Certification Renewal

If your certificate can be renewed, you can renew your certificate up to 1 year in advance of its expiration date. Renewing early does not reduce the time of your certificate being in an ‘active’ status.

Your certificate can be renewed using your Online Services account if you’re within 1 year of your certificate’s expiration date. If you don’t have an Online Services account, you can call us at 1 866 566 7233. You can also renew your certificate if it expires.

If you don’t have an Online Services account, have the following information ready:

• Your FSR certificate number
• Your current mailing address
• Your email address

You should also make sure that you have completed your continuing education requirements from an approved training provider.

To renew your certificate, simply log in to your Online Services account and click Certifications on the left side. Then click Proceed to Online Services for Certification and you’ll be directed to your My Certificates page.

1. Once you’re there, click the Action dropdown on the certificate you want to renew and select Renew Certificate.
2. Complete and submit your renewal. You may see a pro-rated fee that reflects the time between your old expiration date and your new renewal date (your birth date).

The Electrical Safety Regulation (section 10.1) requires you to satisfy continuing education requirements before renewing your FSR certificate of qualification. There are different continuing education requirements depending on your certificate class. You can find information about training providers here.

Once you have completed a continuing education course, hold onto the course completion document. You’ll need to have this document when you fill out your renewal application.

Note:

2021 Canadian Electrical Code renewal courses are required to satisfy continuing education requirements. 2018 Canadian Electrical Code update training completed before the adoption of the 2021 Canadian Electrical Code, is no longer accepted as of December 31, 2022.

The 2024 Canadian Electrical code is currently being evaluated for adoption in BC.

FSRs who choose to retake a certification code course on the 2021 Canadian Electrical Code, which covers all sections of the code relevant to their FSR class, not only the updates to the code from the previous version, may also be allowed to renew their certificate of qualification on that basis.

To renew your class A, B, or C FSR certificate of qualification, you must complete one of the following:

• 8 hours of continuing education with a recognized training provider.
• Self-study and pass a renewal exam to challenge the continuing education requirements.

If you choose to pursue continuing education, you must complete the required 8 hours before renewing. If you choose to take the renewal exam, know that it can only be taken once.

FSRs who hold unrestricted A, B, or C certificates must take an 8-hour course. FSRs who do not hold an unrestricted certification must take a 4-hour course. Please see a list of external training providers and sign up for a course.

You must complete 4 hours of continuing education with a recognized training provider to renew your restricted FSR class certificate of qualification. 

The following continuing education training will be accepted:

Option 1:

• A course consisting of a minimum of 4 hours on the 2021 Canadian Electrical Code which must include the code update as outlined in section 3.3 of this syllabus. The code update course will require evaluation and recognition by Technical Safety BC;

Option 2:

• A course consisting of a minimum of 1 hour on the 2021 Canadian Electrical Code update as outlined in section 3.3 of this syllabus. The code update course will require evaluation and recognition by Technical Safety BC; and 
• One or more additional courses that add to the 1-hour code update course listed above to make up the total 4-hour requirement for continuing education. Such courses shall be directly related to regulated activities certificate holders are required to perform within the scope of their certificate class. These courses will not require evaluation and recognition by Technical Safety BC. Acceptable training topics shall fall under one or a combination of the following categories: 
• Trade specific safety training. Examples of such training may include Arc Flash & Shock, HAZLOC, Fall Protection, etc.
• Technical training. Examples of such training may include product specific training, employer provided procedural training on how to install or service various products, etc. Manufacturer product specific training, other than that intended for promotional, or sales use is also acceptable.

If you do not renew your certificate but continue to perform regulated work, you put yourself and others at risk. Failure to renew your certificate will result in the following:

• A safety officer may issue a compliance order, or recommend a monetary penalty.
• A safety officer may be authorized to stop your work in the field.
• If you are named as the primary FSR on a contractor license, the contractor licence status will be put on hold, along with any associated installation or operating permits.
• You cannot be named on any new or renewed operating permits, installation permits, temporary construction permits, and contractor licences.
• You cannot assess compliance with codes and regulations.
• You cannot submit declarations for installation permits which you are named on.
• You cannot obtain new installation permits.
• You cannot represent an asset owner on any new or existing operating permit(s).

Apply for a Class A, B, or C renewal exam through your FSR online account.

The FSR renewal exam takes 2.5 hours and consists of 40 multiple-choice questions. To pass, you must achieve a minimum grade of 70%.

You can only take the renewal exam once. If you fail the renewal exam, you must complete the required 8 hours of continuing education with a recognized training provider prior to renewing.

To complete your continuing education, register for a 4-hour online course applicable to your certificate class with an external recognized training provider.

Note: Grandparented classes were closed and existing FSR certifications underwent a name change during 2021 FSR renewal. As of March 7, 2022, Skilled Trades BC Regulation came into effect with mandatory trades. Please refer to Skilled Trades BC Act for more information.