Operating Permits

Please note, the BC Safety Authority issues gas operating permits for the Province of British Columbia for all gas installations and if they are 2 PSI and above; over 409,000 BTU, and all single family dwelling.

Otherwise the following jurisdictions issue their own gas permits and have their own inspection process:

We’ll issue your operating permit once the passenger ropeway has passed the acceptance inspection and you have paid the invoice.

The operating permit expires after a year and you must renew to remain valid. When you get your renewal notice:

• Mail a cheque for the renewal fee to the New Westminster BCSA office or,
• Visit any BCSA office in person.

To understand the fees involved for your inspection and operating permit renewal, see the Passenger Ropeway Fee Schedule.

We’ll issue an operating permit once the amusement device has passed the acceptance inspection. The cost for the first operating permit is included in the acceptance inspection fee. Additional fees may be charged if the amusement device does not pass the acceptance inspection. To understand the fees involved for your inspection and operating permit renewal, see the Amusement Devices Fee Schedule.

Your operating permit expires after a year. You will receive a reminder to renew and must do so to remain valid. To renew your permit, have your renewal notice available and:

• Mail or fax the form to a BCSA office or,
• Visit any of the BCSA offices in person.

Please be prepared to pay the appropriate fee by credit card or by cheque payable to BC Safety Authority.

If you own a building that has an elevating device installed, it’s your responsibility to obtain an operating permit. You also need to renew the permit every year thereafter.

Your renewal reminder and form will be mailed 30 days before your operating permit expires. Please submit your form in person at any BCSA office or call
1-866-566-7233.

Be prepared to pay the renewal fee.

To retain your operating permit you need to hire a licensed maintenance contractor to perform mandatory maintenance. For more information see the Mandatory Maintenance directive.

As the owner of a new installation, your elevating contractor will have to request an inspection once the installation has been completed. The owner, within 60 days after a passed inspection, must obtain an operating permit. Please see Elevating Devices Information Bulletin IB-ED 2013-01.

Once an installation has passed an inspection, our office will send an invoice to the owner for an operating permit.

Remember, all active elevating devices must have an operating permit.

Operating permits are for owners of regulated equipment in commercial, residential, industrial, institutional or public assembly buildings. This equipment includes:

• Hot water boilers with a heating surface area exceeding 3 m2
• Steam boilers with a heating surface area exceeding 2m2
• Hot potable water heaters exceeding 120 kW or 400,000 BTUs/h
• Pressure vessels with a pressure exceeding 103 kPa operating pressure
• Air conditioning and refrigeration systems exceeding 25 kW input prime mover nameplate rating

A Safety Officer must inspect any of the equipment listed above before you can receive an operating permit. Once the equipment has passed inspection, you’ll receive the permit by mail along with the invoice for your permit, inspection and registration. Please be prepared to pay the appropriate boiler fees.

The permit needs to be stored alongside the equipment. You will be invoiced for the permit’s annual renewal.

If you are selling, scrapping, or are no longer using your boiler, pressure vessel or refrigeration/HVAC system, please submit a Boiler Declaration Form 1186 to any BCSA office to confirm that the equipment is out of use.

Gas operating permits are for gas stations and other facilities dispensing propane, natural gas or hydrogen. Operating permits are also required for owners of gas utilities, propane bulk plants, vehicle fuel system installers and other facilities. For more information on those facilities, please refer to section 28 of the Gas Safety Regulation.

If you’d like to get an operating permit, please prepare all the information in the Operating Permit Application Form 550 and:

1. Call our customer service line on 1-866-566-7233 or,
2. Mail or fax the form to your nearest BCSA office or,
3. Visit any of the BCSA offices in person.

Please be prepared to pay the appropriate fee as per the Gas Fee Schedule.

To renew your operating permit, complete the Operating Permit Form 550 and follow the steps above. It may take several weeks to issue the permit from the date you submit an application, so it’s best to renew as soon as you get your reminder.