Georgia Electrician License Requirements (2026)

The Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) Division of Electrical Contractors licenses electrical contractors statewide under O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 14. The Chapter 14 rewrite effective in 2026 defines two classes. Class I is restricted to single-family dwellings of up to three levels and residential multifamily structures of not more than two levels, with single-phase installations not exceeding 400 amperes at the service drop or lateral. Class II is unrestricted. Work outside the Class I residential and service-size limits requires Class II.

Regulatory Body

Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board (within the Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) (GA CILB) is the statutory authority responsible for issuing and enforcing this license under Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) Title 43 Chapter 14 (electrical, plumbing, conditioned air, low-voltage, utility); Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 121. The Georgia CILB licenses electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low-voltage contractors, and utility contractors statewide. The Board adopts the National Electrical Code, International Plumbing Code, and International Mechanical Code by reference. General contractors are licensed by a separate body — the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors (SLBRGC).

• Official portal: https://sos.ga.gov/georgia-construction-industry-licensing-board
• Address: 237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, GA 31217
• Phone: (478) 207-2440

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 21 years old. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. No Georgia residency requirement.

Good moral character

The Division reviews the application and any criminal-history information under Georgia licensing law.

Background investigation

Submitting an application authorizes the Secretary of State to conduct a criminal background check. The applicant must provide requested information, which can include classifiable fingerprints, and pay the related cost.

Experience and Education

The experience bar is 3 years of Class I requires three years of qualifying full-time electrical-field experience. Class II requires four years, including at least two years installing, altering, or repairing three-phase electrical systems; the statute also specifies the experience areas that must be documented., and it must be backed by verifiable records — typically payroll, tax, project, or supervisor documentation covering the claimed period.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

• Three completed reference forms, including at least one from a licensed electrical contractor
• Signed, sworn experience affidavit(s) from the supervising licensed contractor, or where allowed, a licensed architect, professional engineer, or electrical engineer
• Secure and Verifiable Document and affidavit of lawful presence

Education substitution

The new statute provides alternate pathways. For Class I, a recognized two-year electrical-contracting diploma or certificate plus two years of qualifying experience, or a U.S. Department of Labor-approved electrical apprenticeship, may qualify. Class II has separate diploma and apprenticeship pathways and still requires documented three-phase experience.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI Services LLC (under contract to CILB). The following examination requirements cover the pathways described in this guide; follow each part's classification, waiver, and local-scope conditions. Unpublished format details do not remove an examination requirement:

• Class I Restricted or Class II Unrestricted licensing examination (two parts) — 140 questions, 480 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: PSI displays the current examination fee after Board approval and registration. Confirm it with PSI before scheduling; the SOS application guide separately lists a $110 application fee.

Retake policy: The Board must approve an applicant before PSI registration. Examination fees are non-refundable; a missed, late-cancelled, or failed examination requires a new registration and fee.

Insurance and Bonds

No statewide contractor license surety bond is required for this credential in the cited sources. Project-specific, permit, or public-works bonds may still apply, so confirm bonding before bidding a given job.

General liability

The current SOS application checklist and Chapter 14 do not state a statewide CILB commercial-general-liability minimum for electrical contractor licensure. A local jurisdiction, project owner, lender, or contract may still require coverage.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory in Georgia under O.C.G.A. §34-9-2 for any business with three or more employees.

Fee Schedule

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Georgia electrician.

Renewal and Continuing Education

The Georgia Electrical Contractor (Class I or Class II) runs on a 2 years renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $75. Georgia Electrical Contractor licenses renew every two years on June 30 of even-numbered years.

Continuing education: Four hours of CILB-approved continuing education annually, covering NEC updates and Georgia electrical law.

Reciprocity

For this classification, Georgia does not recognize the NASCLA Accredited Examination.

The Georgia Board of Electrical Contractors states that it does not currently offer reciprocity (effective May 2026). Chapter 14 allows a division to grant an equivalent out-of-state credential in its discretion when statutory conditions are met, but applicants should not treat that authority as an active agreement.

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

Electrician Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Georgia's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

• Alabama Electrician License Requirements — Alabama Electrical Contractor License (also called Master Electrician)
• Florida Electrician License Requirements — Florida Certified Electrical Contractor (EC)
• North Carolina Electrician License Requirements — North Carolina Electrical Contractor (Limited, Intermediate, or Unlimited)
• South Carolina Electrician License Requirements — South Carolina Commercial Electrical Contractor License (SCCLB)
• Tennessee Electrician License Requirements — Tennessee Electrical Contractor (CE) and Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE)

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

1. Choose Class I or Class II. Class I is limited to the defined residential structures, single-phase systems, and 400-amp service limit. Class II is unrestricted.
2. Document the correct experience pathway. Class I normally requires three years. Class II normally requires four years, including two years of qualifying three-phase work; review the statutory diploma and apprenticeship alternatives if applicable.
3. Submit the CILB Electrical Contractor application. File the completed application with the listed fee, three references, experience affidavit(s), background-check information, and lawful-presence documents.
4. Wait for Board approval to test. Do not schedule with PSI until the Board approves the application. The approval letter is valid for one year.
5. Pass the PSI licensing examination. The Class I and Class II examinations each use two four-hour parts and a 70 scaled passing score.
6. Receive the individual contractor license. Do not bid, offer, or perform electrical contracting until the license is active. A company must have a full-time licensed qualifier connected with the business.

Application Checklist

Have each of the following squared away before the packet goes to GA CILB:

• CILB Electrical Contractor application with the current listed $110 fee
• Three reference forms, including one from a licensed electrical contractor
• Signed experience affidavit(s) supporting the Class I or Class II pathway
• Background-check information, Secure and Verifiable Document, and lawful-presence affidavit
• PSI Class I or Class II examination pass result (70 scaled score)

Progress is saved in this browser, so you can return to this checklist while your application is in flight.

Common Filing Mistakes

These are the recurring mistakes that most often delay or reject a Georgia Electrician application, based on the official instructions cited here.

Using Class I outside its 2026 statutory scope

Class I is not simply a 200-amp license. It is limited to the specified residential structures, single-phase installations, and a 400-amp service limit. Select Class II for work outside those limits.

Applying the wrong experience rule

The new statute distinguishes Class I and Class II. Class II needs documented three-phase experience; a Class I application needs three years, not the former generic four-year/supervisory formulation.

Scheduling PSI before approval

The Board must approve the application before PSI registration. The Board says the exam approval letter is valid for one year, so plan study and scheduling inside that period.

Assuming an out-of-state license has reciprocity

The Board says no electrical reciprocity is currently offered. Do not rely on older state-pair lists or pay a reciprocity application fee without written confirmation from the Division.

Forgetting annual continuing education

Georgia requires four hours of CE annually, not just every two years at renewal. Failure to complete the annual CE delays renewal.

Study and Reference Materials

The list below collects the board's cited references and the materials applicants typically study from. CLR is not paid to recommend any of them.

• National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), current adopted edition — National Fire Protection Association. Primary technical reference. Open-book at the PSI test center.
• O.C.G.A. Title 43 Chapter 14 and Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 121 — State of Georgia. Licensing law and rules.
• Tom Henry Master Electrician Exam Prep — Tom Henry Books. Widely used by Georgia applicants for NEC calculation problems.

Other Georgia Trade Licenses

For a different Georgia credential, see these companion guides published by CLR:

• Georgia General Contractor License Requirements
• Georgia Plumber License Requirements
• Georgia HVAC Technician License Requirements
• Georgia Roofing Contractor License Requirements
• Georgia Painting Contractor License Requirements
• Georgia Landscaping Contractor License Requirements
• Georgia Masonry Contractor License Requirements
• Georgia Concrete Contractor License Requirements
• Georgia Carpentry Contractor License Requirements
• Georgia Solar Installer License Requirements
• Georgia Low-Voltage Technician License Requirements
• Georgia Fire Sprinkler Contractor License Requirements
• Georgia Home Inspector License Requirements
• Georgia Pool Contractor License Requirements
• Georgia Handyman License Requirements
• Georgia Pest Control License Requirements
• Georgia Septic Contractor License Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Georgia Class I and Class II Electrical Contractor?

Under the 2026 Chapter 14 rewrite, Class I is restricted to specified single-family and low-rise residential multifamily structures with single-phase installations not exceeding 400 amperes at the service drop or lateral. Class II is unrestricted.

How many years of experience does Georgia require for an Electrical Contractor license?

Class I normally requires three years of qualifying full-time electrical experience. Class II normally requires four years, including at least two years installing, altering, or repairing three-phase systems. The statute has distinct diploma, certificate, and approved-apprenticeship pathways; check the Class I or Class II application requirements before filing.

Does Georgia reciprocate electrical contractor credentials?

No active reciprocity program is currently offered, according to the Georgia Board of Electrical Contractors (effective May 2026). Chapter 14 gives the Division discretionary authority to evaluate substantially equivalent out-of-state credentials, but that is not an announced bilateral agreement or an automatic exam waiver.

How often does the Georgia Electrical Contractor license renew?

Every two years on a fixed cycle ending June 30 of even-numbered years. Renewal requires the standard fee plus four hours of CILB-approved continuing education annually.

What insurance does a Georgia Electrical Contractor need?

The current statewide SOS application checklist and Chapter 14 do not state a CILB general-liability minimum for electrical contractor licensure. Insurance can still be required by a local permitting authority, customer, lender, or contract. Georgia workers’ compensation rules apply to businesses with three or more employees.

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