Electrician license
Alaska electrician license
Alaska's Department of Labor and Workforce Development issues electrician certificates of fitness (journeyman, residential wireman, lineman, trainee). A state certificate is required for construction work under the NEC anywhere in Alaska. Electrical administrator and contractor licenses come from the Department of Commerce. The licenses are Electrician Trainee Certificate of Fitness, Electrician Journeyman Certificate of Fitness, Residential Wireman Certificate of Fitness and Electrical Administrator (Unlimited Commercial Wiring), Department of Commerce. Each is below with its hours, exam, fees and official source, followed by how to apply, renewal, reciprocity and the official license lookup.
Licenses at a glance
| License | Experience | Exam | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician Trainee Certificate of Fitness | Not set in hours | No exam | $50 application fee plus $200 certificate fee; valid six years |
| Electrician Journeyman Certificate of Fitness | 8,000 hours | Yes | $50 nonrefundable application fee and a $200 certificate fee once you pass |
| Residential Wireman Certificate of Fitness | 4,000 hours | Yes | $50 nonrefundable application fee and a $200 certificate fee |
| Electrical Administrator (Unlimited Commercial Wiring), Department of Commerce | Not set in hours | 100 questions, 2020 NEC | Not confirmed: check with the board |
How to get each Alaska license
Electrician Trainee Certificate of Fitness
Requirements. You must be indentured in a U.S. Department of Labor registered electrical apprenticeship. Only hours worked while holding a trainee certificate count toward the journeyman certificate, and a job site may have no more than two trainees per certified journeyman or residential wireman.
Exam. No exam for this license.
Fees. $50 application fee plus $200 certificate fee; valid six years.
Sources: Alaska Certificates of Fitness statutes and regulations (effective August 8, 2025); Alaska DOLWD Mechanical Inspection home; Alaska Mechanical Inspection: License Types and Requirements.
Electrician Journeyman Certificate of Fitness
Requirements. 8,000 hours of electrical work experience under the NEC, earned in Alaska while holding a trainee certificate or legally in another state. No more than 2,000 hours may be residential, up to 1,000 hours of apprenticeship or accredited classroom training and up to 1,000 lineman hours may count, and maintenance electrician hours do not count.
Experience. 8,000 hours.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Mechanical Inspection (Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks, proctored at job centers, or by Alaska-based unions) |
|---|---|
| Code edition | 2020 NEC |
| Questions | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Time | 240 minutes (4 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Open book with the 2020 NEC. |
| Exam fee | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Official bulletin | Alaska Mechanical Inspection: Testing Information |
Fees. $50 nonrefundable application fee and a $200 certificate fee once you pass.
Your application must be approved before you can test (7 to 10 business days). After a failed exam you wait 30 days before retesting.
Free practice. The journeyman electrician practice test with 2026 and 2023 NEC versions has 30 questions on code and calculations, scored by subject, with no account. It is general NEC practice, not built from the Alaska exam outline.
Sources: Alaska Certificates of Fitness statutes and regulations (effective August 8, 2025); Electrical and Plumbing Certificate of Fitness Application (v.20250902); Alaska Mechanical Inspection: Testing Information.
Residential Wireman Certificate of Fitness
Requirements. 4,000 hours of residential or commercial work while holding a trainee certificate (or legally out of state), with up to 500 hours of trade classroom training. On commercial sites a residential wireman counts as a trainee.
Experience. 4,000 hours.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Mechanical Inspection |
|---|---|
| Code edition | 2020 NEC |
| Questions | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Time | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Open book with the 2020 NEC. |
| Exam fee | Not confirmed: check with the board |
Fees. $50 nonrefundable application fee and a $200 certificate fee.
Sources: Alaska Mechanical Inspection: License Types and Requirements; Electrical and Plumbing Certificate of Fitness Application (v.20250902); Alaska Mechanical Inspection: Testing Information.
Electrical Administrator (Unlimited Commercial Wiring), Department of Commerce
Requirements. The electrical administrator license, issued by the Department of Commerce, lets the holder supervise electrical work for a business; the unlimited commercial wiring category covers all inside wiring under the NEC. Apply to the Department of Commerce first; it sends an exam eligibility letter.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | PSI |
|---|---|
| Code edition | 2020 NEC |
| Questions | 100 questions |
| Time | 240 minutes (4 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Exam fee | $150 |
| Official bulletin | PSI candidate information bulletin, Alaska Electrical Administrators examination (updated 10/15/2026) |
Fees. Not confirmed: check with the board
The administrator exam has other categories too, including residential wiring (75 questions, 180 minutes) and unlimited linework (100 questions, 240 minutes).
Source: PSI candidate information bulletin, Alaska Electrical Administrators (updated 10/15/2026).
How to apply
Email or mail the Electrical and Plumbing Certificate of Fitness Application to Mechanical Inspection in Anchorage with the $50 and $200 fees, experience verification forms and CE certificates. Once approved (7 to 10 business days), you schedule the exam. Apply on the official site.
Source: Electrical and Plumbing Certificate of Fitness Application (v.20250902).
Renewal and continuing education
| Renewal | Every two years. |
|---|---|
| Continuing education | 16 hours of approved continuing education in the 24 months before renewal, at least 8 of them on NEC changes and no more than 8 industry-related. |
Sources: Alaska Certificates of Fitness statutes and regulations (effective August 8, 2025); Alaska Mechanical Inspection: License Types and Requirements.
Reciprocity with other states
Alaska reciprocates the Electrician Journeyman certificate, without an exam, with states it finds substantially similar, including Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and others on its list. You need a license held at least one full year; fees are $50 plus $200.
Sources: Alaska Mechanical Inspection: Reciprocity (updated October 21, 2026); Alaska Mechanical Inspection: License Types and Requirements.
Look up an Alaska electrician license
Not confirmed: check with the board
Good to know
Alaska has no master electrician certificate. The electrical administrator license from the Department of Commerce fills the supervising role for contractors.
Source: Alaska Mechanical Inspection: Reciprocity (updated October 21, 2026).
Common questions
Who issues electrician licenses in Alaska?
Alaska's Department of Labor and Workforce Development issues electrician certificates of fitness (journeyman, residential wireman, lineman, trainee). A state certificate is required for construction work under the NEC anywhere in Alaska. Electrical administrator and contractor licenses come from the Department of Commerce.
How do I get a journeyman electrician license in Alaska?
Electrician Journeyman Certificate of Fitness: 8,000 hours of electrical work experience under the NEC, earned in Alaska while holding a trainee certificate or legally in another state. No more than 2,000 hours may be residential, up to 1,000 hours of apprenticeship or accredited classroom training and up to 1,000 lineman hours may count, and maintenance electrician hours do not count. Email or mail the Electrical and Plumbing Certificate of Fitness Application to Mechanical Inspection in Anchorage with the $50 and $200 fees, experience verification forms and CE certificates. Once approved (7 to 10 business days), you schedule the exam.
How many hours do you need to become a journeyman electrician in Alaska?
8,000 hours for the Electrician Journeyman Certificate of Fitness.
Does Alaska accept electrician licenses from other states?
Alaska reciprocates the Electrician Journeyman certificate, without an exam, with states it finds substantially similar, including Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and others on its list. You need a license held at least one full year; fees are $50 plus $200.
How often does a Alaska electrician license renew?
Every two years. Continuing education: 16 hours of approved continuing education in the 24 months before renewal, at least 8 of them on NEC changes and no more than 8 industry-related.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Alaska's own licensing board, statute or rule, or the testing company the board names. Where a fact could not be confirmed from one of them, the page says to check with the board. Rules and fees change: confirm with the board before you apply.
- Alaska DOLWD Mechanical Inspection home, opened November 11, 2026
- Alaska Certificates of Fitness statutes and regulations (effective August 8, 2025), opened November 11, 2026
- Alaska Mechanical Inspection: License Types and Requirements, opened November 11, 2026
- Alaska Mechanical Inspection: Testing Information, opened November 11, 2026
- Electrical and Plumbing Certificate of Fitness Application (v.20250902), opened November 11, 2026
- PSI candidate information bulletin, Alaska Electrical Administrators (updated 10/15/2026), opened November 11, 2026
- Alaska Mechanical Inspection: Reciprocity (updated October 21, 2026), opened November 11, 2026
Electrician license requirements in every state · How to become an electrician · Journeyman electrician license · Master electrician license
Last verified November 11, 2026.