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Electrician · State license

How to get an electrician license in New Hampshire

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?

New Hampshire licenses electricians through the Electricians' Board at the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC). You start as a registered apprentice with an apprentice ID card, working under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman or master. To become a journeyman you need 8,000 hours as an apprentice, 600 hours of electrical schooling and a passing score on the state exam. A master license takes 2,000 more hours as a journeyman and a second exam. [1][2][3]

New to the trade?

Starting from zero in New Hampshire

In New Hampshire you can't do electrical work, even as a beginner, until you have an apprentice ID card from the Electricians' Board. First get hired by a master electrician (or accepted by a program such as the IBEW Local 490 JATC), then mail the apprentice application with your master's signature and the $33 fee. Start a 150-hour school year right away: you need proof of it to renew your card each year. [1][3][7][9][16]

  • High school diploma or GED

    The Board's apprentice rule (Elec 304.02) has no diploma requirement for applicants 18 or older If you're under 18 you must either have finished high school or still be enrolled. The apprentice application asks for your schools and high school graduation date. The IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 490 JATC (Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee) requires a high school diploma, GED (General Educational Development test), HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) or an associate degree or higher, plus Algebra 1 with a C or better. [3][4][9]

  • Minimum age

    State rule (Elec 304.02): 18 or older Under 18 if you've finished high school; 16 to 18 if you're still enrolled in high school and on track to graduate; or enrolled in a Board-approved career and technical education (CTE) electrical program. IBEW Local 490 lets you apply at 17, but you must be 18 to start work. [3][9]

  • Register before you start work

    Yes. Every apprentice must register and get an apprentice ID card before doing electrical installations. The card lasts 12 months. Application fee $33, mailed on paper to OPLC with the Universal Application, the apprentice form and a signature card. [2][3][7][16]

  • Helper jobs

    An unlicensed helper can't do electrical work: the law makes it a crime for an electrical business to employ an unlicensed person other than an apprentice. As an apprentice you must be employed by a master electrician (or by an employer that employs a New Hampshire master electrician) and directly supervised by a journeyman or master at all times. [2][3][4]

  • School every year

    To renew your card each year you must show at least 150 hours of electrical schooling from an approved program. The Board publishes the list of approved apprentice programs. [3][11]

  • Aptitude and math tests

    IBEW Local 490 gives every applicant the national JATC aptitude test (math and reading comprehension, pass/fail), then interviews those who pass. [9]

  • Driver's license

    IBEW Local 490 requires a valid driver's license and New Hampshire or York County, Maine residency. [9]

  • Application windows

    As of October 2026, IBEW Local 490 takes applications from June 1 to May 20 for the 2027-2028 class, interviews in June and July 2027, and starts classes in late August 2027. [9]

  • Credit for school or military

    The Board credits up to 2,000 hours of practical experience for electrical courses at New Hampshire community colleges, IBEW/NECA apprenticeship schools and state-approved vocational schools. State law also lets the Board credit military electrical experience. [2][3]

  • Still in high school?

    At 16 you can get an apprentice card while you're still in high school, with your school's letter each year. Students who complete a Board-approved 2- or 3-year high school CTE electrical program get credit for the first 150-hour school year and can earn up to 500 hours of practical experience credit in the program. New Hampshire's Department of Education oversees 26 regional career and technical centers See its list of CTE centers. ApprenticeshipNH takes applicants 16 and older, and IBEW Local 490 accepts seniors who graduate before its August start. [3][9][12][17][18]

Where to apply in New HampshireHow to get an apprenticeshipHelper jobs

Licensing office Electricians' Board, Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) · (603) 271-2152 [1][4]

New Hampshire electrician license at a glance

Who issues licenses
Electricians' Board, Office of Professional Licensure and Certification OPLC [1]
Apprentice registration
Required: apprentice ID card before you start, $33, renewed every year with proof of 150 school hours [3][7]
Journeyman experience
8,000 hours as an apprentice to a New Hampshire journeyman or master [2][3]
Classroom hours
600 hours of electrical schooling, including at least 24 hours on electrical safety [2][3]
Journeyman exam
110 questions in 4.5 hours, open book, through ProV 70% to pass; $90 [3][5]
Master experience
Pass the journeyman exam, then 2,000 hours as a journeyman [3]
License fees
Apprentice $33, journeyman $110, master $198 Application and each renewal [7]
Renewal and CE
Every 2 years 15 hours on National Electrical Code changes each code cycle [1][3]
Licensed in another state
License by endorsement from 11 listed states (journeyman) with one year of experience [13]
On this page
  1. At a glance
  2. Starting from zero
  3. The license pathway
  4. Who needs a license in New Hampshire
  5. The license ladder
  6. Schooling requirements
  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 New Hampshire

  1. 1

    Apprentice electrician

    • 150 hours of electrical schooling each year to renew
    • $33 application
    • Every year; $33; proof of 150 school hours

    You register with OPLC and get an apprentice ID card before doing any electrical work. You must be employed by a master electrician and work under the direct supervision of a journeyman or master. [2][3][4][7]

  2. 2

    Journeyman electrician

    • 8,000 hours on the job
    • 600 hours of electrical schooling (or an associate degree in an electrical curriculum)
    • Yes, 110 questions (NEC, practical installations, New Hampshire law), 4.5 hours, open book, ProV; 70% to pass
    • $110 application; $90 exam
    • Every 2 years; $110; 15 hours CE (continuing education) each NEC code cycle

    Lets you install electrical wiring and equipment. A journeyman must be employed by a New Hampshire master electrician or a licensed electrical company. [2][3][5][7]

  3. 3

    Master electrician

    • 2,000 hours on the job
    • Yes, 125 questions (NEC, practical installations, New Hampshire law), ProV; 70% to pass
    • $198 application; $90 exam
    • Every 2 years; $198; 15 hours CE each NEC code cycle

    A master can run an electrical business and hire electricians. You must pass the journeyman exam and then work 2,000 hours as a journeyman before you can take the master exam. [2][3][5][7]

Who needs a license in New Hampshire

State law says no electrical installation may be made for pay unless it's made by a person licensed by OPLC. The Board says a license is required to work with 30 volts or higher, and apprentices must register.

There are exceptions, including utility workers, regular employees of industrial plants working on their plant, and incidental electrical work by a building's own employees. A homeowner may also do electrical work in a single-family home they own and live in. [1][2]

The license ladder

How many apprentices one licensee may supervise is set by law: a new journeyman may supervise one apprentice in their first year of licensure and two after that, with limits per work site. More on the levels: journeyman vs. master. [2][3]

Schooling requirements

You need 600 hours of electrical schooling, including at least 24 hours on electrical safety, taken in courses of 150 hours (each with at least 6 hours of safety). An associate or higher degree in an electrical curriculum also counts.

Two other paths satisfy the schooling requirement: 10 years of experience as a journeyman or master licensed in another jurisdiction, or having already taken the New Hampshire journeyman or master exam.

If you hold an apprentice card and have finished your schooling but haven't earned a journeyman license by your fifth card renewal, you must take 30 hours of classroom instruction each year before the card can be renewed. [3][4]

The exam

ProV has given OPLC's electrician exams since May 12, 2025. Electricians need Board approval before testing.

All exams are open book. The fee is $90 for each attempt, and you need 70% to pass. You can test remotely or at a ProV test center. If you haven't passed within one year of OPLC receiving your application, you must file a new application and pay the fees again. [2][3][5][6]

Fees and renewal

OPLC's fee page lists these amounts for the application and for each renewal:

The Board's rule text (Elec 300-400) still lists different amounts: a $50 journeyman or master application fee, no application fee for apprentices and a $30 apprentice renewal fee. Confirm current amounts with OPLC. Journeyman and master licenses renew every 2 years. Each National Electrical Code cycle, licensees need 15 hours of instruction on code changes, including at least one hour on New Hampshire law, rules and installation concerns, reported through CE Broker.

As of October 2026, OPLC still lists changes to the Board's licensing rules (Elec 300) under proposed rules, including qualification standards and schooling curriculum; the public hearing was scheduled for June 2, 2026. [1][3][7][8]

Union and open-shop apprenticeships

Registering your apprenticeship with the U.S. Department of Labor is voluntary for the apprentice card, though the Board recommends it. Either way, you still need the Board's apprentice ID card.

ApprenticeshipNH, run by the Community College System of New Hampshire, also helps people find registered apprenticeships. See union vs. non-union and electrician apprenticeships. [4][9][10][11][12]

If you're licensed in another state

New Hampshire's license reciprocity law (RSA 310:17) lets OPLC license people who hold an active license in good standing from a "qualifying jurisdiction" with substantially similar requirements. For electricians, OPLC lists:

You need one year of professional experience in the license category. As of October 2026, OPLC's standard for electricians (Plc 313.24) is an emergency rule that expires November 2, 2026; it also requires the other state to use the same or a later edition of the electrical code. From other states, you take the New Hampshire exam; 10 years licensed elsewhere can satisfy the 600-hour schooling rule. See license reciprocity. [1][3][13][14][15]

Steps to get licensed in New Hampshire

  1. Get hired and get your apprentice ID card

    Find a master electrician to employ you, then mail OPLC the Universal Application and apprentice application with your master's signature, a photo, three references and the $33 fee. [3][7][16]

  2. Complete 150 school hours a year

    Take 150 hours of approved electrical schooling each year and send proof with each yearly renewal, until you reach 600 hours. [3]

  3. Log 8,000 hours

    Work 8,000 hours under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman or master. Keep records signed by your master. [2][3]

  4. Apply for the journeyman exam

    Mail the journeyman application and fee to OPLC. Electricians need Board approval before they can schedule the exam. [6][16]

  5. Pass the ProV exam

    Once approved, register with ProV and pay $90. You can test remotely or at a test center, and you may bring the approved code books. [5]

Where to get the hours

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

Licensed in another state?

  • Journeyman: CT, DE, ID, ME, MA, NJ, ND, OR, RI, VT, WA

    Under New Hampshire's license reciprocity law (RSA 310:17), OPLC issues a journeyman license by endorsement to holders of an active license in good standing from these qualifying states. You need one year of professional experience at that level. [13][14]

  • Master: CT, DE, ID, ME, MA, NJ, OR, RI, VT, WA

    The same endorsement route applies to master licenses from these states (for Connecticut, the Electrical Contractor license), with one year of experience at that level. [13][14]

Also listed by: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming (their own boards list New Hampshire 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
NH Listed here (agreement or endorsement) Lists NH

Questions people ask

How many hours do you need to be a journeyman electrician in New Hampshire?

8,000 hours as a registered apprentice under a licensed journeyman or master, plus 600 hours of electrical schooling and a passing score on the 110-question state exam. [2][3]

Do New Hampshire electrical apprentices need a license?

Yes. Apprentices must register with OPLC and get an apprentice ID card before doing electrical work. The card costs $33 and is renewed every year with proof of 150 hours of schooling. [2][3][7]

Can I be an electrical apprentice in New Hampshire at 16?

Yes, if you're enrolled in high school (or a Board-approved CTE electrical program) and on track to graduate. Your employer must follow state labor rules for workers under 18. [3]

Is the New Hampshire electrician exam open book?

Yes. ProV's exams for the Board are open book and timed. The journeyman exam has 110 questions in 4.5 hours and costs $90. [5]

Does New Hampshire accept electrician licenses from other states?

OPLC grants licenses by endorsement to journeymen from 11 listed states and masters from 10, if you have one year of experience at that level. [13]

Sources (18)
  1. Electricians' Board, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  2. RSA Chapter 319-C: Electricians, New Hampshire General Court. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  3. Chapter Elec 100-400: Electricians' Board rules, New Hampshire General Court, Office of Legislative Services (Administrative Rules). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  4. Electricians' Apprenticeship Requirements, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  5. State of New Hampshire Electrician Board Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin (2025.06.23), Prov, Inc. (posted by NH OPLC). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  6. Examination Information effective 5/12/2025, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  7. Electricians' License Fees, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  8. Electricians' Laws & Rules, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  9. Apprenticeship & Training, IBEW Local 490 JATC. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  10. Locate a Training Center, Electrical Training Alliance (IBEW/NECA). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  11. Apprentice Approved Programs (3/19/2025), New Hampshire Electricians' Board (OPLC). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  12. What is Pre-Apprenticeship?, ApprenticeshipNH, Community College System of New Hampshire. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  13. New Changes for Reciprocity in New Hampshire, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  14. RSA 310:17 License Reciprocity, New Hampshire General Court. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  15. Emergency Rule Plc 313.24: Substantially Similar Requirements for the Professions Regulated by the Electricians' Board (Document #14574, effective 5/6/26, expires 11/2/26), New Hampshire General Court, Office of Legislative Services (Administrative Rules). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  16. Electricians' Applications, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  17. Bureau of Career Development: Office of Career & Technical Education, New Hampshire Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  18. CTE Programs in New Hampshire: List of Career and Technical Education Centers in New Hampshire, New Hampshire Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.

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