Who can do electrical work?

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Himself

Himself

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Portland, Oregon
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Journeyman Electrician
Can a commercial business owner do their own electrical work, help an licensed Electrician or they can not help at all?
 
A commercial owner cannot do their own work without a license. In most states you can wire your own dwelling without a license but I had not heard of any state where you can work commercial without a license.

Sure they can help you but you are responsible for their work. If they work on the job without you there then that would be an issue.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
A commercial owner cannot do their own work without a license. In most states you can wire your own dwelling without a license but I had not heard of any state where you can work commercial without a license.

Sure they can help you but you are responsible for their work. If they work on the job without you there then that would be an issue.
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Thank you, I figured as much and I'm going back and forth with another journeyman but sometimes people have to hear it from more than one source.
 
I think it depends on the state. In my state (WA), employees of a business can do electrical work without a license on that business property. I thought that also extended to the owner but not sure. Still need permits and inspections though.

You can't do work for pay for others (direct employees of the business owner excepted on that business only), which is why all electrical contractors need to have electrician licenses (they are hired to do electrical work). And I don't think you can work on a dwelling you own unless you live there (can't wire a rental).
 
I did a lot of work in Oregon years ago, business OWNERS are allowed to do electrical work on their own business on their own property. Here is the exact wording from the Oregon Revise Statues (emphasis added by me):

(2)An electrical contractor license is not required in connection with an electrical installation:

(a)Of meters and similar devices for measuring electricity by a person principally engaged in the business of generating or selling electricity in connection with the construction or maintenance of electrical lines, wires or equipment.

(b)Of ignition or lighting systems for motor vehicles.

(c)To be made by a person on the person's property in connection with the person's business.
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One of my regular clients at that time was a company in Salem that made concrete recycling machinery. I built his control panels and had my guys wire up the machines for them. One day he said he would have his own people wire the machines because they were still on his property and I checked into it because I didn't think that was correct. As he interpreted it, he could hire his own crew of "Manpower" grunts and direct them on how to wire up his machines so long as they hadn't shipped off of his property yet. My interpretation was that HE could do the work himself, but he could not DIRECT others who were not licensed to do the electrical work for him. He prevailed because, well, it was his company and he could elect not to hire me. The first machine they shipped caught fire... I got the work back.

Some time later I spoke to a friend of a friend who was a contract lawyer, he was curious too and looked into it for me. He said I was correct; HE could legally do his own electrical work on HIS property, but he could not hire unlicensed electrical workers and direct them as if he were a licensed contractor.
 
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