An electrical inspection checklist serves two purposes: it catches what's incomplete before the inspector does, and it creates a documented record of what was done and when.
This checklist covers rough-in through final for residential and light commercial electrical work.
Rough-in electrical inspection checklist
Service and panel
- Service entrance installed per utility requirements
- Main panel location accessible and clear of obstructions
- Panel grounding complete — grounding electrode system photographed
- All breakers labelled at installation
- AFCI and GFCI protection installed per code requirements for jurisdiction
Branch circuits
- All circuits run per approved drawings
- Wire gauge matched to breaker rating throughout
- Neutral and ground conductors properly identified
- All splices in accessible junction boxes
- No junction boxes buried or inaccessible
Rough-in locations
- All device boxes at correct height — ADA where required
- All outlet spacing per NEC (12-foot rule in living areas)
- GFCI locations: bathrooms, kitchens, garages, exterior, crawl spaces
- Smoke detector rough-in in required locations
- All exterior boxes weatherproof-rated
Documentation before cover-up
- GPS-tagged photo of every junction box location
- Full conduit run photos — each run from end to end
- Panel photo with breakers and preliminary labelling
- Inspection approval photo
See our electrical rough-in documentation checklist for the full pre-cover workflow.
Final electrical inspection checklist
Devices and fixtures
- All cover plates installed
- All GFCI devices tested and functioning
- AFCI breakers tripped and reset tested
- All fixtures secure and operational
- All switches functioning correctly
Panel final
- All circuits labelled clearly and accurately
- Panel directory completed and photographed
- All breakers in correct positions
- No knockouts missing from panel
Documentation at handover
- Panel directory photo in PDF handover package
- All GFCI locations documented
- Main disconnect location clearly noted
- Any variances from original drawings explained in writing
Digitalising this checklist
Manifold's required-photo checklists let you build this template once and deploy it on every job. Each item requires a photo before it can be checked off. PDF exports automatically at the end of the job.
See our best apps for electricians guide and field documentation guide.
Start your free trial — $16/user/month, no seat minimums.
More Electrical Contractor Guides
.png)
