How to get an electrician license in Georgia

Licensing office Division of Electrical Contractors, Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board (Secretary of State) [4][8]

The license pathway in Georgia

1. 1

   Electrical experience (no state license)

   Georgia law sets up no apprentice or journeyman electrician license, so there is no state registration step. What counts is documented full-time experience "gained through the direct installation of electrical systems and directly related activities of a type covered by the National Electrical Code." [1][3]

2. 2

   Class I Electrical Contractor (Restricted)

   • 3 years of experience
   • Not required; a 2-year electrical contracting diploma or certificate plus 2 years of experience, or a completed DOL-approved electrical apprenticeship, is an alternative route
   • Yes: two parts (30 law/business questions + 110 technical questions), 8 hours total, 70 scaled score to pass, PSI (a testing company)
   • $110 application
   • Every 2 years; 4 hours CE per year

   Under the 2026 law, Class I covers single-family homes of up to three levels and multifamily buildings of not more than two levels with single-phase service of up to 400 amps. You need 3 years of full-time experience covering at least five listed work areas plus load calculations, and a sworn experience affidavit. The Board's rule still says 200 amps, 4 years, age 21 and three references. [1][3][5][6][9]

3. 3

   Class II Electrical Contractor (Unrestricted)

   • 4 years of experience
   • Not required; a completed DOL-approved electrical apprenticeship plus 1 year of three-phase work is an alternative route
   • Yes: two parts (30 law/business questions + 110 technical questions), 8 hours total, 70 scaled score to pass, PSI
   • $110 application
   • Every 2 years; 4 hours CE per year

   No restriction on the work. Under the 2026 law you need 4 years of full-time experience, at least 2 of them installing, altering or repairing three-phase systems, including work above single-phase 200 amps and all the listed work areas. [1][3][5][6][9]

Georgia has no state journeyman electrician license

Many states license electricians in steps: apprentice, then journeyman, then master. Georgia doesn't. The law lists every license the State Construction Industry Licensing Board issues, and for electricians there are only the two electrical contractor classes, Class I and Class II. The same list includes a Journeyman Plumber license, which shows the gap is specific to electricians.

So there is no state apprentice registration to file and no journeyman exam to take. What the state looks at, when you apply for a contractor license, is your documented experience. The law says "No person shall engage in electrical contracting unless such person has a valid license issued by the division," and a company may do electrical contracting only if a licensed person works with it full time. [1][3]

The 2026 law change

In 2026 Georgia repealed and rewrote the law for electrical, plumbing, conditioned air, low voltage and utility contractors (Chapter 14 of Title 43 of the Georgia Code). The bill was Senate Bill 553, signed May 11, 2026 as Act 472, and it took effect July 1, 2026. For electricians it:

• widened Class I to single-family homes of up to three levels and multifamily buildings of up to two levels, with single-phase service of up to 400 amps (it had been 200 amps);
• cut the Class I experience to 3 years and kept Class II at 4, with at least 2 years on three-phase systems;
• defined a year of "full-time experience" as at least 2,000 hours worked in a calendar year;
• added routes for 2-year electrical contracting programs and U.S. Department of Labor approved apprenticeships;
• replaced the three references with sworn affidavits from your supervisors.

As of October 10, 2026, the Board's rule (Rule 121-3-.01), its how-to guide and its application checklist still show the old requirements: 4 years for both classes, Class I limited to 200 amps, a minimum age of 21 and three references. The law is newer, but the Division decides how it applies them, so confirm with the Division before you apply. [1][2][3][5]

Class I vs. Class II: what each license covers

• Class I (Restricted): under the 2026 law, work "on residential multifamily structures of not more than two levels or single-family dwellings of up to three levels," with "single-phase electrical installations which do not exceed 400 amperes at the service drop or the service lateral." The Board's rule still says 200 amperes.
• Class II (Unrestricted): electrical contracting "without restriction."

Both classes need a passing score of 70 on their own exam. The difference is the scope of work, the years of experience and the work you must show. Class I applicants document projects in at least five of seven listed areas (raceways, conductors, service entrances, motors and generators, switches and controls, special occupancies, grounding and bonding) plus load calculations. Class II applicants must show all of them, plus work on installations above single-phase 200 amps. [1][3]

Experience: what counts

The 2026 law counts "working experience gained through the direct installation of electrical systems and directly related activities of a type covered by the National Electrical Code" (NEC, the national wiring rulebook). A year of full-time experience means at least 2,000 hours worked in a calendar year. You qualify for each class by one of these routes:

• Class I: 3 years of full-time experience; or a 2-year academic diploma or certificate program in electrical contracting plus 2 years of full-time experience; or completing an electrical apprenticeship program accredited or approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. The law's wording leaves it unclear whether the apprenticeship route also needs the 2 years of experience, so confirm with the Division.
• Class II: 4 years of full-time experience, at least 2 of them installing, altering or repairing three-phase systems; or a 2-year program plus the same 4 years; or a completed Department of Labor approved electrical apprenticeship plus 1 year of full-time three-phase experience.

The Board's older rule, not yet updated, asks for 4 years of "Primary experience" for both classes, allows up to 1 year of credit for secondary experience (such as teaching electrical code or working as an electrical inspector, counted at half rate) or education, and has a separate 6-year route for people who ran the business side of electrical contracting. The new law doesn't mention those, so ask the Division whether they still count. [1][3]

The exam

Exams are given at PSI test centers. The handbook was prepared by PSI and the state's Examination Development and Testing Unit. You can't schedule until the Board approves you.

• Format: two parts, 4 hours each, 8 hours in total. Part 1 covers regulations, laws and business administration (30 questions). Part 2 is technical (110 questions). Some questions are unscored trial (beta) questions: 15 on Class I and 22 on Class II.
• Passing score: "The minimum passing final scaled score for each examination is 70." The 2026 law also sets a minimum score of 70.
• Books: open book, but "Only the reference materials listed on this document may be used during the examination." The list includes the 2023 National Electrical Code, the NASCLA (National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies) Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management (Georgia edition), OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) construction rules (29 CFR 1926), IRS (Internal Revenue Service) Circular E and Ugly's Electrical References.
• Retakes: if you fail twice, you must finish a Board-approved review course before your third attempt.

Veterans who served at least 90 days during a period of conflict or war may qualify for exam preference points (send your DD-214). [1][5][6][7]

Fees and renewal

The application fee for a Class I or Class II license by exam is $110. The Secretary of State posts all other fees in its fee schedule. Exam fees aren't refundable.

Licenses are valid for two years. The Board says to renew online "by June 30 of even-numbered years." The 2026 law allows late renewal for up to 31 days after expiration, which matches the how-to guide's July 1 to July 31 window. The Board's home page, though, says the late period for the 2026 cycle runs July 1 to August 15, 2026. Confirm with the Division before counting on a later date.

Continuing education (CE, approved classes taken while licensed): the Board's rule requires 4 hours per year, and the law says CE hours can't be carried over to the next renewal. The Board tracks CE through CE Broker. If you were first licensed one year or less before your first renewal, you don't need CE that time. If your license has been lapsed 3 years or more, the Board's rule says you must file a reinstatement application and pass the exam again; the 2026 law says the extra requirements for such cases "may include" a new exam and an experience affidavit. [1][5][6][8][9]

Union and open-shop apprenticeships in Georgia

Because Georgia has no apprentice license, an apprenticeship here is about training and documented experience, not a state permit. Under the 2026 law, completing an electrical apprenticeship program accredited or approved by the U.S. Department of Labor is one of the listed routes to a contractor license.

• Union: IBEW/NECA joint apprenticeship and training committees (JATCs, run jointly by the electricians' union and union contractors) train inside wiremen in Albany, Atlanta (Norcross), CSRA (Martinez), Macon, Savannah and Newnan (SELCAT). Find contacts with the Electrical Training Alliance locator. See union vs. non-union for how the two models differ.
• Open shop: the IEC Atlanta Chapter runs a U.S. Department of Labor certified electrical apprenticeship for people employed by electrical companies, "no experience necessary."
• State help: the Technical College System of Georgia's Apprentice Georgia office supports registered apprenticeship programs, which pair paid on-the-job learning with related technical instruction and usually take 1 to 4 years.

More background: electrician apprenticeships. [1][10][11][12]

If you're licensed in another state

The 2026 law lets the Division, at its discretion, license you without the exam if your state's requirements are "substantially equal" to Georgia's, you have been "principally engaged" in the work for at least 2 years right before you apply, and your state gives Georgia licensees the same privilege.

The Board's application guide lists one path today: a Non-Restricted (Class II) license by reciprocity if you hold "a current license with no violations and obtained by exam from Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee." Under the Board's rule, you must still document that you meet Georgia's experience requirement, and licenses granted under grandfather clauses without an exam don't qualify. The application needs three references, a background check and verification of your out-of-state license.

See the license reciprocity guide and North Carolina's electrician page for the other side of that agreement. [1][5][7]

Military members and spouses

Under the 2026 law, a state committee decides which military specialties or certifications substantially meet the requirements for an Electrical Contractor Class I license. Current or former service members with such a specialty can apply for expedited licensing, generally within two years of discharge.

Under the Board's rule, military spouses and transitioning service members (within 24 months of retirement or 12 months of separation) can also ask for expedited processing if they meet the license requirements and pay the fee. Veterans may also be eligible for exam preference points. [1][5][7]

Steps to get licensed in Georgia

1. Build documented full-time electrical experience

   Work hands-on installing electrical systems covered by the National Electrical Code. Under the 2026 law, Class I needs 3 years (five listed work areas plus load calculations) and Class II needs 4 years, at least 2 on three-phase systems. A year of full-time experience means at least 2,000 hours. A union or open-shop apprenticeship is one way to get it. [1]

2. Get sworn experience affidavits

   The 2026 law asks for a signed affidavit, made under oath, from the licensed contractor who supervised you (or a licensed architect, professional engineer or electrical engineer), with a separate one from each supervisor. The Board's rule and application checklist still ask for three references, one from a licensed electrical contractor, so confirm with the Division which forms it wants. [1][3][5]

3. Apply in GOALS (Georgia Online Application Licensing System) and pay the fee

   Create an account in GOALS, pick Electrical Contractor Restricted (Class I) or Non-Restricted (Class II), upload the checklist items (notarized application, background check, work experience, references, proof of citizenship or immigration status) and pay the $110 fee. [5]

4. Get Board approval, then schedule the exam with PSI

   The Board must approve you before you can test. PSI then sends instructions to schedule at test-takers.psiexams.com/gaco. Bring only the listed reference books. [5][6]

5. Pass with a scaled score of 70

   The exam has two 4-hour parts. If you fail twice, you must complete an approved review course before a third attempt. [1][6][7]

6. Renew every two years with CE

   Renew online by June 30 of even-numbered years and report 4 hours of continuing education for each year since your last renewal. CE hours don't carry over to the next renewal. [1][5][9]

Where to get the hours

Programs that train electricians in or for Georgia, from their own official pages. Listed by type, not ranked.

• Union

  IBEW/NECA electrical JATCs in Georgia

  The Electrical Training Alliance lists six inside-wireman training centers in Georgia: Albany, Atlanta (Norcross), CSRA (Martinez), Macon, Savannah and SELCAT (Newnan). [10]

• Open shop

  IEC Atlanta Chapter apprenticeship

  The Independent Electrical Contractors Atlanta chapter runs a U.S. Department of Labor certified electrical apprenticeship that you start once you're employed by an electrical company. [11]

• State program

  Apprentice Georgia (Technical College System of Georgia)

  TCSG's apprenticeship office explains registered apprenticeship in Georgia: paid on-the-job learning plus related technical instruction, usually finished in 1 to 4 years. [12]

Licensed in another state?

Questions people ask