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Electrician license · Iowa

How to get an electrician license in Iowa: the official requirements

The Class A Journeyman Electrician license, the experience and training it takes, the exam and how to apply, from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Electrical Examining Board.

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

In Iowa, the state electrical license for individual electricians is issued by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Electrical Examining Board. The Class A Journeyman Electrician license, issued by the Electrical Examining Board. A journeyman is qualified to wire for or install electrical wiring and equipment and works under the general direction of a master electrician; a person without a current valid license cannot work as an electrician. Apprentice or trainee registration: Hold an Apprentice Electrician license while you take part in a registered apprenticeship program. It expires every year, can be held for no more than six years unless the board grants a hardship extension, and apprentices must be directly supervised at all times by a master or journeyman electrician. Experience and training: 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. Licensing 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. How to apply: Apply online at iowaelectrical.gov through the Electrical Licensing System, choosing a new license by examination, by apprentice program or by proof of work experience, and submit the Testing Sponsorship Request form. The office reviews the application and emails a payment request if it is accepted.

Requirements

Iowa electrician license requirements

Data
Iowa electrician license requirements (Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Electrical Examining Board)
RequirementIowa
License you apply forThe Class A Journeyman Electrician license, issued by the Electrical Examining Board. A journeyman is qualified to wire for or install electrical wiring and equipment and works under the general direction of a master electrician; a person without a current valid license cannot work as an electrician.
Apprentice or trainee registrationHold an Apprentice Electrician license while you take part in a registered apprenticeship program. It expires every year, can be held for no more than six years unless the board grants a hardship extension, and apprentices must be directly supervised at all times by a master or journeyman electrician.
Experience and trainingComplete 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.
Classroom hoursRegistered apprentices complete at least 576 hours of classroom training before their program director requests testing sponsorship.
Licensing examPass 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.
How to applyApply online at iowaelectrical.gov through the Electrical Licensing System, choosing a new license by examination, by apprentice program or by proof of work experience, and submit the Testing Sponsorship Request form. The office reviews the application and emails a payment request if it is accepted.
Background checkNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Electrical Examining Board.
State feesNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Electrical Examining Board.
License termThree years; journeyman licenses expire every three years, while apprentice licenses expire every year.
Continuing education18 contact hours of board-approved continuing education during each three-year license period, including at least 6 hours on the National Electrical Code.

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.

Steps

How to get licensed in Iowa

Data
  1. Enroll in a registered apprenticeship program and get an Apprentice Electrician license from the board.
  2. Complete at least 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and at least 576 classroom hours.
  3. Apply online for the journeyman license and submit the Testing Sponsorship Request form.
  4. When sponsorship is approved, use the code in the approval letter to register for and pass the PSI exam with a score of 70 or higher.
  5. Pay when the office emails a payment request; after payment it emails you a copy of the license.
  6. Complete 18 hours of continuing education and renew every three years.
Next

Go further

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FAQ

Questions people ask

How do I get an electrician license in Iowa?
In Iowa, the state electrical license for individual electricians is issued by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Electrical Examining Board. The Class A Journeyman Electrician license, issued by the Electrical Examining Board. A journeyman is qualified to wire for or install electrical wiring and equipment and works under the general direction of a master electrician; a person without a current valid license cannot work as an electrician. Apprentice or trainee registration: Hold an Apprentice Electrician license while you take part in a registered apprenticeship program. It expires every year, can be held for no more than six years unless the board grants a hardship extension, and apprentices must be directly supervised at all times by a master or journeyman electrician. Experience and training: 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. Licensing 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. How to apply: Apply online at iowaelectrical.gov through the Electrical Licensing System, choosing a new license by examination, by apprentice program or by proof of work experience, and submit the Testing Sponsorship Request form. The office reviews the application and emails a payment request if it is accepted.
How many hours of experience do I need for an Iowa electrician license?
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.
Is there an apprentice or trainee license in Iowa?
Hold an Apprentice Electrician license while you take part in a registered apprenticeship program. It expires every year, can be held for no more than six years unless the board grants a hardship extension, and apprentices must be directly supervised at all times by a master or journeyman electrician.
Do I need to pass an exam for an Iowa electrician license?
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.
How long is an Iowa electrician license good for?
Three years; journeyman licenses expire every three years, while apprentice licenses expire every year.
How much does an Iowa electrician license cost?
Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Electrical Examining Board.
Method

How this page is built

Each fact on this page comes from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Electrical Examining Board 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 Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Electrical Examining Board's current instructions govern. We re-read each state's sources every six months (next review by May 10, 2027).

What this page can't tell you
  • 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.
Sources
  1. Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Electrical Licensing (Electrical Examining Board), official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
  2. Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, How Do I Apply for an Electrical License?, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
  3. Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Electrical Licensing FAQs, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
  4. Electrical Examining Board, State of Iowa Testing Sponsorship Requirements and Information (revised 12/14/2023), official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
  5. Electrical Examining Board, License Fees for the 2026-2028 license cycle, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
  6. Iowa Administrative Code 481, Chapter 401, Electrician and Electrical Contractor Licensing Program: Licensing Requirements, Procedures and Fees (IAC 9/30/26), official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
  7. Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 103, Electricians and Electrical Contractors, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.