoor wiring, incorrect GFCI protection, or panel work done without proper clearances and terminations.

For homeowners, the safest mindset is: “What proof would an inspector need to accept this?” If that proof is missing, expect access, correction, or replacement. If an electrician tells you they can simply “certify” old hidden wiring without inspecting it, be careful. A responsible contractor will not claim certainty where the installation cannot be seen or tested.

If the work was never permitted, read what happens with unpermitted electrical work. It explains the practical risks: insurance questions, real estate delays, buyer concerns, and correction requirements when defects are found.

The best next step is to gather records, stop covering work, and get a written assessment

The best next step is to preserve evidence and get the work assessed before making more changes. Do not patch drywall, install cabinets, close ceilings, or energize questionable circuits just to make the space look finished. That can make the inspection harder and the correction cost higher.

Before the electrician arrives, collect anything that helps reconstruct the job:

• ESA notification or inspection records, if any.
• Invoices from the person or company that did the work.
• Photos taken before drywall or insulation.
• Panel schedules, renovation drawings, or permit documents.
• Notes showing which circuits serve which rooms.
• Any insurance, real estate, or municipal request asking for documentation.

Then expect a step-by-step process. First, the contractor inspects and tests what is accessible. Second, they identify defects and unknowns. Third, they recommend repairs, access openings, or replacement. Fourth, where required, the ESA notification and inspection process is coordinated. Finally, defects are corrected and re-inspection is arranged if ESA requires it.

If you are trying to understand whether a permit should have been filed in the first place, see Ontario electrical permit requirements. For broader code-permit questions, the electrical answers hub has related homeowner guides.

The important point is control. Retroactive approval is much easier when the installation is still accessible, the defects are known, and a licensed contractor is involved before ESA is asked to make a decision. It becomes harder when everything is buried, undocumented, and presented as finished work that nobody can verify.