Yes, with a permit. Within limits.

Often, yes. If you own and live in a single-family home or farm, TSASK lets you do much of your own electrical work under a Home/Farm Owner Electrical Wiring Permit, as long as it’s single-phase, non-hazardous and no bigger than 200 amps or 300 volts. Some jobs are off the list entirely, and some need a licensed journeyperson or contractor no matter how handy you are.

Who can do what

The permit rules in this guide come from TSASK’s Home/Farm Owner Electrical Wiring Permit page and its electrical permit FAQs, checked on October 3, 2026. Rules change, so check those pages before you start.

Who TSASK is

The Technical Safety Authority of Saskatchewan (TSASK) handles electrical permits, inspections and licensing in the province. It’s who you buy the permit from, who inspects the work, and who licenses electricians and contractors. Saskatchewan has enforced the 2024 Canadian Electrical Code since June 1, 2025.

What the homeowner permit covers

TSASK gives these as examples of work that needs a Home/Farm Owner permit:

• replacing or updating light switches and electrical outlets;
• garages;
• installing a ceiling fan;
• connecting permanently installed appliances such as dishwashers, ranges or furnaces;
• wiring hot tubs and swimming pools, which “requires the owner or their immediate family member to be a licensed Electrical Journeyperson.”

The permit is “restricted to a single phase non-hazardous electrical installation not exceeding 200 amps or 300 volts between phase conductors.” Notice that swapping a switch is on the list. In Saskatchewan, permits aren’t only for big jobs.

Who can do the work under your permit

You, the owner. Or an immediate family member, but only if they hold a Saskatchewan Electrical Journeyperson licence. TSASK defines immediate family as “father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, spouse, common-law spouse, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, or grandparent-in-law.” You’ll need to give their licence number, and TSASK is clear that “Red Seal or other provincial licences are not accepted on their own.”

So a handy neighbour can’t do the work under your permit. Neither can an electrician cousin (cousins aren’t on the list), or a sister who’s a journeyperson licensed only in Alberta.

When you must hire a licensed contractor

TSASK says you need a licensed electrical contractor if any of these apply:

• the property shares a common wall with another owner (an apartment, duplex, townhouse or condo);
• the owner does not reside on the premises;
• the property is used as a rental;
• the project needs an electrical service installed, and neither you nor an immediate family member is a licensed Electrical Journeyperson.

These jobs aren’t eligible for a homeowner permit at all:

• services over 200 amps or 300 volts, polyphase, or hazardous locations;
• generators, EV chargers and battery storage;
• net metering and renewable systems such as solar and wind.

On solar, EV chargers and backup generators, TSASK explains: “Due to the complexity of the work and working with unprotected electrical equipment, a licensed Saskatchewan Electrical Contractor is required.”

A note for cabin owners: because of the “does not reside on the premises” rule, a seasonal cabin may not qualify for a homeowner permit. Use TSASK’s inspector lookup and ask your local inspector before you start.

Getting the permit and the inspection

TSASK sells homeowner permits online and says you’ll receive yours instantly. If you have questions, TSASK asks you to call 1‑866‑530‑8599 or email geis@tsask.ca before you apply.

Get the permit before the work starts, then plan for the rough-in inspection, which TSASK defines as “an inspection of any wiring installation prior to finishing of the walls.” Don’t drywall until it’s done. TSASK also publishes a homeowner wiring pamphlet covering common requirements such as arc-fault and ground-fault protection. It was written for the 2021 code, so confirm anything you’re unsure of with your inspector.

What to expect when you hire a contractor

TSASK says a contractor “should provide a copy of the electrical permit before work begins.” That copy shows they’re licensed in Saskatchewan, following the law, approved to do the work and obligated to fix problems. You can legally ask for a copy of any permit for work on your property, and if a contractor won’t give you one, TSASK asks you to call them. A bond on its own doesn’t count either. TSASK states that having just a bond “will not allow you to pull permits or work as a Contractor.”

How to check a licence

TSASK’s licence lookup lists the actively licensed electrical contractors and journeypersons in Saskatchewan. To use it:

1. Go to tsask.ca/licence-lookup.
2. Type the company’s or the person’s name into the search box.
3. Filter by type: Electrical Contractor for a business, Electrical Journeyperson for a tradesperson.
4. Check the result. The name should match who you’re hiring, the licence class and any restriction should suit the job, and the expiry date should be in the future.

Search “Baer” and you’ll find Baer Electric Inc. listed as an Electrical Contractor (Full Contractor, no restriction) in Goodsoil, and Blair Baer as an Electrical Journeyperson (Full Journeyman). If the business you’re talking to doesn’t show up, ask why before any work starts.

A word on doing it yourself

A permit makes the work legal. It doesn’t make it easy. If you go ahead, turn off the breaker and confirm the circuit is dead with a proper tester before you touch anything, work to the current code, and book your inspections. If you’re unsure at any point, stop. Panels, services, anything warm, scorched or tripping, and anything near water are jobs for a licensed electrician.

When to call an electrician

Call a licensed contractor for anything TSASK keeps off the homeowner list, for any work at a rental, a shared-wall home or a cabin you don’t live in, and any time you’d rather have it done once and inspected. Baer Electric is licensed by TSASK as a full electrical contractor. See our residential electrical services, or our farm electrical services if the work is out on the yard.