ELECTRICAL TEMPLATES · CHECKLIST

Electrical commissioning checklist

Written by Chameera Sampath · Not yet reviewed by a licensed electrician. See the methodology.

What an electrical commissioning checklist is

An electrical commissioning checklist is the record of the steps that take a new or modified electrical system from installed to accepted: checking the documents, preparing for energization, testing, proving that the systems function as designed, clearing the punch list and handing over to the owner. It is prepared by the contractor, the commissioning agent or both.

Commissioning sits between construction and occupancy. Its output is evidence that the system was tested and that the owner received what was specified.

What's included

Six sections with starting items: Documentation, Pre-energization checks, Energization and testing, Functional tests, Punch list and Handover.

Each item is marked Pass, Fail or N/A, with a note for test values and a photo note for the photo that records it. The punch list section is meant to grow: each open item is added as its own line and ticked off when closed. The header names the job, the address, the commissioning agent or technician and the date, and can carry a business name and logo. Progress is counted across all sections, and the finished record downloads as a US Letter PDF.

How to use it

Fill in the job header and confirm the documentation items before any equipment is energized.
Complete the pre-energization checks, recording insulation resistance values and settings in the notes.
Energize in the agreed sequence and record voltages, phase rotation and currents.
Run the functional tests with the trades whose systems interface with the electrical work.
Add each open item to the punch list, assign it and mark it Pass when it is closed.
Complete the handover section with the owner and download the PDF for the closeout package.

Measured voltages at panelboards far from the service can be compared with a voltage drop estimate, and the overcurrent ratings in the documentation with the breaker size calculator. The single-line diagram and panel schedules listed under Documentation can be drawn in the electrical diagram maker and the panel schedule template.

The checklist

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Job details

Job nameAddressCommissioning agent or technicianDateBusiness name (optional)

0 of 33 checked · 0 pass · 0 fail · 0 N/A

Documentation 0/5

Item 1Approved drawings and submittals on site
Item 2Single-line diagram matches the installed equipment
Item 3Panel schedules complete for every panelboard
Item 4Manufacturer installation instructions and O&M manuals collected
Item 5Permit and inspection sign-offs on file

Pre-energization checks 0/7

Item 1Equipment installed, anchored and cleaned inside
Item 2Terminations torqued and torque-marked
Item 3Insulation resistance of feeders tested and recorded
Item 4Phase identification and labels checked at each end
Item 5Overcurrent device settings applied as specified
Item 6Grounding and bonding connections verified
Item 7Covers and barriers installed; area cleared of people and tools

Energization and testing 0/5

Item 1Energization sequence agreed and lockout/tagout released by the responsible person
Item 2Voltage measured and recorded at each panelboard
Item 3Phase rotation verified before motors are run
Item 4Current on each phase measured once loads are connected
Item 5GFCI and AFCI devices tested

Functional tests 0/5

Item 1Lighting controls, schedules and occupancy sensors
Item 2Motor controls, starters and interlocks
Item 3Generator start and transfer of load
Item 4Emergency lighting on loss of normal power
Item 5Interfaces with fire alarm and other building systems, where present

Punch list 0/5

Item 1Missing covers, labels and filler plates
Item 2Damaged, wrong or incorrectly installed devices
Item 3Incomplete panel directories
Item 4Open items from inspection reports
Item 5Each open item assigned and given a completion date

Handover 0/6

Item 1As-built drawings delivered
Item 2Test reports and commissioning records delivered
Item 3Warranties, spare parts and attic stock handed over
Item 4Owner's staff trained and the training recorded
Item 5Keys, panel keys and special tools handed over
Item 6Final walkthrough completed and signed off

Commissioning vs inspection

An inspection is carried out by the authority having jurisdiction, or on its behalf, to decide whether the installation meets the adopted code. The inspector looks for compliance and approves or rejects; the inspector does not test whether the building's systems do what the owner specified.

Commissioning is carried out for the owner. It verifies that the installed systems work as designed and as specified: that lighting controls follow their schedules, that the generator picks up the right loads, that the documentation and training were delivered. An installation can pass inspection and still fail commissioning, and the reverse; projects usually need both.

Limitations

The starting items outline a typical process and are not a commissioning plan or specification. Test procedures, acceptance values and the responsibilities of each party come from the project's own documents and the equipment manufacturers. Energization and testing involve hazards that call for qualified persons and safe work practices. Local inspection requirements vary, and the checklist is not a substitute for the inspector's approval. The template follows US (NEC) practice only.

Frequently asked questions

What is an electrical punch list?

A list of incomplete or incorrect items found near the end of a project, such as missing covers, damaged devices or unlabeled circuits. Each item is assigned to someone and closed before the project is accepted.

What does an electrical handover include?

As-built drawings, test and commissioning records, manuals, warranties, spare parts, keys and training for the owner's staff, finished with a walkthrough that both sides sign off.

Why test insulation resistance before energizing?

An insulation resistance test finds damaged conductor insulation or a fault to ground before power is applied, when correcting it is safer and cheaper. The readings are recorded as a baseline for later maintenance.

Who performs electrical commissioning?

On larger projects an independent commissioning agent leads it, with the electrical contractor carrying out the tests. On smaller jobs the contractor commissions its own work and hands the record to the owner.

Can the punch list be kept separately from the rest of the checklist?

The punch list is a section of the same checklist, so its progress counts toward the total. Items can be added to it as they are found and removed once they no longer apply.