How to get an electrician license in Montana: the official requirements
The Journeyman Electrician license, the experience and training it takes, the exam and how to apply, from the Montana State Electrical Board.
In Montana, the state electrical license for individual electricians is issued by the Montana State Electrical Board. The Journeyman Electrician license, issued through the Montana State Electrical Board. Licensed electricians must work for a licensed electrical contractor. Experience and training: 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. Licensing exam: 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. How to apply: Apply online (recommended) or on a paper application, with the application fee and either the journeyman experience verification form, an apprenticeship completion certificate, or your employer's written certification of 20,000 maintenance hours. Include a valid email address; email is the department's main way of contacting you.
Montana electrician license requirements
| Requirement | Montana |
|---|---|
| License you apply for | The Journeyman Electrician license, issued through the Montana State Electrical Board. Licensed electricians must work for a licensed electrical contractor. |
| Apprentice or trainee registration | Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the Montana State Electrical Board. |
| Experience and training | 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. |
| Classroom hours | A journeyman apprenticeship includes 576 hours of related instruction/education. |
| Licensing exam | 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. |
| How to apply | Apply online (recommended) or on a paper application, with the application fee and either the journeyman experience verification form, an apprenticeship completion certificate, or your employer's written certification of 20,000 maintenance hours. Include a valid email address; email is the department's main way of contacting you. |
| Background check | The application has personal history questions; send documents for any disciplinary action against a professional license and any criminal convictions they describe. |
| State fees | Journeyman application by examination: $190. Optional temporary work permit for exam candidates: $50, on top of the application fee. All fees are non-refundable. Exam fees paid to PSI are not included here. |
| License term | The license is renewed on a cycle with a July 15 renewal deadline in even-numbered years. |
| Continuing education | Sixteen hours of National Electrical Code education on the currently adopted code, completed by the July 15 renewal deadline in even-numbered years. |
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 Montana
- Complete an approved electrical apprenticeship, or log 8,000 hours of legally obtained practical experience.
- Apply online with the $190 application fee and your experience form or apprenticeship completion certificate.
- After the Board approves you, use the letter of eligibility to register with PSI.
- Pass the open-book exam with 70% or higher.
- Work for a licensed electrical contractor.
- Complete sixteen hours of code education before each July 15 renewal deadline in even-numbered years.
Go further
Requirements state by state.
Open →CareerHow to become an electricianThe career path, nationally.
Open →PayElectrician salary in MontanaWhat 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 Montana State Electrical 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 Montana State Electrical Board'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.
- Montana State Electrical Board (Department of Labor & Industry), Journeyman Electrician license information, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
- Montana State Electrical Board, Journeyman Electrician Licensing Requirements and Application Checklist (Rev. 07/22/2024), official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
- Montana Code Annotated 2025, 37-68-305, Journeyman and residential electricians -- application -- qualifications -- contents of examination, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.