Electrician license
Ohio electrician license
Ohio licenses electrical contractors, not individual electricians. The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) issues the state electrical contractor license (often called a master license) for commercial work; residential work and any journeyman cards are left to cities. This page covers Electrical Contractor (OCILB state license). Local licensing in Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo is covered below.
Licenses at a glance
| License | Experience | Exam | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Contractor (OCILB state license) | Not set in hours | 100 questions, 2023 NEC | $25 application fee; $25 license fee after passing |
How to get each Ohio license
Electrical Contractor (OCILB state license)
Requirements. Be at least 18, a U.S. citizen or legal alien, and have worked at least five years in the electrical trade immediately before applying (or be an Ohio-registered engineer with three years of construction business experience). Carry at least $500,000 of contractor liability insurance and pass the electrical trade exam and the Business and Law exam.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | PSI |
|---|---|
| Code edition | 2023 NEC |
| Questions | 100 questions |
| Time | 240 minutes (4 hours) |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Open book: the 2023 NEC or NEC Handbook, Ugly's Electrical References and the other references PSI lists, with permanent tabs only. |
| Exam fee | $69 per exam with PSI |
| Official bulletin | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board Contractor Trade Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI, updated 10/26/2026) |
Fees. $25 application fee; $25 license fee after passing.
The electrical trade exam has 100 scored questions plus 10 unscored pretest questions in 4 hours. Every applicant also takes the 50-question Business and Law exam (2 hours), which counts for three years toward other trades.
Sources: Ohio Revised Code 4740.06 License application; examination; OCILB Examination Application; Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (Ohio Department of Commerce); Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board Contractor Trade Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI, updated 10/26/2026).
Local electrician licenses in Ohio
Columbus: Electrical Contractor Registration
Columbus registers electrical contractors under Columbus Building Code section 4114. You need a current OCILB state license, a signed application and a $25,000 bond. Issued by City of Columbus Department of Building and Zoning Services. Official page.
Source: City of Columbus BZS: OCILB Contractor Application (2026).
Cleveland: Electrical Contractor Registration
Cleveland registers electrical contractors; you must first hold the State of Ohio (OCILB) license. Issued by City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing. Official page.
Source: City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing FAQs.
Toledo: Electrical Journeyman and Apprentice license
Toledo issues its own electrical journeyman license by city exam, plus apprentice licenses, renewed every year through the Division of Building Inspection. Issued by City of Toledo Division of Building Inspection. Official page.
Source: City of Toledo: Contractor, Journeyman and Apprentice License Renewal.
Practice for the exam
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 Ohio exam outline.
How to apply
Send the OCILB examination application with the $25 fee, five years of tax records and proof of experience (permits, a journeyman card, an apprenticeship certificate or 40 hours of approved code courses). Once approved, you get a PSI bulletin with scheduling instructions. Apply on the official site.
Source: OCILB Examination Application.
Renewal and continuing education
| Renewal | Every year, on the date the original license was issued. |
|---|---|
| Continuing education | 10 hours of approved continuing education per year, no matter how many licenses you hold. |
Sources: Ohio Revised Code 4740.06 License application; examination; Ohio Revised Code 4740.04 Administrative section duties.
Reciprocity with other states
Only where Ohio has a written reciprocity agreement with the other state; the applicant submits a copy of the agreement and pays the license fee. The board pages read today do not list the states.
Source: Ohio Revised Code 4740.08 Reciprocity.
Look up an Ohio electrician license
To check that an electrician or contractor is licensed, use the official Ohio eLicense Center license lookup (OCILB).
Common questions
Who issues electrician licenses in Ohio?
Ohio licenses electrical contractors, not individual electricians. The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) issues the state electrical contractor license (often called a master license) for commercial work; residential work and any journeyman cards are left to cities.
Does Ohio accept electrician licenses from other states?
Only where Ohio has a written reciprocity agreement with the other state; the applicant submits a copy of the agreement and pays the license fee. The board pages read today do not list the states.
How often does a Ohio electrician license renew?
Every year, on the date the original license was issued. Continuing education: 10 hours of approved continuing education per year, no matter how many licenses you hold.
How do I look up an electrician license in Ohio?
Use the official Ohio eLicense Center license lookup (OCILB) at https://elicense.ohio.gov/oh_verifylicense
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Ohio'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.
- Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (Ohio Department of Commerce), opened November 11, 2026
- Ohio Revised Code 4740.06 License application; examination, opened November 11, 2026
- Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board Contractor Trade Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI, updated 10/26/2026), opened November 11, 2026
- OCILB Examination Application, opened November 11, 2026
- Ohio Revised Code 4740.04 Administrative section duties, opened November 11, 2026
- Ohio Revised Code 4740.08 Reciprocity, opened November 11, 2026
- City of Columbus BZS: OCILB Contractor Application (2026), opened November 11, 2026
- City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing FAQs, opened November 11, 2026
- City of Toledo: Contractor, Journeyman and Apprentice License Renewal, 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.