Michigan Solar Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Michigan does not issue a standalone solar contractor license. Solar PV installation is regulated as electrical work under PA 217 of 1956 and is administered by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Electrical Administrative Board. Any solar business must hold an Electrical Contractor license and employ a Michigan Master Electrician as the qualifying party. The Master path requires two years (4,000 hours) as a Journeyman, which itself requires four years (8,000 hours) of apprenticeship. Solar thermal water heating requires a Michigan Master Plumber license. NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification is the industry standard but is voluntary in Michigan.

Regulatory Body Profile

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

The Eligibility Audit

Eligibility begins with two baseline checks: the applicant must be 18 or older and must provide a valid Social Security Number. No Michigan residency requirement.

Good moral character

LARA reviews criminal history.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure on the application.

Experience and Education Standards

A minimum of two years and 4,000 hours of journey-level work as a Michigan Journeyman Electrician, which itself requires four years and 8,000 hours of apprenticeship 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

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

Education substitution

LARA-registered apprenticeship satisfies the 8,000 hour journeyman experience requirement.

The Exam Syllabus

Testing is handled by PSI Services LLC (under contract to LARA). The applicant has to pass each part listed here before the credential is granted:

Michigan Master Electrician Examination — NEC, Michigan amendments, business and law — 100 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 75%

Examination fee: $110 examination fee.

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

Bonding, Insurance & Financial Security

There is no statewide surety bond tied to this credential in the cited record. Bonding can still surface at the project level — permit, license, or public-works bonds — so check before you bid.

General liability

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

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory under MCL 418 for any business with three or more employees.

Additional financial requirements

No financial statement required.

Schedule of Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$175
Examination	$110
Initial license	$175
Renewal (every 3 years)	$175

Renewal and Continuing Obligations

The Michigan Electrical Contractor License (with Master Electrician) runs on a 3 years renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $175. LARA electrical contractor licenses renew every three years.

Continuing education: Fifteen hours of LARA-approved CE every three years for Master Electricians.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Out-of-State Reciprocity

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

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

Michigan does not maintain electrical contractor reciprocity. NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification is the industry credential of choice but does not substitute for state licensure.

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

The Application Roadmap

Complete a four-year electrical apprenticeship. 8,000 hours under a Michigan Master Electrician.
Pass the Michigan Journeyman Electrician exam. Prerequisite to the Master credential.
Document two years and 4,000 hours as a Journeyman. Required for the Master Electrician exam.
Pass the Master Electrician exam at 75%. PSI administers the exam.
Apply for the Electrical Contractor license. Designate the Master Electrician as the qualifying party.
File the certificate of insurance. $1M CGL is the industry standard.
Pull local building and electrical permits per project. Each Michigan jurisdiction requires local permits.

Where Applications Stall

The errors below are the ones that most frequently cost Michigan Solar applicants time, drawn from the cited board guidance.

Skipping the journeyman step

Direct entry to Master Electrician is not allowed.

Underestimating the apprenticeship

Michigan requires 8,000 hours of apprenticeship for journeyman alone.

Missing the 15-hour CE

Mandatory every three years and audited.

Letting workers compensation lapse

Mandatory for any business with three or more employees.

Forgetting solar thermal is plumbing

Solar hot water requires the Master Plumber license.

Pre-Application Checklist

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

☐ Four-year electrical apprenticeship (8,000 hours)
☐ Michigan Journeyman Electrician credential
☐ Two years and 4,000 hours as a Journeyman
☐ Master Electrician examination pass
☐ LARA Electrical Contractor license application
☐ Workers' compensation coverage
☐ $1M commercial general liability insurance (recommended)

Recommended Study 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.

NEC Article 690 — Solar Photovoltaic Systems — NFPA. Primary technical reference.
Michigan Electrical Code Rules (Part 8) — LARA. State amendments to the NEC.
PSI Michigan Master Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin — PSI. Free PDF outlining exam content.

Other Michigan Trade Licenses

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

Common Questions

Does Michigan have a solar license?

No. Solar PV is regulated as electrical work under the LARA Electrical Contractor license.

Is NABCEP required?

No. NABCEP is voluntary in Michigan.

How many hours does Michigan require?

8,000 hours of apprenticeship for journeyman plus 4,000 more hours as a journeyman to qualify for master.

What about solar thermal?

Solar hot water requires a Michigan Master Plumber license.

How does the license renew?

Every three years. Fifteen 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 2026-06-02 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-31