Texas Electrician License Requirements (2026)

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) issues the Master Electrician license under the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act (Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1305). An applicant must have held a Journeyman Electrician license for at least two years, document 12,000 hours of on-the-job training supervised by a Texas-licensed Master Electrician, and pass TDLR’s PSI examination. A separate Electrical Contractor business license is required to engage in the electrical-contracting business; it must have a Master Electrician of record.

Regulatory Body

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) administers and enforces this credential under the authority of Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1305 (Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act); 16 Tex. Admin. Code Chapter 73. TDLR licenses and regulates electricians, electrical apprentices, electrical sign contractors, and electrical contractors statewide. It administers licensing, complaint handling, and enforcement for these programs.

• Official portal: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/
• Address: P.O. Box 12157, Austin, TX 78711-2157
• Phone: (512) 463-6599 / (800) 803-9202

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. No Texas residency requirement.

Good moral character

Applicants with a felony or misdemeanor conviction (other than minor traffic violations) must submit a Criminal History Questionnaire. TDLR conducts a case-by-case review under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 53 and may deny licensure for offenses that directly relate to the duties and responsibilities of an electrician.

Background investigation

TDLR conducts a criminal-history background check on all applicants and renewals. A conviction review can take one to six weeks; TDLR also offers a pre-application criminal-history evaluation process.

Experience and Education

No fixed number of years of experience is set out in the cited sources for this credential; instead, the controlling requirement is 12,000 hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of a Texas-licensed Master Electrician, plus at least two years holding a Journeyman Electrician license.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

• Experience Verification Form completed and signed by each supervising Texas Master Electrician
• Active Texas Journeyman Electrician license held continuously for at least two years prior to application
• Additional Experience Verification Forms for every supervising Master Electrician, as needed

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI Services LLC (under contract to TDLR). 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:

• Texas Master Electrician — NEC Knowledge portion — 75 questions, 150 minutes, passing score 70%
• Texas Master Electrician — Calculations portion — 33 questions, 170 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $78 for both portions, paid to PSI. The $78 retake fee applies if one or both portions are failed.

Retake policy: You may retake either portion during the eligibility period, but all requirements must be completed within one year after TDLR receives the application. Each portion requires a 70% passing score.

Insurance and Bonds

This credential carries no state-level surety bond requirement under the cited sources. Individual jobs may still trigger a permit or public-works bond, which should be verified before bidding.

General liability

Master Electrician individuals do not carry the contractor general-liability requirement. The separate Texas Electrical Contractor business license requires at least $300,000 per occurrence, $600,000 aggregate, and $300,000 products-and-completed-operations aggregate coverage.

Workers' compensation

The individual Master Electrician license has no TDLR workers' compensation filing. An Electrical Contractor applicant must provide workers' compensation coverage, authority to self-insure, or a statement electing no coverage and file the required Texas Department of Insurance notice.

Additional financial requirements

No financial statement requirement.

Fee Schedule

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 Texas electrician.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Expect to renew the Texas Master Electrician License every year. Renewal currently costs $45. Texas Master Electrician licenses are valid for one year from issuance and renew annually. Keep the course-completion certificate for one year after completion.

Continuing education: Four hours of TDLR-approved continuing education during the license term addressing the NEC, Texas electrician law, Texas electrician rules, and NFPA 70E electrical safety.

Reciprocity

Texas does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for this classification.

TDLR requires proof of the reciprocal statewide examination, an active reciprocal license held at least one year, 12,000 supervised hours, the applicable Journeyman-history documentation, and a letter of good standing. Texas does not transfer an out-of-state electrical-contractor business license.

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

• Arkansas Electrician License Requirements — Arkansas Master Electrician / Journeyman Electrician
• Louisiana Electrician License Requirements — Louisiana Electrical Work Specialty Contractor (LSLBC)
• New Mexico Electrician License Requirements — New Mexico EE-98J Journeyman Electrician / EE-98 Electrical Contractor
• Oklahoma Electrician License Requirements — Oklahoma Journeyman Electrician and Unlimited Electrical Contractor

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

1. Hold a Texas Journeyman Electrician license for at least two years. The Journeyman Electrician credential is itself a prerequisite. It requires 8,000 hours of supervised OJT and passing the TDLR Journeyman exam.
2. Accumulate 12,000 hours of supervised OJT. All 12,000 hours must be on-the-job training under direct supervision of a Texas Master Electrician. Industrial Journeyman hours do not count.
3. Obtain experience verification from each supervisor. Each Texas Master Electrician who supervised the work must complete and sign an Experience Verification Form. TDLR may contact supervisors to verify the experience.
4. Submit the Master Electrician application. Mail the completed application with the $45 non-refundable fee to TDLR, P.O. Box 12157, Austin TX 78711-2157.
5. Disclose convictions, if applicable. Submit the Criminal History Questionnaire and supporting documents for any qualifying criminal history. TDLR says review may take one to six weeks.
6. Schedule and pass both PSI portions. After TDLR approval, schedule the NEC Knowledge and Calculations portions. Each requires 70%; the current PSI fee is $78 for both portions.
7. Receive and renew the individual license. The Master Electrician license is valid for one year from issuance and renews annually with the required continuing education.
8. Apply for an Electrical Contractor license before operating a contracting business. The business license requires a Master Electrician of record, $300,000/$600,000/$300,000 liability coverage, workers’ compensation coverage or the required no-coverage filing, and a separate $110 application fee.

Application Checklist

The most critical documents or confirmations the applicant should have in hand before filing with TDLR:

• Active Texas Journeyman Electrician license held for at least two years
• Experience Verification Form completed by each supervising Texas Master Electrician (totaling 12,000 hours)
• Master Electrician License Application with $45 non-refundable fee
• Criminal History Questionnaire (if any prior conviction other than minor traffic)
• Government-issued photo identification for the PSI examination appointment

Progress is saved in this browser, so you can return to this checklist while your application is in flight.

Common Filing Mistakes

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a Texas Electrician application.

Self-completed experience verification forms

Each supervising Texas Master Electrician must complete and sign an Experience Verification Form. TDLR may contact supervisors, so use complete and accurate records for every period of qualifying work.

Counting Industrial Journeyman hours

Hours worked under a Journeyman Industrial Electrician license do not count toward the Master Electrician 12,000-hour requirement. Applicants who substitute industrial hours discover the rejection only after waiting weeks for TDLR review.

Letting the application year expire

All licensing requirements must be completed within one year of the date the TDLR application is filed. Applicants who delay scheduling the PSI exam often forfeit the $45 fee and must reapply.

Confusing the individual credential with the contractor license

Holding only the Master Electrician license does not authorize a business to engage in electrical contracting. The Texas Electrical Contractor license is separate and currently costs $110, with its own insurance and workers’ compensation filing requirements.

Failing to disclose prior convictions

Applicants with qualifying felony or misdemeanor convictions, including deferred adjudications, must provide TDLR’s Criminal History Questionnaire. TDLR reviews convictions case by case, so provide complete information with the application.

Study and Reference Materials

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

• National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), 2026 Edition — National Fire Protection Association. PSI states that Texas electrician examinations are referenced to the 2026 NEC beginning September 1, 2026. The examination is open-book, subject to PSI’s binding and tab rules.
• 16 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 73 (Electricians) — Texas Secretary of State. TDLR rules governing electrician licensing — heavily tested on the law portion.
• Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1305 — Texas Legislature. The statutory basis for Texas electrical licensing.
• Tom Henry Master Electrician Exam Prep — Tom Henry Books. Widely used by Texas applicants for NEC calculation problems and exam strategy.

Other Texas Trade Licenses

Should the Electrician path not apply, these other Texas trade guides from CLR may help:

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Texas Master Electrician and a Texas Electrical Contractor?

The Master Electrician is an individual credential that certifies a person to plan, lay out, and supervise electrical work in compliance with the National Electrical Code. The Electrical Contractor license is a business license held by the company; every Texas electrical contractor must designate a Master Electrician of record. A single individual may hold both credentials.

How many hours do I need to become a Texas Master Electrician?

You must complete 12,000 hours of on-the-job training under direct supervision of a Texas Master Electrician. You must also hold an active Texas Journeyman Electrician license for at least two years before applying. Industrial Journeyman hours do not count toward the Master Electrician total.

What is the passing score on the TDLR Master Electrician exam?

The current Master Electrician exam has two portions: NEC Knowledge and Calculations. You need at least 70% on each. PSI’s current bulletin lists 75 items in 150 minutes for NEC Knowledge and 33 items in 170 minutes for Calculations, including non-scored items.

Does Texas require a surety bond for electricians?

TDLR’s Master Electrician and Electrical Contractor application requirements do not include a statewide surety bond. Confirm any local permit or project requirements separately.

How often does the Texas Master Electrician license renew?

Annually. Renewal requires a $45 fee and four hours of TDLR-approved continuing education completed during the license term. The coursework must address the NEC, Texas electrician law, Texas electrician rules, and NFPA 70E electrical safety.

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