Colorado Solar Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Colorado issues no standalone solar license. Solar PV is electrical work under C.R.S. §12-115 governed by the DORA State Electrical Board: every solar business registers as an Electrical Contractor and employs a Colorado Master Electrician (8,000 journey-level hours plus Master exam) as qualifying party. Each PV install also needs a Colorado Photovoltaic permit pulled through the DORA online portal before work starts — this is in addition to any local jurisdictional permits. Solar thermal hot water uses a DORA State Plumbing Board Plumbing Contractor license. NABCEP PV Installation Professional is voluntary.

Governing Authority

This license is issued and enforced by Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies — State Electrical Board (DORA) pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes Title 12 Article 115 (Electricians); 3 CCR 710-1. The DORA State Electrical Board licenses Residential Wiremen, Journeyman Electricians, Master Electricians, and Electrical Contractors statewide, adopts the National Electrical Code by reference, and conducts disciplinary proceedings.

Official portal: https://dpo.colorado.gov/Electrical
Address: 1560 Broadway, Suite 1350, Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 894-7800

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, an applicant must have reached age 18 and hold a valid Social Security Number. No Colorado residency requirement.

Good moral character

DORA reviews criminal history under C.R.S. §12-20-202.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure on the application.

Experience & Education Matrix

Plan to substantiate four years and 8,000 hours of journey-level electrical work to qualify for the Master Electrician examination with hard records. Payroll, tax, project logs, and supervisor verification are what the board relies on when it reviews the claim.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

DORA experience affidavits signed by Colorado Master Electricians
Certified payroll covering the qualifying period
DORA-registered apprenticeship completion certificate

Education substitution

DORA-registered apprenticeship satisfies the journeyman experience requirement.

Examination Structure

The licensing examination is delivered by PSI Services LLC (under contract to DORA). All of the following parts must be cleared prior to issuance:

Colorado Master Electrician Examination — NEC, Colorado amendments, business and law — 100 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $95 examination fee.

Retake policy: Failed exams may be retaken after 30 days.

Insurance & Financial Security

This credential carries no state-level surety bond requirement under the cited sources. Individual jobs may still trigger a permit or public-works bond, which should be verified before bidding.

General liability

No state minimum, but $1M CGL is the de facto industry standard.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory under C.R.S. §8-44 for any business with one or more employees.

Additional financial requirements

No financial statement required.

Application and License Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$165
Examination	$95
Initial license	$165
Renewal (every 3 years)	$165

Maintenance & Renewal

Expect to renew the Colorado DORA Electrical Contractor License (with Master Electrician) every 3 years. Renewal currently costs $165. DORA electrical contractor registrations renew every three years.

Continuing education: Twenty-four hours of DORA-approved CE every three years.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Colorado Solar License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and Endorsement

Colorado does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Wyoming	Trade exam waived	Limited DORA–Wyoming reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).
Utah	Trade exam waived	Limited DORA–DOPL reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).
New Mexico	Trade exam waived	Limited DORA–NM CID reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).

DORA maintains limited electrical reciprocity (electrical only; solar-specific reciprocity is rare) with several Mountain West states.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares Solar license requirements in every state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Complete an electrical apprenticeship. 8,000 hours under a Colorado Master Electrician.
Pass the Colorado Journeyman Electrician exam. Prerequisite to the Master credential.
Pass the Colorado Master Electrician exam at 70%. PSI administers the exam.
Register as an Electrical Contractor with DORA. Designate the Master Electrician as the qualifying party.
File the certificate of insurance. $1M CGL is the industry standard.
Receive the Electrical Contractor registration. DORA issues the credential after exam pass and registration.
Pull local building and electrical permits per project. Each Colorado jurisdiction (or DORA for unincorporated areas) requires local permits.

Common Filing Mistakes

Drawn from the board instructions and sources cited on this page, the pitfalls below are the ones most likely to slow down or sink a Colorado Solar application.

Skipping the journeyman step

Direct entry to Master is not allowed.

Skipping the DORA Photovoltaic permit

Every PV install needs a Colorado Photovoltaic permit pulled through the DORA online portal — separate from any local jurisdiction permit.

Missing the 24-hour CE

Mandatory every three years and audited.

Letting workers compensation lapse

Colorado requires WC for any business with one or more employees.

Forgetting solar thermal is plumbing

Solar hot water requires the Plumbing Contractor license.

Study and Reference Materials

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

NEC Article 690 — Solar Photovoltaic Systems — NFPA. Primary technical reference.
3 CCR 710-1 — Colorado Electrical Board Rules — DORA. State amendments to the NEC.
PSI Colorado Master Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin — PSI. Free PDF outlining exam content.

Pre-Submission Checklist

The items below are the ones worth confirming before the application is filed with DORA:

☐ 8,000 hours of journey-level electrical experience
☐ Colorado Journeyman Electrician credential
☐ Master Electrician examination pass at 70%+
☐ DORA Electrical Contractor registration
☐ Workers' compensation coverage
☐ $1M commercial general liability insurance (recommended)
☐ Local building and electrical permits per project

Other Colorado Trade Licenses

Should the Solar path not apply, these other Colorado trade guides from CLR may help:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Colorado have a solar license?

No. Solar PV is regulated as electrical work under the DORA Electrical Contractor registration.

Is NABCEP required?

No. NABCEP is voluntary in Colorado.

What about solar thermal?

Solar hot water requires a DORA State Plumbing Board Plumbing Contractor license.

Does Colorado reciprocate?

Yes. DORA maintains limited reciprocity (verify directly with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare) with Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico.

How does the license renew?

Every three years. Twenty-four hours of CE are required.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-04-18 · Next scheduled review 2026-07-17