Field guide · 49 states

Electrician licensing, state by state

There is no national electrician license. 49 states, 49 rulebooks — experience, exams, fees and the surety bond, compared side by side.

Most states license electricians at the state level, typically in journeyman and master tiers, with a separate contractor (business) license to run a company. Expect documented hours of on-the-job experience, a trade exam based on the National Electrical Code, and — for the contractor license — a surety bond and proof of insurance. Hours, fees and bond amounts vary widely by state; pick a state below for the verified figures.

Most searched: Alabama · Louisiana

Moving states? Electrician license reciprocity, all 50 states →

Bond type: Fixed set amount · Tiered scales by volume · Credit-based financial responsibility in lieu of a bond · None no bond required

Primary figures at a glance — open any state for the full, source-cited requirement and its renewal, insurance and reciprocity detail.
ALAlabama8k h$165VariesVaries
AKAlaska8k h$50$50Varies
AZArizona4 yr$61$80Varies Tiered
ARArkansas4 yr$80$25None
CACalifornia4 yrIncl.$450$25,000 Fixed
COColorado2 yr$75VariesVaries
CTConnecticut4 yr$65$150Varies
DEDelaware6 yr$100VariesVaries
FLFlorida6 yr$123.75$263.25 Credit-based
GAGeorgia4 yr$288$110None
HIHawaii5 yr$95$40Varies Tiered
IDIdaho8k h$75$15Varies
ILIllinois2 yr$150$150Varies
INIndianaVaries$247$10,000 Fixed
IAIowa1 yrVariesVariesVaries
KYKentucky2 yrVaries$100Varies
LALouisianaVaries$50Varies Credit-based
MEMaine8k h$90$21.00Varies
MDMaryland7 yr$65VariesNone
MAMassachusetts4 yrVariesVariesNone
MIMichigan4 yr$100Varies$1,000 Fixed
MNMinnesota5 yr$50$188$25,000 Fixed
MSMississippiVaries$50$400None
MOMissouri10k h$100VariesVaries
MTMontana8k h$75$240Varies
NENebraska4 yr$60$60Varies
NVNevada15 yrVaries$300 Credit-based
NHNew Hampshire8k h$50$133Varies
NJNew Jersey5 yr$100$100$1,000 Fixed
NMNew Mexico4 yr$269.06$36$10,000 Fixed
NYNew York7.5 yr$525$500$20,000 Fixed
NCNorth CarolinaVaries$125$125None
NDNorth Dakota1 yrVariesVariesVaries
OHOhio5 yr$69$25Varies
OKOklahoma2k h$92Varies$5,000 Fixed
OROregon576 hVariesVariesVaries
PAPennsylvania4 yr$115$60Varies
RIRhode Island4 yrVariesVariesVaries
SCSouth Carolina2 yrVaries$350Varies
SDSouth Dakota4 yrVaries$60$10,000 Fixed
TNTennesseeVariesVaries$250None
TXTexas2 yr$78$30None
UTUtah2 yrVariesVaries Credit-based
VTVermont2 yrVariesVariesVaries
VAVirginia1 yr$100Varies Credit-based
WAWashington4 yr$75.40$107.60$4,000 Fixed
WVWest Virginia1 yr$25$25Varies
WIWisconsin5 yr$30$15None
WYWyoming4 yrVaries$100Varies
Preparing for the Electrician exam? Exam prep is state-specific — pick your state for the right electrician course. Find exam prep by state →