Electrician license
West Virginia electrician license
The West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office licenses electricians statewide: master, journeyman and specialty electrician licenses. Electrical work for pay in West Virginia requires a State Fire Marshal license. The licenses are Electrician's Assistant/Helper, Journeyman Electrician, Master Electrician and Specialty Single Family Residential Dwelling Electrician (SP-SFD). 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's Assistant/Helper | Not set in hours | No exam | None; no helper license is issued. |
| Journeyman Electrician | Not set in hours | Yes | $50 a year license fee; licenses can be renewed for up to three years at a time. |
| Master Electrician | Not set in hours | Yes | $50 a year license fee. |
| Specialty Single Family Residential Dwelling Electrician (SP-SFD) | Not set in hours | Yes | $50 a year license fee. |
How to get each West Virginia license
Electrician's Assistant/Helper
Requirements. No license is needed to assist a journeyman or master electrician on supervised work. A helper may not work unsupervised, and one journeyman or master may supervise no more than three helpers on a job site.
Exam. No exam for this license.
Fees. None; no helper license is issued.
Sources: W. Va. Code 29-3B-2, Necessity of license; definitions; 103CSR5, Electrician Licensing Rules (effective 5/1/2024, Secretary of State).
Journeyman Electrician
Requirements. Be at least 18 and have one of: one year as an assistant/helper under a master or journeyman, a completed U.S. Department of Labor registered electrical apprenticeship, or a state-approved electrical vocational program of at least 1,080 hours with the instructor's affidavit. Then pass the State Fire Marshal's journeyman exam.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office (scheduled test dates in Charleston, Beckley, Clarksburg, Martinsburg and Wellsburg) |
|---|---|
| Code edition | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Questions | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Time | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Exam fee | A $25 nonrefundable application review fee is required to test; the exam fee itself is not stated in the rule. |
Fees. $50 a year license fee; licenses can be renewed for up to three years at a time.
Your application and review fee must reach the Fire Marshal at least 10 working days before the exam date, and you must bring the written authorization form you are sent.
Students in an approved West Virginia vocational electrical program may test before 18 but are not licensed until they turn 18.
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 West Virginia exam outline.
Sources: 103CSR5, Electrician Licensing Rules (effective 5/1/2024, Secretary of State); WV State Fire Marshal, 2027 Exam Dates and Locations.
Master Electrician
Requirements. Two years of experience as a journeyman electrician doing work broad enough to show you can do all types of electrical work and direct others, then pass the master exam. Only a master may design electrical systems.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office |
|---|---|
| Code edition | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Questions | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Time | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code book | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Exam fee | $25 nonrefundable application review fee; the exam fee itself is not stated in the rule. |
Fees. $50 a year license fee.
Sources: 103CSR5, Electrician Licensing Rules (effective 5/1/2024, Secretary of State); WV State Fire Marshal, 2027 Exam Dates and Locations.
Specialty Single Family Residential Dwelling Electrician (SP-SFD)
Requirements. Covers electrical work only in or on a single family home and its outbuildings. Requires at least one year of experience in the specialty (education can count for it), then the specialty exam.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | Not confirmed: check with the 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 | 70% |
| Code book | Not confirmed: check with the board |
| Exam fee | Not confirmed: check with the board |
Fees. $50 a year license fee.
Other specialty licenses include low voltage (fire and burglar alarm and communication systems, 80 volts or less), electric sign, elevator, and plumbing, heating and air conditioning.
Source: 103CSR5, Electrician Licensing Rules (effective 5/1/2024, Secretary of State).
How to apply
Apply through the State Fire Marshal Online License Portal with the $25 review fee and a history of your experience; once approved you are sent an authorization form to take the exam on a scheduled date. Apply on the official site.
Sources: WV State Fire Marshal, Regulatory and Licensing Division; 103CSR5, Electrician Licensing Rules (effective 5/1/2024, Secretary of State).
Renewal and continuing education
| Renewal | Every year: all electrician licenses expire June 30. You may renew for up to three years at once at $50 a year; late renewal within the licensure year adds a $50 penalty. |
|---|---|
| Continuing education | None is listed: the rule's renewal section requires only the application and the $50 a year fee. |
Source: 103CSR5, Electrician Licensing Rules (effective 5/1/2024, Secretary of State).
Reciprocity with other states
By formal agreement with other jurisdictions, without the written exam; you must not have failed a West Virginia exam. Virginia's Board for Contractors lists such an agreement for journeyman and master licenses. New West Virginia residents with a similar license held a year or more may also qualify under universal license recognition.
Sources: 103CSR5, Electrician Licensing Rules (effective 5/1/2024, Secretary of State); Virginia Board for Contractors, Reciprocal Licensing/Examination Agreements; W. Va. Code 29-3B-4, Licenses; classes; reciprocity.
Look up a West Virginia electrician license
To check that an electrician or contractor is licensed, use the official West Virginia State Fire Marshal Licensee Search.
Common questions
Who issues electrician licenses in West Virginia?
The West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office licenses electricians statewide: master, journeyman and specialty electrician licenses. Electrical work for pay in West Virginia requires a State Fire Marshal license.
How do I get a journeyman electrician license in West Virginia?
Journeyman Electrician: Be at least 18 and have one of: one year as an assistant/helper under a master or journeyman, a completed U.S. Department of Labor registered electrical apprenticeship, or a state-approved electrical vocational program of at least 1,080 hours with the instructor's affidavit. Then pass the State Fire Marshal's journeyman exam. Apply through the State Fire Marshal Online License Portal with the $25 review fee and a history of your experience; once approved you are sent an authorization form to take the exam on a scheduled date.
Does West Virginia accept electrician licenses from other states?
By formal agreement with other jurisdictions, without the written exam; you must not have failed a West Virginia exam. Virginia's Board for Contractors lists such an agreement for journeyman and master licenses. New West Virginia residents with a similar license held a year or more may also qualify under universal license recognition.
How often does a West Virginia electrician license renew?
Every year: all electrician licenses expire June 30. You may renew for up to three years at once at $50 a year; late renewal within the licensure year adds a $50 penalty. Continuing education: None is listed: the rule's renewal section requires only the application and the $50 a year fee.
How do I look up an electrician license in West Virginia?
Use the official West Virginia State Fire Marshal Licensee Search at https://sfm-permit-public.wvoasis.gov/publicdata/LicenseeSearch
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from West Virginia'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.
- WV State Fire Marshal, Regulatory and Licensing Division, opened November 11, 2026
- W. Va. Code 29-3B-2, Necessity of license; definitions, opened November 11, 2026
- W. Va. Code 29-3B-4, Licenses; classes; reciprocity, opened November 11, 2026
- 103CSR5, Electrician Licensing Rules (effective 5/1/2024, Secretary of State), opened November 11, 2026
- WV State Fire Marshal, 2027 Exam Dates and Locations, opened November 11, 2026
- Virginia Board for Contractors, Reciprocal Licensing/Examination Agreements, opened November 11, 2026
- WV State Fire Marshal Licensee Search, 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.