Montana Low Voltage License Requirements (2026)

Montana does not issue the previously described “Limited Energy Technician” license. Montana electrical law does not require an electrical license for electrical work at 90 volts or less, AC or DC. That narrow threshold does not eliminate other project requirements: electrical work above the threshold must follow the State Electrical Board’s licensing rules, fire-alarm work is separately regulated through DLI’s Fire Protection License Program, and local authorities having jurisdiction control permits, inspections, adopted codes, and local business requirements. A business performing construction contracting may also need Montana’s Construction Contractor License (CCL), which replaced the former registration framework on January 1, 2026; the statute contains a specific exception for an independent contractor with no employees.

Who Regulates This Work

Montana Department of Labor & Industry State Electrical Board and local authorities (Montana DLI / Local AHJ) is the primary authority or official reference used for this guide. The controlling authority cited here is Montana Code Annotated Title 37, Chapters 45 and 68; ARM Title 24, chapter 141. The State Electrical Board regulates electrical licensing and electrical-contractor credentials. DLI also administers the Construction Contractor License program. Local authorities having jurisdiction administer permits, inspections, adopted-code enforcement, and local business rules.

• Official reference: https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/electrical/
• Address: Montana Department of Labor & Industry, PO Box 200513, Helena, MT 59620
• Phone: (406) 841-2300

State and Local Eligibility Rules

There is no single statewide application for this work, so this guide does not impose a uniform applicant-age, identification, or tax-number rule. Check the business, specialty-trade, and local authorities that govern the actual project. The CCL statute requires applicant and business-identifying information, including Social Security number and EIN if any. The cited state materials do not identify a Montana-residency prerequisite.

State-level applicant screening

The CCL statute regulates unprofessional conduct, including fraud, misrepresentation, and material concealment in applications and contracting communications.

Background-check requirements

The cited low-voltage electrical and CCL materials do not describe a separate statewide background check or low-voltage experience review for work at 90 volts or less.

Experience and Scope Requirements

No single statewide year-based experience threshold governs the local or scope-specific path described here. The controlling requirement is Montana does not publish a statewide limited-energy technician credential, experience threshold, or trade exam for electrical work at 90 volts or less. Electrical work outside that exception must be evaluated under the State Electrical Board’s current individual and contractor licensing rules..

Relevant records and local documents

• For a CCL when required: online application with business and workers’ compensation compliance information
• For a genuine independent contractor without employees: ICEC business documentation or self-elected workers’ compensation coverage
• For fire-alarm work: DLI Fire Protection License Program application and the applicable individual endorsement documentation

Education and scope boundaries

No state education substitution applies to the 90-volts-or-less exception because it is not a limited-energy license class.

Testing Requirements

There is no single statewide trade examination for the local or scope-specific path described here. The applicable testing rule is: No separate Montana limited-energy examination is listed for electrical work at 90 volts or less.

Examination fee: There is no listed state limited-energy exam fee. A CCL application and annual renewal are each $70 when the CCL is required; electrical and fire-protection credentials have separate current requirements and fees.

Retake policy: No Montana limited-energy exam exists to retake. Confirm the State Electrical Board process before accepting work that does not fit the 90-volts-or-less exception.

Insurance, Bonds, and Project Requirements

No statewide contractor-license bond applies to the local or scope-specific path described here. A city, county, permit authority, public owner, or project contract may still require a bond, so confirm the actual project requirements before bidding.

General liability

The cited CCL materials do not state a statewide low-voltage general-liability or surety-bond minimum. Project owners, insurers, fire-protection licensing rules, and local authorities may require coverage.

Workers' compensation

A CCL application requires workers’ compensation compliance. A person claiming independent-contractor status must be genuinely independent and must have an ICEC or self-elected workers’ compensation coverage; an ICEC does not cover employees.

Financial or filing requirements

The cited materials do not state a statewide low-voltage financial-statement requirement.

State and Local Fees

To budget for the applicable registration, permits, insurance, and project requirements, open the cost calculator preloaded for Montana low voltage.

Renewal and Ongoing Compliance

The Montana Low-Voltage Work — Electrical Board, CCL, and Local Requirements runs on a year renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $70. CCL renewal is on the anniversary of issuance and opens 60 days before expiration. The 90-volts-or-less exception is not a license and has no renewal.

Continuing education: The CCL program lists no continuing-education requirement. Electrical and fire-protection credentials have their own current renewal rules.

Out-of-State Credentials and Local Recognition

Montana has no single statewide credential for this path to transfer through NASCLA. An authority may consider an outside license, examination, or experience record only under its own current rules.

There is no Montana limited-energy credential to reciprocate. Verify any individual electrical or fire-protection credential directly with the applicable DLI program.

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 Montana's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before bidding or beginning work:

• Idaho Low Voltage License Requirements — Idaho Limited Energy Electrical Contractor License
• North Dakota Low Voltage License Requirements — North Dakota Power Limited Electrician License Requirements
• South Dakota Low Voltage License Requirements — South Dakota Low-Voltage Requirements — Electrical Commission Scope Guide
• Wyoming Low Voltage License Requirements — Wyoming Low Voltage Technician and Contractor License

Step-by-Step Compliance Roadmap

1. Classify the proposed work by voltage and system. Confirm whether all electrical work is 90 volts or less, AC or DC. Do not rely on a “limited energy” credential name that Montana does not issue.
2. Check for a separate electrical or fire-protection credential. For work outside the 90-volt exception, contact the State Electrical Board. For selling, servicing, or installing a fire-alarm system, use the Fire Protection License Program and obtain the applicable endorsement.
3. Determine whether the business needs a CCL. A construction-contractor business generally needs a current CCL. The statute excludes an independent contractor with no employees, who may register voluntarily.
4. Establish workers’ compensation status. Cover employees under the required arrangement. Use an ICEC only when the worker is free from control, independently established, and otherwise qualifies as an independent contractor.
5. Apply for the CCL when required. Submit the $70 online application with the business, Social Security number, EIN if any, ownership, and workers’ compensation information required by the program.
6. Obtain project-specific local approvals. Ask the city, county, or other authority having jurisdiction about permits, plans, inspections, adopted electrical/fire code, right-of-way work, and local business requirements.
7. Maintain and renew each applicable credential. CCL renewal is annual on the anniversary of issuance and opens 60 days before expiration. Track electrical, fire-protection, and local renewal dates separately.

Pre-Work Checklist

Before bidding or beginning work, confirm each item below with the authorities that govern the project location and scope:

• Confirm whether all electrical work is 90 volts or less, AC or DC
• Confirm State Electrical Board requirements for work above the threshold
• Use the DLI Fire Protection License Program for fire-alarm work
• Determine whether the CCL is required or whether the no-employee independent-contractor exception applies
• Establish workers’ compensation compliance and use an ICEC only when eligible
• Submit the $70 CCL application when required
• Confirm local permit, inspection, code, and business requirements

Progress is saved in this browser, so you can return to this checklist while your compliance work is in progress.

Common Compliance Mistakes

The issues below are the most likely to create an unlicensed-work, registration, permit, or scope problem for Montana Low Voltage work, based on the official sources cited on this page.

Relying on an obsolete “Limited Energy Technician” path

Montana does not list that credential. Start with the 90-volt exception and the actual State Electrical Board rules.

Treating the voltage exception as an exemption from every rule

Fire-alarm work, construction-business licensing, and local permit/code requirements can apply independently.

Using an ICEC for employees or controlled workers

An ICEC supports genuine independent-contractor status only; it does not cover employees or replace other credentials.

Assuming statewide approval replaces municipal permits

The local authority having jurisdiction controls permits, plans, inspections, adopted-code enforcement, and local business requirements.

Official References and Preparation 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.

• Montana electrical laws and rules — Montana State Electrical Board. Primary source for the electrical-license threshold and electrical licensing rules.
• Montana CCL program and Title 37, chapter 45 — Montana Department of Labor & Industry / Montana Legislature. Current source for construction-contractor licensing, fees, and the independent-contractor exception.
• Montana Fire Protection License Program — Montana Department of Labor & Industry. Use for fire-alarm system endorsement requirements.

Other Montana Trade Licenses

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

• Montana General Contractor License Requirements
• Montana Electrician License Requirements
• Montana Plumber License Requirements
• Montana HVAC Technician License Requirements
• Montana Roofing Contractor License Requirements
• Montana Painting Contractor License Requirements
• Montana Landscaping Contractor License Requirements
• Montana Masonry Contractor License Requirements
• Montana Concrete Contractor License Requirements
• Montana Carpentry Contractor License Requirements
• Montana Solar Installer License Requirements
• Montana Fire Sprinkler Contractor License Requirements
• Montana Home Inspector License Requirements
• Montana Pool Contractor License Requirements
• Montana Handyman License Requirements
• Montana Pest Control License Requirements
• Montana Septic Contractor License Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Montana have a Limited Energy Technician license?

No. The State Electrical Board materials do not list that license class. Montana law instead provides that an electrical license is not required for work at 90 volts or less, AC or DC.

Do I need a Montana electrical license for low-voltage work?

Not for electrical work at 90 volts or less, AC or DC. Work outside that exception must comply with the State Electrical Board’s current rules. Fire-alarm installation, service, or sales also require the appropriate DLI fire-protection endorsement.

Do low-voltage contractors need the Construction Contractor License?

A business engaged in construction contracting generally needs a CCL. The statute excludes an independent contractor with no employees, who may voluntarily register. Review the specific work and business structure with DLI.

Is an ICEC the same as a contractor license?

No. An ICEC concerns independent-contractor status and workers’ compensation. It does not substitute for a required CCL, electrical credential, fire-protection endorsement, or employee coverage.

Do local permits apply to low-voltage work?

Yes. State licensing does not replace the permits, inspections, code enforcement, right-of-way approvals, or business rules administered by the local authority having jurisdiction.

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