I'm Going To Let My Licenses Lapse

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yanici

Senior Member
Location
Atlantis
Occupation
Old Retired Master/Journeyman Electrician
I retired 3 years ago and don't do any electrical work except for friends and relatives as a freebie. The old bones can't take it any more.

Anyway, as much as I hate to do it, I will not renew my Massachusetts State Journeyman and Master Electrician licenses this year. They expire in a few weeks. The State wants about 200 bucks total for them. I can't see giving them that dough for nothing. Too bad there isn't some senior discount.

Lotta work and study time getting them but to me I guess they will amount to just pieces of paper.

The page has turned.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
It does seem wasteful but if you haven't worked in 3 years it probably not going to happen. I would probably keep my and do just enough service calls to pay for it, but then again why bother if you don't have to. Good luck-- you can always be full time here at MH. :grin:
 

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
Some states will allow you to "mothball" your license a couple of years, you cannot do any work during that time, but you can reinstate your license if you start working again without the penalties or retaking the test.
 

jeremysterling

Senior Member
Location
Austin, TX
The price of a family outing to the ball game versus the prestige of the title "licensed master." You have earned the title "Master", you don't need a license to prove it.


For me, I dream on, continuing to renew my motorcycle license even though there is no motorcycle on the horizon.:roll:
 

Ruff-N

Member
My advice is........ As you drive to the lake one early summer morning to get into some good old top water action...... just chunk those expired license out the window and don't look back, you have nothing to prove to no one, you have put your mark on the electrical world and its time to enjoy life. Have fun and keep us udated as to how the top water action is at whatever lake you choose :). And as you motor to the lake, just yell out the window, THIS IS THE GOOD LIFE!:D
 

Split Bolt

Senior Member
I certainly would not advise littering!:grin:

Seriously though, the question that comes to my mind is: Just because YOU are not going to do any more electrical work, are you 100% sure that you are not going to one day start a new business? You'll need your Master license then! Think it through, "never" is a long time! And good luck whatever you decide!:)

In which part of MA is Atlantis located?:grin:
 

Ruff-N

Member
Just let go

Just let go

I certainly would not advise littering!:grin:

Seriously though, the question that comes to my mind is: Just because YOU are not going to do any more electrical work, are you 100% sure that you are not going to one day start a new business? You'll need your Master license then! Think it through, "never" is a long time! And good luck whatever you decide!:)

In which part of MA is Atlantis located?:grin:

Split Bolt the man is RETIRED! He has done well in the working world, sometimes as much as it hurts you just got to let go!
 

jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
Maybe another option would be to keep your licenses and estimate jobs for other people. You could earn some $ but not have to stress the knees and back or brave the wind and rain. If I had the cash flow, I'd hire someone to do that on a few of the ITB's I've had. That is, if you like estimating. Some love it, some hate it.

You gotta do what's good for you. Everyone's situation is different.
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
Here in CA you can have your license inactive, which is what mine is. It sill costs $150 every four years for that, but if I want to renew it at any time I simply have to pay the balance and buy my bond.
 

Rewire

Senior Member
I retired 3 years ago and don't do any electrical work except for friends and relatives as a freebie. The old bones can't take it any more.

Anyway, as much as I hate to do it, I will not renew my Massachusetts State Journeyman and Master Electrician licenses this year. They expire in a few weeks. The State wants about 200 bucks total for them. I can't see giving them that dough for nothing. Too bad there isn't some senior discount.

Lotta work and study time getting them but to me I guess they will amount to just pieces of paper.

The page has turned.

My kids paid my lodge dues for fathers day, maybe an option.
 

Cavie

Senior Member
Location
SW Florida
Put it on hold with the State. Sometime in the future you may find the economy is good and someone may want to start a business. He has the money, you have the license. Vola! In Florida you just keep up the 14 hr CEU's required and your good to go. If you don't, you'll have to do double the amount of ceu's when you take it out. Of course, the CEU's are a couple of hundred $$$ so, I guess that doesn't help does it.
 

mcclary's electrical

Senior Member
Location
VA
My father made the same decision this year with his state masters. He hasn't used his license in more than a decade, so I guess he's "officially" giving it up
 

cdslotz

Senior Member
Maybe another option would be to keep your licenses and estimate jobs for other people.

What does having a license and estimating have to do with each other?
I have been a professional estimator for 31 years. It has never been a requirement, at least here in Texas. He could get a job as an estimator anywhere with his experience.
Now having current Masters as estimators looks good on the resume and to the customers.

Texas is fairly new with a state license. I have been a Master since '77. I have kept my license current all of these years. The cost has been about the same for municipal or state fees.
When we did get the state license, I was exited that I might be able to lease my license to an out of state contractor and work less. In fact, I was wanting to tour playing music full time and make extra cash with the license. But instead, I work AND tour full time because I never found an opportunity. And I looked hard during a construction explosion in the DFW area for the past 15 years. No takers.
So I'm getting close to not renewing soon.
It has not panned out for me either.
But I will continue to estimate as long as my mind is still sound. It's easy for me and I enjoy a new challenge every new job I bid.
The same goes for music
 

stevenje

Senior Member
Location
Yachats Oregon
Every time I work on an existing electrical system I can't help but to wonder who installed what I am now working on. They passed the torch to me and at sometime in the future I will pass the torch to another.
 

mcclary's electrical

Senior Member
Location
VA
Every time I work on an existing electrical system I can't help but to wonder who installed what I am now working on. They passed the torch to me and at sometime in the future I will pass the torch to another.

I was working at a sawmill troubleshooting some equipment. I opened the panel and a schematic of the controls had been hand drawn and left in the cabinet. AS I looked closer, they were signed and dated, and the handwriting looked familiar. I realized they were drawn by my father over 35 years before this incident when he had installed the equipment.
 
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