Michigan Electrician License Requirements (2026)

Michigan’s Electrical Administrative Board regulates apprentice registrations, Journeyman Electrician licenses, Master Electrician licenses, and Electrical Contractor licenses. The individual licenses and contractor business license are distinct. A journeyman applicant must be at least 20 and document 8,000 hours over at least four years under Michigan-licensed journeyman or master supervision. A master applicant must be at least 22, have held a Michigan journeyman license for at least two years, and show at least 12,000 electrical hours over at least six years, including 4,000 hours as a journeyman. An Electrical Contractor must be associated with one active Master Electrician; there is no contractor examination. The City of Detroit issues its own local electrical licenses and registrations, so Detroit applicants must use the City process rather than treating the state route as sufficient.

Regulatory Body

Michigan LARA — Electrical Administrative Board (LARA Electrical Board) is the statutory authority responsible for issuing and enforcing this license under Skilled Trades Regulation Act, MCL 339.5101 et seq.; Electrical Administrative Act, MCL 338.881 et seq.. The Electrical Administrative Board licenses apprentice, journeyman, master, sign specialist, and fire alarm specialty technicians, and electrical contractors statewide. The board adopts the Michigan Electrical Code based on the NEC.

Official portal: https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/divisions/electrical
Address: P.O. Box 30254, Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: (517) 241-9320

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 20 years old. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. Michigan does not impose a general individual-residency rule in the public electrical guidance. If a contractor uses a different qualifying Master Electrician, that Master must live in Michigan. Detroit uses its own local licensing and registration process.

Good moral character

The application requires certification that the applicant meets the Skilled Trades Regulation Act requirements. The current materials reviewed do not support a categorical automatic-bar list.

Background investigation

The current electrical application requests identifying information and experience documentation; LARA’s public page does not describe a routine fingerprint requirement for every applicant.

Experience and Education

At least 6 years of Journeyman: 8,000 hours over at least four years in electrical construction, building maintenance, or electrical wiring/equipment, supervised by a Michigan-licensed journeyman or master. Master: at least 12,000 hours over at least six years, including 4,000 hours as a journeyman and a Michigan journeyman license held for at least two years. has to be evidenced and confirmed. Retain payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records, since the board may audit the experience claimed.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Electrical apprentice registration and employer/course records
Notarized present and former employer documentation of required hours
Journeyman license record for Master applicants
LARA experience statement and examination application

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI Services LLC for Michigan LARA.. 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:

Michigan Journeyman Electrician examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 75%
Michigan Master Electrician examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 75%

Examination fee: The state license fee is paid with the application ($40 Journeyman; $50 Master). PSI separately collects the examination charge after LARA approval; confirm its current amount when scheduling.

Retake policy: Journeyman and Master candidates may have only two failed attempts in two years. After two failures, wait one year from the last failure, complete an approved course, and reapply before testing again.

Insurance and Bonds

No license surety bond is mandated statewide here under the cited sources, though project-specific or public-works bonding obligations can still attach to a given job.

General liability

The current state Electrical Contractor application does not list a state liability-insurance certificate or bond as a filing item. Coverage can be required by customers, insurers, contracts, and the local permitting jurisdiction.

Workers' compensation

Workers’ compensation duties depend on the business and its employees under Michigan law; confirm coverage obligations before hiring or operating.

Additional financial requirements

No state financial-statement or net-worth condition was identified for the individual licenses or the current Electrical Contractor application.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	$40
Initial license — sole owner	$50
Initial license — non-sole owner	$300
Renewal (every year)	$50

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 Michigan electrician.

Renewal and Continuing Education

The Michigan Journeyman and Master Electrician / Electrical Contractor Licenses runs on a year renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $50. Journeyman and Master renew by December 31 each year for $40 and $50 respectively. Electrical Contractor renewal is $300 every three years by December 31.

Continuing education: Journeyman and Master licensees need a code-update course only within one year after new code adoption; it is not an annual blanket CE requirement. Apprentice registrations renew annually and require current enrollment/attendance. Electrical Contractor renewal is every three years and does not require a code update.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

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

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

LARA states Michigan has no reciprocity with another state or country. Out-of-state applicants may submit their license and the other jurisdiction’s requirements for LARA review; do not assume an exam waiver.

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 Michigan's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

Indiana Electrician License Requirements — Indiana Electrician — Local License (No State License)
Ohio Electrician License Requirements — Ohio Electrical Contractor (OCILB Commercial License)
Wisconsin Electrician License Requirements — Wisconsin Master Electrician and Electrical Contractor

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Register as an electrical apprentice. Be employed by a Master Electrician and Electrical Contractor and enrolled in related technical instruction. Keep the annual apprentice registration active.
Document 8,000 supervised hours over four years. Journeyman qualifying work must be electrical construction, building maintenance, or wiring/equipment work under Michigan licensed supervision.
Apply for and pass the Journeyman examination. Apply with notarized employer documentation, pay the $40 state license fee, and score at least 75% on the PSI examination.
Build the Master-level experience. Hold the Michigan journeyman license for at least two years and document the 12,000-hour/six-year requirement, including 4,000 journeyman hours.
Apply for and pass the Master examination. Submit the Master application, $50 state license fee, qualifying experience documents, and obtain at least a 75% PSI score.
Apply for an Electrical Contractor license if doing business. The contractor application is $300 and must name an associated Master Electrician. A Master may associate with only one contractor at a time.
Use the proper local permit and licensing authority. Detroit issues local credentials. Elsewhere, apply to the enforcing state or local agency with jurisdiction for each permit.

Application Checklist

Have each of the following squared away before the packet goes to LARA Electrical Board:

Active Michigan apprentice registration and related technical instruction
Notarized employer proof of 8,000 Journeyman-qualifying hours
Journeyman application, state fee, and PSI pass at 75%
Notarized proof of 12,000 Master-qualifying hours and two years holding Journeyman license
Master application, state fee, and PSI pass at 75%
$300 Electrical Contractor application and associated Master Electrician, if doing business
Correct state or local electrical permit; Detroit local license where applicable

Common Filing Mistakes

The following pitfalls summarize the issues most likely to delay, return, or derail a Michigan Electrician application based on the published board instructions and source materials cited on this page.

Using old 576-hour classroom claims

LARA’s current Journeyman eligibility page states the 8,000-hour/four-year supervised-work requirement and related technical instruction for apprentices; use the current LARA materials for program details.

Treating the contractor license as a Master exam

The contractor credential has no exam, but it must continuously have an associated Master Electrician, who can associate with only one contractor.

Letting an individual qualifier lapse

If the associated Master license lapses, LARA places the contractor license on hold until the Master renews and LARA is notified.

Assuming reciprocity

Michigan reports no reciprocity. Out-of-state documentation must be reviewed by LARA rather than treated as an automatic transfer.

Using the state process in Detroit

Detroit issues its own electrical credentials. Follow the City process for Detroit work and confirm the enforcing agency before applying for permits elsewhere.

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.

Michigan electrical licensing and examination information — Michigan LARA. Current eligibility, supervision, application, and contractor-qualifier guidance.
PSI Electrical Candidate Information Bulletin — PSI / Michigan LARA. Current exam references, administration rules, and scheduling information.
Michigan Electrical Code and rules — Michigan LARA. LARA states current electrical exams are based on the 2023 NEC and 2023 Michigan Electrical Code Rules Part 8, plus applicable statutes and rules.

Other Michigan Trade Licenses

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours does Michigan require for a Journeyman Electrician?

8,000 hours over at least four years in qualifying electrical work, supervised by a Michigan-licensed Journeyman or Master Electrician. The applicant must be at least 20 and pass at 75%.

What does Michigan require for a Master Electrician?

The applicant must be at least 22, hold a Michigan journeyman license for at least two years, and have at least 12,000 hours over six years, including 4,000 hours as a journeyman, before passing the Master exam at 75%.

Does an Electrical Contractor need a separate examination?

No. LARA says there is no contractor examination, but the $300 contractor application must be associated with an active Master Electrician responsible for code compliance.

Does Michigan reciprocate electrical licenses?

No. LARA says it has no reciprocity with another state or country. Out-of-state credentials can be submitted for review, but they do not create an automatic waiver.

How often do Michigan electrical licenses renew?

Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master credentials renew annually. The Electrical Contractor license renews every three years. Individual renewals may require a code-update course within one year after a new code is adopted.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.