Electrician license · by state

Electrician license requirements by state

Electrician licenses come from each state's electrical licensing authority. We publish a state only after reading its official requirements.

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Updated Nov 9, 2026 · Requirements: each state's electrical licensing authority or its rules

Quick answer

Electricians are licensed state by state, and what it takes differs: the license levels, the hours of supervised experience, the exam and the application. Of the 37 states and DC verified so far: a state apprentice or trainee license or registration is issued in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. A state licensing exam is required in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. The statewide electrical license is a contractor license in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio. The table shows each state's license, experience requirement and exam.

By state

Electrician license requirements by state

Data

Electrician license requirements, verified states
State	License	Experience and training	Licensing exam
Alabama	Journeyman Electrician	At least 8,000 hours of documented experience, shown by notarized employer affidavits that you worked in the electrical contracting industry for at least four years within the past eight years (with your W-2 or 1099 forms), or by a notarized Work Affidavit from a Department of Labor Registered Apprentice program. One year of an approved electrical curriculum or apprenticeship program may replace 1,000 hours, up to 2,000 hours.	The Electrical Journeyman exam (the Alabama exam through Prov, or the NASCLA Portable J exam). Once the Board approves your examination application, you are emailed scheduling information.
Alaska	Electrician Journeyman Certificate of Fitness	8,000 hours of work experience subject to the National Electrical Code, documented on the Department's Experience Verification form. Hours count only when worked for a contractor with valid credentials in the state where you worked, under the direct supervision of a journey-level tradesperson; maintenance work does not qualify. Vocational or military hours can count for up to half (4,000 hours).	An examination scheduled by the Section once it validates your application packet; a score of 70% or more lets the Section issue your journey-level certificate.
Arizona	Electrical Contractor License (C-11, R-11 or CR-11)	The Qualifying Party needs at least four years of practical or management trade experience in the type of work being licensed, with at least two of those years within the last ten years. Accredited technical training may count for up to two of the four years.	The Qualifying Party must pass the required exams with at least 70%: the Arizona Statutes and Rules Training Course and Exam (SRE) and a trade exam for the classification, unless the trade exam is waived. Trade exams are taken online or at a testing center through PSI.
Arkansas	Journeyman Electrician	Either complete a four-year electrical construction apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, or have 8 years (16,000 hours, counting at most 2,000 hours a year) of electrical construction experience or training approved by the Board. Work experience is documented with transcripts, notarized employer letters or affidavits, or similar evidence.	The Board's journeyman electrician licensing exam. When the application qualifies, the applicant is allowed to take the exam.
Colorado	Journeyman Electrician	8,000 hours of experience earned over no less than 4 years, of which 2,000 hours must be commercial/industrial work. All practical experience is documented on the Board's Affidavit of Experience form, completed by the supervising electrical contractor.	The state electrical licensing exam; the experience above is the minimum required to sit for it. You must show photo ID to be admitted, and results are given in writing as pass or fail.
Delaware	Journeyperson Electrician	Two routes: a certificate of completion from a state-approved registered apprenticeship program (licensure by certificate), or, to apply by examination, Verification of Employment forms showing at least 8,000 hours of full-time electrical work under the supervision of a licensed master or limited electrician. The supervisor must send the verification form directly.	If you apply by examination, you must pass the journeyperson examination, given by the testing vendor ProV after the Board approves you to sit for it; the passing score is 75%. Applicants licensed by certificate (completed approved apprenticeship) do not take the journeyperson examination.
District of Columbia	Journeyman Electrician	At least 8,000 hours over at least 4 years as an apprentice electrician; or an accredited electrical engineering degree plus at least 2 years of practical electrical experience certified by a licensed master electrician; or experience or education the Board deems equivalent. Prove it with employment verification letters signed by the master, detailing how long you worked and your experience.	The journeyman exam: to sit for it you must show the required experience. The exam is open book. With proof of completing a nationally certified apprenticeship program you may waive the journeyman exam.
Florida	Certified Electrical Contractor	Meet one of the experience routes in the statute, for example at least 4 years as a supervisor or contractor in the trade within the 8 years before applying, at least 3 years of proven management experience within the 6 years before applying (no more than half may be an education equivalent), or a combination of the qualifying routes totaling 6 years.	Pass the certification examination administered by the department, with the passing grade set by board rule. Anyone at least 18 years old may take it.
Georgia	Electrical Contractor (Class I Restricted or Class II Non-Restricted)	At least 4 years of primary experience in the electrical field (hands-on installation of electrical systems of a type covered by the National Electrical Code); up to one year can be credited from secondary experience or education. Class II applicants must also show experience with installations larger than single-phase 200-ampere systems. You submit three references, at least one from a licensed electrical contractor.	Pass the examination for your license class with a score of at least 70. The Board must first approve you to sit for the exam; the exam approval letter is valid for one year, and the testing vendor is PSI. If you fail twice, you must complete a Board-approved review course before retesting.
Hawaii	Journey Worker Electrician	5 years but not less than 10,000 hours in residential or commercial wiring. Each licensed electrician you trained under completes and signs a notarized Experience Verification form. Hawaii does not reciprocate with any other jurisdiction.	Hawaii's licensure exam, an open-code-book exam based on the National Electrical Code. You must be qualified by the Board before you take it; after approval you send an Examination Registration Form to the testing contractor, PSI Services.
Iowa	Class A Journeyman Electrician	Complete a registered apprenticeship program with four years of experience as an apprentice electrician; for testing sponsorship, registered apprentices submit proof of at least 8,000 hours of on-the-job training. A board-approved post-secondary electrical program with at least 6,000 hours of on-the-job training and a 2-year degree is another route to the journeyman exam.	Pass the state journeyman exam, given by PSI, with a score of 70 or higher within 24 months before your new application. The board must sponsor you first: its approval letter carries the code you use to register with PSI.
Kentucky	Electrician License	8,000 hours of experience in the electrical trade since your sixteenth birthday, verified by a notarized letter from your employer or by the signed last page of your 1040 tax form listing your job title as electrician. Instead, you may send proof of completing 2 years of a 4-year approved apprenticeship program (finishing the rest within 4 years of licensing). A 288-classroom-hour approved apprenticeship program or an associate's degree in electrical technology substitutes for 4,000 hours.	The Journeyman's Electrical Exam, taken with PROV, NASCLA or Pearson VUE; you send a copy of your passing results with your application.
Maine	Journeyman Electrician	At least 8,000 work hours in electrical installations as a licensed apprentice or licensed helper electrician, plus a 576-hour course of study adopted by the board. An apprentice who has finished the course of study and at least 4,000 of the 8,000 hours may take the exam before finishing the remaining hours. The law also lets the board accept comparable work experience, education or training.	A board-approved journeyman exam, passed before the license is issued. You need Board approval before you sit for it; after approval you are emailed an exam approval notice with the steps to schedule your appointment.
Maryland	Journeyperson Electrician	At least four years holding an Apprentice Electrician license and working under a licensed Master Electrician (or a similarly qualified government employee) qualify you to take the journeyperson exam. Instead, a registered apprenticeship approved by the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council or the Federal Office of Apprenticeship, with at least 576 classroom hours and 8,000 hours of work experience, waives the exam.	The Journeyperson Electrician exam, given by PSI, for the work-experience route; you get an application to take it from PSI. A completed registered apprenticeship waives the exam.
Massachusetts	Journeyman Electrician	8,000 hours of work over at least 4 years under a licensed Massachusetts journeyman.	The Board's licensing exam, scheduled with PSI, the Board's exam vendor, once your online application is approved. PSI exam fees are paid to PSI.
Michigan	Electrical Journeyman	8,000 hours and 4 years as an electrical apprentice, in electrical construction or the maintenance of buildings or electrical wiring or equipment, supervised by someone holding a Michigan Electrical Journeyman or Master Electrician license. Some credit may be available for a recognized training or educational program.	The electrical journey exam, given by PSI; a score of at least 75 percent passes. Once the Licensing Section approves you to test, you schedule with PSI and pay the exam fee to PSI.
Minnesota	Class A Journeyworker Electrician	At least 48 months of experience for the Class A journeyworker license, including at least 24 months of wiring for and installing electrical wiring, apparatus and equipment. Experience counts when you were registered with DLI as an unlicensed electrician while working in Minnesota after January 1, 2009, or employed by a DLI-licensed electrical contractor or registered employer, or doing verifiable work for a licensed electrical contractor in another state. Completing a two-year, post-high-school electrical course approved by the board can count for up to one year of experience.	A written exam, which you must pass before you can apply for the journeyworker license. To take it, you show evidence of enough electrical work experience.
Mississippi	Electrical Contractor License	You must show experience in the classification you apply for: list at least 3 completed jobs in that classification (for the Electrical classification, 3 electrical jobs), and state the construction experience of the owner, officers and qualifying party.	Every applicant takes the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam. The Electrical classification also requires a trade exam: the Mississippi state exam or the NASCLA accredited exam; the Residential Electrical classification requires the Residential Electrical exam. All exams are administered by PSI and are open book.
Missouri	Statewide Electrical Contractor License	One of these: 12,000 verifiable practical hours installing equipment and associated wiring; 10,000 hours plus a journeyman certificate from a U.S. Department of Labor-approved electrical apprenticeship program; 8,000 hours plus an associate's degree from a state-accredited program; 4,000 hours supervising installation plus a qualified four-year electrical engineering degree; or a Missouri city or county electrical contractor or master electrician license, held for six of the previous eight calendar years, that required a standardized written exam based on the National Electrical Code.	Proof that you passed a division-approved exam as an electrical contractor, master electrician or journeyman electrician; an exam you passed earlier may count. The approved list includes International Code Council exams.
Montana	Journeyman Electrician	Written evidence of one of these: completion of an approved apprenticeship program (or a substantially equivalent program) in the electrical trade; 8,000 hours of legally obtained practical experience in wiring for, installing and repairing electrical apparatus and equipment for light, heat and power; or at least 20,000 hours in the electrical maintenance field, certified by your employer, of which at least 8,000 hours are practical experience. Experience from an apprenticeship that was not completed does not count as legally obtained practical experience. The Board's journeyman page says a journeyman apprenticeship includes 8,000 hours of legally obtained practical experience.	An exam of at least 60 questions on the National Electrical Code and on board rules and applicable laws, given by PSI. Once the Board approves you, you get a letter of eligibility with instructions for registering with PSI. The exam is open book and the passing score is 70% or higher.
Nebraska	Journeyman Electrician	At least four years (8,000 hours) of verifiable experience in the electrical trade, acceptable to the board; registration as an apprentice for those years can, with board approval, serve as evidence of it. One year of experience credit is given for a two-year post-high school electrical course with an Associate's degree in electrical technology. With less than 4,000 hours of verifiable experience in Nebraska, the license is "Restricted" and cannot reciprocate with other states.	A written exam given by the board, passed before the license is issued. It is based on the current National Electrical Code and electrical theory, and you may use an open copy of the code for code questions.
Nevada	Electrical Contractor License (Classification C-2)	The contractor, or a qualifying individual who represents the contractor, needs at least 4 years of experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor in the classification applied for, within the 15 years before the application. Training at an accredited college, university or equivalent program accepted by the Board can count for up to 3 of those years. Work experience documentation goes in with the application.	The qualifying individual passes the written Business and Law exam and, for classifications that have one, a trade exam for the trade applied for, unless a waiver applies. PSI administers the exams; after your experience is verified the Board mails an Examination Eligibility Letter with your Candidate ID number for scheduling.
New Mexico	Journeyman Electrician Certificate of Competence (EE-98J)	Four years. Under the statute you can sit the journeyman electrician exam after four years of accredited training, four years of apprenticeship, or four years of practical experience (two of them in commercial or industrial work), or after an approved electrical trade program plus two years of commercial experience. The Division's rule says the EE-98J certificate requires four years of experience, documented within the 10 years before you apply; accredited training counts as half a year of experience per year, for no more than half of the requirement.	A Division-approved exam on the rules governing the trade and your technical knowledge, administered by PSI. You can test only after your work experience documentation is accepted; the passing score is 75 percent.
North Carolina	Electrical Contractor License (Limited, Intermediate or Unlimited)	Hours of electrical experience to sit for the exam: Limited, at least 3,000 hours with at least 2,000 primary; Intermediate, at least 5,750 hours with at least 5,000 primary; Unlimited, at least 9,000 hours with at least 8,000 primary. Primary experience is hands-on installation of electrical wiring and equipment governed by the National Electrical Code, and 2,000 hours count as one creditable year. You verify experience on the Board's Employer Statement Forms.	Pass the Board's computer-based, open-book exam for your classification, given by PSI, with a minimum grade of 70. You must apply and get Board approval first, then schedule and take the exam within the 90-day authorization period. Limited, Intermediate and Unlimited exams have 100 multiple-choice questions and 6 hours.
North Dakota	Journeyman Electrician	8,000 hours of experience, gained over at least three years, while registered as an apprentice under the supervision of a contracting master or master of record, plus completed apprentice electrician training. At least 4,000 hours must be practical experience wiring and installing electrical wiring, apparatus and equipment. A graduate of a two-year or longer electrical school accepted by the board may receive 2,000 hours of credit.	A board exam based on fundamental electricity, North Dakota's laws, rules and wiring standards, and the current National Electrical Code. The journeyman exam has a 1-hour closed-book part and a 3.5-hour open-book part; the passing grade is 70%, and you must test within six months of receiving an exam invite.
Ohio	Electrical Contractor	At least five years as a tradesperson in the electrical trade immediately before you apply, shown with the last five consecutive years of tax documents (W-2s or Schedule C) plus one of: a permit for each of the last five years pulled by the licensed contractor you worked under, an active journeyman's card, an approved apprenticeship completion certificate, or 40 hours of OCILB-approved code continuing education. Alternatives: an Ohio registered professional engineer with three years of business experience in the trade, or five years as an Ohio government inspector in the trade.	The OCILB licensing exam, taken after the Board approves your application. Approved candidates receive a PSI Candidate Information Bulletin explaining how to schedule; exams are computer-based by appointment, and you must pass both sections.
Oklahoma	Unlimited Electrical Journeyman	Unlimited Electrical Journeyman: 8,000 verifiable hours of on-the-job experience as a registered apprentice under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman or contractor, with 4,000 hours in commercial/industrial work; up to 2,000 hours may come from formal electrical education. Residential Electrical Journeyman: 4,000 verifiable hours, up to 1,000 from formal education.	The journeyman licensing exam, given through a third-party testing vendor once your application is approved; the passing score is 70% on each part.
Oregon	General Journeyman Electrician (J)	Complete an approved apprenticeship in Oregon. Applicants trained outside Oregon instead show official transcripts for 576 classroom hours plus 8,000 hours of on-the-job experience (at least 1,000 hours each in residential, commercial and industrial work), or 16,000 hours of on-the-job experience (at least 2,000 hours in each category). Experience is verified on Form 440-2570A for each employer.	Every applicant takes the state exam. Approved applicants get a letter of authorization from the Building Codes Division and schedule the exam with the test site; if you pass, the Division issues your license.
Rhode Island	Journeyperson Electrician (Certificate B)	At least 8,000 hours (4 years) of experience as a registered apprentice. Applicants submit a notarized letter from employers (or, for military experience, verification from the former military unit) stating the type and extent of their experience. Applicants must be at least 18.	A written examination based on the edition of the National Electrical Code adopted by the Rhode Island State Building Code Standards Committee; an overall exam grade of at least 70% is needed to obtain a license. Only approved applicants are admitted.
South Dakota	Journeyman Electrician	Four years (8,000 hours in total) as a licensed apprentice electrician, working under the employment and supervision of an electrical contractor, before you write the journeyman's exam. The license application states the requirement as at least four years of electrical training under the employment and supervision of a licensed electrical contractor or Class B electrician.	The journeyman's exam, which you may take only with the Commission's prior written approval. All tests are on the 2023 National Electrical Code (since December 2, 2024).
Tennessee	Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE)	No experience and no preapproval are needed to take the LLE exam.	The LLE trade exam from PSI Exams Services, LLC; you need it to get the license, and you attach your exam score to the application. The Board notes the LLE exam is not comparable to a local journeyman/master exam.
Texas	Journeyman Electrician	8,000 hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of a Texas-licensed Master Electrician are required for the license; with at least 7,000 hours documented you may apply and take the exam early. Each supervising Master Electrician signs an Experience Verification Form.	The state licensing exam, taken after your application is received and verified and you are notified that you are approved to test.
Vermont	Journeyman Electrician	Complete an apprenticeship in electrical wiring that included both instruction and practice in work processes, verified by the Vermont Apprenticeship Council, or have equivalent training and experience, in or outside Vermont, that the Board accepts.	Pass the Board's examination. It is written, includes a practical skills examination, and covers theoretical and practical aspects of electrical work and pertinent laws and rules. An applicant who fails may retake it after paying the fee again.
Virginia	Journeyman Electrician (tradesman license)	Practical experience in the electrical trade, combined with education: eight years with no formal training; seven years with 40 hours of formal vocational training; six years with 80 hours; five years with 160 hours; four years with 240 hours; two years with an associate degree or a two-year certificate program in a tradesman-related field; or one year with a bachelor's degree in an engineering curriculum related to the trade.	If the Board finds your application satisfactory, you take an oral or written exam on your general knowledge of the trade; the license is issued when you pass. Anyone who completes an apprenticeship program approved by the Commissioner of the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, shown by a certificate of completion, is exempt from the journeyman exam.
Washington	General Journey Level Electrician (01) Certificate	8,000 hours of work experience for the 01 journey level exam, no more than 4,000 of which can be in 4,000-hour specialties. L&I says that after June 30, 2026 the route to the 01 exam is to complete the education and work experience requirements of a registered journey level (01) electrical apprenticeship.	The state electrician certification exam, scheduled with PSI. Once your exam application is approved, L&I mails you a notice with instructions on how to schedule it.
West Virginia	Journeyman Electrician	One of three routes: at least 1 year of experience as an assistant/helper doing electrical work under a master or journeyman electrician; or completion of a U.S. Department of Labor registered electrical apprenticeship program; or completion of a state Board of Education approved electrical vocational program of at least 1,080 hours, with all its final written and practical tests passed and an affidavit of competency from the program instructor.	A journeyman exam is required before the license is issued. Questions come from the National Electrical Code, a passing grade is at least 70%, and you must be 18 to take the exam or be licensed. Bring the written authorization form to the exam site.
Wisconsin	Journeyman Electrician	To qualify for the exam, complete either a construction electrician apprenticeship of at least 3 years approved by the U.S. Department of Labor or the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, or at least 48 months of experience installing, repairing and maintaining electrical wiring with at least 8,000 hours over that period. A 2-year electrical-related degree or diploma counts as 12 months and 2,000 hours of experience.	The Journeyman Electrician exam: open book, with a passing score of 70%. Exam instructions are sent once you meet the qualifications for examination.
Wyoming	Journeyman Electrician	4 years (8,000 hours) of work experience in the electrical wiring industry, under the direct supervision of a qualifying electrician for a licensed electrical contractor, covering residential, commercial and industrial work, with no more than 75% in any one category. Experience is documented by notarized letters or the employment verification form from employers.	The Wyoming Journeyman electrician's exam, based on the current edition of the National Electrical Code. You must show the required experience and classroom hours to take it.

For the career itself (what electricians do, the path and what they earn) see the national guide to becoming an electrician below. Licensing rules can change. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency.

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The career path, nationally.

Open →PayElectrician salary

What electricians earn.

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How to present your hours and licenses.

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FAQ

Questions people ask

What are the electrician license requirements by state?

Do all states require an electrician licensing exam?

Of the 37 states and DC verified so far, a state licensing exam is required in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Each state page shows what its licensing authority requires.

Method

How this page is built

Each state's requirements come from its electrical licensing authority or the rules it publishes, read on the dates shown on each state page. The answer and table on this page are computed from the verified states only. Not legal advice; each authority's current instructions govern.

What this page can't tell you

Not legal advice.
Licensing rules can change. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency.
States not listed have not been verified yet; they are not shown as having no requirements.
This page covers the electrical license issued by the state. Cities and counties can have their own registration, permit or license rules; ask the local building department where you will work.

Sources

Alabama: sources listed on the state page.
Alaska: sources listed on the state page.
Arizona: sources listed on the state page.
Arkansas: sources listed on the state page.
Colorado: sources listed on the state page.
Delaware: sources listed on the state page.
District of Columbia: sources listed on the state page.
Florida: sources listed on the state page.
Georgia: sources listed on the state page.
Hawaii: sources listed on the state page.
Iowa: sources listed on the state page.
Kentucky: sources listed on the state page.
Maine: sources listed on the state page.
Maryland: sources listed on the state page.
Massachusetts: sources listed on the state page.
Michigan: sources listed on the state page.
Minnesota: sources listed on the state page.
Mississippi: sources listed on the state page.
Missouri: sources listed on the state page.
Montana: sources listed on the state page.
Nebraska: sources listed on the state page.
Nevada: sources listed on the state page.
New Mexico: sources listed on the state page.
North Carolina: sources listed on the state page.
North Dakota: sources listed on the state page.
Ohio: sources listed on the state page.
Oklahoma: sources listed on the state page.
Oregon: sources listed on the state page.
Rhode Island: sources listed on the state page.
South Dakota: sources listed on the state page.
Tennessee: sources listed on the state page.
Texas: sources listed on the state page.
Vermont: sources listed on the state page.
Virginia: sources listed on the state page.
Washington: sources listed on the state page.
West Virginia: sources listed on the state page.
Wisconsin: sources listed on the state page.
Wyoming: sources listed on the state page.