New Hampshire Solar Contractor License Requirements (2026)

New Hampshire does not issue a standalone solar contractor license. Solar PV installation is regulated as electrical work under RSA 319-C and is administered by the Electricians Board under the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC). Any solar business must employ a New Hampshire Master Electrician as the qualifying party. Solar thermal water heating requires a New Hampshire Master Plumber license. NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification is the industry standard but is voluntary in New Hampshire.

The Licensing Authority

Licensing for this trade is governed by New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) — trade boards (OPLC), the agency that issues and regulates the credential under New Hampshire RSA 319-C (Electricians), RSA 329-A (Plumbers), RSA 153 (Mechanical/Gas Fitters); administrative rules Elec 100–600, Plu 100–600, Saf-C 6000 series. New Hampshire does not license general contractors at the state level. Trade boards under the OPLC umbrella license individual electricians, plumbers, and gas fitters statewide. Mechanical/HVAC work intersects the Gas Fitters Board (for fuel gas piping) and local mechanical permitting; pure HVAC ductwork is not separately state-licensed. New Hampshire is unusual in the Northeast for combining strict individual trade licensing with no general contractor license at all — accountability for general construction sits at the municipal building department and through civil contract law. Home improvement contractors are not registered or bonded by the state; consumer protection runs through RSA 358-A (Consumer Protection Act) enforced by the Attorney General. Always confirm current rules with OPLC and the local building official before bidding work. Overview of the New Hampshire licensing landscape: New Hampshire takes a deliberately light-touch approach to construction trades regulation compared to its neighbors. There is no statewide general contractor license, no statewide home improvement contractor registration program (unlike Massachusetts HIC or Rhode Island contractor registration), and no statewide building permit. Instead, the state relies on three pillars. First, the building code: New Hampshire adopted the State Building Code under RSA 155-A, which incorporates the International Building Code, International Residential Code, International Mechanical Code, International Plumbing Code, International Energy Conservation Code, and the National Electrical Code by reference. The State Fire Marshal enforces the State Building Code in jurisdictions that have not adopted local enforcement, while most populated municipalities run their own building departments and issue their own permits. Second, individual trade licensing: the Electricians Board, the Plumbers Board, and the Mechanical Licensing Board (Gas Fitters) license journeyman and master tradespeople under their respective statutes. These licenses are personal to the individual and follow the worker between jobs and between employers. Third, consumer protection law: home improvement disputes are handled through RSA 358-A and standard contract law, not through a state license bond pool. What this means in practice for contractors: a self-employed builder in New Hampshire can legally bid and build a single-family home without any state-issued license, provided every electrical worker on site holds a current Electricians Board license, every plumber holds a current Plumbers Board license, every gas fitter holds a current Gas Fitters Board license, the project clears the local building department permit, and the work passes all required inspections. The contractor may still need a federal EIN, state business registration with the Secretary of State, business profits and enterprise tax accounts with the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration, and (if hiring) workers compensation coverage under RSA 281-A. The Department of Labor enforces workers compensation aggressively, and uninsured employers face stop-work orders. Municipal nuances matter. Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Portsmouth, Dover, and Keene each operate full building departments with their own permit application packets, contractor sign-in requirements, and inspection schedules. Some towns require the contractor to be listed on the permit; some require proof of insurance before issuing the permit; a few smaller towns have no building inspector at all and rely on the State Fire Marshal. Always call the building department before assuming a project does not need a permit. Electrical and plumbing permits are typically pulled by the licensed tradesperson, not the general contractor, and the inspection is performed by the municipal inspector or by the State Electrical or State Plumbing inspector in unincorporated areas. Reciprocity is meaningful here. The Electricians Board holds reciprocal agreements with several New England states for master and journeyman credentials, as does the Plumbers Board. The Mechanical Licensing Board recognizes equivalent gas fitter credentials from neighboring states on a case-by-case basis. Reciprocal applicants still pay New Hampshire fees, submit a New Hampshire application, and in most cases sit for the New Hampshire-specific portion or the full New Hampshire exam. Renewal cycles vary by board (electricians and plumbers renew on a three-year cycle; gas fitters renew on a two-year cycle), and continuing education requirements are set by each board. Because New Hampshire publishes most rules and forms only on the OPLC website and the General Court statute pages, contractors should bookmark oplc.nh.gov and gencourt.state.nh.us and check both before paying any fee or scheduling an exam. Rates and fee amounts in this guide should be confirmed directly with the relevant board before submitting payment.

Official portal: https://www.oplc.nh.gov/
Address: 7 Eagle Square, Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 271-2152

Baseline Eligibility

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

Good moral character

OPLC reviews criminal history under RSA 319-C:6-a.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure on the application.

Experience and Education Requirements

At least two years (4,000 hours) as a New Hampshire Journeyman Electrician, which itself requires four years and 8,000 hours of apprenticeship has to be evidenced and confirmed. Retain payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records, since the board may audit the experience claimed.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

OPLC experience affidavits signed by New Hampshire Master Electricians
Certified payroll covering the qualifying period
NH-registered apprenticeship completion certificate

Education substitution

NH-registered apprenticeship satisfies the journeyman experience requirement.

The Licensing Examination

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

New Hampshire Master Electrician Examination — NEC, NH amendments, business and law — 100 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $100 examination fee.

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

Financial Security and Insurance

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 state minimum, but $1M CGL is the de facto industry standard.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory under RSA 281-A for any business with employees.

Additional financial requirements

No financial statement required.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$150
Examination	$100
Initial license	$150
Renewal (every 3 years)	$150

License Renewal

The New Hampshire Master Electrician License must be renewed every 3 years. The fee to renew is presently $150. OPLC Master Electrician licenses renew every three years.

Continuing education: Fifteen hours of OPLC-approved CE every three years.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity Map

New Hampshire grants no NASCLA reciprocity for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Maine	Trade exam waived	Limited OPLC–Maine reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).
Vermont	Trade exam waived	Limited OPLC–Vermont reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).
Massachusetts	Trade exam waived	Limited OPLC–Mass DPL reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).

OPLC maintains limited master-electrician reciprocity (electrical credential only — solar contractor reciprocity is rare) with New England states.

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 Licensing Roadmap

Complete a NH electrical apprenticeship. 8,000 hours under a NH Master Electrician.
Pass the Journeyman Electrician exam. Prerequisite to the Master credential.
Document two years (4,000 hours) as a Journeyman. Required for the Master Electrician exam.
Pass the Master Electrician exam at 70%. PSI administers the exam.
File the certificate of insurance. $1M CGL is the industry standard.
Receive the Master Electrician credential. OPLC issues the credential after exam pass.
Pull local building and electrical permits per project. Each NH jurisdiction requires local permits.

Before Filing: A Checklist

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

☐ 8,000 hours of electrical apprenticeship
☐ NH Journeyman Electrician credential
☐ 4,000 hours as a Journeyman
☐ Master Electrician examination pass
☐ Workers' compensation coverage
☐ $1M commercial general liability insurance (recommended)
☐ Local building and electrical permits per project

Common Application Pitfalls

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

Skipping the journeyman step

Direct entry to Master Electrician is not allowed.

Missing the 15-hour CE

Mandatory every three years and audited.

Letting workers compensation lapse

Mandatory for any business with employees.

Forgetting solar thermal is plumbing

Solar hot water requires the Master Plumber license.

Skipping local permits

State licensure does not exempt you from city/county permits.

Preparation Resources

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.

NEC Article 690 — Solar Photovoltaic Systems — NFPA. Primary technical reference.
RSA 319-C — State of New Hampshire. Statutory framework.
PSI New Hampshire Master Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin — PSI. Free PDF outlining exam content.

Other New Hampshire Trade Licenses

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

Answers to Common Questions

Does New Hampshire have a solar license?

No. Solar PV is regulated as electrical work under the OPLC Master Electrician license.

Is NABCEP required?

No. NABCEP is voluntary in New Hampshire.

How many hours does New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire Master Plumber license.

Does New Hampshire reciprocate?

Yes. OPLC maintains limited reciprocity (verify directly with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare) with Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-17 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-15