Oklahoma Low Voltage License Requirements (2026) | CIB Limited Electrical & Alarm Guide

Oklahoma licenses low-voltage work through the Construction Industries Board (CIB) under the Oklahoma Electrical License Act (59 O.S. §1680 et seq.) and the Alarm and Locksmith Industry Act (59 O.S. §1800.1 et seq.). The CIB issues a Limited Electrical Contractor license that authorizes installation of electrical systems not exceeding 50 volts, including sound, intercom, structured cabling, CCTV, and low-voltage signaling. Burglar alarm, fire alarm, and CCTV contractors must additionally hold an Alarm and Locksmith Industry license under 59 O.S. §1800 administered by the CIB Alarm Industry Committee, which requires a qualifying manager with three years of experience and passing the Prov Alarm Industry examination. Oklahoma City and Tulsa maintain supplemental local electrical contractor registration for work within city limits.

Regulatory Body Profile

Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB) is the statutory authority responsible for issuing and enforcing this license under Oklahoma Statutes Title 59 §1000 et seq. (plumbing) and §1680 et seq. (electrical and mechanical/HVAC). The Oklahoma Construction Industries Board licenses individual journeymen and contractors for the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical (HVAC/refrigeration) trades statewide, administers PSI examinations, and conducts disciplinary proceedings. Oklahoma has no statewide general contractor license — general contracting is regulated by individual cities.

Official portal: https://oklahoma.gov/cib.html
Address: 2401 NW 23rd Street, Suite 2F, Oklahoma City, OK 73107
Phone: (405) 521-6550

The Eligibility Audit

The applicant must be at least 18 years of age and possess a valid Social Security Number. No Oklahoma residency requirement. The Alarm Industry license must designate a qualifying manager who is a regular employee of the applicant.

Good moral character

CIB conducts a fitness review on every applicant. Felony convictions within the last ten years are reviewed individually under 59 O.S. §1800.7 and may result in denial.

Background investigation

Mandatory fingerprint-based OSBI and FBI background check for the Alarm Industry qualifying manager and every employee performing alarm installation under 59 O.S. §1800.5.

Experience and Education Standards

The experience bar is three years (6,000 hours) of supervised low-voltage installation experience under a licensed Oklahoma Limited Electrical or Alarm Industry contractor for the CIB Limited Electrical Contractor license, and three years of alarm-specific experience for the Alarm Industry qualifying manager, 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

CIB Experience Affidavit signed by each supervising licensee
W-2 statements, 1099 records, or pay stubs covering the qualifying period
NICET Fire Alarm Systems Level II certificate
Manufacturer or BICSI training certificates

Education substitution

An accredited two-year electronics or electrical engineering technology associate degree substitutes for one year of the CIB experience requirement under OAC 158:20-5-5.

The Exam Syllabus

Prov Inc. under contract to the Oklahoma CIB administers the required examination. Each part below must be passed before the license will issue:

CIB Limited Electrical Contractor Trade Examination — NEC Articles 725/760/770/800, NFPA 72, OK rules — 80 questions, 180 minutes, passing score 75%
Prov Alarm Industry Examination (fire alarm, burglar alarm, business and law) — 100 questions, 180 minutes, passing score 75%

Examination fee: $74 per examination section paid to Prov on registration.

Retake policy: Failed examinations may be re-taken after 30 days by paying a new $74 fee. Each CIB application remains valid for one year.

Bonding, Insurance & Financial Security

The applicant must secure and file a $5,000 surety bond before the CIB will release the license.

General liability

The Alarm Industry license requires a $5,000 surety bond and proof of $100,000 commercial general liability under 59 O.S. §1800.8. The CIB Limited Electrical Contractor license requires $50,000 minimum liability. Commercial owners contractually require $1,000,000/$2,000,000.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation is mandatory under Oklahoma Administrative Workers Compensation Act for any Oklahoma employer.

Additional financial requirements

No financial statement required for the Limited Electrical or Alarm Industry classifications.

Schedule of Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$100
Examination	$148
Initial license	$200
Renewal (every 3 years)	$200

Renewal and Continuing Obligations

The Oklahoma Construction Industries Board Limited Electrical Contractor and Alarm / Locksmith Industry License runs on a 3 years renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $200. CIB Limited Electrical and Alarm Industry licenses renew every three years on the license anniversary. Lapsed licenses may be reinstated within one year by paying back fees plus a 25% penalty; beyond one year, retesting is required.

Continuing education: 16 hours of CIB-approved continuing education each three-year cycle, including a code-update course covering the current NEC adoption.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Oklahoma Low Voltage License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Out-of-State Reciprocity

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

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Texas	Trade exam waived	Bilateral CIB-TDLR reciprocity for active Texas Electrical Sign Contractor and fire alarm licenses.
Arkansas	Trade exam waived	Bilateral CIB-Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners reciprocity for active contractors.

CIB maintains limited bilateral reciprocity with Texas and Arkansas for electrical classifications. Alarm Industry licenses do not reciprocate - out-of-state applicants must pass the Prov Alarm Industry examination and submit fingerprints for OSBI and FBI clearance.

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

The Application Roadmap

Confirm scope. Limited Electrical Contractor (under 50V) = CIB electrical branch. Burglar/fire alarm/CCTV = CIB Alarm Industry branch. Structured cabling only = Limited Electrical Contractor covers it. Oklahoma City and Tulsa also require local electrical contractor registration.
Document three years of qualifying experience. Compile CIB Experience Affidavits covering 6,000 hours of supervised low-voltage work under a licensed contractor.
Submit the CIB Limited Electrical Contractor application. File the application with the $100 application fee and experience documentation.
Pass the Prov Limited Electrical Contractor examination at 75%. Score 75% or better on the 80-question trade exam covering NEC and Oklahoma electrical rules.
File the Alarm Industry license application (if doing alarm work). Submit the CIB Alarm Industry application with the $200 fee, $5,000 surety bond, $100,000 liability certificate, qualifying manager designation, and OSBI/FBI fingerprint clearance.
Pass the Prov Alarm Industry examination at 75%. The qualifying manager must score 75% or better on the 100-question Alarm Industry exam.
Register every alarm employee with CIB. Each alarm installer must hold an Alarm Employee Registration Card issued after fingerprint clearance under 59 O.S. §1800.5.
Renew on the three-year CIB cycle. CIB Limited Electrical and Alarm Industry licenses renew every three years. Renewal requires 16 hours of continuing education.

Pre-Application Checklist

Before submitting to CIB, the applicant should have each of the following ready:

☐ Three years of documented low-voltage experience
☐ CIB Limited Electrical Contractor application with $100 fee
☐ Prov trade exam pass at 75%+
☐ CIB Alarm Industry application with $200 fee (if doing alarm)
☐ Prov Alarm Industry exam pass at 75%+ (qualifying manager)
☐ $5,000 surety bond
☐ $100,000 commercial general liability certificate
☐ OSBI and FBI fingerprint clearance
☐ Alarm Employee Registration Card for each installer
☐ Oklahoma City / Tulsa local electrical registration (if working in city)

Where Applications Stall

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

Using Limited Electrical for alarm work

The CIB Limited Electrical Contractor license covers under-50V work but does not authorize burglar alarm, fire alarm, or CCTV monitoring. Those scopes require the separate Alarm Industry license.

Unregistered alarm employees

Every alarm installer must hold an Alarm Employee Registration Card. CIB audits employee rosters and fines agencies $500 per unregistered worker under 59 O.S. §1800.5.

Missing the surety bond

CIB will not issue or renew any Alarm Industry license without a continuously effective $5,000 surety bond. A canceled bond automatically suspends the license.

Ignoring Oklahoma City and Tulsa local registration

Both cities maintain supplemental electrical contractor registration with separate exams and fees. CIB state licensure does not pre-empt local requirements inside city limits.

Letting the qualifying manager leave

The Alarm Industry license is tied to a specific qualifying manager. Departure without naming a replacement within 30 days automatically suspends the license under 59 O.S. §1800.7.

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 Articles 725, 760, 770, 800 (OK-adopted edition) — NFPA. Primary technical reference for the Prov Limited Electrical exam.
NFPA 72 - National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code — NFPA. Required reference for Alarm Industry fire alarm work.
59 O.S. §1800 Alarm and Locksmith Industry Act — State of Oklahoma. Alarm Industry statute portion of the Prov exam.
OAC 158:20 — Oklahoma CIB. CIB electrical and alarm administrative rules.

Other Oklahoma Trade Licenses

Looking at a different trade? CLR also publishes these Oklahoma licensing guides:

Common Questions

What does the Oklahoma Limited Electrical Contractor license authorize?

Installation of electrical systems not exceeding 50 volts, including structured cabling, sound, intercom, CCTV, and low-voltage signaling under 59 O.S. §1680. Fire alarm and burglar alarm additionally require the CIB Alarm Industry license.

Who licenses burglar and fire alarm contractors in Oklahoma?

The Oklahoma Construction Industries Board Alarm Industry Committee under the Alarm and Locksmith Industry Act (59 O.S. §1800). Every alarm business must designate a qualifying manager and register every installer.

Do Oklahoma alarm installers need individual registration?

Yes. Every Alarm Employee must hold an Alarm Employee Registration Card issued after fingerprint-based OSBI and FBI background clearance under 59 O.S. §1800.5. The CIB fines agencies $500 per unregistered installer.

Does Oklahoma accept NICET certification?

NICET Fire Alarm Systems Level II is recognized by the CIB Alarm Industry Committee as study credit and strengthens the application, but it does not waive the Prov Alarm Industry examination.

How often does the CIB Alarm Industry license renew?

Every three years. Renewal requires 16 hours of approved continuing education for the qualifying manager and maintenance of the $5,000 surety bond and $100,000 liability coverage.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-04-28 · Next scheduled review 2026-07-27