How to get an electrician license in Arkansas: the official requirements
The Journeyman Electrician license, the experience and training it takes, the exam and how to apply, from the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas.
In Arkansas, the state electrical license for individual electricians is issued by the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas. The journeyman electrician license, one of the license classes issued by the Board of Electrical Examiners, which administers Arkansas' electrician licensing laws and also registers electrical apprentices. Apprentice or trainee registration: Electrical apprentices are registered with the Board: within 30 days of hiring an apprentice, the electrical contractor or master electrician registers the apprentice with the Board, the Office of Skills Development and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship. Apprentice registration lasts one year and is renewed by the school. Experience and training: 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. Licensing exam: The Board's journeyman electrician licensing exam. When the application qualifies, the applicant is allowed to take the exam. How to apply: Apply online to take the electrical exam through the Department's ELP licensing site. Applications must reach the Board five business days before its scheduled meeting; the Board then issues a list of applicants approved for the exam.
Arkansas electrician license requirements
| Requirement | Arkansas |
|---|---|
| License you apply for | The journeyman electrician license, one of the license classes issued by the Board of Electrical Examiners, which administers Arkansas' electrician licensing laws and also registers electrical apprentices. |
| Apprentice or trainee registration | Electrical apprentices are registered with the Board: within 30 days of hiring an apprentice, the electrical contractor or master electrician registers the apprentice with the Board, the Office of Skills Development and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship. Apprentice registration lasts one year and is renewed by the school. |
| Experience and training | 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. |
| Classroom hours | A registered apprentice must begin apprenticeship school no later than the first full semester after being hired. |
| Licensing exam | The Board's journeyman electrician licensing exam. When the application qualifies, the applicant is allowed to take the exam. |
| How to apply | Apply online to take the electrical exam through the Department's ELP licensing site. Applications must reach the Board five business days before its scheduled meeting; the Board then issues a list of applicants approved for the exam. |
| Background check | Before applying, you may petition the Board for a prelicensure decision on whether your criminal record would disqualify you and whether a waiver may be obtained. |
| State fees | Journeyman electrician exam: $80. Journeyman license renewal: $25 a year. Apprentice registration: $10, with a $10 renewal fee. |
| License term | One year; licenses expire at the end of the month one year after issue and are renewed every year. |
| Continuing education | At least 8 hours of Board-approved continuing education on the National Electrical Code for each NEC cycle before renewing. |
Where the official source we read does not state something, the table says so rather than guessing. Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.
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.
How to get licensed in Arkansas
- Get hired as an electrical apprentice; your employer registers you with the Board within 30 days.
- Start apprenticeship school by the first full semester after you are hired.
- Complete a four-year approved apprenticeship, or build 8 years (16,000 hours) of Board-approved electrical construction experience.
- Apply online to take the electrical exam through the Department's ELP site.
- Once the Board approves your application, take the journeyman licensing exam.
- Renew every year, completing 8 hours of NEC continuing education each code cycle.
Go further
Requirements state by state.
Open →CareerHow to become an electricianThe career path, nationally.
Open →PayElectrician salary in ArkansasWhat electricians earn.
Open →CareerElectrician career guideThe job, skills and outlook.
Open →ResumeElectrician resumeHow to present your hours and licenses.
Open →InterviewElectrician interview questionsWhat hiring managers ask.
Open →Disclosure: TryHired makes HIRED, a paid job-search program, so we have a conflict of interest when we mention it. Everything on this page is free to use without buying anything.
Questions people ask
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How this page is built
Each fact on this page comes from the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas and the rules it publishes (sources named below), read on the dates shown, with the exact wording we relied on kept on file. Requirements and fees change; the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas's current instructions govern. We re-read each state's sources every six months (next review by May 10, 2027).
- Not legal advice.
- Licensing rules can change. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency.
- Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.
- 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.
- This page covers the individual license named above. Master, contractor, specialty, sign, residential, limited and out-of-state (reciprocity) licenses have their own rules.
- Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, Electrical Inspection and Licensing (Board of Electrical Examiners), official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
- Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas, Rules (17 CAR Part 210), official source, read Nov 9, 2026.