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Electrician · State license

How to become a licensed electrician in Kentucky

State law and licensing-board sources · Last reviewed October 11, 2026

Journeyman level 8,000 hours on the job + state exam What's a journeyman?

Kentucky licenses electricians statewide through the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC). The journeyman-level license is simply called "Electrician": you need 8,000 hours of verifiable experience since your 16th birthday and a passing exam score. There's no apprentice license. An unlicensed worker may do electrical work under the direct supervision of a licensed electrician or master electrician who is on the job site. Above the Electrician license are the master electrician (16,000 hours) and the electrical contractor license for businesses. [1][2][3]

New to the trade?

Starting from zero in Kentucky

You don't need a state license or card to start. Kentucky law lets an unlicensed person do electrical work under the direct supervision of a licensed electrician or master electrician who is on the site, so your first step is getting hired by an electrical contractor or accepted into an apprenticeship, such as the Louisville Electrical JATC (Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee) or an IEC (Independent Electrical Contractors) or ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) program. Keep records of your hours from day one: you need 8,000 for the Electrician (journeyman-level) license. [1][2][15][17][22]

  • High school diploma or GED

    Not required by Kentucky's electrical licensing law to start: the law only requires on-site supervision of unlicensed workers. Programs set their own rules. The Louisville Electrical JATC requires a high school diploma or GED (General Educational Development test) and one full credit of high school algebra with a C or better, and IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers)/NECA programs typically require a high school education. IEC of the Bluegrass lists age 18 and its aptitude test as its criteria, with no diploma listed. [2][16][22][23]

  • Minimum age

    18 for the Louisville Electrical JATC (you can open an application at 17) and for IEC of the Bluegrass. Kentucky's registered apprenticeship rule allows programs to start apprentices at 16, and the license law counts electrical experience from your 16th birthday. [1][16][22][26]

  • Register before you start work

    Kentucky's electrical law has no apprentice license or registration with HBC. What it requires is that an unlicensed worker be directly supervised by a licensed electrician or master electrician who is present on the site. [1][2]

  • Helper jobs

    Allowed under that on-site supervision rule. When you apply for a license, HBC accepts proof of your hours such as a notarized letter from an employer (signed by the electrical contractor or master electrician) describing your work and hours, or the signature page of your 1040 tax form listing your job title as electrician. [2][6]

  • Math and aptitude test

    The Louisville Electrical JATC's aptitude test takes about 2.5 hours and covers math, reading comprehension and problem-solving. IEC of the Bluegrass gives a 65-question pre-screening test on high school-level reading comprehension, pre-algebra and basic geometry. [12][16]

  • Application windows and fees

    As of October 2026, the Louisville Electrical JATC's applications are closed It opens online applications periodically and charges a $55 processing fee, and aptitude testing for its September 1-14, 2026 window is set for October 19-22, 2026. IEC Kentuckiana takes applications for its January 2027 mid-year class until November 15, 2026; self-sponsored apprentices first attend a $100 one-day Plug In class and pay $4,000 tuition for year 1. [12][13][15][22]

  • Driver's license, drug test, transportation

    The Louisville Electrical JATC requires a valid driver's license, and IBEW/NECA programs typically require applicants to be drug free. IEC of the Bluegrass requires photo ID and that you arrange your own transportation to job sites and classes. [16][22][23]

  • Pay while you learn

    The Louisville Electrical JATC says starting pay is currently $22.13 an hour for the first six months, with 6 raises during the four-year program and no tuition. Under Kentucky's apprenticeship rule, a registered apprentice's entry wage can't be less than 40% of the journeyworker rate or the legal minimum wage, whichever is greater. [22][26]

  • Credit for school or military

    An electrical training course accepted by HBC (at least 288 classroom hours, or a registered electrical apprenticeship), an electrical associate's degree or diploma, or two years of teaching electrical technology each replaces 4,000 of the 8,000 hours. Supervised military electrical experience can count toward all or part of the hours (Form ELM-1 with your DD-214 or a signed statement from your commanding officer). [1][6][7][8]

  • Still in high school?

    The state's TRACK program (Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky), run by the Kentucky Department of Education with the Kentucky Office of Apprenticeship, offers youth apprenticeships and an Electrical TRACK pre-apprenticeship: four electrical courses, OSHA 10 (OSHA 10-hour safety course) or safety modules and an end-of-program assessment earn a pre-apprenticeship certification, and any credit toward a registered apprenticeship is up to the training provider. The state also runs 50 Area Technology Centers offering high school career and technical pathways. Your electrical experience counts toward a license from age 16, and registered apprenticeships can start at 16. HBC doesn't credit TRACK hours to you directly: in a 2021 letter posted by the Department of Education, HBC said an approved electrical training program may give TRACK completers who passed the exam up to one year of credit toward that program, and the program decides how much. [7][26][27][28][29][30]

Where to apply in KentuckyHow to get an apprenticeshipHelper jobs

Licensing office Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC), Electrical Division · (502) 573-2002 [3][10][21]

Kentucky electrician license at a glance

Who issues licenses
The Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC), statewide State law overrides city and county electrician licensing [2][3]
Apprentice or helper
No state license. You may work under the direct supervision of a licensed electrician or master electrician who is present on the site [2]
Journeyman level (Electrician license)
8,000 hours of verifiable electrical experience since your 16th birthday, plus a passing exam [1]
Exam
Journeyman's Electrical Exam through PROV, NASCLA (National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies) or Pearson VUE 70% to pass; a passing score is good for 3 years [6][8]
Master electrician
16,000 hours of verifiable experience plus the master exam [1][6]
License fees
Electrician $100, master electrician $200, electrical contractor $400, each for a two-year license [8][10]
Renewal and CE
Every two years in your birth month At least 6 hours of continuing education per year [8][11]
Reciprocity
HBC lists Ohio (electrical contractor) and Virginia and West Virginia Master or journeyman electrician [6]
On this page
  1. At a glance
  2. Starting from zero
  3. The license pathway
  4. Who needs a license in Kentucky
  5. The license ladder
  6. Provisional electrician license
  7. The exam
  8. Fees and renewal
  9. Union and open-shop apprenticeships
  10. If you're licensed in another state
  11. Steps to get licensed
  12. Where to get the hours
  13. Licensed in another state?
  14. Questions people ask

The license pathway in Kentucky

  1. 1

    Unlicensed worker (apprentice or helper)

    No state license or card. Kentucky law lets an unlicensed person do electrical work only under the direct supervision of a licensed electrician or master electrician who is present on the site. Your experience counts toward a license from your 16th birthday. [1][2]

  2. 2

    Electrician (journeyman level)

    • 8,000 hours on the job
    • Yes: Journeyman's Electrical Exam through PROV, NASCLA or Pearson VUE; 70% to pass
    • $100 for a two-year license
    • Every 2 years; 6 hours CE per year

    Works for an electrical contractor installing and repairing electrical systems. You need 8,000 hours of verifiable experience since your 16th birthday; certain training, a college electrical program or teaching can replace 4,000 of those hours. [1][4][6][8][11]

  3. 3

    Master electrician

    • 16,000 hours on the job
    • Yes: Master Electrician's Exam through PROV, NASCLA or Pearson VUE; 70% to pass
    • $200 for a two-year license
    • Every 2 years; 6 hours CE per year

    Can take responsible charge of and supervise electricians. You need 16,000 hours of verifiable experience since your 16th birthday; an approved training course can replace 4,000 hours and an electrical associate's degree or diploma 6,000. [1][4][6][8][11]

  4. 4

    Electrical contractor

    • Yes: Business and Law exam through PROV or Pearson VUE
    • $400 for a two-year license
    • Every 2 years; 6 hours CE per year

    The business license to contract for electrical work. A contractor that isn't itself a master electrician must employ at least one full-time master electrician, and must carry at least $1,000,000 in general liability insurance plus workers' compensation. [1][4][6][8]

Who needs a license in Kentucky

Kentucky law says a person who isn't licensed as an electrical contractor, electrician or master electrician "shall not engage in any activities or perform any of the duties" of those licensees, unless the unlicensed person is "under the direct supervision of a licensed electrician or master electrician who is present on the site where the work is being performed."

The state licenses three levels: electricians (the journeyman level), master electricians and electrical contractors. An "electrician" is defined as a person licensed by HBC who is employed by an electrical contractor. A master electrician can take responsible charge of and supervise electricians. An electrical contractor that isn't a master electrician must employ at least one full-time master electrician.

The state law overrides city and county ordinances regulating electricians, so there's one license across Kentucky. The law has exceptions, including routine maintenance by a property owner's maintenance worker, homeowners and farmers wiring their own property, utility installations, coal mines and employees at industrial manufacturing facilities. [2][4][5]

The license ladder

Some education replaces experience. For the Electrician license, any one of these replaces 4,000 hours: a training course in electrical work accepted by HBC; two years of a four-year approved training course (finish the rest within four years of getting licensed, or the license is revoked); an electrical technology associate's degree or diploma from a Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) or other accredited college; or two years teaching electrical technology at an accredited college. For the master license, a training course or teaching replaces 4,000 hours and an associate's degree or diploma replaces 6,000.

HBC accepts a training program if it has at least 288 classroom hours, or if it's an electrical apprenticeship registered with the state. [1][6][7]

Provisional electrician license

If you have at least six years of verifiable experience, working 2,080 hours a year in the electrical trade since age 16, you can get a nonrenewable provisional Electrician license (Form EL-14, $50). It lasts one year and gives you the same rights as a licensed electrician. Pass the exam before it ends to get the regular license; if you don't, it expires and you can't get another provisional license. [1][8]

The exam

HBC's application checklist says you take the Journeyman's Electrical Exam (or the Master Electrician's Exam) with PROV, NASCLA or Pearson VUE and send HBC a copy of your passing results. Contractor applicants take a Business and Law exam with PROV or Pearson VUE.

You need at least 70% to pass, and a passing score is valid for three years. The law requires nationally recognized exams offered regularly around the state. Ask the exam provider for its current candidate information before you book. [6][8][9]

Fees and renewal

Recent change: a 2024 law made electrical licenses biennial. Any license issued or renewed on or after July 15, 2024 lasts two years, and the renewal fee is doubled to cover both years. Your first license may be prorated so it ends in your birth month; after that you renew every two years by the last day of your birth month.

Renewal requires at least six hours of continuing education (CE) per year from an approved provider. There's a 60-day grace period after expiration with a late fee; after that the license terminates and must be reinstated. [8][10][11]

Union and open-shop apprenticeships

Because Kentucky has no apprentice license, an apprenticeship here is about training and documented hours. A registered electrical apprenticeship is also a training program HBC accepts toward the license.

Union programs are run by IBEW/NECA Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees (JATCs). The Louisville Electrical JATC runs a four-year program covering 68 Kentucky counties and 7 Indiana counties; find others with the Electrical Training Alliance locator.

Open-shop (non-union) options include IEC Kentuckiana in Louisville, IEC of the Bluegrass in Lexington and ABC of Indiana/Kentucky. IEC Kentuckiana apprentices can earn 51 college credit hours toward an associate degree through Jefferson Community & Technical College.

For more on the choice, see union vs. non-union and electrician apprenticeships. [7][12][13][14][15][16][17]

If you're licensed in another state

Kentucky law lets HBC license by endorsement an applicant licensed in another state with substantially equal requirements, but only if that state extends similar reciprocity to Kentucky licensees. Reciprocity applicants follow the agreement with their state, send a copy of their license and a letter of good standing, and meet Kentucky's application requirements.

HBC's application checklist lists these routes:

Out-of-state electricians may also work in Kentucky temporarily in emergency, temporary or industrial shutdown situations, but must apply for a license after 10 days of work and can't work more than 30 days a year without applying. See our license reciprocity guide and reciprocity map. [5][6][8][18]

Steps to get licensed in Kentucky

  1. Get hired and document your hours

    Work for an electrical contractor under the direct, on-site supervision of a licensed electrician or master electrician, ideally in a registered apprenticeship. Keep proof of every hour; you need 8,000 since your 16th birthday. [1][2]

  2. Pass the Journeyman's Electrical Exam

    HBC's checklist says to pass the Journeyman's Electrical Exam with PROV, NASCLA or Pearson VUE and send a copy of your results. You need 70%, and a passing score stays valid for three years. [6][8]

  3. Apply for the Electrician license

    Send the Electrical License Application (Form EL-3) with the fee, a passport-sized color photo and proof of your experience, such as a notarized employer letter or an affidavit from your training program. [6][8][10][19]

  4. Renew every two years

    Licenses run two years and renew by the last day of your birth month, with at least 6 hours of approved continuing education per year. [8][11]

  5. Move up to master electrician

    With 16,000 hours of verifiable experience you can take the Master Electrician's Exam and apply for the master license ($200 for two years). [1][6][8]

Where to get the hours

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

Licensed in another state?

  • Ohio electrical contractor: OH

    HBC's application checklist says an Ohio electrical contractor is issued both a Kentucky electrical contractor license and a master electrician license, with a copy of the Ohio license, insurance, the applications, fees, a photo and a good-standing letter. [6][8]

  • Master electrician or journeyman electrician: VA, WV

    A Virginia or West Virginia master or journeyman electrician can apply with a copy of the active license, the Electrical License Application, the fee, a photo and a good-standing letter. [6][8]

Also listed by: Alaska, Florida, Ohio, Utah, Virginia (their own boards list Kentucky as a partner; check both sides before you move).

Open the reciprocity map · How reciprocity works

AlaskaAK MaineME VermontVT New HampshireNH WashingtonWA IdahoID MontanaMT North DakotaND MinnesotaMN IllinoisIL WisconsinWI MichiganMI New YorkNY Rhode IslandRI MassachusettsMA OregonOR NevadaNV WyomingWY South DakotaSD IowaIA IndianaIN OhioOH PennsylvaniaPA New JerseyNJ ConnecticutCT CaliforniaCA UtahUT ColoradoCO NebraskaNE MissouriMO KentuckyKY West VirginiaWV VirginiaVA MarylandMD DelawareDE ArizonaAZ New MexicoNM KansasKS ArkansasAR TennesseeTN North CarolinaNC South CarolinaSC District of ColumbiaDC OklahomaOK LouisianaLA MississippiMS AlabamaAL GeorgiaGA HawaiiHI TexasTX FloridaFL
KY Listed here (agreement or endorsement) Lists KY

Questions people ask

Do I need a license to work as an electrician's helper in Kentucky?

No license, but you must work under the direct supervision of a licensed electrician or master electrician who is present on the site. [2]

Does Kentucky have a journeyman electrician license?

Yes, but the state calls it the Electrician license. It requires 8,000 hours of verifiable experience since age 16 and a passing score on the Journeyman's Electrical Exam. [1][6]

How many hours do I need for a Kentucky master electrician license?

16,000 hours of verifiable experience since your 16th birthday, plus the master exam. An approved training course can replace 4,000 hours, and an electrical associate's degree or diploma can replace 6,000. [1]

How often do Kentucky electrical licenses renew?

Every two years, by the end of your birth month. Licenses issued or renewed since July 15, 2024 are two-year licenses, and you need 6 hours of continuing education per year. [8][11]

Can I transfer my electrical license to Kentucky?

HBC's checklist lists reciprocity routes for Ohio electrical contractors and for Virginia and West Virginia master and journeyman electricians. Check with HBC licensing at (502) 573-2002 for other states. [6][20]

Sources (30)
  1. KRS 227A.060 Qualifications for licensure -- Provisional license (effective July 15, 2024), Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  2. KRS 227A.020 Prohibitions -- Local licensing programs, Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  3. Electrical Division, Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  4. KRS 227A.010 Definitions for KRS 227A.010 to 227A.140, Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  5. KRS 227A.030 Limitations on applicability of KRS 227A.010 to 227A.140, Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  6. New Application Checklists (KRS 227A.060 & 815 KAR 35:060; 080; 090), Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  7. 815 KAR 35:090 Electrical Training Program standards, Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (Kentucky Administrative Regulations). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  8. 815 KAR 35:060 Licensing of electrical contractors, master electricians, and electricians (effective May 6, 2025), Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (Kentucky Administrative Regulations). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  9. KRS 227A.090 Examinations, Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  10. Electrical License Application, Form EL-3 (October 2024), with fee schedule, Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  11. KRS 227A.100 Fees -- Application for renewal or reinstatement of license (effective July 15, 2024), Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  12. Application Information, Louisville Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  13. Louisville Electrical JATC (home page), Louisville Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  14. Locate a Training Center, electrical training ALLIANCE (IBEW/NECA). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  15. Electrician Apprenticeship Training (2027 Apprenticeship School Applications), IEC Kentuckiana (Independent Electrical Contractors). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  16. Apprenticeship Program, IEC of the Bluegrass (Independent Electrical Contractors). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  17. Craft Training & Apprenticeship, Associated Builders and Contractors of Indiana/Kentucky. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  18. KRS 227A.070 Licensure by endorsement, Kentucky General Assembly (Legislative Research Commission). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  19. Forms and Documents: Licensing Forms, Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  20. Licensing Information, Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  21. Division Directory, Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  22. FAQ, Louisville Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  23. Apprenticeship Training, electrical training ALLIANCE (IBEW/NECA). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  24. New Apprenticeship Registration, Associated Builders and Contractors of Indiana/Kentucky. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  25. Kentucky Registered Apprenticeship, Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet (KYWorks). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  26. 787 KAR 3:010 Registration of apprenticeship programs, Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (Kentucky Administrative Regulations). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  27. TRACK: Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky, Kentucky Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  28. Electrical TRACK Pre-Apprenticeship, Kentucky Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  29. Letter on credit for the Electrical TRACK pre-apprenticeship (July 27, 2021), Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (posted by the Kentucky Department of Education). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  30. KY Tech (Area Technology Centers), Kentucky Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.

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