Michigan Low Voltage License Requirements

Michigan does not identify a separate statewide structured-cabling license. Fire alarm system wiring and equipment are regulated through the LARA Bureau of Construction Codes: the individual Fire Alarm Specialty Technician (FAST) license and the Fire Alarm Contractor license for a business doing FAST work. A FAST is responsible for Michigan code compliance of the contractor’s fire alarm installations. Other low-voltage work must be evaluated by scope and with the local enforcing agency; the current LARA contractor application specifically states that City of Detroit residents must also hold a Detroit license.

Regulatory Body

Michigan LARA — Bureau of Construction Codes, Electrical Licensing / local enforcing agency (LARA BCC / AHJ) is the statutory authority responsible for issuing and enforcing this license under Skilled Trades Regulation Act, 2016 PA 407; applicable local ordinances. LARA licenses Fire Alarm Specialty Technicians and Fire Alarm Contractors. Local governments administer their own licensing, permitting, and code-enforcement requirements.

Official portal: https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/sections/licensing-section/exam-lic/electrical-examination-licensing-registration-application-information
Address: P.O. Box 30255, Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: (517) 241-9316

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 20 years old. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. A FAST who qualifies a Fire Alarm Contractor and does not personally hold the contractor license must live in Michigan. Confirm local business and contractor requirements separately.

Good moral character

Provide the fitness information required by the current LARA application.

Background investigation

Follow the current LARA application instructions. Do not treat a security-guard or private-security background-check rule as a fire-alarm licensing requirement.

Experience and Education

The sources cited here stop short of naming a year requirement; the operative standard is LARA’s current FAST page requires the applicant to be at least 20, hold NICET Level II or higher in installation and repair or ESA CFAT Level II or higher, and pass the FAST examination at 75%. The published FAST pathway also addresses apprentice registration and equivalent military experience; it does not list an 8,000-hour FAST requirement..

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Current NICET Level II or higher installation-and-repair certification, or ESA CFAT Level II or higher
Current LARA application and any required supporting records
Apprentice registration or qualifying military documentation when applicable

Education substitution

Use the current LARA pathway for any equivalent military experience or credential; do not assume an electrical-apprenticeship or electronics-degree credit rule applies to FAST licensure.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI administers LARA electrical examinations.. 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 Fire Alarm Specialty Technician examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 75%

Examination fee: FAST and PSI examination fees should be confirmed in the current application and PSI scheduling materials. The current FAST license and annual renewal fee are $50.

Retake policy: Follow the current PSI and LARA instructions for retesting and application status.

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 LARA FAST/Fire Alarm Contractor materials reviewed do not state a universal statewide general-liability amount. A local license, contract, or permit may require insurance.

Workers' compensation

Employers must meet applicable Michigan workers’ compensation requirements.

Additional financial requirements

Confirm local business-registration, bonding, and financial-document requirements before bidding.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	$300
Initial license	$300
Renewal (every 3 years)	$300

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 low voltage.

Renewal and Continuing Education

The Michigan Fire Alarm Specialty Technician and Fire Alarm Contractor Requirements runs on a 3 years renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $300. Fire Alarm Contractor licenses renew every three years by December 31. FAST licenses renew annually by December 31 for $50; a lapsed qualifying FAST places the contractor license on hold.

Continuing education: The contractor itself is not required to complete a code update for renewal. A FAST must take a code update only within one year after a new code is adopted, when applicable.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Michigan Low Voltage 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.

Michigan’s current FAST materials describe military/uniformed-service examination waivers for qualifying applicants with an active valid electrical license in another state. Do not represent this as general bilateral FAST reciprocity.

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

Indiana Low Voltage License Requirements — Indiana Low-Voltage Requirements (Local Credentials and Project Approvals)
Ohio Low Voltage License Requirements — Ohio Low-Voltage Requirements: State Exemption, Fire-Protection Certificates, and Local Rules
Wisconsin Low Voltage License Requirements — Wisconsin Low-Voltage Work — DSPS and Local Requirements

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Classify the scope. Separate fire alarm system wiring and equipment from general structured-cabling or other low-voltage work.
Earn the qualifying FAST credential. For FAST licensure, hold the required current NICET Level II-or-higher installation-and-repair credential or ESA CFAT Level II-or-higher credential, then pass the examination.
Maintain apprentice status where applicable. Workers following the standard FAST pathway should register and maintain the required Fire Alarm Specialty Technician Apprentice status under LARA’s current instructions.
Apply for the Fire Alarm Contractor license. A business doing FAST work must hold the Fire Alarm Contractor license and be associated with a qualifying FAST. The current initial contractor fee is $300.
Keep the qualifying relationship active. A FAST can be associated with only one Fire Alarm Contractor. If the qualifying FAST lapses or leaves, the contractor license is placed on hold until corrected.
Check local licensing and permits. Confirm municipal electrical, building, fire, alarm, and business requirements. Detroit is expressly identified in LARA’s contractor application as having its own license requirement.
Renew the correct credential. FAST licenses renew annually by December 31; Fire Alarm Contractor licenses renew every three years by December 31.

Application Checklist

Before submitting to LARA BCC / AHJ, the applicant should have each of the following ready:

Current NICET Level II-or-higher installation-and-repair credential or ESA CFAT Level II-or-higher credential
FAST application and PSI examination passed at 75%
Fire Alarm Contractor application and $300 fee for the business
Qualifying FAST associated with only that contractor
FAST annual and contractor triennial renewals calendared
Local business, electrical, building, fire, and alarm permits confirmed

Common Filing Mistakes

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

Using the wrong contractor credential

A Fire Alarm Contractor—not a general Electrical Contractor—is LARA’s business credential for a company doing FAST work.

Inventing an 8,000-hour FAST requirement

LARA’s current FAST requirements focus on the Level II qualifying credential and examination; it does not publish the former 8,000-hour claim.

Letting the qualifying FAST lapse or leave

The contractor license is placed on hold if it no longer has an associated qualifying FAST.

Treating city licensing as statewide

Detroit’s requirement is municipal. Check each project jurisdiction instead of generalizing one city rule across Michigan.

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.

LARA Fire Alarm Specialty Technician requirements — Michigan LARA. Current FAST age, qualifying credential, examination, and contractor-qualification information.
Michigan Electrical Code and associated LARA materials — Michigan LARA. Use current code and examination references published by LARA and PSI.
NICET or ESA CFAT materials — Credential provider. The FAST pathway requires the specified Level II-or-higher qualifying credential.

Other Michigan Trade Licenses

CLR maintains guides for additional Michigan trades; the published ones are listed here:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Michigan issue a standalone structured-cabling license?

LARA’s current electrical licensing materials do not identify a separate structured-cabling license. Confirm the actual work scope and the local jurisdiction’s electrical, building, and permit requirements.

What does a Fire Alarm Specialty Technician need in Michigan?

A FAST applicant must be at least 20, hold NICET Level II or higher in installation and repair or ESA CFAT Level II or higher, and pass the FAST examination with a 75% score.

Does a fire alarm business need an Electrical Contractor license?

LARA provides a separate Fire Alarm Contractor license for a business doing FAST work. It requires an associated qualifying FAST; do not substitute the Electrical Contractor pathway for the Fire Alarm Contractor pathway.

How often do Michigan FAST and Fire Alarm Contractor credentials renew?

FAST licenses renew annually by December 31 for $50. Fire Alarm Contractor licenses renew every three years by December 31 for $300.

Can a city add requirements?

Yes. LARA’s current contractor application specifically says City of Detroit residents must hold a Detroit license, and other local permits or registrations may apply.

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.