Keep Journeyman's license active after Masters?

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M_J_C

Member
Passed my county Master's a while ago, and just got my Journeyman's renewal reminder from the county (same county that issued the Masters). Is there any reason to keep the Journeyman Certificate active, other than sentimental?
 
I would keep it active. When renewing my masters license , I once asked a city clerk the same question and she had mentioned a scenario where someone had their masters revoked (due to an electrical fire that resulted in some serious legal issues), and he had let his JW license go. Unfortunately, with no license in hand, he wasnt able to hire on with anyone.
 

jmargolis79

Member
Location
minneapolis
Many of the guys i have worked with keep the jw because the MN jw is tranfeable to other states but the masters isn't. So, If you ever to may have to travel it's good to keep it.
 

Split Bolt

Senior Member
Not sure how that works in Virginia. When I got my journeyman's card, it was just a card you were supposed to get laminated. Come to think of it, when I got my Virginia Master's license in 1988, it was also a card you were given and told to laminate because it was "good for the rest of your life!" Then around '93 they realized they were missing-out on a lot of potential revenue! First, it was a fee every 2 years, then they added a form you had to sign swearing that you were "up-to-date" with NEC changes and now the continuing education class which amounts to about 1/2 of a Saturday. I think the continuing education requirement is a good thing! Learned a lot and got to see an old workmate I hadn't seen for about 20 years!:)
 

GUNNING

Senior Member
They wouldn't let me keep my j card here when I got my masters, but that was a long time ago.
The masters is a contractors license. The J card proves to your boss you know something and are a keeper. If you have a masters you are the competition.
 

satcom

Senior Member
They wouldn't let me keep my j card here when I got my masters, but that was a long time ago.
The masters is a contractors license. The J card proves to your boss you know something and are a keeper. If you have a masters you are the competition.


There are plenty of small companies with master employees, we have master employees, if a guy comes in looking for employment and he has a j card, we may wonder why he has not moved up to a masters, not all masters are contractors, or do they want any part of operating a business, the few guys that left, came back looking for their job, after they discovered how tough it is to make it in contracting, and keep the pay checks coming in.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
In Iowa there is no reason to

Yes there is............ reciprocity.

Iowa is entering into reciprocity agreements with other states, but it only applies to JWs, not Masters.

So keeping your JW card means you can at least cross the state line and work in another state without taking the test again.
 

stevenje

Senior Member
Location
Yachats Oregon
There are plenty of small companies with master employees, we have master employees, if a guy comes in looking for employment and he has a j card, we may wonder why he has not moved up to a masters, not all masters are contractors, or do they want any part of operating a business, the few guys that left, came back looking for their job, after they discovered how tough it is to make it in contracting, and keep the pay checks coming in.

Having both licenses can be a double edged sword. Back when things got slow in the 80's I applied for a journeyman's position at a small shop. I put down both my masters and journeyman licenses on the application. I didn't get the job. I found out later from a friend of mine who worked there that the person that did the hiring was paranoid that someone with a masters license might eventually try and take his job.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
In Nebraska there is no longer a master license.

You are either a registered apprentice, a licensed journeyman, or a contractor.

There is a residential wireman license that is basically like a journeyman license that limits work to less than 4 family dwellings and less than 400 amps service - he could work with properly qualified journeyman or contractor on other projects just can not be unsupervised on these projects.

If you are a journeyman and you pass the contractor exam and of course pay the correct fees you have no need for the journeyman license anymore, it allows you to do the same work as a journeyman plus more.

If you want to get out of contracting you could always work as a journeyman would with your contractors license - you are still qualified you may no longer pull permits if you no longer have liability insurance, but if working for someone else this is not a problem.

If you let either journeyman or contractor license expire you will take another exam before you can renew it. You must have 12 hrs continuing education (with 6 on code) to renew (every two years). If you do not let it expire all you need is the 12 hrs education and pay the proper renewal fee.
 
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