Licensing requirements?

[milemaker13]

Hey gang,
I'm at the point where I want to get my electrical license. I've been working with electricity for about 25 yrs, starting at a young age working with my dad. I leaned most of what I know from him, adding to that thru experience. I worked for him full time for several years, and have been in an industrial environment as a maintenance electrician for the past 15 years. I've done pipe and wire, machine installs, control work.. you name it. But recently not having a license has come up as an issue.
I don't know what the process of becoming licensed involved so I figured I start here by asking you guys.
What does the exam look like? What knowledge do I need to brush up on? Where do I go to take the test?

That's a start. I do have more questions about it, such as insurance and bonding but we can get to that in a bit. Thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

[Buck Parrish]

Illinois does not have a State wide electrical license. You'll need to go ask your county or city.
Some S.E counties are so rural, like Indiana they don't have an inspection department.

Of course the bigger cities do and they have licensing requirements, too. Chances are if you get your Chicago License the other jurisdictions will recognize it. You'll still have to pay each jurisdictions licensing and bonding fees where required.

 

[milemaker13]

I work in Naperville, which definitely has an inspection department. So, I should start there and ask the Naperville building Dept how to go about it?

As far as fees, in a major suburb like Naperville, what kind of money are we taking about?

 

[growler]

have been in an industrial environment as a maintenance electrician for the past 15 years. I've done pipe and wire, machine installs, control work.. you name it. But recently not having a license has come up as an issue.

As far as fees, in a major suburb like Naperville, what kind of money are we taking about?

It's the company that you work for that needs the license. They may need for you to be the one that gets and holds the license to qualify the company.

The reason I say this is because all these fees should be paid for by the company. They should be willing to pay also for any classes you need to study up for the licensed test.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I think that Naperville is one that requires a license but they don't have their own. There a number of those in Illinois...they require a license that was obtained as a result of a test, but they don't test. My little town of about 18,000 has about 1,000 licensed electricians because of this issue. We offer a test and a license.

 

[milemaker13]

What town do you live in? I used to live in dekalb, and I thought they had a license of their own.

I work at a factory, not for a contractor. I want to get all the info together, so I know what I'm talking about, when I go upstairs and ask them to pay for it

 

[gadfly56]

What town do you live in? I used to live in dekalb, and I thought they had a license of their own.

I work at a factory, not for a contractor. I want to get all the info together, so I know what I'm talking about, when I go upstairs and ask them to pay for it

Unless your factory intends to go into the electrical contracting business with you as the license holder, I wouldn't hold my breath. If some outside agency is forcing the factory to have a licensed electrician on staff, then it may be a different story.

 

[milemaker13]

Well, not really. The issue came up when they applied for a building permit for a new room inside the plant. So they had to hire a licensed electrician to do the outlets and lights.

So let me ask this.. is it legal or not to do work inside the building for regular production things? Install new machines? Troubleshoot controls on machinery? Replace damaged outlets/lights/ wiring, whatever? Installing new outlets, lights, whatever in eating parts of the building?

 

[milemaker13]

Existing parts of the building. Sorry, didn't proof read well enough.

 

[gadfly56]

Well, not really. The issue came up when they applied for a building permit for a new room inside the plant. So they had to hire a licensed electrician to do the outlets and lights.

So let me ask this.. is it legal or not to do work inside the building for regular production things? Install new machines? Troubleshoot controls on machinery? Replace damaged outlets/lights/ wiring, whatever? Installing new outlets, lights, whatever in eating parts of the building?

AFAIK, with the possible exception of troubleshooting controls, if they are low voltage, everything on your list requires a permit and a licensed electrician. Don't know the particulars of your part of Chicagoland and what exceptions they may have.

In NJ, you never hire an electrician. You hire an electrical contractor. Even if he's a one-man band, he's going to be a company with himself as the license qualifier. You need insurance, surety bonding, etc.

In NJ there is a program whereby large companies that do a lot of work can issue their own permits for work done on their sites. They are audited by the local AHJ.

 

[petersonra]

90.2 Scope.
(A) Covered. This Code covers the installation and removal of
electrical conductors, equipment, and raceways; signaling and
communications conductors, equipment, and raceways; and
optical fiber cables and raceways for the following:

So the code would not cover troubleshooting if you are not installing or removing electrical conductors , equipment, etc.

The rest of the stuff you mentioned would appear to involve installing and/or removal of such things and thus would be subject to the code.

However, just because something is subject to the code does not mean you are required to get a permit. You still have to do the work in accordance with code requirements but the rules adopted by statutory authority will tell you when you you need a permit and when you don't.

Also just because something is not subject to the code does not mean you are exempt from permits.

The code and permits are two separate issues.