Can a Journeyman Electrician Pull a Permit in Texas?

Find out if journeyman electricians need permits in Texas and what are the requirements for obtaining one.

Can a Journeyman Electrician Pull a Permit in Texas?

After four years of training and having passed the first exam to obtain a license, an officer still cannot obtain permits, only a master electrician can do so. A master electrician is a licensed professional electrician who has the right to submit job offers and work on their own. No, a state electrician's license is not required for electrical work performed on a building, structure, or equipment used in agriculture. For more information on exemptions, see the exemptions page for more information.

Texas law does not require a political subdivision (that is, school district, municipality, etc.) to have a contractor's license as they don't have contracts with the public; however, employees who perform electrical work must still work under the general supervision of a master electrician. No, but you must work for a licensed electrical contractor and have the appropriate electrical license to perform the installation. Nothing prohibits a licensed electrical apprentice, officer, or teacher from performing industrial electrical work, as an official industrial electrician's license is optional. Eligibility to sit for the master electrician exam requires that you hold an officer's license for two years, as required by section 1305,153 of the Texas Occupations Code, not an official industrial electrician license.

No, a residential appliance installer license can only be assigned to a residential appliance installation contractor, unless the residential appliance installer owns more than 50% of the installation contracting business. To be a residential appliance installation contractor, you must obtain and assign your own residential appliance installer license to your company, or hire a licensed appliance installer to assign your license number to the company as a “registered appliance installer”. When your master electrician, Master Sign electrician or registered appliance installer leaves employment with your company, you must notify the department and appoint a new person to replace you within thirty business days from the date of separation. You can mail this notice in a notice of change of electrical contractor and in a duplicate license application (PDF).

Contractor licenses do not require exams. If you currently have a license in another state and want to obtain a license in Texas, see the out-of-state applicants page. Residential appliance contractors and installers are not required to complete continuing education. Yes, but you can only perform electrical work in the city where you have a license.

A municipal license is not valid throughout the state. While the state does not require residential appliance installation permits, Section 1305.201 (a) of the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act does not prohibit a municipality or region from regulating residential appliance installers. For example, they may require appliance installers to obtain permits, pay fees, or to inspect their work when performing work in their municipality or region. Texas requires professional electricians to be licensed to perform electrical work on residential and commercial properties.

To obtain an officer's license, you must have at least 8,000 hours of on-the-job training under the direct supervision of a licensed master electrician. Regulation & of the Texas Department of Licensing (TDLR) is responsible for all aspects related to the application, renewal and examination of the license for anyone who wishes to become an electrician in Texas. Texas electrical license categories include an electrician apprentice license, a residential bricklayer's license, and a master electrician license. As noted earlier, the requirements for obtaining a master electrician's license are much stricter than those for an officer's license.

Electricians must know how to upgrade network lines to accommodate the use of high-speed computers, alarm systems, electric vehicles and smartphones. Once you've gained 12,000 hours of supervised experience and have been an official electrician for two years, you can apply for a master electrician license. As an electrical contractor, you must obtain and assign your own master electrician license to your company, or hire a licensed master electrician to assign your license number to the company as a “registered master electrician”. While a general contractor can repair small household equipment without obtaining a permit, virtually any other electrical repair requires one.

As an apprentice electrician, you'll work under the supervision of a master electrician, an official electrician or residential maquero. It is considered an introductory-level license and is a prerequisite for becoming a master electrician. Applicants must have significant amounts of on-the-job training hours before obtaining their officer and master electrician licenses. Trainees assist licensed electricians in various electrical jobs including installation and wiring.