Montana Electrician License Requirements (2026) | Official State Electrical Board Guide

The Montana State Electrical Board, housed within the Department of Labor and Industry Business Standards Division, licenses electricians statewide under Montana Code Annotated Title 37 Chapter 68. The Board issues Residential, Journeyman, and Master Electrician licenses as well as Electrical Contractor registrations. All electrical work performed for hire in Montana must be done by a licensed electrician, and any business offering electrical contracting must employ a licensed Master Electrician as the responsible managing electrician. Montana adopts the National Electrical Code (NEC) by reference.

Regulatory Body Profile

Licensing for this trade is governed by Montana Department of Labor and Industry — Business Standards Division (MT DLI), the agency that issues and regulates the credential under Montana Code Annotated Title 37 (Professions and Occupations) and Title 39 Chapter 9 (Independent Contractor Central Unit). The Montana Department of Labor and Industry administers the Construction Contractor Registration program, the Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate, and houses the State Electrical Board and Board of Plumbers that license individual electricians and plumbers statewide.

Official portal: https://dli.mt.gov/business-standards
Address: 301 South Park Avenue, 4th Floor, PO Box 200513, Helena, MT 59620
Phone: (406) 444-3555

The Eligibility Audit

The applicant must be at least 18 years of age and possess a valid Social Security Number. No Montana residency requirement.

Good moral character

The State Electrical Board reviews prior discipline and felony convictions individually.

Background investigation

Applicants disclose criminal history on the application. No fingerprint requirement.

Experience and Education Standards

A minimum of four years and 8,000 hours of documented electrical work under a Montana-licensed Master Electrician for Journeyman licensure, plus one additional year as a Journeyman before Master eligibility 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

State Electrical Board Experience Verification Affidavit signed by each supervising Master Electrician
W-2 statements or certified payroll records covering the qualifying period
Montana Registered Apprenticeship completion certificate (where applicable)

Education substitution

Graduates of an accredited four-year electrical program may apply up to 2,000 hours of classroom instruction toward the experience requirement.

The Exam Syllabus

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

Montana Journeyman Electrician Examination — National Electrical Code and Montana law — 80 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%
Montana Master Electrician Examination — NEC, theory, business and law — 100 questions, 300 minutes, passing score 75%

Examination fee: $85 examination fee paid to PSI per attempt.

Retake policy: Failed examinations may be retaken after paying a new $85 fee. Applications remain active for one year.

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

The State Electrical Board does not mandate a general liability minimum for individual electricians. Electrical contractor registrations typically require proof of liability coverage per local jurisdiction.

Workers' compensation

Mandatory under Title 39 Chapter 71 MCA for any electrician with employees.

Additional financial requirements

No financial statement requirement for individual Journeyman or Master licensure.

Schedule of Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$100
Examination	$85
Initial license	$120
Renewal (every year)	$120

Renewal and Continuing Obligations

The Montana Master Electrician / Journeyman Electrician runs on a year renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $120. Montana electrician licenses renew annually through the State Electrical Board.

Continuing education: Sixteen hours of continuing education per renewal cycle, including required NEC update hours.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Out-of-State Reciprocity

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

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Alaska	Journeyman exam waived	Bilateral reciprocity for active Journeyman Electricians in good standing.
Colorado	Journeyman exam waived	Bilateral reciprocity for active Journeyman Electricians.
Idaho	Journeyman exam waived	Bilateral reciprocity for active Journeyman Electricians.
Wyoming	Journeyman exam waived	Bilateral reciprocity for active Journeyman Electricians.

The Montana State Electrical Board maintains bilateral Journeyman reciprocity with several western states. Master Electrician reciprocity is limited and reviewed case by case.

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

The Application Roadmap

Enroll in a registered apprenticeship or start logging hours. Work under a Montana-licensed Master Electrician and document every hour.
Complete 8,000 hours and four years of experience. Qualifying hours must be on premises wiring, not limited to service or repair calls.
Apply for the Journeyman examination. Submit the application, experience affidavits, and fee to the State Electrical Board.
Pass the PSI Journeyman examination at 70%. Score 70% or better on the 80-question NEC-based examination.
Work one year as a Montana Journeyman. Log one additional year of experience as a licensed Journeyman under a Master Electrician.
Apply for and pass the Master Electrician examination. Score 75% or better on the 100-question Master examination.
Receive license and renew annually. The State Electrical Board issues the license and requires annual renewal with continuing education.

Recommended Study Materials

The following references are cited by the regulator, used in the application process, or commonly used to prepare for the trade scope. Listed for reader convenience; CLR receives no compensation for these recommendations.

National Electrical Code (current Montana-adopted edition) — NFPA. Primary technical reference. Open-book at the PSI test center.
Montana Code Annotated Title 37 Chapter 68 — State of Montana. Electrician licensing statute.
Montana State Electrical Board Administrative Rules — Montana DLI. Procedural rules for licensing and discipline.

Pre-Application Checklist

Ahead of submission to MT DLI, confirm every item on this short list:

☐ 8,000 hours and four years of documented experience
☐ Signed experience affidavits from supervising Master Electricians
☐ Journeyman exam application with fee
☐ PSI Journeyman exam pass at 70%+
☐ One year of Montana Journeyman experience
☐ Master exam application and PSI exam pass at 75%+
☐ Continuing education compliance for annual renewal

Where Applications Stall

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

Undocumented hours

The Board rejects applications without signed affidavits from each supervising Master Electrician. Keep contemporaneous records.

Skipping the Journeyman step

Master Electrician requires one year of licensed Journeyman experience. Direct-entry to Master is not allowed.

Missing NEC update CE

Continuing education must include NEC update hours. Generic safety courses do not satisfy the requirement.

Forgetting contractor registration

The individual Master license does not authorize running a business. Electrical Contractor registration is separate.

Working under a lapsed license

Annual renewal is strict. Working with a lapsed license triggers disciplinary action and voided contracts.

Other Montana Trade Licenses

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

Common Questions

What code does Montana enforce?

Montana adopts the National Electrical Code (NEC) by reference through the State Electrical Board administrative rules.

How many hours do I need for Journeyman?

Four years and 8,000 hours of documented electrical work under a Montana-licensed Master Electrician.

Does Montana reciprocate electrical licenses?

Yes. Montana has bilateral Journeyman reciprocity with Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, and Wyoming. Master reciprocity is reviewed case by case.

How often does the license renew?

Annually. Renewal requires 16 hours of continuing education every renewal cycle including NEC updates.

Do I need a separate contractor license to run an electrical business?

Yes. You need Electrical Contractor registration through the State Electrical Board plus either CCR or ICEC through DLI.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-27 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-25