Boiler and Pressure Vessel

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.

Licensed contractors and owners need a permit before they install, operate or perform maintenance on any boiler, refrigeration system or pressure vessel.

Register a design before getting your installation permit

Before installing a boiler, you’ll need to first provide a Canadian Design Registration Number (CRN) or submit the design specifications of the device registered to obtain your CRN.

All licensed contractors qualified to work with the following equipment need an installation permit before they begin any operations:

• 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
• Air conditioning and refrigeration systems exceeding 5 kW input prime mover nameplate rating

Pressure vessels don’t need an installation permit, but before purchasing the unit you should contact your nearest BCSA office just in case it can’t be registered in BC.

To get your installation permit please prepare all the information in the Boiler Installation Permit Form 823 or Refrigeration Installation Permit Form 824 and:

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

Please be prepared to pay the appropriate fee for your type of boiler, refrigeration system or pressure vessel: Boiler Fee Schedule.

Alterations and new equipment

If you intend to bring a new boiler into British Columbia or alter existing equipment, you need to contact your nearest BCSA office to let us know.

New equipment must be approved before you can apply for an installation permit. To learn more, see: Design Registration for boilers.

Only Class A contractor licence holders can make alterations or repairs. Notify the BCSA ahead of time by completing the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Repair and Alteration Form 1060. Mail the completed form to any BCSA office.