Georgia Electrical Contractor License Requirements

Georgia licenses electrical contractors, not individual electricians. A Class I (restricted) license covers smaller residential work and a Class II (unrestricted) license covers everything else. Georgia rewrote these rules in a law that took effect July 1, 2026, so check the date on any guide you read.

Heads-up: The Board's written rules and some of its web pages still show pre-July 2026 standards (200 amps, 4 years, three references). This page reports the enacted 2026 statute for the current qualification rules and separately shows the Board's still-published application instructions. Follow the live GOALS checklist and confirm any conflict with the Division before you file. See what changed below.

Last verified October 1, 2026, against Georgia's licensing statute, the Board's rules, FAQ, and how-to guide, and PSI's candidate handbook.

What changed on July 1, 2026

Georgia's legislature repealed and rewrote the licensing law for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, low-voltage, and utility contractors (SB 553, signed bill; now O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 14). The official 2026 statutory summary lists July 1, 2026 as Act 472's effective date. As of October 1, 2026, the Board's administrative rules and application pages still contained older requirements, so the current statute and current filing instructions do not line up in every detail.

The practical problem is the transition, not a lack of sources: the enacted statute and still-published Board material say different things on several application details. Use the current statute to understand the qualification paths, use the live GOALS checklist for the files the portal actually requests, and ask the Division to resolve any conflict that affects your application. You can reach it through the Board's contact form.

Class I or Class II: which license do you need?

Choose Class II if you'll contract for anything commercial or industrial, any three-phase work, residential service above 400 amps, or buildings taller than Class I allows. Class I fits contractors who stay in single-family homes up to three levels and multifamily buildings up to two levels, on single-phase service up to 400 amps at the service drop or lateral (§ 43-14-2(10)–(11)).

That's a real change. The old rule let a Class I contractor take any single-phase job up to 200 amps, including a small shop or office. The new definition is residential only, but with twice the amperage. If you already hold a Class I and do light commercial work, ask the Division how your license is being treated now.

Two related points:

• Low-voltage work is a different license. Alarm, telecom, and other low-voltage systems are licensed by the Division of Low Voltage Contractors, and the law excludes low-voltage contracting from "electrical contracting" (§ 43-14-2(8)).
• There's no state journeyman or master license. The Board's FAQ says it licenses electrical contractors, not electricians. Electricians work under a licensed contractor.

Experience requirements

What counts as a year

Georgia defines one year of full-time experience as at least 2,000 hours of documented qualifying work in a calendar year (§ 43-14-2(13)). For your own records, keep enough detail to identify when you worked, the projects involved, and who supervised you. The law doesn't spell out how the Division credits a year with fewer hours, so if your history is part-time or seasonal, ask before you apply.

Three ways to qualify

Sources: § 43-14-8(e)(2) and (f)(2); signed SB 553.

Two things surprise people here. First, the 2-year program doesn't shorten the Class II path at all. It's still four years of experience. Second, the Class I program and apprenticeship routes sit in a single sentence of the statute. As written, a completed DOL apprenticeship is its own route to the Class I exam, but confirm with the Division how it's reading that sentence before you rely on it.

Experience areas you need to show

The law lists the kinds of work your experience has to cover:

1. Raceways: pull boxes, junction boxes, conduit bodies, and connections to cabinets, panelboards, and switchboards
2. Conductors: cords, cables, splices, taps, terminations, bonding jumpers, overcurrent devices, and metering devices, sized for ampacity and voltage
3. Services: service entrances, meters, cabinets, switchboards, service risers, disconnects, grounding electrodes, main bonding jumpers, and ground-fault protection
4. Motors and generators: feeders, branch circuits, overcurrent protection, disconnects, and controllers
5. Switches and controls: for lighting, appliances, HVAC equipment, and other utilization equipment
6. Special occupancies
7. Grounding and bonding: metal piping, equipment grounding conductors, exposed metal parts, and protection of grounding conductors
8. Calculations: general lighting loads, minimum branch circuits, conductor ampacity, raceway fill, and net loads using the Code's demand and derating factors

• Class I: projects in at least 5 of areas 1–7, plus competency in area 8 (§ 43-14-8(e)(2)(A)).
• Class II: all 8 areas, plus work on installations larger than single-phase 200 amps (§ 43-14-8(f)(2)(A)).

Who signs for your experience

Each supervising licensed contractor signs a sworn affidavit covering the time they supervised you. A licensed architect, professional engineer, or electrical engineer can sign instead. Worked under three contractors? You'll need three affidavits (§ 43-14-8(e)(3), (f)(3)).

The 2026 statute makes the supervising licensed contractor's affidavit the normal proof route and also names licensed architects, professional engineers, and electrical engineers as alternatives in the situations it describes. If your supervision history does not fit those categories, ask the Division how it wants that experience documented before you file.

What to submit

The law requires the experience affidavit(s), at least one secure and verifiable ID document, an affidavit of lawful presence (plus immigration documents if you're not a U.S. citizen), and consent to a criminal background check (§ 43-14-8). The Board's GOALS checklist, as published on October 1, 2026, still asks for items from the older process too. Don't skip a field the portal requires.

Application checklist

• Completed, signed, notarized application in GOALS
• $110 application fee
• Sworn experience affidavit from each supervisor
• Reference forms 1–3, at least one from a licensed electrical contractor (still on the Board's checklist)
• Criminal background check from your local law-enforcement agency
• Court documents and a letter of explanation, only if you have a conviction or plea to report
• Secure and verifiable document, such as a driver's license or passport (accepted list)
• Affidavit of citizenship or lawful presence, plus immigration documents if applicable
• Diploma, certificate, or apprenticeship completion certificate, if you're using that path
• DD-214, only if you're claiming veterans' preference points

Checklist sources: Board how-to guide; Board FAQ; § 43-14-8.

How to apply

1. Pick your class and path using the tables above.
2. Open an account in GOALS and choose Electrical Contractor – Restricted (Class I) or Non-Restricted (Class II).
3. Upload your documents and pay the $110 fee.
4. Wait for review. The Board says applications are generally processed within 20 business days. A deficiency letter restarts that count, and an application can be withdrawn if deficiencies aren't fixed within 60 days. Complete files go to a Board meeting and must be complete at least 15 days before it to make that agenda (how-to guide).
5. Get your Exam Approval Letter. It's valid for one year. PSI then sends registration and payment instructions (Board FAQ).
6. Schedule and pass the exam with a scaled score of 70 or higher.
7. Wait for the license. PSI's official score can take up to 6 weeks to reach the Board, and Board staff contact you about your results (PSI handbook, p. 9).
8. Don't contract until the license is active. You can check status in GOALS.

Veterans who served during a period of conflict may qualify for 5 or 10 points added to their exam score. Military spouses and transitioning service members can get expedited processing (PSI handbook, p. 1; Rule 121-2-.12).

The Georgia electrical contractor exam

Both classes take a multiple-choice, computer-based exam at PSI test centers. It runs in two parts of four hours each, with a break between. Each class has 140 scored questions, plus unscored pretest questions mixed in: 15 on Class I and 22 on Class II. You won't know which questions are pretest, so answer everything. There's no penalty for guessing.

Source: PSI Candidate Information Handbook, Georgia Division of Electrical Contractors, Rev. 11/2024, pp. 4–7.

The biggest difference between the classes: the Class II exam moves 21 questions off basic circuits, controls, and interior wiring (7 each) and onto motors and transformers. Those two areas carry 37 questions on Class II versus 16 on Class I. If you're sitting for Class II, three-phase transformer connections and motor work deserve real study time.

Books you can bring (exams through December 31, 2026)

Only these references are allowed in the room:

1. American Electricians' Handbook, 17th edition (2021)
2. Contractors Guide to Business, Law, and Project Management – Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, 5th edition (NASCLA)
3. IRS Employer's Tax Guide (Circular E), 2025 or 2026
4. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), latest edition
5. Georgia State Electrical 2023 National Electrical Code or the NEC Handbook
6. Printreading Based on the 2020 NEC
7. Ugly's Electrical References, 2023

You can highlight, underline, and add permanent tabs. You can't add notes or loose pages, and anything extra gets confiscated. This list applies to exams through December 31, 2026; PSI says to get an updated list for later dates (PSI handbook, p. 11).

Scoring, retakes, and exam day

• Scoring: Scores are scaled, not a raw percentage. You need a final scaled score of 70 to pass. If you don't pass, your score report shows subscores by content area (PSI handbook, p. 9).
• Retakes: After two failed attempts, you must finish a Board-approved review course before a third try. If you fail again after that, no more courses are required (Rule 121-2-.06; Board FAQ).
• Arrival and ID: Arrive 20 minutes early. More than 15 minutes late means you're turned away and lose the fee. Bring two IDs: one current government photo ID with your signature, and one more with your name and signature.
• Calculator: A silent, non-programmable calculator without alpha keys or printing is allowed.
• Rescheduling: You can reschedule once for free if you do it at least 2 business days ahead. A no-show forfeits the fee.

Exam-day sources: PSI handbook, pp. 2–4.

For the calculation-heavy technical sections, the free Castleport practice sets on load calculations, motor calculations, and conduit fill are useful next steps.

Running an electrical contracting business

Georgia doesn't issue a separate company license, and the Board says it doesn't register electrical contracting companies (Board FAQ). The license belongs to a person, and the company works under that person. The rules that come with that:

• A licensee must be connected to the business full time. A partnership, LLC, or corporation can't do electrical contracting unless a licensed person is regularly connected to it and working in the business full time (§ 43-14-8(d)).
• One company at a time. A licensee can qualify only one business at once. They also can't supervise that company's work during hours they're working for another employer (Rule 121-6-.01).
• 7 days to report a departure. If the qualifying licensee leaves, the company must notify the Division within 7 days. If the licensee dies, partners and employees can keep working under that license for 90 days, and the Division may grant one more 90-day period (§ 43-14-8(d)).
• No lending a license. The 2026 law expressly makes knowingly letting an unlicensed person or entity use your license — including lending, leasing, renting, or assigning it — grounds for discipline (§ 43-14-6(a)(4)(D)).
• No advertising without a license. An unlicensed person can't advertise electrical contracting unless a licensed electrical contractor does the work (§ 43-14-8(b)(2)).

The current electrical-contractor statute, Rule 121-3, and SOS initial-application checklist reviewed for this page do not list a statewide insurance or surety-bond document as an initial electrical-contractor application requirement. Local permitting and code-enforcement requirements can still apply, so check the jurisdiction where the work will be performed.

Local licenses, permits, and who's exempt

One state license works statewide. A Georgia license lets you contract anywhere in the state within your class. Cities and counties can't add their own contractor-licensing requirement, except as the law allows for local code enforcement, bonds, and fees or taxes (§ 43-14-19(b); § 43-14-16). Local permits and inspections still apply, so check with the permitting office where the job is.

You don't need your own contractor license if you are (§ 43-14-19):

• an electrician working for a licensed electrical contractor;
• an individual working on a home you own or live in (the work still has to meet applicable code, ordinance, permit, and inspection requirements);
• a regular full-time employee of a business or institution working on your employer's own premises;
• a utility worker working on the utility's own system up to and including the meter;
• maintenance staff at a state, county, or city facility doing the facility's maintenance work; or
• working on a farm or ranch building, or farm irrigation wiring, located more than 30 feet from any dwelling or animal-husbandry building.

Licensed in another state?

The Board's FAQ says Georgia does not currently offer licensure by reciprocity, effective May 2026 (Board FAQ). The Board's how-to guide still contains an older reciprocity section naming five states, so don't rely on that older list without confirmation.

The 2026 law does authorize the Division to grant a license without an exam when the statutory reciprocity conditions are met, including substantially equal requirements, at least two years of immediately preceding practice, and reciprocal treatment for Georgia licensees (§ 43-14-23). Unless the Board confirms that route for your application, plan on Georgia's examination path.

Keeping your license

Renewal. Licenses last two years and expire June 30 of even-numbered years, so the next deadline is June 30, 2028. You renew online in GOALS. Late renewal runs July 1–31 with a late fee. After that, the license lapses, and you can't contract until it's renewed or reinstated (how-to guide; § 43-14-20).

Continuing education.

• Hours: 4 CE hours per year, which is 8 per renewal cycle.
• First renewal: if you were licensed for one year or less before your first renewal, you don't need any CE. If you were licensed more than one year but less than two, you need 4 hours (Rule 121-4-.05).
• Carry-forward: hours don't carry forward to the next cycle.
• Records and audits: keep certificates for 5 years, because the Board audits at random.
• Reporting: for the 2026 renewal cycle, the Board directed licensees to report CE through CE Broker (Board FAQ).

Reinstatement. If your license lapsed less than three years ago, you file a reinstatement application, pay the reinstatement fee, and show your CE. The how-to guide lists $310 for Class II. After three years, expect to retake the exam and document your experience again (§ 43-14-20(e)–(f); Rule 121-4-.02). Current renewal and late fees are on the GOALS fee schedule.

Practice: 8 questions on Georgia licensing law

The exam's Comply with laws section has 10 questions, and the Georgia licensing board is one of its listed topics. These are original, unofficial practice questions written from the statute and rules, not PSI items. Your score reflects these eight questions only, not how you'll do on the real exam.

GA-LAW-01. Under the definition that took effect July 1, 2026, a Class I electrical contractor may work on single-phase installations up to what size at the service drop or service lateral?

• A. 100 amperes
• B. 200 amperes
• C. 400 amperes
• D. 600 amperes

GA-LAW-02. Under Georgia's 2026 law, one year of "full-time experience" means documented qualifying work of at least:

• A. 1,500 hours in a calendar year
• B. 2,000 hours in a calendar year
• C. 2,080 hours in a calendar year
• D. 4,000 hours in a calendar year

GA-LAW-03. An LLC's only qualifying electrical contractor resigns. How soon must the LLC notify the Division of Electrical Contractors?

• A. Within 5 days
• B. Within 7 days
• C. Within 30 days
• D. Within 90 days

GA-LAW-04. Which situation does O.C.G.A. § 43-14-19(d)(1) expressly allow without the individual holding an electrical contractor license?

• A. A paid handyman wiring a customer's kitchen
• B. A homeowner installing wiring in a residential dwelling they own or occupy, subject to applicable code, ordinance, and inspection requirements
• C. A general contractor's employee wiring a client's new house
• D. An out-of-state electrical contractor beginning Georgia work before receiving Georgia authorization

GA-LAW-05. A license expired on June 30 without being renewed. Under the 2026 law, how long is the late-renewal window?

• A. 14 days
• B. 31 days
• C. 60 days
• D. 6 months

GA-LAW-06. An electrical contractor completed 12 CE hours during the last renewal cycle. How many can be carried into the next cycle?

• A. None
• B. 4
• C. 8
• D. All 12

GA-LAW-07. A candidate has failed the Georgia electrical contractor exam twice. What's required before a third attempt?

• A. A six-month waiting period
• B. New experience affidavits
• C. Proof of completing a Board-approved review course
• D. Switching to the other license class

GA-LAW-08. Using the apprenticeship route to a Class II license, a candidate who completed a U.S. Department of Labor accredited or approved electrical apprenticeship also needs how much full-time experience on three-phase systems?

• A. 1 year
• B. 2 years
• C. 3 years
• D. 4 years

Quick answers

Do I need a high school diploma or GED? Neither the licensing statute (§ 43-14-8) nor the Board's rule (121-3-.01) lists one.

Do I still need three references? The 2026 law asks for sworn experience affidavits, but the Board's published checklist still lists three reference forms. Provide what GOALS asks for when you file.

Is there a minimum age? The still-published Board rule says 21, while the reenacted 2026 licensing statute reviewed for this page does not state a minimum age. Because those public sources are not yet reconciled, confirm the live Board/GOALS requirement before filing.

Which NEC edition is on the exam? For exams through December 31, 2026, PSI's permitted-reference list includes the Georgia State Electrical 2023 National Electrical Code or the NEC Handbook (PSI handbook, p. 11). See NEC adoption by state for Georgia's amendment dates.

Official sources

• Signed SB 553 (2026)
• Georgia General Statutes Summary 2026 — Act 472 / SB 553
• O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 14 as re-enacted, effective July 1, 2026:
  • § 43-14-2
  • § 43-14-8
  • § 43-14-19
  • § 43-14-20
  • § 43-14-23
  • The Board directs readers to the free official annotated code on LexisNexis.
• Georgia Board Rules, Department 121:
  • Ch. 121-2
  • Ch. 121-3
  • Ch. 121-4
  • Ch. 121-6
• Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors:
  • How-to guide
  • FAQ
  • Contact form
• GOALS licensing portal and fee schedule
• PSI Candidate Information Handbook, Division of Electrical Contractors (Rev. 11/2024; reference list effective through Dec. 31, 2026)

Last verified: October 1, 2026. On that date we checked:

• the re-enacted statute sections listed above;
• Board Rules 121-2, 121-3, 121-4, and 121-6;
• the Board's FAQ and how-to guide;
• the PSI candidate handbook.

Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We're not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Georgia Secretary of State, the State Construction Industry Licensing Board or its Division of Electrical Contractors, or PSI. Exam and credential names identify their subjects, and trademarks belong to their owners. The practice questions on this page are original and aren't official exam items. This page explains published law and rules; the Board decides every application.

By the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team