Electrical licensing in the United States is regulated at the state level, usually through a state electrical licensing board, department of labor, or professional regulation authority. These boards control electrician licensing, renewal cycles, continuing education requirements, disciplinary actions, and regulatory enforcement.
This page is designed as a data-first reference, built for accuracy, verification, and search intent. Every entry includes an official source URL so users can verify licensing rules directly with the issuing authority.
Complete List: Electrical Licensing Boards by State (Key Regulatory Data)
| State | Licensing Authority | License Types Issued | Renewal Cycle | Continuing Education Required | Official Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Electrical Contractors Board | Contractor | Annual | Yes | https://aecb.alabama.gov |
| Alaska | AK Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development | Apprentice, Journeyman, Contractor | Biennial | Yes | https://labor.alaska.gov |
| Arizona | Arizona Registrar of Contractors | Contractor | Biennial | Yes | https://roc.az.gov |
| Arkansas | AR Dept. of Labor & Licensing | Journeyman, Master | Annual | Yes | https://www.labor.arkansas.gov |
| California | Dept. of Industrial Relations | Electrician Certification | 3 Years | Yes | https://www.dir.ca.gov |
| Colorado | Dept. of Regulatory Agencies | Residential, Journeyman, Master | 3 Years | Yes | https://dpo.colorado.gov |
| Connecticut | Dept. of Consumer Protection | Apprentice, Journeyman, Contractor | Annual | Yes | https://portal.ct.gov/DCP |
| Delaware | Division of Professional Regulation | Master, Limited | Biennial | Yes | https://dpr.delaware.gov |
| District of Columbia | DC Dept. of Buildings | Master, Specialist | Biennial | Yes | https://dob.dc.gov |
| Florida | Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation | Contractor | Biennial | Yes | https://www.myfloridalicense.com |
| Georgia | Construction Industry Licensing Board | Contractor | Biennial | Yes | https://sos.ga.gov |
| Hawaii | Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs | Journeyworker, Master | Biennial | Yes | https://cca.hawaii.gov |
| Idaho | Division of Occupational Licenses | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | Annual | Yes | https://dopl.idaho.gov |
| Illinois | Local Jurisdictions | Contractor Registration | Varies | Varies | https://idfpr.illinois.gov |
| Indiana | Professional Licensing Agency | Contractor | Biennial | Yes | https://www.in.gov/pla |
| Iowa | Dept. of Inspections & Appeals | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | 3 Years | Yes | https://dia.iowa.gov |
| Kansas | State Fire Marshal / Local AHJ | Contractor | Varies | Varies | https://firemarshal.ks.gov |
| Kentucky | Dept. of Housing, Buildings & Construction | Electrician | Annual | Yes | https://dhbc.ky.gov |
| Louisiana | State Uniform Construction Code Council | Electrician | Annual | Yes | https://lsuccc.dps.louisiana.gov |
| Maine | Office of Professional Regulation | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | Biennial | Yes | https://www.maine.gov/pfr |
| Maryland | Dept. of Labor | Journeyman, Master | Biennial | Yes | https://www.dllr.state.md.us |
| Massachusetts | Board of State Examiners of Electricians | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | 2 Years | Yes | https://www.mass.gov/orgs/board-of-state-examiners-of-electricians |
| Michigan | Licensing & Regulatory Affairs | Journeyman, Master | 3 Years | Yes | https://www.michigan.gov/lara |
| Minnesota | Dept. of Labor & Industry | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | 2 Years | Yes | https://www.dli.mn.gov |
| Mississippi | State Board of Contractors | Contractor | Annual | Yes | https://www.msboc.us |
| Missouri | Local Jurisdictions | Contractor | Varies | Varies | https://pr.mo.gov |
| Montana | Dept. of Labor & Industry | Journeyman, Master | Annual | Yes | https://dli.mt.gov |
| Nebraska | State Electrical Division | Apprentice, Journeyman, Contractor | 2 Years | Yes | https://electrical.nebraska.gov |
| Nevada | State Contractors Board | Contractor | Biennial | Yes | https://www.nscb.nv.gov |
| New Hampshire | Office of Professional Licensure | Journeyman, Master | Biennial | Yes | https://www.oplc.nh.gov |
| New Jersey | Division of Consumer Affairs | Master Electrician | Biennial | Yes | https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov |
| New Mexico | Construction Industries Division | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | 3 Years | Yes | https://www.rld.nm.gov |
| New York | Dept. of State / Local AHJ | Contractor | Varies | Varies | https://dos.ny.gov |
| North Carolina | Licensing Board for General Contractors | Contractor | Annual | Yes | https://nclbgc.org |
| North Dakota | State Electrical Board | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | Annual | Yes | https://www.ndseb.com |
| Ohio | Construction Industry Licensing Board | Contractor | 3 Years | Yes | https://www.com.ohio.gov |
| Oklahoma | Construction Industries Board | Apprentice, Journeyman, Contractor | Annual | Yes | https://ok.gov/cib |
| Oregon | Building Codes Division | Apprentice, Journeyman, Supervisor | 3 Years | Yes | https://www.oregon.gov/bcd |
| Pennsylvania | Dept. of Labor & Industry / Local | Contractor | Varies | Varies | https://www.dli.pa.gov |
| Rhode Island | Dept. of Labor & Training | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | 2 Years | Yes | https://dlt.ri.gov |
| South Carolina | Dept. of Labor, Licensing & Regulation | Contractor | Biennial | Yes | https://llr.sc.gov |
| South Dakota | Electrical Commission | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | 2 Years | Yes | https://dlr.sd.gov/electric |
| Tennessee | Dept. of Commerce & Insurance | Contractor | Biennial | Yes | https://www.tn.gov/commerce |
| Texas | Dept. of Licensing & Regulation | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | Annual | Yes | https://www.tdlr.texas.gov |
| Utah | Division of Occupational Licensing | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | 2 Years | Yes | https://dopl.utah.gov |
| Vermont | Office of Professional Regulation | Journeyman, Master | 2 Years | Yes | https://sos.vermont.gov/oprl |
| Virginia | Dept. of Professional & Occupational Regulation | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | Biennial | Yes | https://www.dpor.virginia.gov |
| Washington | Dept. of Labor & Industries | Apprentice, Journey Level, Administrator | 3 Years | Yes | https://www.lni.wa.gov |
| West Virginia | Division of Labor | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | Biennial | Yes | https://labor.wv.gov |
| Wisconsin | Dept. of Safety & Professional Services | Journeyman, Master | 2 Years | Yes | https://dsps.wi.gov |
| Wyoming | Dept. of Fire Prevention & Electrical Safety | Apprentice, Journeyman, Master | Annual | Yes | https://dfs.wyo.gov |
Top 10 States With Centralized Electrical Licensing Systems
| Rank | State | Licensing Authority |
| 1 | Texas | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation |
| 2 | California | Department of Industrial Relations |
| 3 | Florida | DBPR |
| 4 | Washington | Dept. of Labor and Industries |
| 5 | Massachusetts | Board of State Examiners of Electricians |
| 6 | Minnesota | Dept. of Labor and Industry |
| 7 | Colorado | Dept. of Regulatory Agencies |
| 8 | New Jersey | Division of Consumer Affairs |
| 9 | Maryland | Dept. of Labor |
| 10 | Oregon | Building Codes Division |
States With Primarily Local Electrical Licensing Control
| State | Notes | Source |
| Arizona | Cities and counties issue licenses | https://roc.az.gov |
| Illinois | Local adoption and registration | https://idfpr.illinois.gov |
| Mississippi | No statewide electrician license | https://www.msboc.us |
| Missouri | Local jurisdiction control | https://pr.mo.gov |
| Kansas | Fire Marshal and local AHJ | https://firemarshal.ks.gov |
| Wyoming | Enforcement varies by county | https://dfs.wyo.gov |
Why This Data Matters for Electricians and Employers
Accurate licensing authority data is critical for:
Electricians renewing licenses Employers verifying credentials Training providers aligning CEU courses Contractors operating across state lines
Incorrect board identification is a leading cause of license delays and rejected renewals.
Key Regulatory Notes with Sources
California requires electrician certification through the Department of Industrial Relations and does not issue local electrician licenses, making it one of the most centralized systems in the U.S. Source https://www.dir.ca.gov
Texas issues apprentice, journeyman, and master electrician licenses through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, with annual renewal and mandatory continuing education. Source https://www.tdlr.texas.gov
Illinois and Missouri do not issue statewide electrician licenses, relying instead on municipal or county authorities for registration and enforcement. Sources https://idfpr.illinois.gov and https://pr.mo.gov
Massachusetts licenses electricians through a dedicated Board of State Examiners, separate from general contractor regulation. Source https://www.mass.gov/orgs/board-of-state-examiners-of-electricians
Sources and References
National Fire Protection Association Code Adoption Maps https://www.nfpa.org
State departments of labor and professional regulation websites listed in tables above
Official state electrical licensing board portals
Users should verify licensing and renewal requirements directly with the issuing authority before applying or renewing a license.