Master Electrical Exam in Texas. Need Help!

[jslocum16]

When I started into this field I was told that I would need 12000 hours of on the job training under a Master Electrician to sit for the Master Electrical Exam. I have done so. So then I studied extremely hard for my Master Exam. Yesterday I passed it. But today I was told by another electrician that I need to have held a Journeyman license for 2 years before I can get my Texas Master's. I do not hold a Journeyman's Electrical License at all.

I was so excited that I was smart enough to pass, now I am not sure if it is valid.

What are your thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks,

JJ

 

[westernexplorer]

You have to have a Journeyman Electrician's license and have a Master Electrician sing off on your hours OR have held a Master Electrician License for the 12,000 hours to qualify.......... I went around with the State of Texas over this issue. Fortunatly for me I held a Master Electrician License long enough to self verify..... Even if you pass the exam, if you don't meet the experience requirements you will not be issued a license.

 

[sgr1]

Texas has required licensing for 5 years! Even for an apprentice. If you have been working in Texas without a license I dought they will let you count that time. Are you from Texas or have you moved here?

 

[Minuteman]

How did yo take the Texas Master test without first proving your hours and experience? Seems to me, if they let you set for the test and you passed it, the you get the license. Unless they later come back and disqualify you.

 

[westernexplorer]

Minuteman,
There are several places around the country that send you to the exam first and then after you pass, your are required to prove your experience to the license board. The State of Florida now does this for EC Electrical Contractors, you pass the exam and then apply to the board...

I have my Texas Master Electrician License. My issue with the State of Texas was that I held a Journeyman Electrician and Master Electrician License and at first they only gave me credit for about 11,000 hours and I had to explain to them that I held that Master electrician license since 1995 and they accepted....

The other issue is I had just passed a Master Electrician Exam with PSI and asked them to accept the results they refused. I then asked them to look close at there OWN application form and there are 2 boxes under examination....1 for ICC and 1 for OTHER...... I asked them to explain OTHER......They told me, we have accepted your arguement on the hours.....your taking the TEXAS ICC Master Electrician exam, so I did and pass and got a licnese..... I figure I won at least 1 out of my two arguements so I quit while I was ahead.....LOL

Good Luck

 

[Minuteman]

westernexplorer

The only place that I'm licensed is Oklahoma, though I have done some work in Missouri and Tennessee.

I do not understand the mail in testing for out of state applicants. Seems to easy to fake, IMO. Guess I ought to apply for a Texas Master, if they are that easy to get through the mail.

 

[sgr1]

You can take the Master test in Texas without approval first. And I think it is good for two years.

 

[K2500]

You can take the Master test in Texas without approval first. And I think it is good for two years.

Correct, the test results will be good for two years.

With 12,000 hours you may want to apply for a journeyman soon, which requires 8000 hrs. plus examination. Then, two years later, hopefully they will accept your masters test result.

The license requirements are listed in the first four pages of the application.

 

[jslocum16]

You mentioned you already had your Master's before you got your Master's. Does that mean you had it through a city or county? If so, how do I go about this?

Thanks,

JJ

 

[jslocum16]

You have to have a Journeyman Electrician's license and have a Master Electrician sing off on your hours OR have held a Master Electrician License for the 12,000 hours to qualify.......... I went around with the State of Texas over this issue. Fortunatly for me I held a Master Electrician License long enough to self verify..... Even if you pass the exam, if you don't meet the experience requirements you will not be issued a license.

How can I get a Masters without having a Master's? Thats a little confusing to me. So should I go take the Journeyman test now, pass it, then wait two years, then apply for my Master's? Do you think they would except my score on the Masters for the Journeyman? Just so I am not out another 100 bucks?

Thanks,

JJ

 

[jslocum16]

Not sure what to do now. I am a little disappointed in myself at this point.

Not sure what to do now. I am a little disappointed in myself at this point.

Ok. Well it sounds like I just need to go take the Journeyman Exam, then wait two years and take the Masters again. I appreciate all your guys comments. I was hoping to have this out of the way now, I should have been more thorough in my research, but I guess my boss and I mis-understood the requirements.

Thanks again for all your guys help,

JJ

 

[sgr1]

Texas has required licensing for 5 years! Even for an apprentice. If you have been working in Texas without a license I dought they will let you count that time. Are you from Texas or have you moved here?

Are you and your boss working without a license? You never did answer my question is your boss not licensed either?

 

[ecvolt]

Texas Masters Lisc.

Texas Masters Lisc.

Question 1# Are you holding a Journeymans lisc. in any outher state? Question #2 Are you holding a master lisc. in any outher state?

 

[ohmhead]

Well in the state florida you must have a jr card for 3 years which means 5 years total time then you can take the masters if you have a letter from a company to prove you worked the hours and in florida . I needed to prove all the above to take the test you are not taking the test without it . and there is no mail in test in florida take care

 

[K2500]

How can I get a Masters without having a Master's? Thats a little confusing to me. So should I go take the Journeyman test now, pass it, then wait two years, then apply for my Master's? Do you think they would except my score on the Masters for the Journeyman? Just so I am not out another 100 bucks?

Thanks,

JJ

I doubt the will accept the masters test results for a journeyman license, but they might. It's worth a try since you already have money invested. Money that you will probably never see again.

I think they test every 3 or 4 months, so by the time you retest for a journeyman and wait 2 years, your masters test results will probably be too old.

Out of state licenses, regional licenses, any of those might help you, depending on the situation.

Texas has required licensing for 5 years! Even for an apprentice. If you have been working in Texas without a license I dought they will let you count that time. Are you from Texas or have you moved here?

I also doubt they will accept unlicensed time, but 12,000 hrs is equivalent to 6 years at 40/week. So he might be able to get count first 2000 hrs.

 

[OregonSE]

Texas sounds messed up. No apprentiship class training? No Journeyman exam.Masters without a journeymans license. Thats just messed up.

 

[ZZDoug]

How can I get a Masters without having a Master's? Thats a little confusing to me.

In Texas, you are required to work under the supervision of a master license holder for 12,000 hours - and of course the master license holder(s) must verify that. However, if you hold a master license yourself already (from elsewhere), then you can "self verify" that experience. In other words, you worked under your own supervision. But only for a maximum of 2000 hours a year. In other words, you would have to have held a masters license for at least 6 years to self verify those 12000 hours.

1. Dont listen to another electrician, the state of Texas makes the rules and issues the license. So you should ask them about the 2 year journeyman thing.

2. You never answered the pertinent question - the question the electrical board may want to know too. How (and where) did you manage to get over 12000 hours of experience without a journeymans license?

 

[sgr1]

I agree with zzdoug and this should be closed unless the OP answers to this! And my questions.

 

[ZZDoug]

Ya Steve, as you may know, it is possible to have significant time without ever having been licensed in any way. In Texas itself licensing was done on the local level before 2003, and many rural areas had no journeyman license at all. Also many states have only master or contractor and not journeyman licenses, so this is just another example of how the local control over licensing has screwed things up. I have long thought it should be done nationally but thats not going to happen.