Trade Playbook

Electrical Contracting

Compulsory trade, certification required

Electrical is a compulsory trade and the most tightly licensed construction business in Ontario. To operate you need an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC) licence, which requires a designated Master Electrician.

Where are you right now?

Learn it. Earn it. Own it. Pick the door that matches where you are.

Getting inBecome an electricianHow people actually enter this trade: sponsors, registration, hours, and school.Open Getting certifiedFinish your ticketAlready an apprentice? The Last Mile guide: closing out hours, booking the exam, exam day.Open Comparing optionsWhat electricians makePay by stage, the lanes that change the number, and the difference between a wage and a business rate.Open Going out on your ownStart a electrical contracting businessThe step-by-step from qualified tradesperson to incorporated, insured, bid-ready owner.Open Just lookingCommon questionsLicences, costs, timelines: the questions everyone asks, answered straight.Open

Electrical Contracting at a glance

Licence to do the work
Required — 309A/309C C of Q (compulsory) + ECRA/ESA contractor licence to contract
Path in
Apprenticeship — 309A, about 9,000 hours (5 years)
Regulated by
ESA / ECRA + Skilled Trades Ontario
Insurance baseline
$2M CGL (an ESA licence condition)
Union route
IBEW locals

The licensing layer, explained

To take electrical contracts in Ontario you must hold an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC) licence issued by the Electrical Safety Authority. The LEC requires a designated Master Electrician (you or an employee) who has passed the Master Electrician exam. Electricians themselves must hold a 309A (Construction & Maintenance) or 309C (Domestic & Rural) Certificate of Qualification — both compulsory. Every job needs an ESA electrical permit and inspection.

Certifications in this trade

Insurance to expect

ESA requires Licensed Electrical Contractors to carry liability insurance (commonly $2M CGL) as a condition of the LEC licence. Errors in electrical work carry fire and life-safety exposure, so do not under-insure.

Go to the source

The official pages that govern this trade. Bookmark these, they are the final word on requirements and fees.

Keep reading

309A Electrician309C Electrician (D&R)IncorporationCRA RegistrationWSIB & ProvincialTrade LicensingInsuranceSafety ComplianceOperational SetupBid Readiness

Ready to build a electrical contracting business?

AEC Stack handles incorporation, licensing, insurance, compliance, and operations, so you can focus on the work.

Start your business