How to become a licensed electrician in Pennsylvania

Journeyman level Licensed by cities or counties, not the state What's a journeyman?

The license pathway in Pennsylvania

1. 1

   Helper or apprentice (no state license)

   Pennsylvania has no state license for electrical workers. You build experience working for an electrical contractor, often through a registered apprenticeship that combines paid work with classes. [1][15]

2. 2

   Electrical Contractor License (Philadelphia)

   • 4 years of experience
   • Two years of electrical education can replace one year of experience (up to two years)
   • Philadelphia Electrical Contractor Examination, given by the International Code Council (ICC)
   • $262 ($60 application fee applied toward it)
   • Yearly, $202; 8 hours of NFPA 70 (NEC) coursework

   Required to do electrical work, including low-voltage wiring, in Philadelphia. You need 4 years of employment doing electrical work for a licensed company, a passed ICC exam, 8 hours of NFPA 70 (the National Electrical Code) coursework in the past 12 months, and insurance ($500,000 general liability, $300,000 auto). [2]

3. 3

   Electrical Trade License (Pittsburgh)

   • 6 years of experience
   • Counts with experience toward the 6 years
   • ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam (Pearson VUE)
   • See the PLI (Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections) fee schedule
   • Every 365 days; 8 hours of CE

   Required to do electrical work in the City of Pittsburgh. Issued to individuals, not companies, by the Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI). You need a resume or documents showing 6 years of combined experience and education and a passing exam score. [3]

No state license: who licenses electricians in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry says the state "currently has no licensure or certification requirements for most construction contractors (or their employees)." Some of the state's 2,562 municipalities set their own rules, and the Department says these "typically" cover electrical contractors (or electricians) and plumbers. The state keeps no list of which towns do this, so "This information can only be obtained by contacting the municipality where construction work will occur."

The state's home improvement law stops towns from creating new contractor licenses, but it doesn't affect licensing standards for electricians and plumbers that were already in effect when the law started (July 1, 2009) and that rely on testing or training certificates. [1][5][6]

Philadelphia: Electrical Contractor License

Philadelphia says "You need this license to do electrical work in Philadelphia. This includes low-voltage wiring." The city's trade license list has no journeyman or apprentice electrician license. To qualify you need:

• At least 4 years of employment doing electrical work for a company licensed by a local or state jurisdiction. Two years of electrical education count as one year of experience, up to two years.
• A passing score on the Philadelphia Electrical Contractor Examination, given by the International Code Council (ICC).
• At least 8 hours of coursework in NFPA 70 (the National Electrical Code, or NEC) in the 12 months before you apply, from a provider approved by the PA Department of Labor and Industry.
• Insurance: $500,000 general liability per occurrence and $300,000 auto liability. You must also be current on city taxes.

The license costs $262 (a $60 application fee counts toward it) and renews every year for $202 with 8 more hours of NFPA 70 coursework. From July 1, 2026, any permit that includes an electric vehicle charger needs a contractor with Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) certification on file. Apply through eCLIPSE. Questions: call 311 in the city or (215) 686-8686. [2][7]

Pittsburgh: Electrical Trade License

Pittsburgh "requires an Electrical Trade License to perform electrical work within the City of Pittsburgh." Trade licenses are issued to individuals, not companies. New applicants need photo ID, proof of passing the exam, and "a resume or documentation establishing a minimum of six (6) years of a combination of experience and education."

The exam is the ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam, scheduled through Pearson VUE. PLI accepts several versions and says to pick the one covering the newest code year adopted by the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC); the T16 version uses the 2020 NEC.

Licenses expire 365 days after issue. Renewal needs 8 hours of continuing education (CE) a year, from ICC preferred providers, UCC-approved providers, or union and apprenticeship trainings. A late fee starts on day 31, and the license lapses on day 61. To pull permits you'll also need $1,000,000/$2,000,000 liability insurance, workers' comp and a city tax compliance letter. Fees follow PLI's yearly fee schedule. [3]

How to get started

With no state apprentice card, your first step is a job or an apprenticeship. In the Pittsburgh area, the Western PA Electrical JATC runs a five-year registered apprenticeship. It requires age 18, a diploma or GED, an algebra course, a valid Pennsylvania driver's license, one year of residence in one of 22 western counties, and a $25 fee. After an offer you take a physical, a substance test and a color-blindness test.

Elsewhere, find your local Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) with the Electrical Training Alliance locator. The open-shop route in central Pennsylvania is ABC Keystone, which charges a $125 application fee and gives a math entrance exam. Compare the routes in union vs. non-union and electrician apprenticeships, and see helper jobs. [8][9][10]

Home improvement contractor registration

If you go into business, the state's Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA) applies. The Attorney General's FAQ (frequently asked questions) says electrical contractors who do home improvements on private homes "are considered contractors under the law and must register." Registration is required once you do $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year. It costs $100 every two years, needs $50,000 of personal injury and $50,000 of property damage insurance, and your PA number must appear on ads, contracts and estimates. Register online through the Attorney General's HIC system. Registration isn't a test of skill: the Attorney General says it's "not an endorsement." [6][11][12]

A statewide license is moving in the legislature

Senate Bill 1260 would create licenses for "electrical contractors, electricians, residential electricians, apprentice electricians and probationary electricians" and a State Board of Electrical Licensure. It passed the Senate 36-14 on June 10, 2026. In the House it was reported from the Labor and Industry Committee on October 5, 2026, amended on second consideration on October 7, and sent to Appropriations. It isn't law yet. Follow it on the General Assembly's SB 1260 page. [4]

If you're licensed in another state

There's no state license to transfer to, so there's no state reciprocity. Philadelphia accepts "proof of licensure through a local or state jurisdiction" as proof of experience, subject to L&I (Department of Licenses and Inspections) approval, but you still need its ICC exam. Pittsburgh asks every new applicant for a passing exam score and documented experience. See the license reciprocity guide. [1][2][3]

Steps to get licensed in Pennsylvania

1. Find out who licenses where you'll work

   There's no state license, so ask the city or township where the work is. Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections and Pittsburgh's PLI license electricians. [1][2][3]

2. Get hired or apply to an apprenticeship

   Work for an electrical contractor, or apply to a registered program such as an IBEW/NECA JATC or ABC Keystone. They enroll by school year, so check each program's page for the next window. [8][9][10]

3. Document your experience

   Philadelphia accepts tax records showing employment by a licensed electrical contractor. Pittsburgh asks for a resume or documents covering 6 years of experience and education. [2][3]

4. Pass the exam the city requires

   Philadelphia: the Philadelphia Electrical Contractor Examination from the ICC. Pittsburgh: the ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam, scheduled through Pearson VUE. [2][3]

5. Apply, insure and renew

   Apply in Philadelphia through eCLIPSE or in Pittsburgh through OneStopPGH. Both renew yearly and require 8 hours of continuing education. [2][3]

Where to get the hours

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

• Union

  Western Pennsylvania Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 5 and NECA)

  A five-year registered apprenticeship in Pittsburgh combining paid work with classes. Requires age 18, a diploma or GED, an algebra course, a Pennsylvania driver's license and residence in one of 22 western counties. [8]

• Union

  IBEW/NECA JATCs elsewhere in Pennsylvania

  Other areas, including Philadelphia, have their own Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees. Typical requirements are age 18, a high school education, one year of algebra, a qualifying aptitude test score and being drug free. [9][14]

• Open shop

  ABC Keystone electrical apprenticeship

  One of ABC Keystone's 11 Pennsylvania-registered apprenticeships, based in central Pennsylvania. Online application, $125 fee, math entrance exam, three references. [10][16]

• State program

  Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Office (ATO)

  The state agency that registers apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. Its listings are on PA CareerLink. [17]

Licensed in another state?

Questions people ask