To get an electrical contractor license, document your experience, pass the required exams or qualify for a waiver, and complete the licensing application. Start with your state board’s application requirements and choose the license for the jobs you want to bid. Some states license contractors locally. The selector below links to the appropriate authority. Check both the electrician’s credentials and the business’s contractor requirements before bidding work.
Start with the business you want to run
Write down your work location, residential or commercial scope, and largest expected electrical contract. For example, an NC contractor planning $100,000 electrical projects needs to consider Intermediate or Unlimited. The Limited license’s current project limit is $60,000. Use the Board’s classification rules to match the license to the work.
If you’re still entering the trade as an employee, start with our electrical license guide by state. This page focuses on taking responsibility for a contracting business.
Find your electrical contractor license requirements
Choose where you plan to work. Memphis/Shelby County and Philadelphia have separate entries for their local licensing requirements.
Select a location to see where to apply and which license you need.
Alabama
Where to start
Alabama Electrical Contractors Board
Key distinction
Apply for the electrical contractor license. The journeyman credential is a different license. Choose the contractor application if you plan to offer electrical work to customers.
Alaska
Where to start
Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
Key distinction
The business needs the appropriate contractor registration and an electrical administrator for its work. An administrator license alone does not authorize hands-on electrical work.
Arizona
Where to start
Arizona Registrar of Contractors
Key distinction
Choose C-11 for commercial electrical work, R-11 for residential work or CR-11 for both. The business license uses a qualifying party who meets the requirements for that classification.
Arkansas
Where to start
Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board
Key distinction
Check both the contractor license for the business and the electrical credentials required for the people doing the work. Residential and commercial contractor applications have different requirements.
California
Where to start
California Contractors State License Board
Key distinction
Use the C-10 Electrical contractor path for the business. California electrician certification is a separate program. Passing a worker certification exam does not give you a C-10 contractor license.
Colorado
Where to start
Colorado State Electrical Board
Key distinction
Register the electrical contracting business with the Board. Contractor registration is separate from the master, journeyman and residential wireman licenses.
Connecticut
Where to start
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
Key distinction
E-1 is the unlimited electrical contractor license. E-2 is the unlimited electrical journeyperson license. Choose the contractor path if you want to contract for the work.
Delaware
Where to start
Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners
Key distinction
Choose the master, limited or specialty license that covers your work. A journeyperson license does not give you the same authority as a master electrician. Check business licensing separately.
District of Columbia
Where to start
Key distinction
Check the electrical contractor requirements for the business as well as the master or other trade credential required for its work. Follow DC's application process for the specific license you need.
Florida
Where to start
Florida Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board
Key distinction
A certified contractor license allows statewide practice. A registered license is tied to local competency. The electrical business must be qualified by a properly licensed contractor.
Georgia
Where to start
Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors
Key distinction
Choose Class I (Restricted) or Class II (Unrestricted) based on the work you plan to perform. Apply for the electrical contractor classification that covers that scope.
Hawaii
Where to start
Hawaii Contractors License Board
Key distinction
Check the C-13 electrical contractor classification for the business. Individual journey worker and supervising electrician licenses are a separate program through the Electricians and Plumbers Board.
Idaho
Where to start
Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses — Electrical
Key distinction
Electrical contractor licensing is separate from the individual electrician’s license. The supervising electrician can be an Idaho master or an Idaho journeyman with 2,000 hours of additional work while licensed. Follow the individual or business-entity contractor application for your situation.
Illinois
Where to start
Your city or county (Chicago’s official electrical contractor directory for Chicago work)
Key distinction
Electrical contractor licensing is local. Start with the city or county where the job is located. Chicago has its own electrical contractor and supervising electrician requirements.
Indiana
Where to start
Your city or county (Indianapolis contractor licensing for Indianapolis work)
Key distinction
Indiana does not issue one statewide electrical contractor license. Ask the local building department which contractor license, exam, insurance and registration are required for your job location.
Iowa
Where to start
Iowa Electrical Examining Board
Key distinction
The electrical contractor license and the individual's master or journeyman license serve different purposes. Check the contractor license requirements and contractor registration requirements for the business.
Kansas
Where to start
Your city or county (Johnson County Contractor Licensing for Johnson County work)
Key distinction
Licensing is local. Ask the jurisdiction where you will work which electrical contractor license and qualifying-person credential it accepts before choosing an exam.
Kentucky
Where to start
Key distinction
Kentucky has separate electrical contractor, master electrician and electrician licenses. The contractor credential covers the business. Check the master electrician requirement for its electrical work.
Louisiana
Where to start
Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors
Key distinction
Use the Electrical classification appropriate to the work and contract. Contractor licensing includes business requirements as well as the trade qualification. Also check local electrical permits and licensing.
Maine
Where to start
Maine Electricians’ Examining Board
Key distinction
Choose a master or limited electrician license with the scope needed for your work. A journeyman license is a different credential. Complete any business registration and local permit requirements too.
Maryland
Where to start
Maryland State Board of Electricians
Key distinction
Start with the state electrical license. Before contracting for a job, also check the county or city's contractor registration, insurance and permit requirements. The state exam is only part of the process.
Massachusetts
Where to start
Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians
Key distinction
A master electrician license is required when two or more journeymen work together as a contracting business. A journeyman can perform work within that license’s authority. Do not assume every solo electrician needs a master license. Check the Board’s separate business-entity licensing rules before forming a company.
Michigan
Where to start
Key distinction
The electrical contractor license is separate from the master and journeyman credentials. The contractor must have an associated master electrician. If you live in Detroit, follow the city’s licensing process.
Minnesota
Where to start
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
Key distinction
Apply for an electrical contractor license for the business. It needs a designated responsible licensed individual. A personal electrician license does not by itself license the contracting business.
Mississippi
Where to start
Mississippi State Board of Contractors
Key distinction
Choose the residential or commercial contractor application and the electrical classification that fit your work. Check the Board's contract-value rules and any local license requirements before bidding.
Missouri
Where to start
Missouri Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors
Key distinction
Missouri offers a statewide electrical contractor license. Local licensing also exists, so check whether you will use the statewide route or a local license and what registration and permits are still required.
Montana
Where to start
Montana State Electrical Board
Key distinction
Check the electrical contractor license category for the business and the responsible electrician requirements. An individual journeyman or master license is separate from the contractor license.
Nebraska
Where to start
Nebraska State Electrical Division
Key distinction
Choose the electrical contractor license for the work you plan to offer. The electrical contractor and residential electrical contractor categories have different scopes. Journeyman licensing is separate.
Nevada
Where to start
Nevada State Contractors Board
Key distinction
Use the C-2 Electrical classification or the relevant electrical subclassification. The contractor license is a business license with a qualifying individual. Local journeyman credentials are a separate matter.
New Hampshire
Where to start
New Hampshire Electricians’ Board
Key distinction
Check the master electrician path for electrical contracting. Journeyman licensing is separate. Use the Board's application and confirm business registration and permit requirements for your work.
New Jersey
Where to start
New Jersey Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors
Key distinction
Check both the electrical contractor license and the business permit. Passing the contractor exam alone does not complete the business-permit process.
New Mexico
Where to start
New Mexico Construction Industries Division
Key distinction
The contracting business needs a license in the appropriate electrical classification and a qualifying party. Journeyman electrician certification is separate from the contractor license.
New York
Where to start
Your local licensing office (NYC Department of Buildings for New York City)
Key distinction
Electrical licensing is local. NYC has distinct Master and Special Electrician licenses. Outside NYC, check the city or county where you will work before selecting an exam or starting an application.
North Carolina
Where to start
North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors
Key distinction
Choose Limited, Intermediate, Unlimited or a specialty classification. The licensed business needs a qualified individual, and its classification must cover the project value and type of work.
North Dakota
Where to start
North Dakota State Electrical Board
Key distinction
Use the contracting master route for general electrical contracting. Contracting Class B is limited to farmstead wiring and residential wiring in one- or two-family dwellings in cities of 2,500 or fewer people. Power-limited contracting has a separate scope. Complete the Board and Secretary of State business requirements.
Ohio
Where to start
Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board
Key distinction
OCILB licenses commercial electrical contractors. Residential contractor requirements and local registration can differ, so check the city or county as well as the state licensing process.
Oklahoma
Where to start
Oklahoma Construction Industries Board
Key distinction
Choose the electrical contractor category that covers your work. Contractor licensing is separate from journeyman licensing and includes business requirements in addition to the trade qualification.
Oregon
Where to start
Oregon Building Codes Division
Key distinction
Check both the electrical contractor license through BCD and the Construction Contractors Board license. Individual electrician licenses are separate. The business also needs the appropriate signing supervisor.
Pennsylvania
Where to start
Your municipality (Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry)
Key distinction
Pennsylvania does not issue one statewide electrician license. Electrical contractor licensing is local. Choose the Philadelphia entry below for that city's requirements, or contact the municipality where your job is located. Also check whether your work requires Pennsylvania home-improvement contractor registration.
Pennsylvania — Philadelphia
Where to start
Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections
Key distinction
Apply for the city's Electrical Contractor License. The application includes an approved exam, experience and insurance requirements, plus the business registrations listed by the city. This is a Philadelphia license, not a statewide Pennsylvania license.
Rhode Island
Where to start
Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training
Key distinction
Use Electrical Contractor A for the contractor path. Journeyperson B is a separate license. Check the Board's experience and prior-licensure requirements before applying for the contractor exam.
South Carolina
Where to start
South Carolina LLR — Residential Builders Commission and Contractor’s Licensing Board
Key distinction
Residential electrician and commercial mechanical contractor (Electrical classification) are different licensing programs. Choose the correct Board and application for your work before buying books or scheduling an exam.
Official applications: Residential electrician · Commercial contractor
South Dakota
Where to start
South Dakota Electrical Commission
Key distinction
Check the electrical contractor path for general contracting. Class B electrician licensing covers a different scope. Use the Commission's experience and licensing requirements for the category you choose.
Tennessee
Where to start
Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors
Key distinction
Electrical projects of $25,000 or more generally require the state's CE electrical contractor classification. For work under $25,000, check whether the location accepts the Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license or requires local licensing. “CE” here is a contractor classification, not continuing education.
Tennessee — Memphis / Shelby County
Where to start
Memphis and Shelby County Construction Enforcement
Key distinction
Check the local electrical contractor licensing or registration route before applying. Memphis/Shelby County has its own electrical licensing and permit process. Do not assume the state LLE is accepted. A state CE contractor license still requires local registration and permits, but does not require another local trade exam. The state $25,000 contractor threshold still applies.
Local contractor licensing and registration rules · Tennessee contractor requirements
Texas
Where to start
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Key distinction
The business needs an electrical contractor license with a Master Electrician of Record and the required insurance. A personal master electrician license alone does not license the contracting business.
Utah
Where to start
Utah Division of Professional Licensing — Contractors
Key distinction
The business contractor license and individual electrician license are separate. E200 General Electrical Contractor requires a master electrician. E201 Residential Electrical Contractor requires a residential master. These contractor classifications also require the Utah contractor Business and Law exam.
Vermont
Where to start
Vermont Division of Fire Safety — Electrical Licensing
Key distinction
Use the master electrician or applicable specialist license for the work you plan to offer. A journeyman license has different authority. Confirm business and permit requirements before taking a job.
Virginia
Where to start
Virginia DPOR Board for Contractors
Key distinction
The business contractor license and the individual's tradesman license are separate. Choose the appropriate Class A, B or C business license and electrical specialty, with the required qualified individual.
Washington
Where to start
Washington Department of Labor and Industries
Key distinction
The electrical contracting business needs its own license and a designated administrator or master electrician. An administrator certificate alone does not authorize hands-on electrical installation work.
West Virginia
Where to start
West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board
Key distinction
Check contractor licensing for the business and the State Fire Marshal's electrical license for the people doing the work. The contractor application and the individual electrician exam are separate processes.
Wisconsin
Where to start
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
Key distinction
The business needs an electrical contractor license and the required responsible master electrician. The contractor license is separate from an individual’s master or journeyman electrician credential.
Wyoming
Where to start
Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety
Key distinction
Check the electrical contractor license for the business and its required master electrician association. Journeyman and master electrician licenses are separate credentials.
A state license does not remove local permit, registration or inspection requirements. Confirm the rules with the office where your job is located.
Prepare for your electrical contractor exam
Learn to find answers in the code book, work through calculations and practice for test day.
Live classes teach the 2020 NEC. Check your state’s exam requirements before choosing a course. NC prep includes NC business and law. For another state, also study any business-and-law material required for your license. Need a code book? JCR carries the 2020 NEC softbound book. After you get licensed, JCR License Management can help track renewals and CE records.
Build the application in this order
- Choose the exact classification. Match the permitted scope and any monetary limit to your planned work.
- Identify the qualifying person. Check the required experience and relationship to the business. Collect employer statements before former supervisors become hard to reach.
- Confirm examinations. A trade test and a business and law test may be separate. Ask about an applicable waiver before paying for an unnecessary exam.
- Make the business documents consistent. Use the same legal name and entity type on the application, insurance, financial documents and registration.
- Meet financial and insurance requirements. Follow your board’s instructions for financial statements, bonds, insurance and references.
- Wait for the license to be issued. Passing a test alone doesn’t make you licensed.
Start collecting experience records while you study. Waiting until you pass to contact old employers, arrange insurance or request financial documents can delay the license even when the exam is finished.
Prepare for the right trade exam
Match your study materials to the examination edition. NC currently uses the 2020 NEC. Tennessee CE uses the 2017 NEC. South Carolina’s residential and commercial paths have different exam references. A newer code book isn’t automatically the correct purchase.
Use the exam edition guide to choose your books. Then answer ten practice questions with those books open. Record the section supporting each answer, show each calculation, and review every missed or guessed question. Add the business and law subjects from your state’s exam outline.
Questions new business owners ask
Does a master electrician license let me open a business?
A master electrician license alone does not satisfy every state’s business licensing requirements. In Virginia, for example, the individual tradesman license and the company’s contractor license are separate credentials.
Can I use my license in another state?
Only after meeting the receiving state’s requirements. Reciprocity may waive an exam. It usually doesn’t waive the application or grant permission to start work immediately.
What should I track after approval?
License expiration, CE deadlines, qualifying-person changes, insurance renewals and local registrations. Put reminders ahead of the deadline so you have time to fix missing documents.
References checked October 25, 2026. Confirm the current bulletin for your exam date.
