Electrician license
Arkansas electrician license
The Board of Electrical Examiners, in the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, examines and licenses electricians statewide: master, journeyman, residential master, residential journeyman, industrial maintenance and sign electricians, and registers apprentices. The licenses are Electrical Apprentice (registration), Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician, Residential Journeyman Electrician and Industrial Maintenance Electrician. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Apprentice (registration) | Not set in hours | No exam | $10 a year, paid by the school; registration is valid one year. |
| Journeyman Electrician | 16,000 hours | 60 questions | $25 license fee after passing; renewal is $25 a year. |
| Master Electrician | Not set in hours | 60 questions | $50 license fee after passing; renewal is $50 a year. |
| Residential Journeyman Electrician | Not set in hours | 40 questions | $25 license fee; renewal is $25 a year. |
| Industrial Maintenance Electrician | Not set in hours | 50 questions, 2023 NEC | $25 license fee; renewal is $25 a year. |
How to get each Arkansas license
Electrical Apprentice (registration)
Requirements. Your employer must register you with the Board, the state Office of Skills Development and the U.S. Office of Apprenticeship within 30 days of hire, and you must start apprenticeship school by the first full semester after you are hired.
Exam. No exam for this license.
Fees. $10 a year, paid by the school; registration is valid one year.
Sources: 17 CAR Part 210, Rules of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas; Board of Electrical Examiner Laws (Ark. Code 17-28), 2025.
Journeyman Electrician
Requirements. Complete a four-year U.S. Department of Labor approved electrical construction apprenticeship and be released for test, or show eight years (16,000 hours) of electrical construction experience or training approved by the Board, counted at no more than 2,000 hours a year. Then pass the exam.
Experience. 16,000 hours.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | Prov |
|---|---|
| Code edition | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Questions | 60 questions |
| Time | 180 minutes (3 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Open book: the NEC is allowed in the exam. |
| Exam fee | $80 computer-based, $56 on paper |
| Official bulletin | Prov candidate information bulletin, Arkansas Electrical Examining Board (effective October 31, 2026) |
Fees. $25 license fee after passing; renewal is $25 a year.
Applications must reach the Board five business days before its meeting; the Board then issues a list of applicants approved to test.
An apprentice released for testing must take the exam within 12 months of finishing apprenticeship school.
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 Arkansas exam outline.
Sources: 17 CAR Part 210, Rules of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas; Board of Electrical Examiner Laws (Ark. Code 17-28), 2025; Prov candidate information bulletin, Arkansas Electrical Examining Board (effective 10/31/2026, revised 11/9/2026).
Master Electrician
Requirements. One of: an electrical engineering degree plus two years of construction experience; or six years in residential and commercial construction including two years as a licensed journeyman; or a Board-approved equivalent. Then pass the master exam.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | Prov |
|---|---|
| Code edition | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Questions | 60 questions |
| Time | 180 minutes (3 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Open book: the NEC is allowed in the exam. |
| Exam fee | $80 computer-based, $56 on paper |
| Official bulletin | Prov candidate information bulletin, Arkansas Electrical Examining Board (effective October 31, 2026) |
Fees. $50 license fee after passing; renewal is $50 a year.
Sources: 17 CAR Part 210, Rules of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas; Prov candidate information bulletin, Arkansas Electrical Examining Board (effective 10/31/2026, revised 11/9/2026).
Residential Journeyman Electrician
Requirements. Two years of experience wiring family dwellings up to a quadruplex, or a two-year Board-approved combination of training and experience such as an approved apprenticeship, plus a letter from your school verifying classroom and on-the-job hours.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | Prov |
|---|---|
| Code edition | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Questions | 40 questions |
| Time | 120 minutes (2 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Exam fee | $80 computer-based, $56 on paper |
| Official bulletin | Prov candidate information bulletin, Arkansas Electrical Examining Board (effective October 31, 2026) |
Fees. $25 license fee; renewal is $25 a year.
A Residential Master Electrician license needs three years wiring family dwellings, including one year as a licensed residential journeyman.
Sources: 17 CAR Part 210, Rules of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas; Prov candidate information bulletin, Arkansas Electrical Examining Board (effective 10/31/2026, revised 11/9/2026).
Industrial Maintenance Electrician
Requirements. Limited to repair, maintenance, alteration and extension of electrical systems in industrial and manufacturing facilities. Requires two years of experience under an engineer or a master, journeyman or industrial maintenance electrician, or a Board-approved equivalent.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | Prov |
|---|---|
| Code edition | 2023 NEC |
| Questions | 50 questions |
| Time | 120 minutes (2 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Exam fee | $50 |
| Official bulletin | Prov candidate information bulletin, Arkansas Electrical Examining Board (effective October 31, 2026) |
Fees. $25 license fee; renewal is $25 a year.
Sources: 17 CAR Part 210, Rules of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas; Board of Electrical Examiner Laws (Ark. Code 17-28), 2025; Prov candidate information bulletin, Arkansas Electrical Examining Board (effective 10/31/2026, revised 11/9/2026).
How to apply
Apply to the Board of Electrical Examiners through the Department of Labor and Licensing's online application to take the electrical exam; the Chief Electrical Inspector reviews it, and once approved you schedule the exam with Prov. Apply on the official site.
Sources: 17 CAR Part 210, Rules of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas; Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, Electrical Inspection and Licensing.
Renewal and continuing education
| Renewal | Every year. Licenses expire on the date shown and renew annually; renewal within 36 months of expiration adds a late fee. |
|---|---|
| Continuing education | Journeyman and master electricians need at least 8 hours of Board-approved continuing education on the NEC for each NEC cycle (each new edition) before renewing. |
Source: 17 CAR Part 210, Rules of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas.
Reciprocity with other states
With states that have an agreement to recognize Arkansas licenses. A journeyman applying by reciprocity must be licensed and in good standing in the other state, have held that license one year, and have been tested there.
Source: 17 CAR Part 210, Rules of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas.
Look up an Arkansas electrician license
Not confirmed: check with the board
Good to know
Prov's bulletin titles the journeyman, master and residential exams "utilizing the 2020 NEC" while listing the 2023 NEC as the open-book reference; the industrial maintenance and sign exams say 2023.
Common questions
Who issues electrician licenses in Arkansas?
The Board of Electrical Examiners, in the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, examines and licenses electricians statewide: master, journeyman, residential master, residential journeyman, industrial maintenance and sign electricians, and registers apprentices.
How do I get a journeyman electrician license in Arkansas?
Journeyman Electrician: Complete a four-year U.S. Department of Labor approved electrical construction apprenticeship and be released for test, or show eight years (16,000 hours) of electrical construction experience or training approved by the Board, counted at no more than 2,000 hours a year. Then pass the exam. Apply to the Board of Electrical Examiners through the Department of Labor and Licensing's online application to take the electrical exam; the Chief Electrical Inspector reviews it, and once approved you schedule the exam with Prov.
How many hours do you need to become a journeyman electrician in Arkansas?
16,000 hours for the Journeyman Electrician.
How many questions are on the Arkansas journeyman electrician exam?
60 questions in 180 minutes (3 hours), and the passing score is 70%.
Does Arkansas accept electrician licenses from other states?
With states that have an agreement to recognize Arkansas licenses. A journeyman applying by reciprocity must be licensed and in good standing in the other state, have held that license one year, and have been tested there.
How often does a Arkansas electrician license renew?
Every year. Licenses expire on the date shown and renew annually; renewal within 36 months of expiration adds a late fee. Continuing education: Journeyman and master electricians need at least 8 hours of Board-approved continuing education on the NEC for each NEC cycle (each new edition) before renewing.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Arkansas'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.
- 17 CAR Part 210, Rules of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas, opened November 11, 2026
- Board of Electrical Examiner Laws (Ark. Code 17-28), 2025, opened November 11, 2026
- Prov candidate information bulletin, Arkansas Electrical Examining Board (effective 10/31/2026, revised 11/9/2026), opened November 11, 2026
- Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, Electrical Inspection and Licensing, 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.