Kentucky electrical license renewal comes every 2 years, by the last day of your birth month, and state law requires 6 hours of continuing education (CE) for each year of licensure, totaling 12 hours per biennial (every two years) renewal cycle. CE means approved classes you take to keep a license active. It applies to the Master Electrician (ME), Electrician (EE), and Electrical Contractor (CE) licenses issued by the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC). Course topics are set by 815 KAR 2:010.
| Quick facts | Kentucky electrical CE |
|---|---|
| Hours | 6 per year; 12 per biennial renewal cycle for ME, EE, and CE licenses. CE contractor hours are separate from ME or EE hours (KRS 227A.100) |
| Renewal | Every 2 years, by the last day of your birth month, for licenses issued or renewed on or after July 15, 2024 |
| Required topics | Master electrician and electrician: job safety, electrical codes or trade subjects. Electrical contractor: business or job safety. |
| Safety cap | No more than 2 safety hours count per 12 months |
| Online | Allowed when the course is HBC-approved and built with the required security questions |
| Reporting | The provider sends your certificate to HBC or hands you a copy. You submit proof before renewal. |
| JCR approval | JCR is approved for Master Electrician (ME) licenses only. JCR courses are not approved for Electrician (EE) or Electrical Contractor (CE) licenses. |
Kentucky electrical continuing education: how many hours?
ME, EE, and CE licensees each need 6 hours per year from HBC-approved courses, totaling 12 hours per biennial renewal cycle. Electrical Contractor (CE) hours must be completed separately from ME or EE hours. One CE hour equals 50 minutes of class or approved online time.
- Carry forward: extra hours roll into the next 2 years, up to 12 hours.
- First renewal: no CE is due if your first license was issued within 12 months of renewal.
- Two licenses: one set of hours covers 2 licenses in the same division. An electrical contractor can't count master electrician or electrician hours.
- Inactive license: no CE while inactive. To reactivate, show 6 hours from the past 12 months.
Need Kentucky CE hours? JCR's CE class is $230 for 8 hours in Raleigh, Asheville, Mooresville (Charlotte area) or live on Zoom, plus a bonus 8-hour online video course. The full-day class is approved for 6 Kentucky hours for Master Electrician (ME) licenses only. JCR courses are not approved for EE or CE licenses. JCR CE is approved in 20+ states.
What counts toward Kentucky electrical CE?
Every course must be approved by HBC and taught by a registered provider. Topics depend on the license:
- Master electrician or electrician: job safety, codes for the electrical industry, or subjects tied directly to the trade, like NEC (National Electrical Code) updates
- Electrical contractor: business or job safety only. A company license names one person to take the hours.
Teaching an approved course earns 1 hour per 50 minutes taught, the first time only. Out-of-state courses can count if you ask HBC in writing and send the course materials and your certificate.
How to renew a Kentucky electrical license
- Finish your CE. Get proof to HBC before you renew. Approved providers send certificates to HBC or give you a copy.
- Log in to HBC Online. Renewal opens within 60 days of your expiration date. HBC has step-by-step portal instructions.
- Upload insurance if you hold a contractor license, then pay the renewal fee.
- Late? You get a 60-day grace period with a late fee. After that the license ends, and you can reinstate within 3 years without a new exam.
Check your license status with the HBC licensee search.
Kentucky electrical license renewal questions
How many CE hours do Kentucky electricians need?
Master Electrician (ME), Electrician (EE), and Electrical Contractor (CE) licensees need 6 hours of approved CE for each year of licensure, totaling 12 hours per biennial renewal cycle. Electrical Contractor (CE) hours are separate from ME or EE hours.
When does a Kentucky electrical license expire?
On the last day of your birth month, every 2 years. A 60-day grace period with a late fee follows.
Are JCR courses approved for all Kentucky electrical licenses?
No. JCR is approved in Kentucky for Master Electrician (ME) licenses only. JCR courses are not approved for Electrician (EE) or Electrical Contractor (CE) licenses.
Can Kentucky electrical CE be online?
Yes, if the online course is HBC-approved and comes from a registered provider.
Do extra CE hours carry over in Kentucky?
Yes. Extra hours carry into the next 2 years, up to 12 hours in total.
Can an electrical contractor use master electrician CE hours?
No. Contractor hours must be business or job safety courses taken for the contractor license.
Kentucky CE from JCR
JCR is approved in Kentucky for Master Electrician (ME) licenses only. JCR courses are not approved for Electrician (EE) or Electrical Contractor (CE) licenses. These classes are approved for ME licenses:
- Full-day CE class (in person or virtual): 6 hours
- Detailed NEC Workshop, Day 1: 6 hours
- Detailed NEC Workshop, Day 2: 6 hours
Sign the Kentucky roster when you arrive and write your license number. For an EE or CE license, choose another provider with approval for that license type. CE contractor courses must cover business or job safety.
Add JCR's Kentucky State Reporting ($25) to your order.
More Kentucky guides
See CE rules in other states: electrical continuing education requirements by state.
Sources
- KRS 227A.100, renewal and CE
- 815 KAR 2:010, CE requirements
- 815 KAR 2:020, course and provider approval
- 815 KAR 35:060, electrical licensing
- Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction
- HBC online renewal instructions
- HBC licensee search
- JCR Kentucky State Reporting
Last checked October 22, 2026, against KRS 227A.100, 815 KAR 2:010, 2:020 and 35:060, HBC's renewal instructions, and JCR's Kentucky reporting page.