Kai Mallari's Notes'

In-Wall-AV-Wiring-in-Strata-Needs-CL2-Cable-and-Possibly-Strata-Approval (Home Systems)

4 min read

In-Wall AV Wiring in Strata Needs CL2 Cable and Possibly Strata Approval

decision-rule

Claim: Running AV cable (HDMI, speaker wire, Cat6) inside a wall cavity in BC requires CL2- or CL3-rated cable to satisfy fire code. In a strata, penetrating a demising or common wall also requires strata council approval in writing before work starts — regardless of whether a permit is involved.

Mechanism

The fire-code piece (everywhere in BC):

Inside a wall cavity, cable sits adjacent to insulation, vapour barriers, and wood framing that would carry a fire if the cable’s jacket burned or arced. The BC Electrical Code (via the Canadian Electrical Code) requires that cable run through wall cavities be rated for in-wall use:

  • CL2 (Communications Level 2) — the residential minimum for low-voltage in-wall runs (HDMI, speaker wire, control cable)
  • CL3 — required for some higher-voltage low-voltage applications or when running cable through the same conduit as other wiring
  • Standard HDMI or speaker cables sold for external use are not CL2-rated and should not be routed inside walls

CL2/CL3 cables have a jacket that is flame-retardant and self-extinguishing, limiting fire spread through a wall cavity if the cable ignites. Standard jacket PVC can drip burning plastic and spread fire.1

The strata-approval piece (in BC strata only):

In a BC strata, walls break into three categories:

  • Interior unit walls (entirely within your lot): drilling and running cable through these is cosmetic alteration, similar to hanging pictures — typically no strata approval required
  • Demising walls (between your unit and a neighbour, or between your unit and a common corridor): these are limited common property or common property. Under SPA Standard Bylaw 8, penetrating them requires strata council approval before work begins.2 They are also typically fire-separation walls — penetrations must be sealed with fire-stop material
  • Exterior walls (building envelope): common property; penetrations almost certainly require strata approval and may affect the building’s thermal and weather envelope

The electrical-permit piece:

  • In-wall low-voltage cable (HDMI, Cat6, CL2 speaker wire) is generally not a Technical Safety BC installation permit item
  • A new mains power outlet behind the TV (to hide the TV power cord) IS a permitted electrical alteration — requires a licensed electrician and a TSBC installation permit. Strata owners cannot pull homeowner electrical permits.3

Scope

This rule covers low-voltage AV wiring (HDMI, speaker wire, Cat6) run inside residential walls in BC strata. It does not cover:

  • Telephone/coaxial cable runs (governed by similar but separate regulations)
  • Commercial or multi-family building wiring governed by different CEC sections
  • Low-voltage wiring in a detached home (same CL2 requirement applies; no strata-approval question)

Idea Compass

North: Where this comes from

  • av-system (Home Systems) — the parent component where this friction point is first encountered
  • BC Electrical Code (Canadian Electrical Code, Part I) — the governing standard for in-wall cable rating requirements

East: Tensions / failure

  • Installers who use non-CL2 cable inside walls — common in quick budget installs; creates a latent fire code violation
  • Strata approval delays — Standard Bylaw 8 approval can take 1–4 weeks; plan ahead before booking an installer

South: Where this leads

  • Confirming with your strata manager which walls are demising vs unit-interior before booking an install
  • The in-wall power kit (a low-voltage bracket + recessed outlet combination) is an electrician-free way to run power behind a TV using an existing outlet circuit extended with approved low-voltage passthrough hardware — widely sold at Home Depot / Amazon; avoids the need for a permit while hiding the TV power cord cleanly

West: What’s similar

Sources

Footnotes

  1. Technical Safety BC — homeowner electrical permits and in-wall wiring requirements; CL2/CL3 cable ratings mandated for in-wall low-voltage runs under the BC Electrical Code — https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/apply-for/permits/homeowner-permits/homeowner-electrical-permits ↩

  2. Province of BC, Strata Property Act Standard Bylaw 8 — owner must obtain strata council approval before altering limited common property or common property — https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/strata-housing/operating-a-strata/repairs-and-maintenance/division-of-repair-duties ↩

  3. Technical Safety BC — strata owners cannot obtain homeowner electrical permits; all mains electrical work requires a licensed contractor — https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/apply-for/permits/homeowner-permits/homeowner-electrical-permits ↩

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