New Hampshire Electrician License Requirements

New Hampshire requires licensure for compensated electrical installations unless a statutory exception applies. This guide focuses on the Master Electrician license: a Master may operate as an electrical business, while a Journeyman must be employed by a New Hampshire licensed Master or qualifying entity. The statewide program also includes Apprentice registration, High/Medium Voltage Electrician and Trainee credentials, and electrical corporation/partnership licenses. Local permits and inspections remain separate from the Board license.

Regulatory Body

Licensing for this trade is governed by New Hampshire Electricians’ Board (NHEB), the agency that issues and regulates the credential under RSA 319-C; Elec 100–500; Plc 1002.13 and Plc 313.24. Administers statewide electrician, apprentice, high/medium-voltage, and qualifying electrical-business licensure through the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification.

Official portal: https://www.oplc.nh.gov/electricians-board

Eligibility Requirements

This guide does not establish a minimum applicant age; confirm any age requirement with the issuing authority. Check the current application for identification and tax-number requirements. No New Hampshire residency requirement is stated in the statute and current rules reviewed. Use the current OPLC application for identity, education, and documentation requirements.

Good moral character

All applicants must show good professional character. The rules identify certain felony convictions and prior license discipline as possible grounds to deny an application, with an opportunity for administrative hearing after denial.

Background investigation

The application process evaluates disclosed criminal and disciplinary history. This audit does not state an unsupported universal fingerprint requirement.

Experience and Education

The experience bar is 5 years of The Master route builds on Journeyman eligibility: 8,000 hours of apprentice practical/field experience plus the required 600 hours of electrical schooling (with rule-based alternatives), passing the Journeyman examination, then 2,000 field hours as a Journeyman before the Master examination. The rules permit up to 2,000 hours of documented practical-experience credit for qualifying school instruction, subject to the listed conditions., and it must be backed by verifiable records — typically payroll, tax, project, or supervisor documentation covering the claimed period.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Completed OPLC Master or Journeyman application
Documented practical/field experience and supervising-license information
School certificate, transcript, or official letter for qualifying education and any school credit
Evidence of current or prior electrician license and required professional experience for an endorsement application

Education substitution

For Journeyman eligibility, the rules require 600 hours of electrical schooling, including at least 24 hours of electrical safety, subject to stated alternatives. Board-recognized schooling may receive up to 2,000 hours of practical-experience credit; it cannot be counted concurrently with field experience.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: Board-approved examination entity; current OPLC examination materials identify Prov for electrician exam eligibility. 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:

New Hampshire Journeyman Electrician licensing examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 70%
New Hampshire Master Electrician licensing examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 70%

Examination fee: Plc 1002.13 lists $198 for Master application processing and licensing for a two-year term. Confirm the current testing-entity charge, format, references, and availability with OPLC before scheduling.

Retake policy: An applicant who fails may be reexamined at the applicant’s expense by a Board-approved examination entity. If the applicant has not passed within one year after OPLC receives the application, a new written application and required fees are required.

Insurance and Bonds

No statewide contractor license surety bond is required for this credential in the cited sources. Project-specific, permit, or public-works bonds may still apply, so confirm bonding before bidding a given job.

General liability

No statewide Electricians’ Board general-liability minimum or individual electrician surety-bond amount was identified in the statute and rules reviewed. Local authorities, owners, and contracts may impose coverage or bonding conditions.

Workers' compensation

If the electrical business has covered employees, workers’ compensation is a separate employer obligation under RSA 281-A. The individual Master license is not a workers’ compensation determination.

Additional financial requirements

No statewide financial-statement requirement was identified for the individual Master Electrician license.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	$198
Initial license	No separate amount recorded; confirm in the fee guidance
Renewal (every 2 years)	$198

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 New Hampshire electrician.

Renewal and Continuing Education

The New Hampshire Master Electrician License must be renewed every 2 years. The fee to renew is presently $198. Master and Journeyman licenses renew two years from issuance under Elec 401.01 and Plc 1002.13. A license not renewed within one year is subject to the rule’s lapse/reexamination process; do not work on an expired license.

Continuing education: Master and Journeyman licensees complete 15 hours covering changes to the latest NFPA 70. At least one hour addresses changes to RSA 319-C, the Board rules, and Board-designated installation concerns. Complete the requirement within 12 months after the January 1 following publication of the latest NEC; the provider furnishes completion proof to OPLC.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

New Hampshire grants no NASCLA reciprocity for this classification.

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

New Hampshire uses licensure by endorsement, not the old fixed New England partner list stated in the prior guide. The issuing jurisdiction must use the same or a later edition of the electrical code; its current requirements must meet Plc 313.24, and the applicant must show the required one year of professional experience at the license level sought.

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

Maine Electrician License Requirements — Maine Master Electrician (Helper, Apprentice, Journeyman, Limited, and Master classes)
Massachusetts Electrician License Requirements — Massachusetts Journeyman Electrician (Certificate B) and Master Electrician (Certificate A)
Vermont Electrician License Requirements — Vermont Master Electrician License

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Register before apprentice work. An apprentice electrician must register with OPLC. Perform electrical installation work only under the statutory supervision structure.
Build Journeyman eligibility. Document 8,000 hours of apprentice practical/field experience and satisfy the 600-hour electrical-schooling requirement or an applicable rule-based alternative.
Pass the Journeyman examination. Apply to OPLC and pass the Board-approved Journeyman licensing examination at the 70% passing grade.
Complete 2,000 Journeyman hours. Before sitting for the Master exam, obtain 2,000 hours of field experience as a Journeyman performing electrical installations.
Apply and pass the Master examination. Submit the current OPLC application and supporting records. After approval, take the Board-approved Master examination and earn at least 70%.
License the electrical business where applicable. A corporation or partnership performing electrical installations needs the entity license and a qualifying Master or High/Medium Voltage Electrician as RSA 319-C:10 requires.
Meet permit, renewal, and code-cycle obligations. Obtain local project permits and inspections, renew the Master license every two years, and complete the NEC-change education triggered by the rules and statute.

Application Checklist

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

Register as an Apprentice before performing apprentice electrical work
Document 8,000 practical/field hours and required electrical schooling
Pass the Board-approved Journeyman examination at 70% or higher
Document 2,000 hours of Journeyman field experience
Submit the OPLC Master application and $198 processing/licensing fee
Pass the Board-approved Master examination
Obtain an entity license if a corporation or partnership performs electrical installations
Renew every two years and complete NEC-change continuing education

Common Filing Mistakes

These are the recurring mistakes that most often delay or reject a New Hampshire Electrician application, based on the official instructions cited here.

Using the old three-year fee and renewal information

Current Elec 401.01 and Plc 1002.13 set Master and Journeyman licenses at two years, with a $198 Master processing/licensing fee.

Skipping the Journeyman foundation

Master examination eligibility requires passing the Journeyman exam and completing 2,000 Journeyman field hours after the 8,000-hour/education foundation.

Relying on old PSI or fixed-state reciprocity claims

Use OPLC’s current Board-approved testing information and the current endorsement rule rather than a historical provider or partner-state list.

Treating the individual license as the business license

A corporation or partnership performing electrical installations must meet RSA 319-C:10’s separate entity-licensing and qualifying-person rule.

Treating CE as only a renewal-cycle task

The 15-hour requirement is tied to publication of a new NEC edition and has its own statutory timing.

Study and Reference Materials

These materials are drawn from the regulator's own citations and the references applicants commonly use to prepare. CLR receives no compensation for listing them.

RSA 319-C and Elec 100–500 — New Hampshire General Court. Primary source for scope, Journeyman/Master pathway, examination, renewal, and code-cycle CE.
Current OPLC / Board-approved examination information — New Hampshire Electricians’ Board. Use immediately before testing to confirm the approved testing entity, NEC edition, references, format, and exam charge.
Plc 1002.13 and Plc 313.24 — New Hampshire General Court. Current two-year fees and endorsement standards.

Other New Hampshire Trade Licenses

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Does New Hampshire license electricians statewide?

Yes. RSA 319-C requires a license for compensated electrical installations unless an exception applies. The Electricians’ Board administers the program through OPLC.

What is the difference between a Master and Journeyman Electrician?

A Master may operate as an electrical business. A Journeyman performs electrical installation work but must be employed by a New Hampshire licensed Master or a qualifying entity.

How much experience is needed before the Master examination?

The path starts with Journeyman eligibility—8,000 apprentice hours and the required electrical schooling—then passing the Journeyman exam and documenting 2,000 field hours as a Journeyman before taking the Master exam.

What are the current New Hampshire Master Electrician fees?

Plc 1002.13 lists $198 for Master Electrician application processing and licensing, including renewal or reinstatement after expiration, for a two-year license term. Confirm any separate examination charge before applying.

Does New Hampshire have automatic electrician reciprocity?

No automatic partner-state promise is made here. The endorsement rule requires a same-or-later code edition, substantially matching eligibility, and one year of professional experience at the relevant license level.

When is continuing education due?

Master and Journeyman licensees complete 15 hours on changes to the latest NFPA 70, including at least one hour on stated New Hampshire law/rule/installation material, within 12 months after the January 1 following publication of the latest NEC edition.

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.