Electrician license
New Jersey electrician license
The New Jersey Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors licenses electrical contractors, Class A journeyman electricians, Class B wiremen and Class A electrical apprentices statewide. The three individual license types were added by rules effective June 2, 2025. The licenses are Class A Electrical Apprentice, Class B Wireman, Class A Journeyman Electrician and Licensed Electrical Contractor. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A Electrical Apprentice | Not set in hours | Not confirmed: check with the board | $100 application fee, plus an initial license fee of $150, $100 or $50 depending on the year of the three-year cycle; $150 to renew |
| Class B Wireman | Not set in hours | Not confirmed: check with the board | $100 application fee, plus an initial license fee of $75, $50 or $25 depending on the year of the three-year cycle; $75 to renew |
| Class A Journeyman Electrician | 8,000 hours | Not confirmed: check with the board | $100 application fee, plus an initial license fee of $150, $100 or $50 depending on the year of the three-year cycle; $150 to renew |
| Licensed Electrical Contractor | Not set in hours | 100 questions, 2023 NEC | $100 application fee; $225 to renew every three years. The initial license fee was not printed in the 2025 rule. |
How to get each New Jersey license
Class A Electrical Apprentice
Requirements. Anyone enrolled in a four-year U.S. Department of Labor approved electrical apprenticeship who does electrical work must hold this license, working under a licensed electrical contractor or Class A journeyman electrician.
Exam. Not confirmed: check with the board
Fees. $100 application fee, plus an initial license fee of $150, $100 or $50 depending on the year of the three-year cycle; $150 to renew.
Class B Wireman
Requirements. Anyone employed to do electrical work who is not a licensed contractor, Class A journeyman or Class A apprentice must be licensed as a Class B wireman, employed by an electrical contractor business permit holder and supervised by a contractor or Class A journeyman.
Exam. Not confirmed: check with the board
Fees. $100 application fee, plus an initial license fee of $75, $50 or $25 depending on the year of the three-year cycle; $75 to renew.
Class A Journeyman Electrician
Requirements. A Class A journeyman license is required to supervise electrical work without being a contractor. One way to qualify is 8,000 hours of practical experience, at least 4,000 of them within the five years before you apply.
Experience. 8,000 hours.
Exam. Not confirmed: check with the board
Fees. $100 application fee, plus an initial license fee of $150, $100 or $50 depending on the year of the three-year cycle; $150 to renew.
The Class A journeyman license replaced the old qualified journeyman electrician registration.
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 New Jersey exam outline.
Licensed Electrical Contractor
Requirements. Five years in electrical construction immediately before applying, including a completed four-year U.S. Department of Labor approved apprenticeship followed by at least one year (2,000 hours) as a journeyman electrician. Then pass three PSI exams: Electrical Contractor, Business and Law, and Alarm Systems.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | PSI |
|---|---|
| Code edition | 2023 NEC |
| Questions | 100 questions |
| Time | 255 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% (70 of 100) on the Electrical Contractor exam; 70% on Business and Law and on Alarm Systems |
| Code book | Open book with the 2023 NEC, which PSI provides at the test center. You may not bring or mark your own copy. |
| Exam fee | $84 Electrical Contracting, $47 Business and Law, $49 Alarm Systems |
| Official bulletin | PSI New Jersey Electrical Contractor Licensure Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 3/5/2026) |
Fees. $100 application fee; $225 to renew every three years. The initial license fee was not printed in the 2025 rule.
First-time candidates take all three exams on the same day, must make the first attempt within 2 years of eligibility, and must pass all three within three attempts.
The bulletin lists 260 minutes with a note that time drops to 255 minutes from June 1, 2017; 255 is shown here.
Sources: 54 N.J.R. 1914(b), Qualifications for Licensure (N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.3), October 3, 2022; PSI New Jersey Electrical Contractor Licensure Examination Candidate Information Bulletin, updated 3/5/2026; 57 N.J.R. 1146(a), Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors rules, adopted effective June 2, 2025.
How to apply
Apply to the Board for approval first. Once approved you receive an Examination Eligibility Notice and then pay for and schedule the exams with PSI. Apply on the official site.
Renewal and continuing education
| Renewal | Every three years for contractors, Class A journeymen, Class B wiremen and apprentices. |
|---|---|
| Continuing education | Contractors: 34 credit hours each three-year cycle, including a 10-hour in-person course on the current NEC. Class A journeymen: 15 credit hours on the current NEC. Class B wiremen: a 15-hour course on the current NEC. |
Reciprocity with other states
For electrical contractors: the Board may license a contractor from another jurisdiction without exam if that jurisdiction gives New Jersey contractors equal reciprocity and its license is substantially equivalent, and the applicant practiced as a contractor for at least two of the last five years. The 2025 rules also provide Class A journeyman licenses through reciprocity; check the terms with the Board.
Look up a New Jersey electrician license
To check that an electrician or contractor is licensed, use the official New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs License Verification.
Good to know
A licensed electrical contractor must also hold a business permit to contract; the Board's rules require the business permit identification to be carried on the job.
Common questions
Who issues electrician licenses in New Jersey?
The New Jersey Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors licenses electrical contractors, Class A journeyman electricians, Class B wiremen and Class A electrical apprentices statewide. The three individual license types were added by rules effective June 2, 2025.
How do I get a journeyman electrician license in New Jersey?
Class A Journeyman Electrician: A Class A journeyman license is required to supervise electrical work without being a contractor. One way to qualify is 8,000 hours of practical experience, at least 4,000 of them within the five years before you apply. Apply to the Board for approval first. Once approved you receive an Examination Eligibility Notice and then pay for and schedule the exams with PSI.
How many hours do you need to become a journeyman electrician in New Jersey?
8,000 hours for the Class A Journeyman Electrician.
Does New Jersey accept electrician licenses from other states?
For electrical contractors: the Board may license a contractor from another jurisdiction without exam if that jurisdiction gives New Jersey contractors equal reciprocity and its license is substantially equivalent, and the applicant practiced as a contractor for at least two of the last five years. The 2025 rules also provide Class A journeyman licenses through reciprocity; check the terms with the Board.
How often does a New Jersey electrician license renew?
Every three years for contractors, Class A journeymen, Class B wiremen and apprentices. Continuing education: Contractors: 34 credit hours each three-year cycle, including a 10-hour in-person course on the current NEC. Class A journeymen: 15 credit hours on the current NEC. Class B wiremen: a 15-hour course on the current NEC.
How do I look up an electrician license in New Jersey?
Use the official New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs License Verification at https://newjersey.mylicense.com/verification/
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from New Jersey'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.
- 57 N.J.R. 1146(a), Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors rules, adopted effective June 2, 2025, opened November 11, 2026
- 54 N.J.R. 1914(b), Qualifications for Licensure (N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.3), October 3, 2022, opened November 11, 2026
- PSI New Jersey Electrical Contractor Licensure Examination Candidate Information Bulletin, updated 3/5/2026, opened November 11, 2026
- New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs License Verification, 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.