Florida Journeyman Electrician License

[westernexplorer]

Is a Journeyman Electrician license required by any county in Florida to work as an Electrician for an Electrical Contractor? I understand Florida doesn't license Journeyman at the state level and many counties, but not all have a Journeyman License. What would be the point of getting this Journeyman Electrician license, if it is not required? And if it is required, is there any enforcement on the jobsites?

 

[Podagrower]

It varies from county to county. Orange County for a few years was trying to enforce the need for a journeyman on all jobs, including each house. They backed down to a journeyman in the neighborhood for residential projects, and now require a journeyman for commercial jobs.

As for enforcement, I have been asked to show my license exactly zero times in 15 years.

Should you get a license, absolutly, I have seen many talented electricians get paid less money just becouse they didn't have a card. I have been given jobs to run just becouse I was the only guy who had a journeyman instead of the residential journeyman card.

 

[The Iceman]

I don't think any county in Florida requires you to have a licence. Some General contractors may require a Journeyman on the job.
As for, what is the point of getting your licence, I thought the same thing when I first moved to Florida. I studied hard and got my journeymans and went on to get my masters. I didn't do it because it was required, or for the money. I did it for myself. I recommend getting your journeymans, if you do, you will realize what I mean.:smile:

 

[westernexplorer]

I have Journeyman and Master Electrician licenses in 7 States, just wanted to know if it was worth the trouble in Florida. In the West and Northeast you can be licensed by showing your apprenticeship completion and exam. All of the Counties in Florida that I have looked at want all these notorized letters from past employers. It seems they won't take a letter from the State showing that I have already proved my experience, just let me sit for the exam and be on my way, that would be to easy I guess.......

 

[jrannis]

Is a Journeyman Electrician license required by any county in Florida to work as an Electrician for an Electrical Contractor? I understand Florida doesn't license Journeyman at the state level and many counties, but not all have a Journeyman License. What would be the point of getting this Journeyman Electrician license, if it is not required? And if it is required, is there any enforcement on the jobsites?

If you work for an EC you are immune from local licensing rules.
If you work under a county master ER license you have to abide by local and county rules.

I would suggest that you take the county journeymans license exam just in case you need it one day.

 

[The Iceman]

I have Journeyman and Master Electrician licenses in 7 States, just wanted to know if it was worth the trouble in Florida. In the West and Northeast you can be licensed by showing your apprenticeship completion and exam. All of the Counties in Florida that I have looked at want all these notorized letters from past employers. It seems they won't take a letter from the State showing that I have already proved my experience, just let me sit for the exam and be on my way, that would be to easy I guess.......

I know what your going through with the paperwork. I was told that Florida was one of the hardest states to get your county or state Masters license. The reason they said, was because alot of people come from the north in the winter and think they can get their license as easy as were they came from.
I don't know if this is true. I'm sure when you get the paperwork done you'll have no problem with the exam.

 

[westernexplorer]

OK, one more question, I have worked for many electrical contractors in the last 15 years and do have some notorized letters to verify employment, however 2 of these contractors are deceased. Hillsbourgh County says they want the employment verification on their particular form and not just a notorized letter on company letterhead. Since they are dead, how am I suppose to pull that trick off...?

 

[The Iceman]

OK, one more question, I have worked for many electrical contractors in the last 15 years and do have some notorized letters to verify employment, however 2 of these contractors are deceased. Hillsbourgh County says they want the employment verification on their particular form and not just a notorized letter on company letterhead. Since they are dead, how am I suppose to pull that trick off...?

I also had the same type of problem. I lived in alot of states and some of the companies didn't exist anymore. I had to show eight years of experience on notorized forms that the county supplied. I had to go back as far as 1994. I know it's a real pain in the butt, but you should see how hard it is to take the Florida State EC license. It took me six months, and alot of money to fill out that application. It was returned several times, and I'm still waiting to take it.

 

[westernexplorer]

Some of the contractors that I do have letters from, this is the 2nd or 3rd time I have had to get a letter from them and they don't want to take the time to fill out any more forms. No money in it for them, just more work for them for an ex-employee benefit, atleast that is the way they see it.

 

[The Iceman]

Some of the contractors that I do have letters from, this is the 2nd or 3rd time I have had to get a letter from them and they don't want to take the time to fill out any more forms. No money in it for them, just more work for them for an ex-employee benefit, atleast that is the way they see it.

Did you actually go to the county you want to take the exam and talk to someone in charge of the exam process? I was looking over my notorized county forms and their is a section you can fill out if your previous employeer is no longer in business.

 

[westernexplorer]

I have W-2's and a certified employment earnings record from the Social Security Admin. Hope that is good enough.........Sure is crazy though, The fact that I have been tested and tested repeatedly in my career as an Electrician and passed everyone of those exams and really don't mind sitting for them and they make such a big deal about having the verficiation on a county form, yet they pass out driver licenses everyday to unqualified drivers who kill people on the road and in most places you can get a drivers license with a utilitiy bill for identification............go figure

 

[alan ryan]

I have just moved to FL from PA - how do I obtain my journeyman license here? I have 10 years' experience and did not need this in PA.

Thank you!

Alan

 

[slect]

License

License

Florida is unique in that as an electrical contractor you do not need licensed electricians. However, I have had many electricians respond to my help wanted ads and claim they had many years experience. It is not until they get into the field with my supervisor that we can evaluate their experience. I always, and that includes many of my friends that are also contractors, hire the licensed electrician first. It gives us some type of measuring stick to go by. If this is your chosen profession, get licensed , and continue your education. You will benefit immensely

 

[bphgravity]

Alan,

Try to keep your same question on ONE topic. Go here:

http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?p=928901#post928901