Electrician License Requirements by State

Start with the state where you'll work, not where you live. These electrician license requirements by state cover the main individual, contractor and local routes in all 50 states and DC—not every specialty or municipal credential.

Requirements at a glance

The table summarizes selected routes; the state entries below give their conditions and sources. “State individual credential” includes a license or a certificate, not just a credential called “journeyman.” “Contractor / limited-scope” includes South Carolina’s Residential Electrician and Tennessee’s LLE; it does not mean those states license only businesses.

Three ways states license electricians

Your state's model tells you who to apply to.

State-issued individual credentials. The relevant board issues the worker license or certificate. California calls its individual credential certification, and Alaska’s worker credential is a certificate of fitness. A master, supervising or contractor credential may require a separate application; it is not an automatic promotion from the worker credential. (California DIR; Alaska certificate rules)

State contractor or limited-scope licensing. The state route may qualify the business or the person responsible for it rather than issue a general journeyman card. South Carolina’s Residential Electrician and Tennessee’s Limited Licensed Electrician have their own limits. Missouri also has an optional statewide contractor route alongside local licensing. (South Carolina residential rule; Tennessee LLE; Missouri statute)

Local licensing routes. The municipality or county can be central to the application. Allen County’s contractor license, Johnson County’s electrical-contracting classification and New York City’s Master/Special Electrician application are local examples, not rules for an entire state. “Local” does not mean “no license needed.” (Allen County; Johnson County; NYC DOB)

Requirements by state

Each entry identifies the credential, its main qualification route, relevant examination requirements and a master, supervising or contractor route where supported. Selected registration, reciprocity and code details appear where the cited publication establishes them; an omitted field is not an exemption.

Alabama

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Journeyman Electrician; Electrical Contractor (the state has no license titled "master")
• Worker qualification route: 8,000 hours installing electrical wiring and equipment. Each year of an approved electrical curriculum or recognized apprenticeship earns 1,000 hours, up to 2,000. A journeyman works under a master or a state-certified electrical contractor.
• Exam: Required. Prov administers the examination program. Its January 2026 bulletin lists the State Journeyman Electrician exam as 80 questions, 4 hours, open book, using the 2023 NEC. NASCLA identifies an examination program, not the licensing authority.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Electrical Contractor: 8,000 hours in design, planning, layout and direct supervision of electrical work (same 2,000-hour education cap).
• Reciprocity or recognition: The board provides an Electrical Contractor reciprocity application requiring license/good-standing documentation and a Business & Law examination. The application must be approved; a license from another state is not permission to start work in Alabama.
• Sources: Ala. Admin. Code 303-X-3-.02 and -.03 (rules effective Feb 14, 2026); ProV candidate bulletin for Alabama (Jan 23, 2026); Alabama contractor reciprocity application

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Alaska

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Certificate of Fitness: Electrician Journeyman (also Residential Wireman, Power Lineman). Electrical Administrator is a separate license, not a replacement for the worker certificate.
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Yes. Electrician Trainee certificate of fitness; requires indenture in an apprentice program. No more than 2 trainees per certified journeyman.
• Worker qualification route: 8,000 hours, no more than 2,000 of them residential. Classroom hours from a registered apprenticeship or accredited program can replace up to 1,000 hours. Residential Wireman: 4,000 hours.
• Exam: Required; 70% minimum.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Electrical Administrator (Unlimited Commercial Wiring): journeyman commercial-wiring experience for at least 4 of the 6 years before applying (a year = 1,500 hours in 12 months). An administrator license does not by itself authorize work requiring an electrician certificate of fitness.
• Reciprocity or recognition: Listed agreements: AR, CO, IA, MN, MT, NE, NH, NM, ND, OK, SD, TX, WY. Since Aug 8, 2025 Alaska also takes journeyman reciprocity applications from other states without a mutual agreement. No agreement with Utah.
• Sources: Alaska certificate of fitness regulations, 8 AAC 90 (Aug 2025 compilation); Alaska journeyman reciprocity agreements; Alaska Electrical Administrator application

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Arizona

State contractor or limited-scope licensing is separate from local worker requirements.

• Licenses and scope: The Registrar of Contractors licenses electrical contractors. The contractor’s qualifying party must meet the experience and examination requirements for the applicable classification.
• Worker qualification route: The City of Phoenix states it does not issue a journeyman or apprentice electrical license. That statement applies to Phoenix, not every Arizona municipality.
• Exam: The contractor qualifying party must satisfy the examination requirements in A.R.S. 32-1122; a worker credential and a contractor qualification are different tasks.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Contractor qualifying party: at least 4 years of practical or management trade experience, 2 of them within the last 10 years; technical training can replace up to 2 years (A.R.S. 32-1122(E)).
• Sources: A.R.S. 32-1122; City of Phoenix journeyman brochure

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Arkansas

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Master, Journeyman, Residential Master, Residential Journeyman, Air Conditioning Electrician, Industrial Maintenance Electrician
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Yes. The employer must register the apprentice with the board within 30 days.
• Worker qualification route: Complete a 4-year DOL-approved electrical construction apprenticeship, or 8 years (16,000 hours, with no more than 2,000 hours credited per year).
• Exam: Required for the journeyman and master routes described here.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: 6 years' experience including 2 as a licensed journeyman, or an electrical engineering degree plus 2 years of construction experience.
• Sources: 17 CAR Part 210 (sections 210-401, -404, -507)

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California

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: State certification (not a license) for individuals: General Electrician, Residential Electrician, Voice Data Video Technician, Fire/Life Safety Technician, Nonresidential Lighting Technician. Contractors: CSLB C-10. No master-level individual license.
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Electrician trainees register with DIR and enroll in an approved school. Apprentices in qualifying approved programs follow the apprenticeship route rather than being treated as already-certified electricians.
• Worker qualification route: General Electrician: 8,000 hours of qualifying electrical work in at least two categories; residential work counts for no more than 3,000 hours, and commercial or industrial work for no more than 6,000 hours in either category. Completing an approved state or federal apprenticeship can satisfy the experience route. Residential Electrician: 4,800 hours. Certification applies to covered work for a C-10 contractor; properly registered trainees and qualifying apprentices have separate supervised paths.
• Exam: Required; 70% to pass.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: C-10 Electrical Contractor (CSLB): 4 years at journey level or above; up to 3 years' credit for education or apprenticeship, with at least 1 year of practical experience.
• Reciprocity or recognition: An out-of-state license does not waive the California certification exam. DIR evaluates whether an applicant meets the experience requirements to take it.
• Sources: 8 CCR 291.1 (experience requirements); DIR Electrician Certification FAQ; CSLB experience requirements

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Colorado

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Residential Wireman, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician; Electrical Contractor registration
• Worker qualification route: At least 4 years of apprenticeship or practical experience, including at least 2 years of commercial, industrial or substantially similar work, plus 288 hours of qualifying training during the preceding 4 years. Approved electrical trade-school graduation can provide 1 year of practical-experience credit. Residential Wireman: at least 2 years of qualifying experience.
• Exam: PSI administers the exams. Its June 2026 bulletin specifies the 2026 NEC from August 1, 2026. The exam is open book with the permitted code book provided at the test center; do not assume you may bring your own copy.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: an electrical-engineering degree plus 1 year of practical electrical-construction experience; an approved electrical trade-school graduation plus 4 years of practical experience; or at least 1 year of planning, layout, supervision and installation beyond the journeyman requirements. Electrical contractors register separately and must have a master electrician as owner or full-time employee.
• Sources: Colorado Revised Statutes 12-115-110, reproduced by FindLaw; PSI candidate bulletin for Colorado

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Connecticut

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: E-2 Unlimited Electrical Journeyperson; E-1 Unlimited Electrical Contractor (top level; no "master" title); limited classes C-5/6, C-7/8, L-1/2, L-5/6, T-1/2, PV-1/2
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: License paths reference completion of a Connecticut Department of Labor apprenticeship; ask CT DOL about registration.
• Worker qualification route: Complete a registered apprenticeship, or 4 years of equivalent experience and training (the equivalent-experience path lists 8,000 on-the-job hours plus 720 classroom hours).
• Exam: An examination is required for the E-2 and E-1 routes.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: E-1: 2 years as a licensed unlimited journeyperson, or 6 years of equivalent experience and training.
• Sources: Connecticut electrical license types and scope; Connecticut journeyperson equivalent experience and training

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Delaware

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Master, Master Special, Limited, Limited Special, Journeyperson, Residential, Apprentice, School Apprentice
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Yes. Apprentice Electrician license; must be 18+ and enrolled in a board-approved apprenticeship.
• Worker qualification route: Age 20+. Complete a board-approved apprenticeship (exam waived), or more than 8,000 hours of full-time experience under a licensed master, master special, limited or limited special electrician.
• Exam: Required for the experience route; not required for approved-apprenticeship completers.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: 6 years of full-time experience under a licensed master, master special, limited or limited special electrician; or 8,000 hours plus 576 hours of related instruction with an apprenticeship certificate; or 4 years plus 2 years of technical training; plus an exam.
• Sources: 24 Del. C. 1408; Delaware journeyperson license

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District of Columbia

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Apprentice Electrician (registration), Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Master Electrician Limited (low voltage), Electrical Contractor
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Yes. Registered without exam; works only under direct supervision of a licensed master electrician.
• Worker qualification route: 8,000 hours over at least 4 years as an apprentice, or a BSEE plus 2 years of practical experience, or board-approved equivalent; DLCP also lists an NEC code-class certificate completed within 2 years before applying.
• Exam: Required unless a statutory waiver applies. D.C. Code 47-2853.92 permits a journeyman examination waiver for a qualified person who is a member in good standing of a qualifying national electrical trade organization or trade union.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: the journeyman requirements plus 4 years as a journeyman (DLCP's sheet states 8 years / 16,000 hours).
• Sources: D.C. Code 47-2853.92; DLCP electrician license sheet

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Florida

State contractor or limited-scope licensing is separate from local worker requirements.

• Licenses and scope: No state journeyman or master license. The state licenses contractors: Certified Electrical Contractor (EC, statewide) and Registered Electrical Contractor (ER, local area), plus alarm/specialty classes. Journeyman licenses come from counties and cities.
• Worker qualification route: Local. F.S. 489.5335(1) sets local journeyman issuance criteria: a proctored Block & Associates or other board-approved exam at 75% or better after October 1, 1997 (70% before that date); an approved apprenticeship or at least 12,000 hours of on-the-job training; and the required advanced building-code coursework, which may be completed within 6 months after certification. Subsection (2) separately requires counties and cities to recognize a journeyman already licensed by another Florida county or city.
• Exam: The certified-contractor route requires the state certification examination unless a statutory endorsement provision applies.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Certified Electrical Contractor: e.g., 3 years of management experience in the last 6, or 4 years as foreman/supervisor/contractor in the last 8, or 6 years of qualifying training, technical education or supervisory experience in the last 12. An electrical-engineering route and other combinations are also specified in F.S. 489.511.
• Reciprocity or recognition: Florida provides contractor endorsement routes under F.S. 489.511. Within Florida, F.S. 489.5335(2) requires recognition of a journeyman license issued by another Florida county or city.
• Sources: Florida Statutes 489.511; Fla. Stat. 489.5335; Hillsborough County journeyman certificate of competency

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Georgia

State contractor or limited-scope licensing is separate from local worker requirements.

• Licenses and scope: The board licenses electrical contractors, not individual electricians: Electrical Contractor Class I (Restricted: single-phase, up to 200 A service) and Class II (Unrestricted).
• Worker qualification route: No state journeyman license.
• Exam: Contractor exam: PSI.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Contractor: age 21 or older, at least 4 years of qualifying primary experience, and the required references. Class II also needs experience beyond single-phase systems rated 200 A or less. The examination passing score is 70%.
• Reciprocity or recognition: Georgia’s board FAQ says it no longer offers reciprocity, effective May 2026. The older partner-state form does not override that dated announcement.
• Code or edition note: Georgia DCA announces 2026 Georgia amendments to the 2023 NEC effective January 1, 2027. That is a future amendment date, not an exam-edition statement or a change already effective in September 2026.
• Sources: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 121-3-.01; Georgia electrical contractors FAQ; Georgia DCA: New Codes Jan 2027

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Hawaii

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Journey Worker Electrician (EJ), Supervising Electrician (ES), industrial (EJI/ESI), specialty (EJS/ESS), Maintenance Electrician (EM)
• Worker qualification route: EJ: at least 5 years and 10,000 hours in residential or commercial wiring, plus 240 hours of approved coursework (HRS 448E-5). EJI: 4 years / 8,000 hours plus 200 hours.
• Exam: Required. The worker license does not replace a separate contractor license required under Hawaii’s contractor-licensing law.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Supervising Electrician (ES): 4 years as a licensed journey worker electrician or equivalent.
• Reciprocity or recognition: None. Hawaii does not reciprocate with any jurisdiction.
• Sources: Hawaii electrician and plumber license application (June 2026)

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Idaho

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Electrical Apprentice (registration), Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor. A master does not also need a journeyman license.
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Idaho registers electrical apprentices; the statutory training route requires qualifying registered, supervised experience.
• Worker qualification route: Idaho Code 54-1007 provides a route combining board-approved electrical instruction with the supervised experience required by board rule. It also provides an alternative based on 8 years (16,000 hours) of electrical installation experience. Both routes lead to examination, not automatic permission to work.
• Exam: PSI administers the examination. After passing, apply to DOPL for the license; passing alone does not issue it.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: licensed as a journeyman for at least 4 years, plus hours set by board rule.
• Reciprocity or recognition: The board may recognize another jurisdiction’s qualifying license under Idaho Code 54-1007. Recognition requires a board decision; the statute does not create automatic nationwide portability.
• Sources: Idaho Code 54-1007; Idaho DOPL: Electrical program exams

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Illinois

The entry follows local licensing authority; the named example is not a rule for every locality.

• Licenses and scope: Municipal electrical-contractor registration is authorized by 65 ILCS 5/11-33-1. The statutory contractor definition excludes employees working for an electrical contractor.
• Worker qualification route: Local requirements depend on the municipality. A municipal contractor registration is not an individual journeyman credential; select the city’s worker or business application according to the work you will do.
• Exam: Local requirements depend on the credential and municipality.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Local.
• Sources: 65 ILCS 5/11-33-1, reproduced by FindLaw

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Indiana

The entry follows local licensing authority; the named example is not a rule for every locality.

• Licenses and scope: Local licensing applies to the route covered here. Allen County, for example, requires contractors and subcontractors working there to hold the county’s license.
• Worker qualification route: Local worker requirements and contractor licensing are separate. In Allen County, the contractor application uses either qualifying reciprocity from another jurisdiction or a county-sponsored examination.
• Exam: Allen County offers a county-sponsored examination route for contractor applicants.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Local.
• Sources: Allen County contractor licensing

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Iowa

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Apprentice (licensed), Journeyman Class A/B, Master Class A/B, Special Electrician, Residential, Unclassified Person; Electrical Contractor (must be or employ a master)
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Yes. Apprentices must be licensed while in a registered apprenticeship.
• Worker qualification route: Complete a DOL-registered apprenticeship, or use the board-approved post-secondary route: 2,000 hours of instruction followed by 6,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training while licensed as an Unclassified Person. The work portion must be completed within 4 years after the post-secondary program is completed.
• Exam: An examination is required for the Class A journeyman route. The board’s approval of the applicant’s training and experience is separate from passing the examination.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master Class A: at least 1 year as a licensed Class A or B journeyman.
• Sources: Iowa Code chapter 103; Iowa post-secondary electrical program approval

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Kansas

The entry follows local licensing authority; the named example is not a rule for every locality.

• Licenses and scope: Cities and counties administer the credentials described here. K.S.A. 12-1526 supplies qualification and examination standards for covered local journeyman, residential and master certificates. In Johnson County, the Class DE license covers electrical contracting; general contractor classes A, B and C do not authorize that work.
• Worker qualification route: State law requires a licensing jurisdiction to verify at least 2 years of field experience for a journeyman or residential certificate; trade school can count for up to 1 year (program of 930+ hours).
• Exam: K.S.A. 12-1526 requires a standard examination score of at least 75%. Qualifying proof of competency is recognized by other covered Kansas jurisdictions, but the applicant still obtains the appropriate local certificate and pays applicable fees.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: journeyman certificate held at least 2 years.
• Reciprocity or recognition: Within Kansas, qualifying standard-exam proof of competency can avoid re-examination under K.S.A. 12-1526. This is not an interstate license or permission to skip the receiving jurisdiction’s application.
• Sources: K.S.A. 12-1526, reproduced by Justia; Johnson County license types

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Kentucky

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Electrician's license (journeyman level), Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor
• Worker qualification route: 8,000 hours in the trade since age 16. A department-acceptable training course, an eligible electrical-technology degree or diploma, or 2 years teaching the subject at an accredited college can substitute for 4,000 hours. Another route credits the first 2 years of an accepted course lasting at least 4 years, but the remaining course must be completed within 4 years after licensing or the license is revoked.
• Exam: Required; the licensing regulation specifies 70% to pass.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: 16,000 hours since age 16. An accepted training course or 2 years of eligible teaching can replace 4,000 hours; an eligible electrical-technology associate degree or diploma can replace 6,000. Contractor: names an affiliated master and passes a Business & Law exam.
• Sources: KRS 227A.060, 2025 statutory PDF reproduced by Justia; 815 KAR 35:060, reproduced by Cornell LII

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Louisiana

State contractor or limited-scope licensing is separate from local worker requirements.

• Licenses and scope: The state licenses electrical contractors through LSLBC’s Electrical classification, required for covered electrical projects exceeding $10,000.
• Worker qualification route: The state Electrical classification is a contractor credential, not a journeyman card. Identify the parish or city and the proposed employer or contracting business before choosing an application.
• Exam: Contractor classification examination through the LSLBC process.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: The qualifying party applies under LSLBC’s Electrical contractor classification; the classification covers electrical installation, maintenance, alteration and repair.
• Sources: LSLBC electrical classification

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Maine

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Master, Journeyman, Journeyman-in-Training, Apprentice, Helper, Limited (Senior variants for 70+)
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Yes. Apprentice Electrician and Helper Electrician licenses.
• Worker qualification route: 8,000 hours as a licensed apprentice or helper plus 576 classroom hours, including the required current-code coursework. Other routes include an eligible applied-technology high school graduate with 7,000 hours plus a 45-hour NEC course, or an eligible Maine community-college electrical-program graduate with 4,000 hours plus that course. A candidate in the approved 576-hour apprenticeship route can become eligible for the exam at 4,000 work hours, but still needs 8,000 hours and the required 45-hour code course for the license.
• Exam: Required; PROV.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: 4,000 hours as a journeyman or 12,000 hours of installation experience, plus 576 education hours.
• Reciprocity or recognition: Journeyman: NH, VT, ND, ID, OR, WY. Master: NH, VT. The board’s reciprocal route requires the relevant written examination and at least 6 years actively engaged in the trade; merely holding a partner-state license is not enough.
• Code or edition note: 2026 NEC for installations begun on or after July 1, 2026.
• Sources: Maine journeyman license; Maine master license; Maine Electricians' Examining Board

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Maryland

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Master Electrician, Journeyperson Electrician and Apprentice are state-issued credentials. Counties may still require a local registration.
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Yes. State Apprentice license.
• Worker qualification route: At least 4 years under the direction and supervision of a Maryland master electrician (or a qualified government employee). An approved apprenticeship with at least 576 classroom hours and 8,000 work hours qualifies you without the exam if you apply within two years of receiving the completion certificate.
• Exam: An examination is required unless an exemption applies. For the approved-apprenticeship waiver, the completion certificate must be submitted within 2 years and document at least 576 classroom hours and 8,000 work hours.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: at least 7 years under a Maryland master (up to 3 years of education credit).
• Reciprocity or recognition: The application page describes a Virginia journeyperson route: an active license held for at least 1 year, earned through the Virginia exam or qualifying Virginia apprenticeship, with verification and good standing. It also describes a local Maryland journeyperson route for an exam-issued license held at least 1 year. Master applicants from DE, VA, WV or DC use the stated exam, verification and insurance conditions. The same page also contains a general “no reciprocity” statement that conflicts with its specific Virginia instructions; confirm that route with the board before paying an application fee.
• Sources: Maryland electricians: how to apply; Maryland license requirements

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Massachusetts

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Journeyman Electrician (Class B), Master Electrician (Class A), Systems Contractor (Class C), Systems Technician (Class D)
• Worker qualification route: At least 8,000 hours over at least 4 years as an apprentice under a Massachusetts journeyman (up to 4,000 systems hours count), plus 600 classroom hours (no more than 300 from a public vocational program) and a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Exam: The journeyman and master application routes require the applicable licensing examination.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: at least 1 year as a licensed Massachusetts journeyman plus 150 classroom hours.
• Sources: 237 CMR 13.03, reproduced by Cornell LII; 237 CMR 13.01, reproduced by Cornell LII

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Michigan

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Apprentice registration, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor (business license tied to a master), plus fire alarm and sign specialties. If you live in Detroit, the city issues its own licenses and registrations.
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Yes. Apprentice registration; employed by a master and enrolled in related technical instruction.
• Worker qualification route: Age 20+; 8,000 hours AND 4 years as an electrical apprentice, supervised by a Michigan-licensed journeyman or master.
• Exam: PSI; 75% to pass; based on the 2023 NEC and Michigan's Part 8 rules.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: age 22+; at least 12,000 hours over at least 6 years, including 4,000 as a journeyman, with the journeyman license held 2+ years.
• Reciprocity or recognition: None. Michigan does not hold reciprocity with any state.
• Sources: LARA electrical licensing information

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Minnesota

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Class A Journeyworker Electrician, Class A Master Electrician, Registered Unlicensed Electrician, Power Limited Technician; contractor licenses separate
• Worker qualification route: At least 4 years of qualifying experience; up to 1 year of credit may be allowed for a 2-year post-high-school electrical program.
• Exam: Required; exams switched to the 2026 NEC on Sept 8, 2026.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: 1 year as a licensed journeyworker, or 5 years of qualifying experience, or the qualifying 4-year electrical college program specified in the statute.
• Reciprocity or recognition: Journeyworker: AK, AR, CO, IA, ME, MT, NE, ND, SD, WY. Master: IA, ND, SD, NE. The license must be current and in good standing, earned by the qualifying state examination and held for at least 1 year. Minnesota also excludes applicants who have failed its examination for the same or a higher class or have disqualifying licensing orders.
• Code or edition note: The 2026 NEC applies to permits issued on or after August 17, 2026; earlier permits remain under the applicable earlier code. Electrical exams changed to the 2026 NEC on September 8, 2026.
• Sources: Minn. Stat. 326B.33; Minnesota electrical codes and standards; Minnesota license reciprocity

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Mississippi

State contractor or limited-scope licensing is separate from local worker requirements.

• Licenses and scope: The state contractor routes covered here are commercial electrical work exceeding $50,000 and residential electrical work of $10,000 or more. Local requirements can still apply, including below those thresholds.
• Worker qualification route: Local (city or county).
• Exam: PSI; all board exams are open book. The NASCLA Accredited Electrical exam can replace the Master Electrical exam; the Mississippi Law & Business Management exam is also required.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Apply to MSBOC for the appropriate electrical contractor classification and qualifying party. Board approval of the application comes before exam scheduling.
• Reciprocity or recognition: MSBOC lists electrical trade-exam waiver routes involving Alabama, North Carolina, Ohio and the relevant South Carolina boards, with license-class and disciplinary conditions. It also lists Tennessee trade-exam waivers and acceptance of qualifying Louisiana exam results, although Louisiana is no longer a mutual-agreement state. The Mississippi Law & Business Management exam remains required. These are not automatic permission to contract.
• Sources: MSBOC one-stop shop; MSBOC testing; MSBOC reciprocity

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Missouri

State contractor or limited-scope licensing is separate from local worker requirements.

• Licenses and scope: Missouri provides an optional statewide electrical contractor license. A local license can provide a separate route within that jurisdiction.
• Worker qualification route: Local.
• Exam: Statewide contractor: a standardized, nationally accredited exam given by a third party.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Statewide contractor: 12,000 hours; or 10,000 hours plus a DOL apprenticeship journeyman certificate; or 8,000 hours plus an associate degree; or 4,000 supervising hours plus a 4-year EE degree (RSMo 324.920). The statewide license is not required when the contractor is licensed by the applicable political subdivision or that subdivision does not require an electrical contractor license.
• Sources: RSMo 324.920, reproduced by Justia

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Montana

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Residential Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor
• Worker qualification route: An approved inside-wireman apprenticeship or union/trade-association program; or 8,000 hours of legal practical experience; or 20,000 hours in electrical maintenance with at least 8,000 practical.
• Exam: An examination is required for applicants who are not approved through an applicable recognition route.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: 8,000 hours at journeyman level (no more than 50% residential), or an EE graduate with 2,000 practical hours.
• Reciprocity or recognition: The board reviews active, unrestricted out-of-state licenses in good standing for substantial equivalency. Approval is required before relying on that route.
• Code or edition note: 2023 NEC, effective Sept 26, 2026.
• Sources: Montana journeyman application; Montana master application; Montana current codes

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Nebraska

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Journeyman Electrician, Residential Journeyman Wireman, Electrical Contractor, Apprentice registration, specialty licenses
• Worker qualification route: 4 years (8,000 hours) of verifiable experience; 1 year of credit for a 2-year associate degree in electrical technology. Applicants with under 4,000 Nebraska hours get a restricted license that can't be reciprocated.
• Exam: An examination is required unless the board approves an applicable reciprocal route.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Electrical Contractor: 1 year as a licensed journeyman (or a 4-year EE degree plus 1 year as a journeyman).
• Reciprocity or recognition: Journeyman: AK, AR, CO, IA, ID, MN, MT, NM, ND, OK, SD, TX, WY. Contractor: IA, MN, SD, TX. Apply for the matching license class; a restricted Nebraska journeyman license is not eligible for reciprocity.
• Sources: Nebraska journeyman electrician; Nebraska electrical contractor

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Nevada

State contractor or limited-scope licensing is separate from local worker requirements.

• Licenses and scope: The Nevada State Contractors Board licenses electrical contractors, including the C-2 classification and subclasses. Worker-card requirements and local permissions are separate from that contractor license.
• Worker qualification route: Local.
• Exam: Contractor: Business & Law exam plus a trade exam (unless waived); PSI.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Contractor qualifier: at least 4 years as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor in the classification within the last 15 years. The board may allow up to 3 years of qualifying education credit.
• Reciprocity or recognition: NSCB offers licensure by endorsement for qualifying applicants with a comparable license held actively for the required 4-year period and the specified clean disciplinary history. Approval may waive trade-exam and experience-verification requirements; it does not waive the Nevada Business & Law examination.
• Sources: NSCB general requirements FAQ

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New Hampshire

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, High/Medium Voltage Electrician; apprentice registration
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Yes. Apprentice electricians must register (RSA 319-C:7).
• Worker qualification route: 8,000 hours of practical or field experience as an apprentice to a New Hampshire-licensed journeyman or master, plus 600 hours of qualifying schooling including at least 24 hours on electrical safety, and the required examination. The rule provides education-credit and prior-licensure alternatives with documentation requirements.
• Exam: Required.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: pass the journeyman examination, then obtain 2,000 hours of field experience as a journeyman performing electrical installations before taking the master examination.
• Sources: RSA 319-C:7, reproduced by Justia; New Hampshire Elec 304.01, reproduced by LII

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New Jersey

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Class A Journeyman Electrician license and Electrical Contractor license. N.J.A.C. 13:31-5.1 defines when the Class A license is required; it is not a blanket license requirement for every electrical employee.
• Worker qualification route: Class A route: 8,000 hours of practical experience (at least 4,000 within 5 years of applying) plus at least 576 classroom hours of related instruction. The rule also provides routes for a current electrical contractor license holder or board-approved equivalent qualifications.
• Exam: An examination is required for the Electrical Contractor license. The Class A journeyman qualification route is a separate application.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Electrical Contractor: qualifying practical experience during the 5 years immediately before applying, including a completed 4-year DOL-approved electrical apprenticeship followed by 1 year (at least 2,000 hours) of hands-on journeyman experience, plus the exam. The rule’s apprenticeship-graduate “journeyman” definition is not the same thing as already holding the Class A license.
• Sources: N.J.A.C. 13:31-5.1, reproduced by Cornell LII; N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.3, reproduced by Cornell LII

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New Mexico

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Journeyman certificates of competence (EE-98J residential/commercial, plus limited classes); EE-98 electrical contractor classification
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: An apprentice may work under the direct supervision of a validly certified journeyman within the employer’s authorized scope. The supervising journeyman and contractor credentials are separate.
• Worker qualification route: EE-98J: 4 years of experience within the 10 years before applying. Accredited training counts at half a year per year, up to half the requirement.
• Exam: Required; 75% to pass.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: EE-98 contractor: 4 years' experience.
• Sources: 14.6.4 NMAC; 14.6.6 NMAC

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New York

The entry follows local licensing authority; the named example is not a rule for every locality.

• Licenses and scope: Licensing is local. New York City’s routes described here are Master Electrician and Special Electrician; do not apply NYC’s requirements to another city or county.
• Worker qualification route: Local. The NYC application covered here is for Master or Special Electrician, not a journeyman credential.
• Exam: NYC Master: a closed-book written multiple-choice exam on NYC electrical codes and rules (70% to pass, $585 fee), then a practical exam ($530) that must be passed within 24 months. Since Feb 23, 2026, NYC applications go through DOB NOW: Licensing.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: NYC Master: 7 years within the last 10 (2 in NYC) under a licensed master or special electrician; or a bachelor's in electrical engineering or engineering technology plus 3 years within 5 (2 in NYC); or a registered apprenticeship plus 5 years within 10 (2 in NYC). Eligible inspection experience counts at 50%, capped at 2.5 years of credit.
• Sources: NYC DOB: master and special electrician license

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North Carolina

State contractor or limited-scope licensing is separate from local worker requirements.

• Licenses and scope: Contractor licenses by classification: Limited up to $60,000 per project and no more than 600 volts; Intermediate up to $150,000; Unlimited; and special restricted classes. The license is held through a listed qualified individual.
• Worker qualification route: No state journeyman license (journeyman work counts toward contractor experience).
• Exam: The qualified individual must pass the applicable examination under the board’s rules.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Limited and SP-SFD: 3,000 hours (2,000 primary). Intermediate: 5,750 (5,000 primary). Unlimited: 9,000 (8,000 primary), plus the required supervisory-ability references. Applicants must satisfy the rule’s age and character-reference requirements; “primary” and “secondary” experience are defined credit categories, not interchangeable hours.
• Sources: NCBEEC licensing; NCBEEC: 21 NCAC 18B

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North Dakota

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Journeyman, Master, Class B, Power Limited, Apprentice registration, Electrical Contractor
• Worker qualification route: 8,000 hours over at least 3 years as a registered apprentice under the required licensed supervision, plus completed apprentice training; 2,000 hours of credit for a qualifying 2-year electrical school.
• Exam: Required unless the board approves a qualifying reciprocal application.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: 1 year and at least 2,000 hours as a licensed journeyman.
• Reciprocity or recognition: Journeyman: AK, AR, CO, ID, IA, ME, MN, MT, NE, NH, SD, UT, WY. Master: IA, MN, SD. Applicants need the qualifying state examination, an active good-standing license held continuously for at least 1 year, and documented construction experience: 8,000 hours for journeyman or 10,000 for master. The board imposes related-training conditions, an 8-hour code course when the sending state has no continuing education, and a restriction after failing the destination state’s written exam.
• Sources: ND qualifications for licensure; ND reciprocal agreements

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Ohio

State contractor or limited-scope licensing is separate from local worker requirements.

• Licenses and scope: Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board electrical contractor licensing is a business-qualification route. A state contractor license and any local worker or business credential are separate.
• Worker qualification route: Local.
• Exam: Contractor exam required (ORC 4740.06).
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Contractor: 5 years as a tradesperson in the trade immediately before applying, or a registered Ohio engineer with 3 years of construction business experience in the trade, or other experience the board accepts under ORC 4740.06.
• Sources: Ohio Revised Code 4740.06, reproduced by Justia

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Oklahoma

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Unlimited, Residential and Refinery Electrical Journeyman; Unlimited, Residential and Limited Electrical Contractor (no "master" title); Electrical Apprentice
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Qualifying work experience is documented through the electrical apprentice registration and employer verification process.
• Worker qualification route: Unlimited: 8,000 verifiable hours as a registered apprentice, at least 4,000 commercial/industrial; up to 2,000 can come from classroom education. Residential: 4,000 hours.
• Exam: Pass the applicable journeyman examination and complete the licensing requirements, including qualifying employment by an active electrical contractor.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Unlimited Contractor: 12,000 hours, including 4,000 as a licensed unlimited journeyman and 6,000 commercial/industrial. Up to 2,000 hours of qualifying education may be credited. The applicant must be an owner, partner or officer of the contracting business.
• Sources: Oklahoma CIB electrical journeyman; Oklahoma CIB electrical contractor

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Oregon

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: General Journeyman Electrician (J), General Supervising Electrician (S), many limited licenses
• Worker qualification route: Complete an approved Oregon apprenticeship; or 576 classroom hours plus 8,000 hours earned outside Oregon, including at least 1,000 each in residential, commercial and industrial work; or 16,000 hours earned outside Oregon with at least 2,000 each residential, commercial and industrial. No more than three times a category minimum can be credited in that category. High school diploma or GED.
• Exam: Submit the application and qualifying documents first. BCD sends approved applicants authorization to schedule the examination.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Supervising (S): hold an Oregon journeyman license or meet the qualifications for it, plus 8,000 additional hours of on-the-job journeyman experience. The application’s category-credit limits apply.
• Reciprocity or recognition: J: AR, ID, ME, MT, UT, WA, WY. S: AR, UT. The journeyman reciprocal route requires the specified 4 years of apprenticeship education (at least 576 hours) and 4 years (8,000 hours) of supervised trade experience. Washington applicants must have completed an Oregon or Washington apprenticeship and passed Washington’s licensing exam.
• Code or edition note: BCD’s adoption page describes October 1, 2026 as the anticipated effective date for the 2026 Oregon Electrical Specialty Code. An anticipated date is not confirmation that the code has taken effect.
• Sources: Oregon electrical license application instructions (rev. 8/25); Oregon reciprocal licenses; Oregon OESC adoption

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Pennsylvania

The entry follows local licensing authority; the named example is not a rule for every locality.

• Licenses and scope: Pennsylvania has no licensure or certification requirement for most construction contractors or their employees. Some municipalities license electrical contractors or tradespeople, and the state keeps no list of which ones. Philadelphia’s Electrical Contractor license is the local example below.
• Worker qualification route: Local.
• Exam: Philadelphia: Philadelphia Electrical Contractor exam (ICC). The city requires a qualifying recent exam result or the applicable current-code examination route.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Philadelphia Electrical Contractor: at least 4 years working for a licensed electrical company. Two years of qualifying education can replace 1 year of experience, up to 2 years of experience credit. Applicants also need the Philadelphia Electrical Contractor exam (ICC) and at least 8 hours of NEC coursework in the 12 months before applying.
• Sources: Pennsylvania DLI contractor licensing; Philadelphia electrical contractor license

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Rhode Island

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Certificate B Journeyperson Electrician; Certificate A Electrical Contractor (top level); limited classes (C, D, and others)
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Apprentice applicants submit the required employer hire-date letter and the master-electrician ratio sheet; indentured apprentices follow DLT’s apprenticeship process.
• Worker qualification route: At least 4 years of experience plus 576 hours of related instruction approved by the Department of Labor and Training. Rhode Island indentured apprentices also submit the required apprenticeship-completion certificate.
• Exam: Required.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Certificate A contractor: at least 6 years of experience and a Rhode Island journeyperson license that has been valid for at least 2 years before applying for the contractor examination.
• Reciprocity or recognition: Out-of-state applicants provide a copy of their trade license and official verification from the issuing state. Those documents support an application; they are not an automatic exam waiver.
• Sources: RI DLT electrician application instructions

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South Carolina

State contractor or limited-scope licensing is separate from local worker requirements.

• Licenses and scope: South Carolina issues a Residential Electrician license through the Residential Builders Commission and a Mechanical Contractor–Electrical classification through the Contractor’s Licensing Board. These are distinct scopes, not a single statewide journeyman-to-master ladder.
• Worker qualification route: For residential electrical contracting, the Residential Electrician license is the relevant state specialty route; chapter 106 requires examination for that specialty. General specialty-contractor registration is not a substitute for the electrical license.
• Exam: The residential electrical specialty requires its licensing examination. Commercial electrical applicants use the separate Contractor’s Licensing Board process.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Commercial electrical contracting uses the Mechanical Contractor–Electrical classification under chapter 40-11. The state commercial contractor threshold applies to covered work exceeding $10,000; the residential license has a different scope.
• Sources: South Carolina Code chapter 40-59; South Carolina regulations chapter 106; South Carolina Code chapter 40-11

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South Dakota

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Apprentice (licensed), Journeyman, Class B, Electrical Contractor (the master-level equivalent)
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Yes. Apprentices must be licensed for hours to count.
• Worker qualification route: 4 years (8,000 hours) as a licensed apprentice under the employment and supervision of an electrical contractor.
• Exam: Required for the journeyman and electrical contractor routes.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Electrical Contractor: another 2 years (4,000 hours) as a licensed journeyman under a contractor, including at least 2,000 hours of commercial work.
• Sources: South Dakota electrical licensing

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Tennessee

State contractor or limited-scope licensing is separate from local worker requirements.

• Licenses and scope: No state journeyman or master license. The state issues a Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license for jobs under $25,000 (required only where the State Fire Marshal handles permits) and a contractor license (CE classification) for jobs of $25,000+. Many cities license locally.
• Worker qualification route: The LLE is a limited state electrical license for covered jobs below $25,000 in jurisdictions where that license is accepted. It is not a statewide journeyman license and does not override local licensing requirements.
• Exam: LLE trade exam: Prov. New contractor-exam scheduling moved to Prov on July 1, 2026; previously scheduled PSI appointments continue through September 2026. The contractor exams are open book.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: A CE contractor license is required before bidding or contracting for covered electrical work of $25,000 or more. The application includes the Business & Law and trade-exam requirements and financial documentation.
• Sources: Tennessee Limited Licensed Electrician; Tennessee contractor license

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Texas

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Electrical Apprentice, Journeyman Electrician, Journeyman Industrial Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor (must hold or employ a master)
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: An apprentice license is the entry credential for covered electrical work; statutory exemptions still apply.
• Worker qualification route: 8,000 hours of on-the-job training under a master electrician. You can take the exam at 7,000 hours, but the license needs the full 8,000.
• Exam: PSI; open book; two parts (knowledge and calculations) since March 11, 2025. TDLR’s current exam page specifies the 2026 NEC. Candidates bring an allowed bound code book; loose-leaf, spiral-bound and ring-bound copies are not permitted. A score of at least 70% is required.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: journeyman electrician license held 2 years plus 12,000 hours under a Texas master. A Journeyman Industrial Electrician license does not satisfy the journeyman-license prerequisite.
• Reciprocity or recognition: Journeyman: AL, AK, AR, ID, IA, NE, NM, OK, SD, WY. Master: AL, AR, IA (Class A), LA (state contractor), NE, NC (master or unlimited), OH. The reciprocal license generally must have been earned by the qualifying state exam and held at least 1 year; Texas also requires the relevant supervised hours. Master applicants face additional journeyman-license-history conditions, and the Louisiana route requires Louisiana residency.
• Code or edition note: 2026 NEC, effective Sept 1, 2026.
• Sources: TDLR journeyman electrician; TDLR master electrician; TDLR electrician exams; TDLR out-of-state licenses; TDLR adoption of the 2026 NEC

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Utah

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Apprentice, Journeyman, Residential Journeyman, Master, Residential Master Electrician; contractor licensing separate
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Apprentice Electrician license; qualifying experience must be licensed experience.
• Worker qualification route: A 4-year apprenticeship education program (576 classroom hours) plus 8,000 hours of licensed experience, or 16,000 hours of licensed experience.
• Exam: Written exam plus a practical exam.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: 8,000 hours as a licensed journeyman; or a qualifying accredited electrical-engineering degree plus 2,000 apprentice hours; or a board-approved electrical associate degree plus 4,000 journeyman hours.
• Reciprocity or recognition: DOPL provides a licensure-by-endorsement route. Applicants must satisfy the applicable endorsement qualifications; an out-of-state license does not automatically authorize Utah work.
• Sources: Utah journeyman electrician; Utah R156-55b-302a, reproduced by Cornell LII

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Vermont

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Type-S Journeyman (no separate contractor license)
• Worker qualification route: Complete the qualifying apprenticeship program or establish equivalent training and experience acceptable to the board, then satisfy the examination requirement under 26 V.S.A. 903.
• Exam: The statutory journeyman and master routes require the applicable examination.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: at least 2 years as a licensed Vermont journeyman, or equivalent experience acceptable to the board, plus the master examination under 26 V.S.A. 902.
• Sources: Vermont electrical-rule appendix: statutes, reproduced by Cornell LII; 26 V.S.A. 902

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Virginia

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Journeyman and Master Electrician (tradesman licenses); contractor licenses issued separately by the same board
• Worker qualification route: Sliding scale (18VAC50-30-39): bachelor's in related engineering + 1 year; associate degree/2-year certificate + 2 years; 240 hours vocational training + 4 years; 160 hours + 5; 80 hours + 6; 40 hours + 7; no training + 8 years.
• Exam: Applicants must satisfy the applicable tradesman examination requirements in addition to the experience and training route.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: 1 year as a licensed journeyman, or 9 years of practical experience.
• Sources: 18VAC50-30-39

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Washington

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: (01) General Journey Level Electrician certificate, Master Journey Level Electrician certificate, specialty certificates; electrical contractor license separate
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: An electrical training certificate is the trainee credential for covered supervised work. The general journey-level route has the apprenticeship and experience conditions in RCW 19.28.191.
• Worker qualification route: Complete an 8,000-hour electrical construction apprenticeship with at least 4,000 hours of new industrial or commercial work. Statutory alternatives include a qualifying out-of-state apprenticeship, an exam-issued out-of-state journey-level credential with 8,000 supervised hours (including 4,000 in the issuing state), 16,000 hours of out-of-state experience, or 8,000 hours in a U.S. military construction battalion. The out-of-state civilian alternatives also have the statute’s 4,000-hour new commercial/industrial condition.
• Exam: The applicable certificate examination is required unless an authorized exception applies; a completed experience route is not the certificate itself.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: journey level certificate held 4 years plus an exam.
• Code or edition note: The 2023 NEC applies under the current rule. The 2026 NEC takes effect December 31, 2026, with the rule’s permit-date conditions. This installation-code date does not by itself establish the exam reference edition.
• Sources: RCW 19.28.191; WAC 296-46B-010

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West Virginia

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Master Electrician and Journeyman Electrician; the rule also provides temporary licensing. This entry covers the general master and journeyman routes.
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: Helpers or assistants working under the direct supervision of a licensed master or journeyman fall within the rule’s helper exemption.
• Worker qualification route: Any one of: 1 year as an assistant/helper under the required licensed supervision; a completed approved DOL apprenticeship; or a qualifying West Virginia-approved electrical vocational program of at least 1,080 hours, with all required final written/practical assessments and the instructor’s competency affidavit.
• Exam: Required; 70% to pass.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: 2 years as a journeyman.
• Sources: 103CSR5 (electrician licensing rule)

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Wisconsin

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Journeyman and Master Electrician (plus residential and industrial variants); Registered Electrician; Registered Electrical Apprentice
• Worker qualification route: A recognized qualifying apprenticeship of at least 3 years, or at least 48 months of experience installing, repairing and maintaining wiring with at least 8,000 hours over that period. A qualifying 2-year electrical engineering or accredited electrical technical program counts as 12 months and 2,000 hours.
• Exam: Open book; 70% to pass. DSPS lists the 2017 NEC before October 1, 2026 and the 2023 NEC beginning October 1, 2026. Both Wisconsin SPS 305 and SPS 316 belong in the permitted binder. Follow DSPS’s binding and reference-material restrictions.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: a bachelor’s or master’s degree in electrical engineering; or 12 months installing, repairing and maintaining wiring while licensed as a journeyman; or at least 60 months and 10,000 hours of that work. Submit the applicable degree or experience evidence and pass the examination.
• Sources: DSPS journeyman licensure by examination; DSPS journeyman electrician (exam code change notice); Wisconsin DSPS: Master Electrician — Licensure by Examination

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Wyoming

The state issues the individual credential described below.

• Licenses and scope: Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, Low Voltage/Limited Technician; Electrical Contractor and Low Voltage/Limited Contractor
• Apprentice or trainee requirements: A first-time Wyoming apprentice must begin the licensing process within 10 days of starting employment.
• Worker qualification route: 4 years (8,000 hours) plus 576 classroom hours (144 a year) in a DOL-approved apprenticeship; work must span residential, commercial and industrial, none over 75%.
• Exam: An examination is required for the standard journeyman and master routes.
• Master / supervising / contractor route: Master: 8 years (16,000 hours), including 4 years (8,000 hours) as a licensed journeyman, plus 576 classroom hours.
• Code or edition note: The State Fire Marshal lists the 2026 NEC among its adopted codes; confirm the effective date with WSFM.
• Sources: Wyoming electrical licensing; Wyoming rules and statutes

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Worker license, contractor license, or both?

A license for the person doing the work doesn't automatically let a business take electrical contracts. Check which role your state's entry describes before you apply.

A contractor credential is not simply a differently named master license. Compare the authorized work and business role, not just the position of a title in a list.

Passing the exam isn't the same as holding the license

In some states you can test before you finish your hours. In others, you can be licensed without testing at all.

• Texas: You can take the journeyman exam once you've logged 7,000 supervised hours, but TDLR won't issue the license until you reach 8,000. (TDLR)
• Delaware: Completing a board-approved apprenticeship waives the journeyperson exam. (Delaware DPR)
• Maryland: Qualifying approved-apprenticeship completers with 576 classroom hours and 8,000 work hours are licensed without the exam if they apply within two years of receiving the certificate. (Maryland Dept. of Labor)
• Maine: The approved apprenticeship route can permit the exam at 4,000 work hours, but the full license still requires 8,000 hours and the required current-code course. Do not confuse that early-exam rule with Maine’s separate college-graduate route. (Maine journeyman requirements)

Register before you log hours

Check the apprentice or trainee requirement before starting work, and keep evidence of the credential, employer and supervisor for the hours you claim. Registration rules and credit rules are not identical across states.

These are examples, not a complete national registration list. A state omitted from this table has not been classified as registration-free.

Before you apply: a six-point checklist

Gather these before you open your state's application. Every board asks for its own documents, so match your list to the official form.

1. Where and how you'll work.
   • The state, and the city or county, where the work happens.
   • Whether you'll be an employee or run a contracting business.
   • Residential, commercial or industrial work.
2. The exact credential. The license name and class from your state's entry, and the agency that issues it.
3. Experience records.
   • Dates, plus hours or months, whichever way your state counts. Michigan and Wisconsin require both a time period and hours.
   • Your supervisor's license.
   • The type of work, since several states cap residential hours or require commercial and industrial hours.
   • Who has to sign the verification.
4. Training records. Apprenticeship completion certificate, classroom transcripts, and anything you're claiming as school credit.
5. Registration history. Proof you were a registered or licensed apprentice during the hours you're claiming, if your state requires it.
6. Exam details.
   • Whether the board must approve you before you schedule.
   • The testing vendor.
   • The NEC edition used on your test date.
   • The current candidate bulletin.

After the license, check local registration and permit rules for each job. Maryland, for example, lets counties require a local registration on top of the state license. (Maryland application instructions)

Moving to another state

Check the destination authority’s route for your exact license class. Reciprocity, endorsement and exam waivers can reduce part of the application, but they are not automatic permission to work in the destination state. Requirements can include a state examination, a minimum period holding the license, verified experience and a clean disciplinary record. (Minnesota reciprocity; Texas out-of-state requirements)

• Alaska: Its formal agreement list is not the whole route. Since August 8, 2025, the rules also allow journeyman reciprocity applications without a mutual agreement. (Alaska regulations and FAQ)
• Minnesota and North Dakota: Both impose conditions beyond appearing on a partner-state list, including examination-history restrictions. (Minnesota; North Dakota)
• Georgia: The board’s May 2026 announcement ending reciprocity supersedes the older partner-state form. (Board FAQ)
• Florida and Kansas: Their within-state local-recognition provisions are not nationwide transfer agreements. Florida recognizes another Florida county/city journeyman license; Kansas recognizes qualifying proof of competency while retaining the receiving jurisdiction’s certificate application and fee. (Florida statute; Kansas statute)

2026 code and exam changes

The code taking effect and the exam changing editions are separate events. Use the examination authority’s current reference instructions for your test date, not an installation-code adoption date alone.

Common questions

How long does it take to become a journeyman electrician? At an assumed pace of 2,000 qualifying work hours a year, 8,000 hours takes 4 years: 8,000 ÷ 2,000 = 4. That is a planning calculation, not a rule that converts every state’s requirement into hours. Part-time work, or hours that don't qualify, stretch it out. Some states differ:

• Hawaii: 10,000 hours over at least 5 years, plus the required coursework. (Hawaii application)
• Virginia: Uses a sliding scale of years and training. (Virginia qualification table)
• West Virginia: The supervised-helper, approved-apprenticeship and qualifying vocational-program routes have different conditions; the 1,080-hour figure does not cover every school or program. (West Virginia licensing rule)

Are electrician license exams open book? Some are, but not all. The cited sources confirm open-book formats for Alabama’s state journeyman exam, Colorado, Texas, Wisconsin, Mississippi contractor exams and Tennessee contractor exams. New York City’s written Master/Special Electrician exam is closed book. Open book also does not mean any binding, loose notes or code edition is permitted. (Alabama bulletin; Colorado bulletin; Texas; Wisconsin; Mississippi; Tennessee; NYC)

Sources and how we checked

Sources reviewed: September 29, 2026. The links beside each state identify the licensing publications, application instructions and legal provisions used for that entry. Some statutory and regulatory citations are legal-text reprints rather than agency-hosted documents. This guide summarizes the routes stated here; it is not a complete catalog of every local rule, specialty, exception, fee or reciprocal pathway.

AI-assisted research was used to prepare this page; this is not a professional legal review. The editorial standards explain the site’s approach to sources and assistance.

By the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team.

Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by any state or local licensing authority, exam provider, or the publisher of the National Electrical Code. Exam, code and credential names identify their subjects; trademarks belong to their respective owners. This page is general information, not legal advice. Your licensing authority decides your eligibility and permission to work.