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Part II .

Regulations are amended frequently.

Please check the list of Regulations by Act to see if there are any recent amendments to these regulations filed with our office that are not yet included in this consolidation.

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Electrical Code Regulations

made under

Section 6 of the

Electrical Installation and Inspection Act

R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 141

O.I.C. 1999-470 (effective October 4, 1999), N.S. Reg. 95/1999

amended to O.I.C. 2022-59 (effective March 1, 2022), N.S. Reg. 31/2022

Table of Contents

Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.

Click here to go to the text of the regulations .

Citation

Interpretation

Adoption of Code

Permits and inspections

Electrical permits

Communications permits

Requirements of inspection departments

Inspection procedures of inspection department

Inspector qualifications

Permit fees

Electrical permit exemptions

Communications cabling permit exemptions

General permit exemptions

Approved equipment

Hazardous installations

Special permission

Citation

1 These regulations may be cited as the Electrical Code Regulations .

Interpretation

2 For the purpose of these regulations

“Act” means the Electrical Installation and Inspection Act ;

“Chief Inspector” means the Chief Inspector appointed under the Act and includes

any person who may exercise the powers of the Chief Inspector;

“Code” means the latest issue of the Canadian Electrical Code ,

Part I, published

by the Canadian Standards Association, the current issue of which is CSA

Standard C22.1-18 and as supplemented, amended or added to from time to time

by the Canadian Standards Association;

“communications permit” means a permit for the installation of a communication

system, as defined in the Code, including any associated cabling and hardware;

“communications technician” means a person who

(

i) holds a valid certificate of qualification in the communications

technician trade as defined in the Communications Technician Trade

Regulations made under the Apprenticeship and Trades

Qualifications Act , or

(ii) holds a certificate of qualification from another jurisdiction

recognized under

Section 42 of the Apprenticeship and Trades

Qualifications Act General Regulations made under the

Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act ;

“communications technician trade” means the communications technician trade as

defined in the Communications Technician Trade Regulations made under the

Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act ;

“construction electrician” means a person who

(

i) holds a valid certificate of qualification in the construction electrician

trade, or

(ii) holds a certificate of qualification from another jurisdiction

recognized under

Section 31 or 42 of the Apprenticeship and Trades

Qualifications Act General Regulations made under the

Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act.

“construction electrician trade” means the construction electrician trade as defined

in the Construction Electrician Trade Regulations made under the Apprenticeship

and Trades Qualifications Act ;

“electrical permit” means a permit for an electrical installation as defined in the

Code but does not include installations that require a communications permit;

“final inspection” means an inspection performed by an inspection department to

ensure that an electrical installation, an alteration or addition to an electrical

installation, or any work associated with a communication system installation has

been completed and conforms to the Code, the Act and these regulations and is

safe and free of any fire or shock hazards;

“inspection department”, when used in the Code and these regulations, means a

public utility that supplies or will supply electric power or energy and grants

permits to contractors;

“maintenance permit” means a permit for electrical installation work of a routine

nature and connected with the maintenance or operation of an industrial,

commercial or other establishment;

“permit” means a communications permit, an electrical permit or a maintenance

permit; and

“special permission” when used in clause (1) of

Section 2-030 (Deviation or

Postponement) of the Code means the written authority of the Chief Inspector.

Adoption of Code

(1) Except as varied or modified by these regulations or where inconsistent with the

Act, the Code is hereby adopted and constituted as regulations with respect to

matters enumerated in

Section 6 of the Act in addition to any other regulations

made under

Section 6 of the Act.

(2) The date of coming into force of the Code, including any supplement, amendment

or addition to the Code, shall be the first clear day of the fourth month following

the month of publication of the Code or any supplement, amendment or addition to

it.

4 Where a fire door of Class A Rating (3 hours fire resistance) is required under the Code,

the fire door shall have a 3-point latching.

5 [repealed]

6 [repealed]

Permits and inspections

(1) No person shall perform electrical or communications work without first obtaining

a permit.

(2) A contractor shall notify the inspection department when electrical or

communications work is ready for inspection, and upon notification the inspection

department shall complete all necessary inspections as required by the Act and

these regulations.

(3) In addition to other requirements under the Act and these regulations, a contractor

shall notify the inspection department when electrical or communications work is

ready for a final inspection, and upon notification the inspection department shall

perform a final inspection and issue a final inspection report.

(4) Subsection (3) does not apply to an industrial, commercial or other establishment

for which a maintenance permit under subsection 8(2) has been issued to the

contractor.

(5) An inspection department that issues a maintenance permit of the kind described in

subsection 8(2) to a contractor for an industrial, commercial or other establishment

shall, at least once in the year for which the permit is issued, perform a limited

inspection of the establishment, with the scope of the inspection to be determined

by the inspection department.

Electrical permits

(1) An inspection department shall not issue an electrical permit except to an electrical

contractor, as defined in the Code, who

(

a) is or employs a construction electrician; or

(

b) is or employs a construction electrician or an industrial electrician and is the

owner or occupant of any industrial, commercial or other establishment

where electrical installation work of a routine nature and connected with the

maintenance or operation of the establishment is required to be performed at

frequent intervals.

(2) A maintenance permit issued to an electrical contractor pursuant to clause (1)(

b) shall be for a term of 1 year provided that the owner or occupant keeps a record of

all work performed and the record is made available for inspection by an

inspection department.

(3) [repealed]

Communications permits

9 An inspection department may only issue a communications permit to a communications

technician or a construction electrician.

Requirements of inspection departments

(1) An inspection department that issues a permit or completes an inspection of an

electrical or a communications installation, or issues a maintenance permit or

completes an annual maintenance inspection, shall maintain a record of the permit

or inspection in electronic or written format for review and audit by the Chief

Inspector.

(2) Where an inspection department issues a permit to its subsidiary or a closely

related entity or performs an inspection pursuant to that permit, it shall maintain a

record of the permit or inspection in electronic or written format for review and

audit by the Chief Inspector.

Inspection procedures of inspection department

10A

(1) Upon request by the Chief Inspector, an inspection department shall provide, in a

manner determined by the Chief Inspector, a written report outlining its inspection

procedures for review and approval by the Chief Inspector.

(2) An inspection department shall only follow those inspection procedures that are

currently approved.

Inspector qualifications

10B An inspection department shall ensure to the satisfaction of the Chief Inspector that an

inspector in its employ

(

a) has at least the minimum qualifications required, as set by the Chief

Inspector in consultation with the inspection department;

(

b) performs inspections consistent with their qualifications; and

(

c) has upgrade and refresher training as required.

Permit fees

11 An inspection department shall charge permit fees and may require the person who

requests an inspection of an electrical or a communications installation to pay fees in

accordance with the scale of fees approved by the Utility and Review Board.

Electrical permit exemptions

12 An electrical permit is not required for the following categories of installations, provided

that the work is performed by a construction electrician who maintains a record of the

work completed for inspection by an inspection department or the Chief Inspector:

(

a) the replacement or repair of wiring devices or electrical equipment with an

electrical rating no greater than 30 A, 120 V to ground or 50 A, 240 V and

that are not in a location referred to in Sections 18 and 20 of the Code;

(

b) the installation of one 15 A to 30 A, 120 V branch circuit or one 15 A to

50 A, 240 V branch circuit that is not in a location referred to in

Section 18

and 20 of the Code;

(

c) the replacement of light fixtures in a dwelling unit;

(

d) the replacement of motors; and

(

e) wiring supplied from an approved class II transformer in a single dwelling,

provided it is not part of a lighting installation.

Communications cabling permit exemptions

13 A communications permit is not required for the following categories of

communications systems installations, provided that the work complies with the Code

and is performed by a communications technician or a construction electrician who

maintains a record of the work completed for inspection by an inspection department or

the Chief Inspector:

(

a) an installation that does not exceed 6 cabling drops and is not in a location

referred to in Sections 18 or 20 of the Code;

(

b) a relocation of 20 communication outlets where the installation does not

involve any new cable runs or penetrate any existing fire wall.

General permit exemptions

14 The following types of installations are exempt from the permit requirements of these

regulations:

(

a) communications and cable TV installations in a single dwelling as defined

by the Code;

(

b) security and intrusion alarm systems; and

(

c) installation of signs and outline lighting where the work is completed

according to

Section 34 of the Code by a certified electrical sign

manufacturer acceptable to the Chief Inspector.

Approved equipment

(1) No corporation, company, or person shall sell, have for sale, display, rent, lease,

advertise, install or use any electrical device, appliance or equipment unless it is

certified as approved equipment, as defined in the Code, by a certification

organization acceptable to the Chief Inspector.

(2) The Chief Inspector may approve the installation and use of electrical equipment in

accordance with the Code.

(3) If, in the opinion of the Chief Inspector, electrical equipment poses a fire or shock

hazard, the Chief Inspector may order the disconnection of the equipment.

(4) Where the Chief Inspector finds uncertified electrical equipment stocked by a

retailer, wholesale supplier, distributor, manufacturer or contractor, the Chief

Inspector may order the retailer, wholesale supplier, distributor, manufacturer or

contractor, within a reasonable period of time, to

(

a) provide the Chief Inspector with a list of persons to whom the equipment

has been supplied;

(

b) remove from shelves and discontinue selling, renting or leasing the

equipment; and

(

c) recall the uncertified electrical equipment from the persons to whom it was

supplied.

(5) Where an inspection department or the Chief Inspector finds uncertified electrical

equipment installed in an electrical installation, the inspection department or the

Chief Inspector may order the disconnection of the equipment.

(6) An inspection department or the Chief Inspector shall tag uncertified equipment to

warn persons that the equipment must not be connected to an electrical supply.

Hazardous installations

16 Where an inspection department or the Chief Inspector finds a hazardous installation, the

inspection department or the Chief Inspector may

(

a) order or effect the disconnection of the installation; and

(

b) take whatever action the inspection department or the Chief Inspector

considers necessary to ensure safety in the area of the installation.

Special permission

17 The Chief Inspector may grant special permission in writing to a contractor for a

deviation or postponement under the Code.

Legislative History

Reference Tables

Electrical Code Regulations

N.S. Reg.

95/1999

Electrical Installation and Inspection Act

Note: The

information in these tables does not form part of the regulations and is

compiled by the Office of the Registrar of Regulations for reference only.

Source Law

The current consolidation of the Electrical Code Regulations made under the Electrical Installation and Inspection Act includes all of the following regulations:

N.S.

Regulation

In force

date*

How in force

Royal Gazette

Part II Issue

95/1999

Oct 4, 1999

and Mar 1, 2000 1

date specified

Oct 22, 1999

139/2001

Oct 1, 2000

date specified

Nov 30, 2001

174/2003

Oct 10, 2003

date specified

Oct 31, 2003

64/2004

Apr 1, 2004

date specified

Apr 6, 2004

99/2007

Apr 1, 2007

date specified

Mar 30, 2007

156/2008

Apr 1, 2008

date specified

Apr 18, 2008

98/2009

Apr 1, 2009

date specified

Apr 14, 2009

70/2011

Apr 1, 2011

date specified

Apr 15, 2011

96/2013

Apr 1, 2013

date specified

Apr 12, 2013

95/2015

Apr 1, 2015

date specified

Apr 8, 2015

31/2022

Mar 1, 2022

date specified

Mar 11, 2022

The following regulations are not yet in force and are

not included in the current consolidation:

N.S.

Regulation

In force

date*

How in force

Royal Gazette

Part II Issue

*See subsection 3(6) of the Regulations Act for

rules about in force dates of regulations.

Amendments by Provision

ad. = added

am. = amended

fc. = fee change

ra. = reassigned

rep. = repealed

rs . = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

2 ........................................................

am. 31/2022 (clause letters removed)

2, defn . of “Code” .......................

am. 174/2003, 31/2022

2, defn . of

“communications cabling specialist” .................................

rep. 31/2022

2, defn . of

“communications certificate” ................................

rep. 31/2022

2, defn . of

“communications permit” ..................................................

rs . 31/2022

2, defn . of

“communications technician” ...............................

ad. 31/2022

2, defn . of

“communications technician trade” ......................

ad. 31/2022

2, defn . of “construction

electrician” ..................................................

rs . 31/2022

2, defn . of “construction

electrician trade” ........................................

ad. 31/2022

2, defn . of “final

inspection” .......

ad. 174/2003 ; am. 31/2022

5 ........................................................

rep. 31/2022

5(2)(c) ..........................................

fc. 64/2004, 99/2007, 156/2008, 98/2009, 70/2011,

96/2013, 95/2015

5(9) ...............................................

fc. 64/2004, 99/2007, 156/2008, 98/2009, 70/2011,

96/2013, 95/2015

5(11) .............................................

rep. 139/2001

6 ........................................................

rep. 31/2022

7 ........................................................

ra. as 7(1) 174/2003

7(1) ..............................................

ra. from 7 174/2003 ; am. 31/2022

7(2) ..............................................

ad. 174/2003 ; am. 31/2022

7(3) ..............................................

ad. 174/2003 ; am. 31/2022

7(4) ..............................................

ad. 174/2003

7(5) ..............................................

ad. 174/2003

8(1)(a) ...............................................

am. 31/2022

8(2) ...................................................

am. 174/2003

8(3) ...................................................

rep. 174/2003

9 ........................................................

rs . 31/2022

10A-10B ...........................................

ad. 174/2003

13 ......................................................

rs . 31/2022

17 ......................................................

am. 31/2022

Schedule A .......................................

fc. 99/2007

Note that changes to headings are not

included in the above table.

Editorial Notes and Corrections:

Note

Effective

date

Clause (

b) to O.I.C. 1999-470 approves the regulations

effective Oct 4, 1999, except for s. 9(2) of the regulations, which is

effective on Mar 1, 2000.

The reference in s. 11 to the Utility and Review

Board should be read as a reference to the Energy Board under the Energy

and Regulatory Boards Act , S.N.S. 2024, c. 2, Sch A, in accordance with s.

5 and s. 41 of that Act effective on proclamation (N.S. Reg 233/2024) .

Apr 1, 2025

Repealed and Superseded:

N.S.

Regulation

Title

In force

date

Repealed

date

Note: Only

regulations that are specifically repealed and replaced appear in this

table. It may not reflect the entire

history of regulations on this subject matter.