Georgia Low Voltage License Requirements (2026)

The Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Low-Voltage Contractors (DLVC) licenses low-voltage contractors statewide under O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 14. The 2026 Chapter 14 rewrite recognizes four license classes: LV-A (alarm and general systems), LV-G (general systems), LV-T (telecommunications and general systems), and LV-U (unrestricted across alarm, general, and telecommunications systems). Applicants should choose the narrowest class that covers their intended work or LV-U for all three system categories.

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 18 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

The SOS application guide requires a background check from a law-enforcement agency. The 2026 statute also authorizes the Secretary of State to conduct a background check and request information, including classifiable fingerprints.

Experience and Education

A minimum of 4 years of Requirements are class-specific under the 2026 statute: LV-G requires one year of qualifying full-time general-system work; LV-A and LV-T require three years in their respective specialty plus the required general-system work; LV-U requires four years spanning general, telecommunications, and alarm systems. The experience must be within the six years before application and under the supervision specified for that class. must be documented and verified. Unless the board publishes a different lookback period, applicants should keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records that support the claimed experience.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

• Three completed reference forms, including at least one from a licensed low-voltage contractor
• Signed affidavit(s) from the supervising licensed contractor or other supervisor permitted for the selected class
• Secure and Verifiable Document and affidavit of lawful presence

Education substitution

Electronics or low-voltage coursework from an accredited technical college, university, or certificate program is credited by actual instructional time, up to six months. It does not replace the class-specific field-experience requirements beyond that limit.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI Services LLC under contract to the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board.. 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:

• LV-A Alarm licensing examination — 75 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%
• LV-G General licensing examination — 50 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%
• LV-T Telecommunications licensing examination — 75 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%
• LV-U Unrestricted licensing examination — 90 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: Confirm the current application and PSI examination fees in GOALS and with PSI before paying. The SOS application form published for low-voltage examination lists a $40 application charge, but the current fee schedule controls.

Retake policy: Board approval is required before PSI registration and is valid for one year. After two failed attempts, an applicant must complete a Board-approved review course before a third attempt.

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 the 2026 Chapter 14 requirements do not state a statewide DLVC commercial-general-liability minimum. A local jurisdiction, project owner, lender, or contract may still require coverage.

Workers' compensation

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

Additional financial requirements

DLVC does not require a financial statement.

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 low voltage.

Renewal and Continuing Education

The Georgia Low-Voltage Contractor License — LV-A, LV-G, LV-T, and LV-U runs on a 2 years renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $75. Renew online by August 31 of odd-numbered years; the SOS guide identifies September 1–30 of odd-numbered years as the late-renewal period. A license not renewed by the late period lapses and must be reinstated under the Board’s rules.

Continuing education: The current Board FAQ says continuing education is not required for low-voltage contractor renewal. The 2026 statute permits the Division to impose approved continuing education, so verify the renewal instructions for the applicable cycle.

Reciprocity

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

The SOS low-voltage guide says reciprocity applications are not being accepted. Chapter 14 permits discretionary recognition of a substantially equivalent out-of-state credential when its statutory conditions are met, but that is not an active reciprocity agreement or automatic examination waiver.

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

Low Voltage 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 Low Voltage License Requirements — Alabama Electrical Contractor license and AESBL electronic-security license, as applicable
• Florida Low Voltage License Requirements — Florida Certified Limited Energy Specialty (ES) / Alarm System Contractor I (EF) / Alarm System Contractor II (EG)
• North Carolina Low Voltage License Requirements — North Carolina Special Restricted Fire Alarm/Low-Voltage Electrical Contractor (SP-FA/LV)
• South Carolina Low Voltage License Requirements — South Carolina Low-Voltage Cable Work: No Specific State License; Separate Alarm Licensing
• Tennessee Low Voltage License Requirements — Tennessee CE-D/CE-J contractor classification or Alarm Systems Contractor credential, as applicable

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

1. Choose LV-A, LV-G, LV-T, or LV-U. LV-A covers alarm plus general systems; LV-G covers general systems; LV-T covers telecommunications plus general systems; LV-U is unrestricted across all three.
2. Document the experience required for that class. LV-G requires one year, LV-A and LV-T three years, and LV-U four years of specified qualifying work, all within the prior six years.
3. Submit the DLVC application. File the completed, notarized application with the current fee, three references, work-experience documentation, background check, and lawful-presence documents.
4. Wait for Board approval to test. The Board must approve the application before PSI registration. The approval letter is valid for one year.
5. Pass the appropriate PSI class examination. Each licensing examination is computer-based, four hours, and requires a 70 scaled passing score. LV-U is the exam for unrestricted work.
6. Receive the individual license before working. Do not offer, bid, contract for, or perform licensed low-voltage work until the license is active. A business needs a full-time licensed qualifier connected with it; branch offices have separate qualifier requirements.

Application Checklist

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

• Class-specific low-voltage experience documented within the preceding six years
• DLVC application with the current fee and three reference forms (one from a licensed low-voltage contractor)
• Signed qualifying-experience affidavit(s) from the permitted supervisor for the selected class
• PSI class examination pass result at 70 scaled score
• Background check, Secure and Verifiable Document, and lawful-presence affidavit
• Workers comp coverage certificate (3+ employees)

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

Common Filing Mistakes

The errors below are the ones that most frequently cost Georgia Low Voltage applicants time, drawn from the cited board guidance.

Treating LV-T as telecommunications-only

LV-T includes telecommunications and general systems; it does not include alarm systems. LV-A includes alarm and general systems, LV-G includes general only, and LV-U is unrestricted.

Using the old generic four-year rule

The 2026 statute uses different experience thresholds for the four classes. Build the application around LV-G’s one-year, LV-A/LV-T’s three-year, or LV-U’s four-year statutory pathway.

Treating a project insurance requirement as a state-license minimum

The current statewide application checklist and 2026 statute do not state a DLVC $500,000 general-liability minimum. Confirm any insurance requirement with the local permitting authority and contract documents.

Applying late with an incomplete file

The SOS says a complete application is generally processed within 20 business days, but a deficiency restarts that period and applications completed fewer than 15 days before a meeting may move to the next agenda.

Assuming an out-of-state license creates reciprocity

The SOS guide says reciprocity applications are not being accepted. Do not rely on older state-pair lists; request written direction from the Division before filing as an out-of-state applicant.

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.

• Georgia Low Voltage Contractors Candidate Information Handbook — PSI / Georgia DLVC. Official class-by-class content outline, timing, scored-question counts, and permitted references.
• National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), current edition listed by PSI — NFPA. PSI’s permitted reference list varies by class; use the current handbook rather than an older prep list.
• O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 14 and Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 121 — State of Georgia. The 2026 Chapter 14 rewrite establishes the four classes and class-specific qualifications.

Other Georgia Trade Licenses

Looking at a different trade? CLR also publishes these Georgia licensing guides:

• Georgia General Contractor License Requirements
• Georgia Electrician 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 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 are the Georgia low-voltage license classes?

Georgia has four classes: LV-A (alarm and general systems), LV-G (general systems), LV-T (telecommunications and general systems), and LV-U (unrestricted across all three system types). LV-T is not telecommunications-only; it also includes general systems.

Does Georgia have a separate alarm contractor license?

Georgia regulates alarm-system low-voltage contracting through the DLVC. LV-A covers alarm and general systems, while LV-U covers alarm, general, and telecommunications systems. Select the classification that matches the work being offered.

How much experience does Georgia require?

It depends on class. LV-G requires one year; LV-A and LV-T require three years; and LV-U requires four years. The 2026 statute specifies the kind of work that must be included for each class and requires it to be obtained within the six years before application.

Does Georgia require NICET for the state low-voltage license?

NICET is not listed as a statewide DLVC initial-license prerequisite in the current SOS application guide or the 2026 statute. A local authority having jurisdiction, project specification, or employer may impose separate qualifications for particular fire-alarm work.

How often does the Georgia low-voltage license renew?

The license is biennial. The SOS low-voltage renewal instructions identify August 31 of odd-numbered years as the on-time deadline and September 1–30 as the late-renewal period. The current Board FAQ says continuing education is not required for low-voltage renewal.

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