Electrical Classification per state

[hbiss]

N.Y. is city by city, mostly anyone can do elec. work.

I wouldn't say anybody can do electrical work. There is no statewide licensing, each city, county, etc. has their own but the Code is adopted state wide . So, this being NY, to do work in like a 50 mile radius you might need 5 licenses and pay $$$ for each every year.

Just curious , What is the classification for your state to perform electrical Installations.
Is it the same for most states.

Connecticut is the only state I'm familiar with that has a similar system. Statewide licensing, you would be an E1 there.

Electrical License Types and Scope of Work

portal.ct.gov

-Hal

 

[infinity]

I wouldn't say anybody can do electrical work. There is no statewide licensing, each city, county, etc. has their own but the Code is adopted state wide . So, this being NY, to do work in like a 50 mile radius you might need 5 licenses and pay $$$ for each every year.

Yup the most corrupt state when it comes to electrical licensing. I know a few licensed contractors who work on Long Island and they need to get a separate license just to work in certain villages. The process is so corrupt I can't believe that it has existed this long without anyone noticing.

 

[growler]

In Georgia, it’s class one, which I believe is 400 amps and under. I think it’s kinda residential license.

I looked it up and it appears that a class one is still 200 amps and under.

From what I have seen it's hard to find anyone that has a class one licensed since most go ahead and test for the class two. There used to be a lot of class one licensed holders that were grand fathered in.

 

[hillbilly1]

I have a Tallahassee journeyman’s license that is supposed to be good everywhere in Florida, except for the country of Dade/Miami.

 

[hillbilly1]

Yup the most corrupt state when it comes to electrical licensing. I know a few licensed contractors who work on Long Island and they need to get a separate license just to work in certain villages. The process is so corrupt I can't believe that it has existed this long without anyone noticing.

Michigan is that way too, I have a Michigan journeyman license, but had to take another test to work in Lansing? I think, that was quite a few years ago. I tried to apply for a New Jersey license, but they make it very hard for anybody outside the state to get one.

 

[growler]

except for the country of Dade/Miami.

So they finally formed their own country ?

Sorry about that, I couldn't resist.

 

[hillbilly1]

So they finally formed their own country ?

Sorry about that, I couldn't resist.

That was not a typo. They do believe they are their own country. LOL!

 

[infinity]

I tried to apply for a New Jersey license, but they make it very hard for anybody outside the state to get one.

How did they make it hard to sit for the exam?

 

[hillbilly1]

How did they make it hard to sit for the exam?

They kept wanting more info for the application before they would process it. They would get that information, then want more. The person I was talking to was very rude, and acted like I was interrupting her smoke breaks. This was about 25 years ago, I don’t know if they changed any. Didn’t really want a Jersey license anyway, but the company did.

 

[tom baker]

In WA, Contractors are licensed, electricians are certified. To be an electrical contractor, you must have an assigned administrator. The admin is responsible for knowing the code, making sure installations are done correctly, pulling permits, etc. The admin does not have to be an electrician, and if not, can't touch the tools. Often small shops have an admin who is also an certified electrician. The admin test is a harder electrician test.
If you are a certified electrician and an admin, then you can combine them and be a master electrician (need to take a test) I am a Master Electrician

Washington state is the king of specialty certifications.
01 Journey Level 8,000 hours experience (to test)
Specialty
02 Residential 4,000 hours
03 Pump and Irrigation 4,000 hours
03A Domestic Pump 720
04 Signs 4000 hours
06 Limited Energy 4,000 hours
06A HVAC/Refrigeration 4000 hours
06B HVAC/Refrigeration Limited 720 hours
07 Non residential maintenance 4,000 hours
07A Non Residential Lighting maint and retrofit 720 hours
07B residential maint 720 hours
07C restricted non residential maint 1000 hours
07D appliance repair 720 hours
07E equipment repair 1000 hours
09 Telecom, only applies to contractors, workers not required to be certfied
10 gates, doors and similar 720 hours
The reason there are so many specialties is our state laws require any one doing electrical work to be certified.
Effective July 23, 2023 any person who wants to a journeylevel will have to have completed an electrical apprenticeship program.

 

[brantmacga]

In Georgia, it’s class one, which I believe is 400 amps and under. I think it’s kinda residential license. Then Class two, which is unrestricted, you can do anything from a shack to a high rise. You can run as many people you want under that license.

When I got my license, the restricted was 200A single phase. I think it was maybe 6-8 years ago they changed that to 400A, but still single phase. The only difference in the testing was 20 questions related to 3-phase load calcs; I think it was purely intimidation that kept anyone from going for an unrestricted license and choosing the restricted route.

Anyway, low-voltage in Georgia is a separate license. They have four classes; general, alarm, telecom, and unrestricted.

Not sure it’s still the case, but back in the day a Class II Georgia reciprocated to Florida as a fully unrestricted license including low-voltage. I’ve never checked to see if it would reciprocate back to Georgia for a low-voltage license. I’ve probably worked in over 75% of the jurisdictions in the state of Georgia and I can think of three that ever asked for a LV license to pull a separate permit for it; Cobb County, Glynn County, and Macon County (yes county not city).


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[brantmacga]

I looked it up and it appears that a class one is still 200 amps and under.

From what I have seen it's hard to find anyone that has a class one licensed since most go ahead and test for the class two. There used to be a lot of class one licensed holders that were grand fathered in.

Is that on the SOS website? I was certain that had changed to 400 single phase.


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[gadfly56]

Is that on the SOS website? I was certain that had changed to 400 single phase.


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From rules.sos.ga.gov:

Rule 121-2-.01 Statewide Electrical Contractor License

[TD valign="top"](1)[/TD][TD valign="top"]To obtain a statewide class I or class II electrical contractor license, a person must submit a completed application, meet the experience requirement as described in Paragraph (2) of this rule, obtain a score of seventy (70) on the appropriate examination, and pay the fees required by the Board. An applicant must submit three references on the required form from persons who can attest to the applicant's good character and electrical experience to the satisfaction of the Division. At least one reference must be from a licensed electrical contractor who shall include his or her registration number. Statewide class I electrical contractor licenses are restricted to electrical contracting involving single-phase electrical installations which do not exceed 200 amperes at the service drop or the service lateral. Class II electrical contractor licenses are unrestricted.[/TD]

 

[tom baker]

So they finally formed their own country ?

Sorry about that, I couldn't resist.

In Washington, Seattle has a lot of special rules, its often called "State of Seattle".

 

[Another C10]

they need to get a separate license just to work in certain villages

California Electrical Contractors legally need to have business licenses to work in any of the cities, I presently have 6. The costs range from 60.00 - 250.00 dollars per city.

 

[Another C10]

I appreciate all this insight, pretty interesting and humbling.

I took the electrical contractor exam in 1987 needed 4 years of work experience of a variety of applications and 3 years of electrical theory and application plus had to take a business course regarding contracting.

I did pass, they don't tell you the score, they just send a pocket license with a paper 8 x 11 version to frame , of course I framed it, hangs in the office to this day. They give us a number, mine was 51_ _ _ _ which is mine and only mine, similar to a social security number in that it's only issued once to one person.

legally I can perform work on 6 V - 600 V, residential , commercial or even industrial if I wish, I can work on single phase or three phase up to 1200+ A. if willing, although I cant recall doing any switch gear over 1200 A. anyway. I'm allowed to work on low voltage, Data communication, CCTV etc ..

Now keep in mind I only know what I know and there is a lot that I do not know or even care to know about our industry but, My license does allow me to wire a large variety of installations any where in the California state, 5 miles away or 600 miles away.

Granted I have this amazing resource, of a C10 License and I have sustained a decent livelihood, but by no means am I utilizing it to its full capacity, I'm pretty good at what I know within residential , commercial wiring and design, trouble shooting etc, but there is more that I don't know, which many of you folks are masters of especially from what I've read on these forums, my hats off to many of you out there.

I'm just appreciative that I can manage to earn a decent living on an industry with no limits. plus its great learning from the many other tradesmen throughout the 35 + years I've worn my tool bags.

I figured I'd share my thoughts since you folks are kind enough to share yours. Thanks.

 

[infinity]

California Electrical Contractors legally need to have business licenses to work in any of the cities, I presently have 6. The costs range from 60.00 - 250.00 dollars per city.

One of the benefits of the licensing structure we have here in NJ, a unified adopted code. One license, entire state, no town or city can adopt their own "code" or licensing scheme.

 

[Another C10]

One of the benefits of the licensing structure we have here in NJ, a unified adopted code. One license, entire state, no town or city can adopt their own "code" or licensing scheme.

That is a neat system at least one would know the city's guidelines, I've run across different cities that wont allow a product or application their neighboring city as well as the NEC allows. makes it sort of difficult when bidding.

 

[brantmacga]

From rules.sos.ga.gov:

Rule 121-2-.01 Statewide Electrical Contractor License

[TD valign="top"](1)[/TD][TD valign="top"]To obtain a statewide class I or class II electrical contractor license, a person must submit a completed application, meet the experience requirement as described in Paragraph (2) of this rule, obtain a score of seventy (70) on the appropriate examination, and pay the fees required by the Board. An applicant must submit three references on the required form from persons who can attest to the applicant's good character and electrical experience to the satisfaction of the Division. At least one reference must be from a licensed electrical contractor who shall include his or her registration number. Statewide class I electrical contractor licenses are restricted to electrical contracting involving single-phase electrical installations which do not exceed 200 amperes at the service drop or the service lateral. Class II electrical contractor licenses are unrestricted.[/TD]

Interesting. I asked two Class I Contractors I know, they both said their licenses cover 400A.

So either that’s out of date, my friends are wrong, or they reversed back to 200A.

I will investigate.


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[McLintock]

In WI they have

Registered electrician, so you can do electrical work


Apprentice (Beginning Electrician) License: Granted to electricians with some experience installing and repairing wiring work; must work under the direct supervision of a master or journeyman electrician

Journeyman License: Must have at least 5 years of experience; must work under a master electrician to obtain a license in any municipality

Master Electrician License: Master license allows electrician to obtain a license in any municipality without local examination ( of which I take my test next month, finally)

Electrical Contractor License: Allows local municipalities to accept electric permit applications from an owner of contracting business, a partner in the contracting business applying on behalf of the partnership, or the chairman of the board of CEO applying on behalf of the contracting business


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”