Washington Electrical License Reciprocity (2026): Oregon Only

Washington has electrical reciprocity with one state: Oregon. An Oregon general journeyman (J) or general supervising (S) license earned by Oregon exam gets you a Washington 01 journey level certificate with no exam. You send L&I form F500-148-000 and $114.60 to the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). Oregon takes a Washington 01 or master certificate back for its J license.

Washington calls its licenses "certificates." The 01 journey level certificate covers all electrical work. Electricians from any other state take Washington's 01 exam at PSI after L&I checks their hours.

Washington electrical reciprocity for Oregon electricians

The agreement covers journeyman-level licenses earned through a 4-year, 8,000-hour apprenticeship with at least 576 classroom hours, plus a passed state exam.

One try only. Under WAC 296-46B-940, you can apply for Washington reciprocity once. A license you got by reciprocity in Oregon doesn't count. It must be earned by Oregon exam.

How an Oregon electrician files for a Washington 01

1. Download F500-148-000 (dated September 2026).
2. Fill out Section 1 of Part C. Fax it to Oregon's Building Codes Division at 503-378-2322. Oregon fills in Section 2 for free.
3. Fill out and sign Part B.
4. Mail Parts B and C, an enlarged copy of your photo ID and a $114.60 check to L&I, PO Box 44460, Olympia WA 98504-4460. $44.20 of the fee is non-refundable. L&I takes no email or online payment for this form.
5. Plan for renewal. Washington certificates renew every 3 years on your birthday with 24 CE hours, including 8 hours of code update and 4 hours of RCW/WAC.

Using a Washington electrician certificate in other states

Each state below names Washington on its own official list or rule. The receiving state's terms apply.

To prove your Washington certificate, mail L&I's licensing verification request F500-128-000 with $33.50 and the other state's form. It takes 4–6 weeks. For Oregon, send Oregon's verification page from its reciprocal application 440-4794e.

Where a Washington certificate gets no credit

• Idaho: its journeyman application lists 17 NERA states and Oregon, not Washington.
• Wyoming: Washington isn't on its journeyman or master lists.
• Maine: its agreements cover New Hampshire, Vermont, North Dakota, Idaho, Oregon and Wyoming only.
• Specialty, administrator and contractor credentials: no state lists them.

Check the rest in JCR's state-by-state reciprocity guide.

Oregon and Washington: working both sides of the Columbia

Portland and Vancouver electricians can carry both cards. Each side wants its own application.

• Oregon J to Washington 01: no exam and no minimum time on your Oregon license in L&I's form. You need the Oregon apprenticeship route, not work experience alone.
• Oregon S to Washington: you get a 01 journey level certificate, not a master.
• Washington 01 to Oregon J: work 1,000 hours under your Washington certificate first, then send Oregon's form 440-4794e with a 2-by-2-inch photo, a copy of your card, L&I's verification, an employment affidavit and $100.
• Washington master to Oregon: you get the J license. Oregon's S list names only Arkansas and Utah.
• Running jobs in Washington: a Washington electrical contractor needs an assigned administrator or master, a $4,000 bond and a UBI number (L&I contractor page). Anyone can sit for the administrator exam.

Licensed in a state Washington doesn't partner with?

You test. L&I first checks your hours with the Out of State Application for Electrical Examination (F626-009-000, dated September 2026, $114.60). For the 01 exam, its flowchart gives these routes:

• Out-of-state journeyman license: earned by state exam. The issuing state must confirm in writing that you worked 8,000 supervised hours there, 4,000 of them industrial or commercial.
• Registered apprenticeship: a 4-year, 8,000-hour journey level apprenticeship anywhere in the U.S., with 4,000 hours of new industrial or commercial work. Send your training director's letter and the program standards.
• 16,000 hours of experience: 4,000 on new industrial or commercial installations. Send notarized letters on letterhead plus payroll records, W-2s or a Social Security earnings statement.
• Military: 8,000 hours in a construction battalion, shown on your DD 214 and VMET (Verification of Military Experience and Training).
• Canadian Red Seal construction electricians with a U.S. Social Security or ITIN number.

The license and 16,000-hour routes also need proof of 96 classroom hours on the NEC or electrical theory. Online and correspondence classes don't count. Mail everything in one envelope. L&I mails an approval letter with an Exam Unique ID, and you book the 01 exam with PSI.

Don't have the hours for a 01? Get a Washington electrical training certificate and work under supervision, or apply for a specialty exam whose scope matches your work under WAC 296-46B-920. Full steps are in JCR's Washington certificate guide.

Washington reciprocity questions

Does Washington have electrical reciprocity with Oregon?

Yes, both ways, at journeyman level. Washington issues a 01 certificate to Oregon J or S holders licensed by Oregon exam. Oregon issues a J license to Washington 01 or master holders with 1,000 hours under their Washington certificate.

Does Washington have electrician reciprocity with Idaho?

No. Washington's only agreement is with Oregon, and Idaho's journeyman application doesn't list Washington. Idaho electricians test in Washington through the out-of-state exam route.

Can I get a Washington master electrician certificate by reciprocity?

No. L&I's reciprocity form says master certificates can't be obtained that way. You need a Washington 01 certificate for 4 years, then the PSI master exam.

Can a California or Texas electrician get licensed in Washington?

Yes, by exam. File F626-009-000 with proof of your hours and 96 classroom hours. Once L&I approves you, pass both sections of the 01 exam at PSI.

Can I use a Washington electrician certificate in Alaska?

Yes. Alaska lists the Washington journeyman and master certificates for its journeyman certificate, if you've held yours a full year.