Trying to get Administrator's License

[mlawson]

I have been writing access control specifications for 5 years but I am not a licensed electrician. I would now like to open my own access control/burglar alarm/fire alarm business. Washington state says that in order to get a business license/contractor's license I don't need to be a licensed electrician but I do need an Administrators Certificate to open the business and then hire a journeyman to do all of the actual installations, which I am willing to do. The Administrators exam includes questions regarding NEC, state codes and electrical theory. I currently have limited knowledge in these areas. Can anyone recommend a way to "fast track" this knowledge. I am looking for a local/regional/national course that I can take to help me prepare for this exam. Does such a course exist or does anyone have any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

 

[Rockyd]

Take Mike's master electrician's course.

End result-

*******967DR MASTER ELECTRICIAN

Best move I ever made.

 

[wawireguy]

The admin test has pretty much 3 different parts. NEC, WAC/RCW, and calculations. Practice taking online NEC tests. It helps to have a an idea where to look things up if you can't find it in the index. WAC/RCW, is a PIA, recommend reading over them and get familiar with them. Calcs are rumored to be the hard part. I've heard references to duplexes and multifamily units. I'm considering taking this test sometime myself so would like more information on the calcs section if anyone has taken it.

 

[charlie b]

I passed the Electrical Administrator exam about six years ago. I failed the first time on the RCW/WAC portion, because I had been studying an out-of-date set of rules. I seem to recall that it was the rules about ladder safety and licensing fees that did me in. But I picked up a current set of rules from an L&I office, studied again, and passed the second time.

Six years ago, I could get a copy of the study materials free. Now, I believe, you have to pay a nominal fee to get them. But I do recommend you talk to someone in you local permit office, and get copies of the current version of rules upon which the test is based.

 

[tom baker]

Take a RCW/WAC update class or a class on the RCW/WAC. It will help you understand how the laws and rules work. If you are in Tacoma, there is a 4 hour class on Sat Jan 10, sponsored by IAEI, taught by expert Chris Porter, at Tacoma Power. Starts at 8 am.
There are major changes in the WAC for next year.