Canadian · Skilled Trades
Verify an electrician licence in Ontario: Skilled Trades Ontario register.
Ontario has 23 compulsory trades, including electrician, plumber and steamfitter. Skilled Trades Ontario's Public Register is the official place to check whether someone holds the credential needed to work in one. Pick a situation below to see whether the person should appear on it.
Important, up front: the register covers people in compulsory trades. An electrical business is licensed separately by ESA (see the ECRA/ESA guide). Some groups do not appear on the register, so a missing listing is not by itself proof someone is unqualified.
Will they appear on the register?
Result
Choose a situation and press Check.
What the register is for
To work in a compulsory trade in Ontario a person must hold a valid Certificate of Qualification, a Provisional Certificate of Qualification, or a Registered Training Agreement. Skilled Trades Ontario states that you find out whether a person has the necessary qualifications by searching its Public Register. Journeypersons must renew their Certificate of Qualification each year.
Who will not appear
- Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) participants and Ministry-approved pre-apprenticeship participants: they will not appear.
- Permanent employees of industrial plants: their information may not appear.
- Holders of an equivalent Quebec certificate, or registered Quebec apprentices, in seven trades (electrician, hoisting engineer, plumber, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic, sheet metal worker, sprinkler and fire protection installer, steamfitter): they will not appear.
Non-compulsory trades
The Red Seal program's verification page says Ontario non-compulsory trades are verified by email to verification@skilledtradesontario.ca (first and last name, plus date of birth or certificate number; about 10 business days). See the Red Seal verification guide for every province.
Sources
- Skilled Trades Ontario: Work in the compulsory trades (retrieved October 2026)
- Skilled Trades Ontario: Public Register (retrieved October 2026)
- Red Seal: Credential verification information (retrieved October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify an electrician licence in Ontario?
For the person, search the Skilled Trades Ontario Public Register. For the electrical contracting business you are hiring, check the ECRA/ESA licence number with ESA's contractor locator. They are different checks: one is a person's qualification, the other a business licence.
Is the Skilled Trades Ontario register the same as the ESA lookup?
No. Skilled Trades Ontario's register is about individuals holding credentials in compulsory trades. ESA's tool is about electrical contracting businesses. ESA's own consumer page says only a licensed electrical contracting business can be hired for electrical work.
Why can't I find someone who says they are certified?
Check the spelling first. Some people legitimately do not appear: OYAP and pre-apprenticeship participants, some industrial plant employees, and holders of equivalent Quebec certificates in seven trades. Ask for the certificate and, if in doubt, contact Skilled Trades Ontario.
Does this page look anyone up for me?
No. It explains who is and is not on the register and sends you to the official one. Nothing you select is transmitted.
Guide and shape check only — not a verification
This page does not query, copy or proxy any register and cannot confirm anyone's licence, certificate or registration. Anything you type stays in your browser. Only the official register linked above can confirm current status, and rules can change, so check the source before you rely on this page.