--- title: What is the difference between a gas “product approval” and a “commissioning approval”? | Technical Safety BC description: Learn the difference between these two types of appliance product approvals for regulated gas appliances. image: https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Sustainable2_0.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/what-difference-between-gas-product-approval-and-commissioning-approval#main-content) [![Technical Safety BC colour logo with gear](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/TSBC_Stacked_RGB%20300%20dpi%20-%20transparent%20background-1.png?width=600&height=179&name=TSBC_Stacked_RGB%20300%20dpi%20-%20transparent%20background-1.png "Technical Safety BC colour logo with gear")](https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/) [Visit main site](https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/) [Contact us](https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/contact/contact-us) [Back to blog](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/) # What is the difference between a gas “product approval” and a “commissioning approval”? July 12, 2020 3 Minute read ![](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Sustainable2_0.jpg)   When a nationally-recognized standard does not exist, an appliance **product approval** permit is required for regulated gas appliances, as authorized by the *Safety Standards Act *(SSA) and Gas Safety Regulation (GSR). Appliance product approvals require designs to be first submitted for review and registration. Once registered, a licensed gas contractor can then obtain the required product approval and installation permit to allow field approval assessment by a provincial gas safety officer for conformance to the registered design and referenced codes and/or standards. Upon successful completion of the product approval assessment, a Technical Safety BC gas appliance approval label is affixed to the appliance. The approval is site specific, and is valid only in the province of British Columbia under jurisdictional areas of the *Safety Standards Act*. A **commissioning approval** is an inspection performed prior to commissioning or testing of the appliance and is required under section 26 (2) of the GSR for the following types of appliances or equipment: - any direct-fired non-recirculating type make-up heater; - a conversion burner, except if it is to be installed in a single family dwelling and has an input of 120 kW or less; - a commercial or industrial conversion burner; - any direct fired equipment; - a forced draft appliance over 409,600 Btuh. The permit holder must request the assessment at least 48 hours prior to the expected commissioning time. The safety officer witnesses the testing and commissioning of the appliance to ensure an appropriate procedure is followed prior to placing the equipment into service. If the commissioning approval assessment is waived by the gas safety officer, than a Start Up report must be submitted to the safety officer. For more detailed information, see the following: - [Gas appliance approvals](https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/regulatory-resources/regulatory-notices/directive-gas-appliance-approval) - [Gas contractor responsibility to request Commissioning Approval assessment for specific gas appliances](https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/regulatory-resources/regulatory-notices/information-bulletin-gas-contractor-responsibility-request-commissioning-approval-assessment)       Share this article: [![Share on Facebook](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/hubfs/raw_assets/public/technical-safety-bc/images/facebook-blue.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.technicalsafetybc.ca%2Fwhat-difference-between-gas-product-approval-and-commissioning-approval%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/hubfs/raw_assets/public/technical-safety-bc/images/linkedin-blue.svg)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.technicalsafetybc.ca%2Fwhat-difference-between-gas-product-approval-and-commissioning-approval%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/hubfs/raw_assets/public/technical-safety-bc/images/twitter-blue.svg)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.technicalsafetybc.ca%2Fwhat-difference-between-gas-product-approval-and-commissioning-approval%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.technicalsafetybc.ca%2Fwhat-difference-between-gas-product-approval-and-commissioning-approval%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=What%20is%20the%20difference%20between%20a%20gas%20%E2%80%9Cproduct%20approval%E2%80%9D%20and%20a%20%E2%80%9Ccommissioning%20approval%E2%80%9D%3F%20%7C%20Technical%20Safety%20BC) [![Share on Email](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/hubfs/raw_assets/public/technical-safety-bc/images/email-blue.svg)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.technicalsafetybc.ca%2Fwhat-difference-between-gas-product-approval-and-commissioning-approval%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.technicalsafetybc.ca%2Fwhat-difference-between-gas-product-approval-and-commissioning-approval%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ## Subscribe for safety updates and insights ## Browse topics - [Homeowner](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/homeowner) - [Gas](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/gas) - [Contractor](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/contractor) - [Electrical](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/electrical) - [Asset Owner](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/asset-owner) - [Ask A Safety Officer](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/ask-a-safety-officer) - [Homeowner Safety](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/homeowner-safety) - [Passenger Ropeways](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/passenger-ropeways) - [Boiler, PV and Refrigeration](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/boiler-pv-and-refrigeration) - [Carbon Monoxide](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/carbon-monoxide) - [Public Safety](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/public-safety) - [Amusement Devices](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/amusement-devices) - [Elevating Devices](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/elevating-devices) - [Railways](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/railways) - [Alternative Safety Approaches](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/alternative-safety-approaches) - [CO Alarm](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/co-alarm) - [Client Support](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/client-support) - [Smarter Safety](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/smarter-safety) - [FSR](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/fsr) - [Camping](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/camping) - [Chairlift](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/chairlift) - [Corporate news](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/corporate-news) - [RV safety](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/rv-safety) - [Skiing](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/skiing) - [Travel](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/travel) - [Vacation](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/vacation) - [extreme heat](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/extreme-heat) - [snowboarding](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/tag/snowboarding) ## Related articles ![](https://blog.technicalsafetybc.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Untitled-1-01v2.png?width=352&name=Untitled-1-01v2.png) ### Vacation home appliances can be deadly August 26, 2020 2 Minute read Off-grid properties usually fuel their appliances by portable propane gas bottles and tanks. 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