Washington Electrical License (Contractor, Master, Journeyman)

Requirements to Obtaining your License

• Preapproval is required for these exams by the state.
• Electrical Contractor's must designate an administrator or master.
• Electrical Contractor's must also submit a bond or assignment of savings account.
• Master electrician's must have held a journeymen electrician certificate for 4 years.
• Journeyman electrician's - Must qualify to work in ALL types (specialties) of electrical work, have 8,000 documented hours working as an electrical trainee under the supervision of a certified electrician. Note: 4,000 hours must be spent working in commercial or industrial installation.
• There are no minimum requirements to sit for the administrator exam.

Work that can be Done Under this License

Electrical Contractor: A person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other entity that offers to undertake, undertakes, submits a bid for, or does the work of installing or maintaining wires or equipment that convey electrical current.

Master Electrician: A person who has been issued a master journeyman electrician certificate of competency by the department and who may be designated by an electrical contractor to supervise electrical work and electricians in accordance with rules adopted under this chapter.

Electrical Administrator: A person designated by an electrical contractor to supervise electrical work and electricians in accordance with the rules adopted under this chapter.

Journeyman Electrician: A person who has been issued a journeyman electrician certificate of competency by the department.

Applying to get your License

Department of Labor and Industries
PO Box 44460
Olympia, WA 98504-4400
(360)902-5269

Fees:

• Electrical Contractor: $293.50
• Master Electrician: $147.60
• Journey Electrician: $82.80
• Electrical Administrator: $115.40

Reciprocity Agreements

Reciprocal agreements exist with Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

Continuing Education

If you are an electrical administrator, electrician or master electrician, you are required to take 24 hours of continuing education course work in the three years between your certification renewals:

• 8 hours of your CEUs must be on currently adopted National Electrical Code changes.
• 4 hours must be on currently adopted Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 19.28 and related Washington Administrative Codes (WAC).
• The remaining 12 hours of continuing education credit can be your choice.

Exam Details

Exams are given by PSI (800-952-0910). A minimum passing score of 70% is required.

General Categories (Residential and Commercial)

• Master Electrician - 80 questions NEC and Theory; 20 questions WA Codes; 10 questions Load Calculations
• Administrator - 65 questions NEC and Theory; 17 questions WA Codes; 10 questions Load Calculations
• Journeyman Electrician - 60 questions NEC and Theory; 17 questions WA Codes

Residential Categories

• Master Electrician - 60 questions NEC and Theory; 20 questions WA Codes; 10 questions Load Calculations
• Administrator - 44 questions NEC and Theory; 17 questions WA Codes; 10 questions Load Calculations
• Journeyman Electrician - 40 questions NEC and Theory; 17 questions WA Codes

Books and References for the Exam

These books are available for purchase from our online contractor’s bookstore or by calling our office at 1-800-952-0910.

The following references ARE allowed in the testing center:

• National Electrical Code, 2008
• Chapter 19.28 RCW
• Chapter 296-46B WAC

Exam Review, Training, Education

We currently offer the Washington Electrical Exam in an online practice test format. Our electrical practice includes over 500 real NEC questions. Each time you take the practice test, the questions are randomly generated from our database. Therefore, you will never see the same test twice, guaranteeing you the best review possible for your examination.

Online Practice Tests: $99