Does New Brunswick require a separate electrical permit for wiring a garage?

Yes, New Brunswick requires a separate electrical permit for any electrical work in a garage, and this is completely independent of the building permit you obtain for the garage structure itself. The electrical permit is a provincial requirement, and there is no exemption based on the size of the garage or the amount of wiring involved. Even a single light fixture and outlet in a detached garage requires an electrical permit and inspection.

The electrical permit ensures that all wiring, panels, circuits, devices, and connections are installed according to the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) as adopted in New Brunswick, and that the installation is inspected by a qualified electrical inspector before the system is energized. This is fundamentally a safety requirement — faulty electrical work in garages is a leading cause of residential fires, and the risk is heightened in garages where flammable materials such as gasoline, solvents, and propane are stored.

All electrical work in NB garages must be performed by a licensed electrician. New Brunswick does not permit homeowners to do their own electrical wiring, even in an accessory building like a detached garage. The licensed electrician pulls the electrical permit, performs the installation, and coordinates the inspection. The permit fee is typically modest — ranging from $50 to $200 depending on the scope of work and the municipality. Your electrician includes this cost in their quote.

The electrical inspection takes place after all wiring is installed but before the walls are closed up with insulation and drywall. The inspector checks the wire gauge, circuit breaker sizing, number and placement of outlets, GFCI protection, grounding, panel connections, and overall code compliance. For a standard two-car garage, the inspection typically takes 30 to 60 minutes. If deficiencies are found, they must be corrected and re-inspected before the installation can be approved and energized.

Here is what a typical NB garage electrical installation includes. At minimum, your garage needs at least one 15-amp or 20-amp general circuit for lighting and outlets, with GFCI protection on all receptacles (a code requirement for garage locations). You need exterior lighting at the service door and adequate interior lighting — most two-car garages benefit from four to six LED fixtures providing even illumination across the work area. A dedicated circuit for the garage door opener is standard. Beyond the basics, your electrical needs depend on how you plan to use the garage. A workshop with power tools typically requires two to three dedicated 20-amp circuits. An EV Level 2 charger requires a dedicated 40-amp, 240-volt circuit — this is increasingly common in NB as electric vehicle adoption grows. A garage heater (electric unit heater or radiant heater) requires its own dedicated 240-volt circuit sized to the heater's amperage draw. If you are planning any of these additions, include them in the original electrical installation — adding circuits later, after the garage is insulated and drywalled, costs three to five times more in labour because the electrician must open up finished walls to run new wiring.

The total cost for garage electrical work in NB ranges from $1,500 to $4,000 depending on scope. A basic installation with lighting, a few outlets, and a garage door opener circuit runs $1,500 to $2,000. A full workshop or heated garage installation with sub-panel, multiple dedicated circuits, EV charger circuit, and 240-volt heater circuit runs $3,000 to $4,000 or more. These costs include the permit, materials, labour, and inspection.

Plan your electrical needs before the garage is built, not after. Discuss your current and future electrical requirements with your electrician during the design phase so that adequate service capacity, wire runs, and outlet locations can be planned into the structure from the start. Find contractors through the New Brunswick Construction Network at newbrunswickconstructionnetwork.com.