What Licenses Do Electricians Need to Obtain?

Learn about what licenses do electricians need to have in order to practice legally and safely.

What Licenses Do Electricians Need to Obtain?

After completing an apprenticeship, electricians must apply for an officer's license and take the officer certification exam.

If they pass, they will officially become an official electrician

. Apprentices receive on-the-job training, usually under the direct supervision of a master electrician. Although they are paid for their work and receive benefits if they work full time, they are still in training.

Many apprenticeship programs also require a certain amount of classroom training. Officers are fully trained professionals and can work with fewer restrictions than apprentices. However, in many areas, they must still perform specific tasks under the supervision of a master electrician. Day labourers cannot own their own recruitment companies.

Master electricians are generally the highest level of the trade and can train apprentices, supervise officers and manage contracting businesses. Many areas require electricians to obtain a special electrical contracting license along with the local business license. You only need to get this license if you're starting an electrician business; if you're an officer working for a master electrician, for example, you don't need a business license. Within officer and teacher licenses, there are a variety of specialized licenses you can apply for, all of which have their requirements.

Check with the New Mexico Department of Regulation and Licensing for your specialty requirements. Before you start working as an electrician in Texas, you'll need to complete the necessary steps to obtain your electrician's license. The good news is that you can often receive a competitive salary throughout the training process. The learner's license is the first step on your path to working as a licensed electrician in Texas.

Apprentices work under the supervision of a master electrician, an official electrician or a residential waiter. As an IEC trainee, you'll work with one of our contractor members and learn through on-the-job training and face-to-face courses. In Texas, it takes approximately four years to complete the 8,000-hour on-the-job (OJT) four-tier (level) program, 576 hours of class time with passing grades, and pass the official exam required by the state of Texas to receive your state electrical license. Did you know that there are four different basic types of electrician licenses in Texas? Each of these licenses involves a different level of experience and specific training or areas of expertise.

There are also specialty electrician licenses in Texas, such as apprentice sign electricians, maintenance electricians, master sign electricians, and residential appliance installers. Some municipalities offer official electrician licenses, while others skip that step and go directly to issuing master electrician licenses or electrical contractor licenses. However, you can submit an application once you have completed the 7,000 hours of training, which will allow you to take the electrical exam for Texas officers before completing the full 8,000 hours required to obtain the license. A professional license certifies that you are eligible to work as an electrician at the municipal or state level.

In North Carolina, municipalities issue official electrician licenses, while the North Carolina State Board of Electrical Contractor Examiners (NCBEEC) issues electrical contractor licenses. Electrical licenses are issued by the Massachusetts Board of State Electrician Licensing Examiners. NEXT helps you get the right electrician insurance for your needs, whether you're an independent worker, small business owner, or electrical contractor. See the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation website for more information on how to apply for these licenses.

Clark County (Las Vegas) offers the option to go one step further and obtain certification as a master electrician, for those who are already certified as officers. After completing an internship (and earning a salary while training), most states offer an officer's license and an electrician's master's degree, and many grant special licenses to electricians who work on signs, repair elevators and maintain cooling systems. Electrical contractor licenses are issued at the state level by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance through the Tennessee Contractor Licensing Board. For cities and counties that don't have local licensing regulations, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance accepts a limited licensed electrician (LLE) license issued by the state.

When you become an electrician, you'll enter a field that is in constant demand like many specialized trade fields. Many electricians belong to the International Brotherhood of Electricity Workers (IBEW). Obtaining all necessary licenses is essential for any professional in this field in order to practice legally and safely.