Electrician license
California electrician license
California certifies individual electricians through the Electrician Certification Unit of the Department of Industrial Relations (Labor Commissioner's Office). Anyone doing electrical work for a C-10 electrical contractor must be certified, a registered apprentice or a registered electrician trainee. The C-10 Electrical Contractor license itself is issued by the Contractors State License Board. The licenses are Electrician Trainee, General Electrician certification, Residential Electrician certification, Fire/Life Safety Technician, Voice Data Video Technician and Nonresidential Lighting Technician certifications and C-10 Electrical Contractor license (CSLB). 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 | Not set in hours | No exam | $25 to register; annual renewal has no fee |
| General Electrician certification | 8,000 hours | 100 questions, 2023 NEC | $75 certification application fee plus the $100 exam fee; renewal is $100 |
| Residential Electrician certification | 4,800 hours | 80 questions, 2023 NEC | $75 certification application fee plus the $100 exam fee |
| Fire/Life Safety Technician, Voice Data Video Technician and Nonresidential Lighting Technician certifications | Not set in hours | Yes | $75 certification application fee plus the $100 exam fee |
| C-10 Electrical Contractor license (CSLB) | Not set in hours | Yes | $450 application fee and a $200 initial license fee for a sole owner ($350 otherwise); C-10 renewal is $470 for a sole owner |
How to get each California license
Electrician Trainee
Requirements. If you do not yet have the experience to test, register as an Electrician Trainee. You must be enrolled in a state-approved school and work under the direct, on-site supervision of a certified electrician who supervises only one trainee. Registered apprentices in a state-approved program do not need to register.
Exam. No exam for this license.
Fees. $25 to register; annual renewal has no fee.
Trainee registration is renewed every year with transcripts of the past year's approved coursework and a list of employers.
Trainee applications are still submitted by mail; online trainee registration is not yet available.
Sources: DIR: What is an electrician trainee?; 8 CCR 292.0 Fees; 8 CCR 296.1 Applying for and Renewing Registration as an Electrician Trainee; DIR Electrician Certification Program (revised October 22, 2026).
General Electrician certification
Requirements. 8,000 hours of work for a C-10 electrical contractor on systems covered by the National Electrical Code, spread over at least two work areas with caps per area (for example, at most 3,000 hours of residential wiring), or completion of an approved apprenticeship. Then pass the certification exam.
Experience. 8,000 hours.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | CPS HR Consulting, at Pearson VUE test centers |
|---|---|
| Code edition | 2023 NEC |
| Questions | 100 questions |
| Time | 270 minutes (4.5 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Provided: the 2023 NEC, NFPA 70E (2024) and the Cal/OSHA construction pocket guide are on screen as searchable PDFs. You may not bring your own books. |
| Exam fee | $100 for each attempt |
| Official bulletin | DLSE Electrical Certification Candidate Information Bulletin (CPS HR Consulting, published July 2026) |
Fees. $75 certification application fee plus the $100 exam fee; renewal is $100.
The exam tests the national NFPA 70 (2023 NEC), not the California Electrical Code, and may include trade-knowledge questions. The bulletin does not say whether any questions are unscored.
If you fail, wait 60 days from the exam date before applying to retest, with another $100 fee.
Preparing for the California journeyman exam. The California journeyman electrician exam guide covers the format, the code book and the outline, and the free California practice test scores you by subject with no account. The full course is $149, one payment, six months of access.
Sources: 8 CCR 291.1 Eligibility for Certification; 8 CCR 292.0 Fees; DIR Electrician Certification Test Taking Information; DLSE Electrical Certification Candidate Information Bulletin (CPS HR Consulting, published July 2026).
Residential Electrician certification
Requirements. 4,800 hours of work for a C-10 electrical contractor, mostly residential wiring, or completion of an approved apprenticeship, then pass the exam. The certification covers dwellings, hotels and motels served at 120/208 or 120/240 volts.
Experience. 4,800 hours.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | CPS HR Consulting, at Pearson VUE test centers |
|---|---|
| Code edition | 2023 NEC |
| Questions | 80 questions |
| Time | 210 minutes (3.5 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Provided on screen; you may not bring your own books. |
| Exam fee | $100 for each attempt |
| Official bulletin | DLSE Electrical Certification Candidate Information Bulletin (CPS HR Consulting, published July 2026) |
Fees. $75 certification application fee plus the $100 exam fee.
Sources: 8 CCR 291.1 Eligibility for Certification; 8 CCR 292.0 Fees; DIR Electrician Certification Test Taking Information; DLSE Electrical Certification Candidate Information Bulletin (CPS HR Consulting, published July 2026).
Fire/Life Safety Technician, Voice Data Video Technician and Nonresidential Lighting Technician certifications
Requirements. Limited certifications: 4,000 hours for Fire/Life Safety Technician or Voice Data Video Technician, and 2,000 hours for Nonresidential Lighting Technician, each working for a C-10 contractor in that field, then pass that category's exam.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | CPS HR Consulting, at Pearson VUE test centers |
|---|---|
| Code edition | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Questions | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Time | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Passing score | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Code book | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Exam fee | $100 for each attempt |
| Official bulletin | DLSE Electrical Certification Candidate Information Bulletin (CPS HR Consulting, published July 2026) |
Fees. $75 certification application fee plus the $100 exam fee.
Sources: DIR: Who needs to be certified and who is eligible?; 8 CCR 292.0 Fees; 8 CCR 291.1 Eligibility for Certification; DIR Electrician Certification Test Taking Information.
C-10 Electrical Contractor license (CSLB)
Requirements. Issued by the Contractors State License Board. The qualifying person needs at least four years of journey-level, foreman, supervisor, contractor or owner-builder experience in the classification, verified by someone with firsthand knowledge. No schooling is required.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | Contractors State License Board |
|---|---|
| Code edition | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Questions | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Time | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Passing score | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Code book | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Exam fee | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Official bulletin | CSLB C-10 Electrical Contractor examination study guide |
Fees. $450 application fee and a $200 initial license fee for a sole owner ($350 otherwise); C-10 renewal is $470 for a sole owner.
Electricians who work for a C-10 contractor must hold their own DIR certification; the contractor license does not cover them.
Sources: CSLB Step 3: Qualifying Experience for the Examination; CSLB List of All Fees; CSLB Step 7: Studying for the Examination; DIR: Who needs to be certified and who is eligible?.
How to apply
Apply to the Electrician Certification Unit online or by mail with proof of experience and the $75 fee. Once DLSE approves you, CPS HR Consulting sends instructions to schedule at Pearson VUE, and you must test within one year of the eligibility notice. Apply on the official site.
Source: DIR Electrician Certification Test Taking Information.
Renewal and continuing education
| Renewal | Every three years. Renew at least 30 days before the end of the period; a lapsed certification means retaking the exam. |
|---|---|
| Continuing education | 32 hours of further electrical education from an approved provider or apprenticeship program each three-year period, plus 2,000 hours of work in the industry in those three years. |
Source: 8 CCR 291.5 Renewal and Replacements.
Reciprocity with other states
No license-for-license reciprocity: every applicant must pass the California exam. If you hold an electrician license in another state with comparable experience requirements, DLSE may accept that as your experience.
Source: 8 CCR 291.1 Eligibility for Certification.
Look up a California electrician license
To check that an electrician or contractor is licensed, use the official DIR Electrician Certification Status search (contractors: CSLB Check a License).
Good to know
Since June 1, 2026 the exams are run by CPS HR Consulting at Pearson VUE, not PSI. The old PSI bulletin and an older DIR bulletin are still online; use the July 2026 bulletin.
Source: DIR Electrician Certification Program (revised October 22, 2026).
Common questions
Who issues electrician licenses in California?
California certifies individual electricians through the Electrician Certification Unit of the Department of Industrial Relations (Labor Commissioner's Office). Anyone doing electrical work for a C-10 electrical contractor must be certified, a registered apprentice or a registered electrician trainee. The C-10 Electrical Contractor license itself is issued by the Contractors State License Board.
How do I get a electrician license in California?
General Electrician certification: 8,000 hours of work for a C-10 electrical contractor on systems covered by the National Electrical Code, spread over at least two work areas with caps per area (for example, at most 3,000 hours of residential wiring), or completion of an approved apprenticeship. Then pass the certification exam. Apply to the Electrician Certification Unit online or by mail with proof of experience and the $75 fee. Once DLSE approves you, CPS HR Consulting sends instructions to schedule at Pearson VUE, and you must test within one year of the eligibility notice.
How many hours do you need to become a journeyman electrician in California?
8,000 hours for the General Electrician certification.
How many questions are on the California journeyman electrician exam?
100 questions in 270 minutes (4.5 hours), and the passing score is 70%.
Does California accept electrician licenses from other states?
No license-for-license reciprocity: every applicant must pass the California exam. If you hold an electrician license in another state with comparable experience requirements, DLSE may accept that as your experience.
How often does a California electrician license renew?
Every three years. Renew at least 30 days before the end of the period; a lapsed certification means retaking the exam. Continuing education: 32 hours of further electrical education from an approved provider or apprenticeship program each three-year period, plus 2,000 hours of work in the industry in those three years.
How do I look up an electrician license in California?
Use the official DIR Electrician Certification Status search (contractors: CSLB Check a License) at https://www.dir.ca.gov/DLSE/ECU/ElectCert/ElectCertSearch.asp
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from California'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.
- DIR Electrician Certification Program (revised October 22, 2026), opened November 11, 2026
- DIR: Who needs to be certified and who is eligible?, opened November 11, 2026
- DIR: What is an electrician trainee?, opened November 11, 2026
- DIR Electrician Certification Test Taking Information, opened November 11, 2026
- 8 CCR 291.1 Eligibility for Certification, opened November 11, 2026
- DLSE Electrical Certification Candidate Information Bulletin (CPS HR Consulting, published July 2026), opened November 11, 2026
- 8 CCR 292.0 Fees, opened November 11, 2026
- 8 CCR 296.1 Applying for and Renewing Registration as an Electrician Trainee, opened November 11, 2026
- 8 CCR 291.5 Renewal and Replacements, opened November 11, 2026
- CSLB Step 3: Qualifying Experience for the Examination, opened November 11, 2026
- CSLB Step 7: Studying for the Examination, opened November 11, 2026
- CSLB List of All Fees, opened November 11, 2026
- DIR Electrician Certification Search, opened November 11, 2026
- CSLB Check a License, 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.