What HVAC Permits Cost and Who Issues Them in Metro Vancouver (2026)
Most HVAC jobs in Metro Vancouver need at least one permit, and the contractor normally pulls it and includes the fee in the quote. In the City of Vancouver the mechanical permit for a new or different heating or cooling system costs $432 plus $15.30 per kW for a one to three storey building, so a 10 kW heat pump is about $585 before the electrical permit.
Gas and electrical permits come from different authorities, and the two lists are not the same, which is the part homeowners most often get wrong.
Which permits a job needs
A typical pattern for common jobs; your contractor confirms the exact permits for your address.
- Heat pump or new AC Electrical permit; mechanical permit in the City of Vancouver Plus a gas permit if a gas furnace is removed or capped
- Like-for-like gas furnace or boiler replacement Gas permit No mechanical permit in the City of Vancouver for the same fuel, type and capacity
- Gas water heater Gas permit A heat pump water heater needs an electrical permit instead
- HRV or ERV Electrical permit if wiring is added No mechanical permit in the City of Vancouver
- Routine servicing Usually none Repairs that replace gas components or change venting may need one
Who issues them
GAS: the City of Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, Maple Ridge, the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver issue their own gas permits for most residential work; everywhere else in Metro Vancouver it is Technical Safety BC. ELECTRICAL: the City of Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, the City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Maple Ridge issue their own; everywhere else, including Richmond, it is Technical Safety BC. So Richmond issues its own gas permits but not electrical, while Surrey and West Vancouver issue their own electrical permits but not gas.
Some municipalities add their own steps for heat pumps, such as a building permit application in the City of North Vancouver, or in Burnaby for ducted systems or wall and roof mounted units. BC also allows a homeowner gas permit for a single detached house the owner lives in, but venting and carbon monoxide safety make a licensed gas contractor the sensible choice for most people.
Permits for this job
Both permit lists above come from Technical Safety BC's published jurisdiction list. Gas work must be done by a gas fitter employed by a gas contractor licensed with Technical Safety BC, and refrigerant work by a person certified under BC's halocarbon regulation.
Before you sign
The quote should show
- Every permit the job needs, named, with the fee included
- Who will request the inspections
- Whether the job will be closed out with a final inspection
- Any municipal extras, such as a building permit application for some heat pumps
- Copies of the permits for your records
Ask the contractor
- Which permits the contractor will pull for your address
- Whether the fees are in the price
- The Technical Safety BC gas contractor licence number for gas work
- Refrigerant certification for heat pump or AC work
- Whether the work will be inspected before final payment
Quick answers
Are permit fees usually in the quote?
Usually, yes. Ask to see them listed so you know every permit is being pulled.
Can unpermitted HVAC work cause problems when I sell?
It can. A buyer's inspector may flag it, and getting the work inspected before listing is usually easier than during a sale.
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