Careers
How to Become an Electrician: Apprenticeship, Journeyman Exam and State Licenses
Here is how to become an electrician in the US: find an apprenticeship, log supervised hours, pass the journeyman exam and move up to master, with the licensing board and license levels for every state.
The path in four steps
- Get hired as an apprentice or trainee. Most electricians learn on the job under a licensed electrician while taking classroom training. Union apprenticeships run through local joint programs of the IBEW and NECA (the Electrical Training Alliance lists them); merit shop programs run through IEC and ABC chapters. Some states require you to register as an apprentice before you start.
- Log supervised hours. Your state sets how many hours of on-the-job training you need before the journeyman exam. Texas, for example, requires 8,000 hours for a journeyman license and lets you sit the exam at 7,000, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
- Pass the journeyman exam. Exams test the National Electrical Code edition your state enforces, theory and state rules.
- Move up to master or contractor. More experience and another exam lead to a master license; running your own shop usually needs a contractor license, insurance and often a bond.
What the work pays
The median electrician in the US earned $63,190 a year ($30.38 an hour) in May 2025, with 757,220 electricians employed, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111. Pay varies by more than $50,000 between states; see our electrician salary by state ranking.
Journeyman and master: who licenses what
35 of 51 jurisdictions license electricians statewide. In 11 more the state licenses contractors or some license types only, and in 5 licensing is local. The table shows the board and license levels for every state; our state license lookup adds reciprocity and the NEC edition, and you can read about recent reciprocity changes.
| State | Licensing body | Statewide license | License levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Electrical Contractors Board | Yes | Journeyman Electrician, Electrical Contractor |
| Alaska | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Mechanical Inspection Section (certificates of fitness); Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing (Electrical Administrator) | Yes | Electrical Trainee, Residential Wireman, Electrician Journeyman, Power Lineman Journeyman, Electrical Administrator |
| Arizona | Arizona Registrar of Contractors (contractor licenses only) | Partial | R-11 Electrical (residential), C-11 Electrical (commercial), CR-11 Electrical (dual) |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing) | Yes | Apprentice (registration), Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Residential Journeyman Electrician, Residential Master Electrician, Industrial Maintenance Electrician |
| California | Contractors State License Board (C-10 contractor); Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, Electrician Certification Unit (electricians) | Yes | Electrician Trainee, General Electrician, Residential Electrician, Fire/Life/Safety Technician, Voice Data Video Technician, C-10 Electrical Contractor |
| Colorado | Colorado State Electrical Board (Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Professions and Occupations) | Yes | Apprentice (registration), Residential Wireman, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor (registration) |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Electrical Work Examining Board | Yes | Apprentice (registration), E-2 Unlimited Journeyperson, E-1 Unlimited Electrical Contractor, Limited journeyperson and contractor classes |
| Delaware | Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation) | Yes | Apprentice, Residential, Journeyperson, Limited, Master, Master Special / Limited Special |
| District of Columbia | DC Board of Industrial Trades (Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection) | Yes | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master |
| Florida | Florida Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board (Department of Business and Professional Regulation) | Partial | Certified Electrical Contractor (EC), Registered Electrical Contractor (ER), Certified Alarm System Contractor I, Certified Alarm System Contractor II, Certified Specialty Electrical Contractor |
| Georgia | Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards) | Partial | Class I (Restricted) Electrical Contractor, Class II (Unrestricted) Electrical Contractor |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing) | Yes | Confirm with board |
| Idaho | Idaho Electrical Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) | Yes | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, Electrical Contractor, Limited (Specialty) Contractor, Limited Installer |
| Illinois | Local (municipal) licensing | No, city or county | Set locally |
| Indiana | Local (city/county) licensing | No, city or county | Set locally |
| Iowa | Iowa Electrical Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) | Yes | Apprentice Electrician, Class A Journeyman Electrician, Class A Master Electrician, Residential Electrician, Residential Master, Electrical Contractor |
| Kansas | Local (city/county) licensing | No, city or county | Residential Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (Division of Electrical) | Yes | Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor, Provisional Electrician |
| Louisiana | Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (contractor licensing only); individual electricians licensed locally by parishes and municipalities | Partial | Electrical (major classification 5, commercial contractor), Electrical Controls and Instrumentation and Calibration, Telecommunications, Low Voltage |
| Maine | Maine Electricians' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) | Yes | Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Limited Electrician, Journeyman-in-Training Electrician, Apprentice Electrician, Helper Electrician |
| Maryland | Maryland State Board of Electricians (Maryland Department of Labor) | Yes | Apprentice, Journeyperson, Master Electrician |
| Massachusetts | Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure) | Yes | Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Systems Technician, Systems Contractor |
| Michigan | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes | Yes | Electrical Apprentice (registration), Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor, Fire Alarm Specialty Technician, Sign Specialist |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (Board of Electricity) | Yes | Class A Master Electrician, Class A Journeyworker Electrician, Power Limited Technician, Maintenance Electrician, Lineman, Electrical Contractor |
| Mississippi | Mississippi State Board of Contractors (contractor licensing only); no statewide journeyman or master electrician license | Partial | Electrical (commercial major classification), Residential Electrical, Communication Systems, Low Voltage Electrical |
| Missouri | Local (city/county) licensing; optional statewide license from the Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors (Division of Professional Registration) | Partial | Statewide Electrical Contractor (optional) |
| Montana | Montana State Electrical Board (Department of Labor and Industry) | Yes | Residential Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor |
| Nebraska | Nebraska State Electrical Division (State Electrical Board) | Yes | Electrical Contractor, Journeyman Electrician, Residential Journeyman Wireman, Apprentice Electrician, Fire Alarm Installer |
| Nevada | Nevada State Contractors Board (contractor licensing only); individual electricians licensed locally | Partial | C-2 Electrical Contracting |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Electricians' Board (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification) | Yes | Apprentice Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, High/Medium Voltage Electrician |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (Division of Consumer Affairs) | Yes | Electrical Contractor, Qualified Journeyman Electrician (registration), Class A Journeyman, Class A Electrical Apprentice, Class B Wireman |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division (Electrical Bureau) | Yes | EE-98 Electrical Contractor (residential and commercial), ER-1 Residential Electrical, ES specialty classifications, EE-98J Journeyman Electrician |
| New York | Local (city/county) licensing | No, city or county | Set locally |
| North Carolina | North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors | Partial | Limited, Intermediate, Unlimited, Special Restricted (SP-SFD, SP-FA/LV, SP-EL, SP-PH, SP-WP, SP-SP, SP-ES) |
| North Dakota | North Dakota State Electrical Board | Yes | Apprentice Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Class B Electrician, Power Limited Electrician |
| Ohio | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Ohio Department of Commerce | Partial | Electrical Contractor |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB) | Yes | Electrical Apprentice, Electrical Journeyman, Electrical Contractor |
| Oregon | Oregon Building Codes Division (DCBS), Electrical and Elevator Board | Yes | General Journeyman Electrician, General Supervising Electrician, Limited Residential Electrician, Limited Supervising Electrician, Limited Energy Technician (Class A, Class B), Electrical Contractor |
| Pennsylvania | Local (city/county/municipal) licensing | No, city or county | Set locally |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Board of Examiners of Electricians | Yes | Confirm with board |
| South Carolina | South Carolina LLR, Contractor's Licensing Board | Partial | Mechanical Contractor, Electrical classification (EL) |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Electrical Commission, Department of Labor and Regulation | Yes | Apprentice Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Electrical Contractor, Class B Electrician |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Department of Commerce and Insurance | Partial | Electrical Contractor (CE), Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) |
| Texas | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) | Yes | Apprentice Electrician, Residential Wireman, Journeyman Electrician, Journeyman Industrial Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor |
| Utah | Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), Department of Commerce | Yes | Apprentice Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Residential Journeyman Electrician, Residential Master Electrician |
| Vermont | Vermont Electricians' Licensing Board, Department of Public Safety Division of Fire Safety | Yes | Apprentice, Journeyman Electrician, Type-S Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician |
| Virginia | Virginia DPOR, Board for Contractors (Tradesman Program) | Yes | Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor (Class A, B or C contractor license) |
| Washington | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), Electrical Program | Yes | Electrical Trainee, Journey Level Electrician (01), Specialty Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Administrator, Electrical Contractor |
| West Virginia | West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office, Regulatory and Licensing Division | Yes | Apprentice Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Specialty Electrician |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) | Yes | Electrical Apprentice, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Residential, Master Electrician, Residential, Electrical Contractor |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety (State Fire Marshal), Electrical Safety | Yes | Apprentice Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractor, Low Voltage Technician, Low Voltage/Limited Contractor |
Source: each state board’s own website. Checked October 17, 2026.
How long it takes
Plan on several years: the hours your state requires, plus classroom training, before the journeyman exam, and more experience before master. Apprenticeship programs set their own schedules, so ask the program in your area how long it runs and whether its hours count toward your state license.
Before you start
- Check your state board for apprentice registration rules.
- Ask any employer or program whether your hours will be documented the way your board requires.
- Keep your own log of hours and supervisors from day one.