How to check an electrician's license before you hire

Who licenses electrical contractors in each state, where to look one up, and what to ask before you hire.

Updated October 4, 20262 checks104 official sources

Your checklist2 checks before you hire

1Check the license
2What to ask

Most of what an electrician tells you can be checked before work starts. Here's where to look and what to ask.

Check the license

Ask for the license number and the name it's issued to, then look it up. In many states the license belongs to a person, a master electrician, and the business works under it, so ask which licensed electrician the business works through and check that name too.

What a state requires differs. Most states license electrical contractors, some register them, and in a few the license comes from the city or county instead of the state. The table says which, and links the state's own lookup where there is one.

State	What the state requires, and where to check
Alabama	The board licenses electrical contractors and journeyman electricians as people, and a firm or corporation can't be licensed itself, so a company works through a licensed person in the firm. A county or city license also lets someone work inside that county or city.¹ Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Alaska	An electrical contractor registers with the state, and the registration can't be issued unless the owner is, or employs, a licensed electrical administrator. If the only administrator leaves, the registration lapses unless another is hired.^2-3 Check an electrical contractor's registration on the state's registration lookup.
Arizona	The Registrar of Contractors licenses the business, which names a qualifying party who meets the classification's requirements..⁴ Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Arkansas	Arkansas licenses electricians, not companies, and a journeyman can't contract with the public without employing a full-time master electrician. A residential master is limited to homes of up to four units.^5-6 Check an electrician's license on the state's electrician lookup.
California	The CSLB licenses the business in the C-10 class, which covers wiring, fixtures, raceways and solar photovoltaic cells. Electricians who work for a C-10 contractor must also hold a state certification.^7-8 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Colorado	An electrical contracting business must register with the State Electrical Board, and either an owner holds a master electrician license or the business employs a full-time master to supervise all its work. Each master may qualify only one contractor.⁹ Check an electrical contractor's registration on the state's registration lookup.
Connecticut	Connecticut licenses people, not companies. The business owner needn't be licensed, but all electrical work must be done by licensed electricians, and an E-1 contractor license covers all electrical work.^10-11 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Delaware	Delaware licenses electricians, not companies. A firm that loses its license holder must tell the board within 7 days and stops licensed work if no licensed person is in place within 100 days.^12-14 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
District of Columbia	DC licenses electricians as people: apprentices, journeymen and master electricians. Electrical permits go only to licensed and bonded master electricians, so an electrical company works through one.^15-18 Check an electrician's license on the state's electrician lookup.
Florida	A certified contractor passed the state exam and can work anywhere in Florida. A registered contractor holds a local certificate of competency and may work only where that local license is held; either way the licensee qualifies the business.^19-20 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Georgia	Licenses are issued to individuals, and a company may do electrical contracting only with a full-time licensee regularly connected to it. Class I covers homes of up to three levels with single-phase service of 400 amps or less.²¹ Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Hawaii	The Contractors License Board licenses the business in the C-13 class. The wiring itself must be done by electricians licensed by the Board of Electricians and Plumbers.^22-23 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Idaho	The business itself must hold an electrical contractor license, and it names one supervising electrician responsible for its work who can't represent another contractor. An owner who holds an electrician license may act as their own supervising electrician.^24-25 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Illinois	Illinois has no state electrical license. A municipality may require electrical contractors to register for up to $25 a year, and a contractor registered in one municipality needn't register in another; Chicago requires its own license for any wiring under its electrical code.^26-27
Indiana	Indiana's Professional Licensing Agency lists plumbing but no electrical profession. State law bars new local licenses for builders and remodelers but lets cities and counties license specific trades such as electricians.^28-30
Iowa	An electrical contractor must be, or employ, a licensed master electrician and register as a contractor with the state. A residential electrical contractor license goes to a master or residential master electrician, and a city may limit residential licenses by ordinance.^31-32 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Kansas	Kansas has no state electrical license; the state's business portal says cities and counties set licensing and may require trade licenses for electrical work. State law sets the standard exams counties and cities use to license electricians.^33-35
Kentucky	The state licenses electrical contractors, master electricians and electricians. A contractor that isn't itself a master electrician must employ one.^36-38 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Louisiana	The state board licenses electrical contractors on projects worth $10,000 or more. Parishes and cities may also license electrical contractors for competency (R.S. 37:2156(N)).³⁹ Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Maine	Maine licenses electricians, not companies, and an installation must be made by a licensed electrician. Journeymen-in-training and helpers work for a supervising master electrician, limited electrician or electrical company.^40-42 Check an electrician's license on the state's electrician lookup.
Maryland	Maryland licenses electricians, not companies: a state master electrician license lets the holder provide electrical services or be the representative of a business that does. Counties and cities may also register electricians locally.^43-45 Check an electrician's license on the state's electrician lookup.
Massachusetts	A person, firm or corporation in the electrical business needs a certificate A license, held through an owner, partner or officer who passed the master exam (MGL c.141 §1A and §3). Journeymen hold certificate B.^46-47 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Michigan	A business doing electrical contracting needs an electrical contractor license from the state board, or from the city where a city runs its own licensing (MCL 339.5737). Wiring must be done by licensed individuals working for a licensed contractor.^48-49 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Minnesota	Anyone who isn't an employee, partner or officer of a licensed contractor needs a contractor's license to do or offer electrical work, paid or not (Minn. Stat. 326B.33, subd. 14). A Class A contractor's responsible licensed individual is a Class A master electrician.^50-51 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Mississippi	The board says subcontractors doing electrical work on a residential construction or improvement project must hold its license. Both electrical classifications require an exam.^52-53 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Missouri	The statewide license is optional: a contractor may keep working under a local license where the city or county requires one, or without one where it doesn't (RSMo 324.920.4). A company using the statewide license must employ a statewide licensee at a supervisory level.^54-55 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Montana	A firm may hold an electrical contractor license if all its electrical work is supervised by a licensed master electrician, or by a licensed journeyman for homes of fewer than five units (MCA 37-68-103(4)).^56-57 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Nebraska	Only a licensed electrical contractor, Class B electrical contractor or Class A master electrician may plan, lay out or supervise electrical work for someone else (Neb. Rev. Stat. 81-2106). A Class B license covers homes up to four units in municipalities under 100,000 people.^58-60 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Nevada	The board licenses the business in the C-2 electrical classification and its subclassifications (NAC 624.200). Electrical work isn't covered by the exemption for small repairs under $1,000 (NRS 624.031(6)).^61-62 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
New Hampshire	A corporation or partnership in the electrical business can be licensed if an officer, employee or partner in charge of its business is a licensed master electrician (RSA 319-C:10). Journeymen must work for a licensed master or licensed entity.⁶³ Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
New Jersey	Ask the state's electrical licensing board, or your local building department.
New Mexico	ER-1 covers wiring in one- and two-family homes and some ground-floor multifamily units, up to four units in a building; EE-98 covers all electrical systems up to 5,000 volts (14.6.6 NMAC).⁶⁴ Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
New York	New York State doesn't license electricians or electrical contractors. Licensing is local, and County Law 236-a lets Dutchess, Suffolk and Westchester run county boards that license master electricians.⁶⁵
North Carolina	A person or firm in the business of electrical contracting needs a board license in the classification that fits the job's value (Limited up to $60,000 a project and Intermediate up to $150,000, which state law lets the board raise to $100,000 and $200,000), with a listed qualified individual supervising each place of business (G.S. 87-43, 87-43.3).^66-68 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
North Dakota	The board licenses electricians, and only a master or power limited electrician may contract for wiring; a Class B electrician may contract only for farmstead wiring or one- and two-family homes in cities of 2,500 or fewer. A licensee acting as a contractor files proof of $500,000 liability insurance.^69-70 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Ohio	The state OCILB license covers commercial work, and local building and health departments regulate residential contractors. A department that registers contractors for a fee must require the state license, and any department may require it for residential work.^71-73
Oklahoma	A business may act as an electrical contractor only when the owner, a partner or an officer holds a state Electrical Contractor license; the residential license is limited to one- and two-family dwellings. Licensed contractors also register with each city or town they work in.^74-76 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Oregon	A business that makes electrical installations needs the state electrical contractor's license, and installations are directed by a licensed supervising electrician. Contractors also need a CCB license.^77-78 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania has no state license for electrical contractors or electricians, and some municipalities license them locally. Most home improvement contractors register with the Attorney General, which isn't a trade license.⁷⁹
Rhode Island	A Certificate A lets a person, firm or corporation conduct business as an electrical contractor; for a firm or corporation, a member or officer passes the exam. The certificate doesn't let the holder do the wiring personally, which takes an electrician's license.⁸⁰ Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
South Carolina	An electrician contracting residential jobs over $500 needs the Residential Builders Commission's specialty license, and the commission is the only licensing body for firms that work solely on homes. Commercial electrical work over $10,000 needs a Contractor's Licensing Board license.^81-83 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
South Dakota	Only a licensed electrical contractor may contract to install wiring; a Class B electrician may contract only for farm and residential wiring. A company applies through an officer or manager, and contractors post an undertaking and carry insurance.^84-85
Tennessee	A contractor's license is required to bid or contract for projects of $25,000 or more. Below that, the state's Limited Licensed Electrician license applies in places that use the state Division of Fire Prevention for permits, and some cities have their own license.^86-88 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Texas	An electrical contractor must be a licensed master electrician or employ one, show financial responsibility and choose workers' comp coverage or opt out. A master may be assigned to only one contractor unless they own more than half of it.^89-90 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Utah	A general electrical contractor's qualifier must be a licensed master electrician, and a residential electrical contractor's a master or master residential electrician. Contractors also pass the Business and Law exam and show financial responsibility.^91-92 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Vermont	Vermont licenses electricians, not electrical businesses, and no license is required for electrical work in a residential building with two or fewer dwelling units. Work in larger or nonresidential buildings needs a licensed electrician.^93-94
Virginia	The ELE specialty covers all work under the electrical provisions of the building code, and it requires a master electrician tradesman license. The contract size sets the class.^95-96 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Washington	Any business that installs or maintains electrical wiring or equipment needs an L&I electrical contractor license and a designated master electrician or certified administrator. Licenses run 24 months.^97-98 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
West Virginia	No electrical work may be done for pay without a license and certificate from the State Fire Marshal. A contractor taking residential jobs of $5,000 or more also needs a Contractor Licensing Board license.^99-100 Check an electrician's license on the state's electrician lookup.
Wisconsin	No one may engage in the business of installing, repairing or maintaining electrical wiring without a state electrical contractor license. Anyone who isn't a master electrician works with a master electrician responsible for their work.^101-102 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.
Wyoming	Each electrical contracting firm is licensed every year and must be, or employ full time, a licensed master electrician of record who works for no other contractor. Installations are done by licensed contractors employing licensed electricians.^103-104 Check an electrical contractor's license on the state's license lookup.

What to ask

Who will do the work, and are they licensed?
Will you get the permit, and who meets the inspector?
What does the written quote include, and what would cost extra?

Each state's rules page on this site says the same in more detail, with its sources.

Pick your state's rules page

Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming

Licensing rules and lookups from state licensing boards, agencies and legislatures, checked October 2026.

How to check an electrician's license before you hire

Check the license

What to ask

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Sources (104)

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