Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Electrical Licensing and Certification administers electrician licensing in Washington. Every figure below is verified against the board’s own official pages and dated. Who must personally hold a credential — the contractor, the business, or the individual worker — is set out under Requirements.
What it’s called
Washington licenses individual electricians — the state electrician license is issued by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries and held by the electrician personally (not only by the contractor, as in some states). “Electrician license,” “journeyman electrician license,” “master electrician license” and “electrician certification” are common informal names for the individual credential. The exact license tiers, fees, and any separate electrical-contractor license are set out in the license types and requirements below.
License types & fees
| Type | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| General journey level electrician (01) | 8,000 hours of work experience (no more than 4,000 of which may be worked in 4,000-hour specialties) plus 96 hours of basic classroom instruction. Candidates who gained that experience in Washington must have completed a registered 8,000-hour electrical construction apprenticeship program approved under chapter 49.04 RCW; the temporary allowance that let in-state electrical trainees qualify on work hours alone ended July 1, 2026, and applications relying on it had to reach L&I before that date (WAC 296-46B-945(5); official form F626-001-000, the in-state application). Candidates qualifying on out-of-state or military experience apply instead on form F626-009-000 and may qualify by an equivalent out-of-state apprenticeship, an out-of-state journey level certificate obtained by examination in a state requiring at least 8,000 hours of supervised experience, at least 16,000 hours of out-of-state experience, or 8,000 hours of electrical construction experience while serving in a construction battalion of the U.S. armed forces (RCW 19.28.191(1)(c); WAC 296-46B-945(4)). | Washington (01) journey level electrician examination, administered by PSI; must pass each section with a score of 70% or greater. | $114.6 |
| Specialty electrician — 4,000-hour specialties (Residential 02, Pump and irrigation 03, Signs 04, Limited energy system 06, HVAC/refrigeration 06A, Nonresidential maintenance 07) | 4,000 hours of work experience (supervised a minimum of 75% of the time by a journey level or appropriately certified specialty electrician) plus 48 hours of basic classroom instruction before renewal or examination. | Washington specialty electrician examination for the specific scope, administered by PSI; pass each section with 70% or greater. | $114.6 |
| Specialty electrician — 2,000-hour specialties (Domestic well 3A, HVAC/refrigeration restricted 6B, Nonresidential lighting maintenance & retrofit 7A, Residential maintenance 7B, Restricted nonresidential maintenance 7C, Appliance repair 7D, Equipment repair 7E, Door/gate and similar systems 10) | 2,000 hours of work experience under 100% supervision until passing the exam. Candidates qualify via the Application for a 0% Supervision Modified Electrical Training Certificate & Specialty Examination (F500-097-000). After passing the exam, L&I issues a nonrenewable 0% supervision modified training certificate; before it expires the candidate must complete 24 hours of approved electrical basic trainee classes and submit the Application for a 2000 Hour Specialty Certificate (F500-098-000) once 2,000 hours of experience are documented. | Washington specialty electrician examination for the specific scope, administered by PSI; pass each section with 70% or greater. | $114.6 |
| Reciprocal (01) general journey level electrician (Oregon reciprocity) | Holders of an Oregon general journeyman (J) license obtained after an 8,000-hour apprenticeship with at least 576 classroom hours plus Oregon exams, or an Oregon General Supervising Electrician (S) license obtained by exam; subject to WAC 296-46B-940(20) disqualifiers. | No Washington exam if eligible under the Oregon reciprocal agreement; apply via form F500-148-000. | $114.6 |
Who does NOT need this license — exemptions
Washington’s electrician certification requirements (RCW 19.28.161 through 19.28.271, the certificate-of-competency provisions covering the journey level (01) and specialty electrician credentials) carry a statutory exemption section, RCW 19.28.261. Property owners are exempt: no license or certified electrician is required for electrical work a person performs at his or her own residence, farm, place of business, or other property he or she owns — unless the work is on construction of a new building intended for rent, sale, or lease, or on property offered for sale within 12 months after obtaining it (RCW 19.28.261(1)). An owner building a new residential building of up to four units may still claim the exemption once every 24 months by filing a signed affidavit with the Department of Labor & Industries stating the owner will perform the work and occupy one unit as a principal residence for 24 months after completion (RCW 19.28.261(1)). The certification provisions do not apply to common carriers subject to Part I of the Interstate Commerce Act or their officers and employees (RCW 19.28.261(3)), nor to the installation or maintenance of telephone, telegraph, radio, or television wires and equipment, nor to any electrical utility or its employees installing, repairing, or maintaining wiring, circuits, and equipment by or for the utility or comprising part of its plants, lines, or systems (RCW 19.28.261(4)). The licensing provisions also do not apply to regularly employed employees working on the premises of their employer (in-plant maintenance staff), with the same new-construction-for-sale carve-backs (RCW 19.28.261(5)(a)); to employees performing utility-type work who have registered with or graduated from a state-approved outside lineworker apprenticeship course recognized by the department (RCW 19.28.261(5)(b)); to work the department exempts by rule on premanufactured electric power generation equipment assemblies and control gear (RCW 19.28.261(5)(c), incorporating RCW 19.28.091(6)); or to certified plumbers, certified residential plumbers, and plumber trainees performing electrical work incidental to like-in-kind replacement of a household appliance or other small household utilization equipment under RCW 19.28.091(8) (RCW 19.28.261(5)(d)). A householder may also assist or receive assistance from a friend, neighbor, or relative, so long as none of the individuals doing the installation hold themselves out as engaged in the trade or business of electrical installations (RCW 19.28.261(6)). Persons exempt under this section may still voluntarily obtain a journey level or specialty certificate of competency if they otherwise qualify (RCW 19.28.261(7)).
Fees
01 journey level, specialty, or reciprocal electrician application (includes original certificate + application processing): $114.60 ($44.20 nonrefundable). Journey/specialty electrician certificate renewal (every 3 years): $106.40 by mail/in person, $92.60 online; late renewal $212.90 / $185.30. Journey/specialty exam fee is set by PSI contract (department-administered rate $80.30). Electrical trainee certificate: $56.00 mail / $48.10 online. Fees per WAC 296-46B-909 effective July 1, 2026.
Exam
Washington electrical examinations are administered by PSI at testing locations across the U.S. Electrician candidates must first receive an L&I exam approval letter (issued after L&I verifies experience/training), then schedule with PSI. Must pass each section with 70% or greater. PSI exam fees are separate from and additional to L&I application fees; journey/specialty electrician exams are billed by the hour (department-administered rate set in WAC 296-46B-909 is $80.30).
Renewal & continuing education
Every 3 years; certificate expires on the holder’s birthdate. Renewal fees double after expiration; not renewable if expired more than 90 days (retest required). 24 hours of approved continuing education per 3-year cycle, including 8 hours of code update and 4 hours of RCW/WAC.
How to apply
Applications are handled by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Electrical Licensing and Certification. Start at the official application page .