Low-Voltage Technician License Requirements by State
Installs data, security, and low-voltage systems. This page compares low-voltage technician licensing requirements across all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. Every row links to the verified state page with statute citations, fees, exam scope, insurance, and renewal rules.
- Published guides
- 51
- Exam pathways recorded
- 35
- Require surety bond
- 6
- Local / scope-specific
- 8
- Avg published experience
- 3.0 yr
Comparison table — all 51 jurisdictions
Scroll horizontally on smaller screens. Use the sort control to compare low-fee states, high-bond states, or the jurisdictions with the heaviest published experience requirements. Click any state to open the verified license page.
8 of these published jurisdictions have no single statewide trade license; local and scope-specific rules may apply.
| State | License | Exam | Experience | Bond | Initial fee | Renewal | NASCLA | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State license | Alabama Electrical Contractor license and AESBL electronic-security license, as applicable | Depends on pathway | — | — | $150 | 1 yr | — | Varies by AECB examination/Board review |
| Alaska State license | Alaska Low Voltage Alarm or Signaling Device Contractor Guide | No statewide exam | — | $10,000 | — | 2 yr | — | CBPL says complete contractor applications generally take several weeks |
| Arizona State license | Arizona Low Voltage Communication Systems Contractor — C-67 Commercial / R-67 Residential / CR-67 Dual | Required | 2 yr | — | $480 | 2 yr | — | Timing depends on examination completion |
| Arkansas Local / scope-specific | Arkansas Class E Alarm Systems Company License | Required | — | — | — | — | — | Timing depends on Arkansas State Police review |
| California State license | California C-7 Low Voltage Systems Contractor | Required | 4 yr | $25,000 | $200 | 2 yr | — | Varies with application review |
| Colorado State license | Colorado Low-Voltage Work — State Electrical and Local Permit Rules | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | Depends on scope determination |
| Connecticut State license | Connecticut C-5/C-6 and L-5/L-6 Limited Electrical License Requirements | Required | 4 yr | — | $150 | — | — | Varies with education/experience documentation |
| Delaware State license | Delaware Scope-Dependent Electrical and Fire-Alarm Licensing | Confirm with authority | — | — | — | — | — | No standalone low-voltage timeline is published |
| District of Columbia State license | District of Columbia Low-Voltage Contractor Requirements — Electrical and Security-Alarm Guide | Required | — | $2,000 | — | 2 yr | — | Allow time for the Limited Master Electrician (Low Voltage) credential |
| Florida State license | Florida Certified Limited Energy Specialty (ES) / Alarm System Contractor I (EF) / Alarm System Contractor II (EG) | Required | 3 yr | — | $296 | 2 yr | — | Timing varies with application completeness |
| Georgia State license | Georgia Low-Voltage Contractor License — LV-A, LV-G, LV-T, and LV-U | Required | 4 yr | — | — | 2 yr | — | — |
| Hawaii State license | Hawaii C-15 Electronic Systems Contractor License (Low Voltage) | Confirm with authority | 4 yr | — | $260 | 2 yr | — | Timing depends on CLB completeness review |
| Idaho State license | Idaho Limited Energy Electrical Contractor License | Required | 2 yr | — | $125 | 1 yr | — | DOPL sends exam information after application approval |
| Illinois Mixed / scope-dependent | Illinois Private Alarm Contractor Licensing and Local Low-Voltage Requirements | Required | 3 yr | — | — | 3 yr | — | Timing depends on document review |
| Indiana State license | Indiana Low-Voltage Requirements (Local Credentials and Project Approvals) | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | Varies by local authority and project-review process |
| Iowa State license | Iowa Low-Voltage Work: Chapter 103 Exception + Alarm-System Licensing | Confirm with authority | — | — | $300 | 2 yr | — | Timing depends on endorsement qualifications |
| Kansas Local / scope-specific | Kansas Low-Voltage Contractor Requirements — Local Electrical Rules + Fire Alarm Registration | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kentucky State license | Kentucky Low-Voltage Installer Certification | Required | 2 yr | — | $25 | — | — | Timing depends on application review, examination scheduling, and local permits. |
| Louisiana State license | Louisiana Telecommunications, Low Voltage Electrical Subclassification (5.2) — LSLBC | No statewide exam | — | — | $100 | 1 yr | — | LSLBC does not publish a universal processing time |
| Maine State license | Maine Limited Electrician—Low Energy License Requirements | Required | 2 yr | — | $150 | 2 yr | — | Varies with documentation review |
| Maryland Mixed / scope-dependent | Maryland electrical and security-systems credentials, as applicable | Required | 7 yr | — | $25 | 2 yr | — | Varies by qualification route |
| Massachusetts Mixed / scope-dependent | Massachusetts Systems Technician, Systems Contractor, and C1 Systems Business Requirements | Required | 2 yr | — | — | 3 yr | — | The Class D path requires at least two years of documented work experience |
| Michigan State license | Michigan Fire Alarm Specialty Technician and Fire Alarm Contractor Requirements | Required | — | — | $300 | 3 yr | — | — |
| Minnesota State license | Minnesota Power Limited Technician and Technology Systems Contractor License | Required | 3 yr | — | — | 2 yr | — | Timing depends on experience review |
| Mississippi State license | Mississippi Low-Voltage Contractor and Electronic Protection Licensing Requirements | Depends on pathway | — | — | $450 | 1 yr | — | Varies with MSBOC application/exams |
| Missouri Local / scope-specific | Missouri Local Low-Voltage and Electrical Contractor Requirements | Required | — | — | — | — | — | Varies by AHJ |
| Montana Local / scope-specific | Montana Low-Voltage Work — Electrical Board, CCL, and Local Requirements | No statewide exam | — | — | $70 | 1 yr | — | — |
| Nebraska State license | Nebraska Low-Voltage Work — Electrical Scope, Fire Alarm Installer, and Local Authority | Confirm with authority | 2 yr | — | $37.5 | 2 yr | — | NSED does not publish a generic low-voltage timeline |
| Nevada State license | Nevada C-2d Low-Voltage Contractor and Fire-Alarm Licensing Requirements | Depends on pathway | 4 yr | — | $600 | 2 yr | — | Varies with application completeness |
| New Hampshire State license | New Hampshire Low-Voltage Electrical and Fire-Alarm Requirements | Required | 4 yr | — | — | — | — | Varies by electrician qualification |
| New Jersey Mixed / scope-dependent | New Jersey Low-Voltage, Alarm, and Electrical Contractor Requirements | Required | — | $10,000 | — | — | — | Depends on the selected licensing categories |
| New Mexico State license | New Mexico ES-3 Low Voltage Special Systems Contractor License | Required | 2 yr | — | — | 3 yr | — | CID does not publish a standard ES-3 timeline |
| New York Local / scope-specific | New York Security or Fire Alarm Installer — Article 6-D | Required | — | — | $185 | 2 yr | — | DOS does not publish a universal processing timeline |
| North Carolina State license | North Carolina Special Restricted Fire Alarm/Low-Voltage Electrical Contractor (SP-FA/LV) | Required | 2 yr | — | $100 | 1 yr | — | Allow for NCBEEC application review |
| North Dakota State license | North Dakota Power Limited Electrician License Requirements | Required | 3 yr | — | $50 | 1 yr | — | The NDSEB application says to allow two to three weeks for processing |
| Ohio Local / scope-specific | Ohio Low-Voltage Requirements: State Exemption, Fire-Protection Certificates, and Local Rules | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | Timing depends on whether a State Fire Marshal certificate |
| Oklahoma Mixed / scope-dependent | Oklahoma Low-Voltage: Electrical Boundaries and Alarm-System Licensing | Confirm with authority | — | — | $75 | 1 yr | — | Timing depends on actual system scope |
| Oregon State license | Oregon Limited Energy Contractor (CLE) and Limited Energy Technician (LEA or LEB) | Required | — | — | $375 | 3 yr | — | BCD says a complete LEA/LEB application is typically processed in about one week |
| Pennsylvania Local / scope-specific | Pennsylvania Local Low-Voltage Licensing and Home Improvement Contractor Registration | Depends on pathway | — | — | $100 | 2 yr | — | HIC processing is generally about four weeks by mail |
| Rhode Island State license | Rhode Island Telecommunications, Fire-Alarm, and Burglar-Alarm Licensing Paths | Depends on pathway | — | $10,000 | $240 | 2 yr | — | No reliable universal timeline is published |
| South Carolina Local / scope-specific | South Carolina Low-Voltage Cable Work: No Specific State License; Separate Alarm Licensing | Required | — | — | $200 | 2 yr | — | Ordinary low-voltage cable work has no state license issuance timeline |
| South Dakota Mixed / scope-dependent | South Dakota Low-Voltage Requirements — Electrical Commission Scope Guide | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | No separate statewide low-voltage contractor license timeline is identified |
| Tennessee State license | Tennessee CE-D/CE-J contractor classification or Alarm Systems Contractor credential, as applicable | Depends on pathway | — | — | $250 | 2 yr | — | Depends on financial review |
| Texas State license | Texas Low-Voltage Work: DPS Private Security, State Fire Marshal, and TDLR Requirements | Required | 2 yr | — | — | 2 yr | — | Timing varies by the selected DPS/SFMO credential |
| Utah Mixed / scope-dependent | Utah Low-Voltage Work — No Standalone DOPL Low-Voltage Contractor Class | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | No statewide low-voltage contractor license timeline is published |
| Vermont State license | Vermont Low-Voltage Electrical Work: Type-S, Journeyman, Master, and Fire-Alarm TQP Scope | Required | — | — | — | 3 yr | — | Timing depends on Board review of training/experience |
| Virginia State license | Virginia Electronic/Communication and Fire Alarm Contractor Specialty | Depends on pathway | — | — | — | 2 yr | — | Depends on DPOR application completeness |
| Washington State license | Washington limited-energy and telecommunications electrical specialties — L&I | Depends on pathway | — | $4,000 | — | — | — | Timing is specialty and application specific |
| West Virginia State license | West Virginia Specialty Low-Voltage Electrician License | Required | 1 yr | — | — | 1 yr | — | The State Fire Marshal does not publish one universal SP-LV processing timeline |
| Wisconsin Mixed / scope-dependent | Wisconsin Low-Voltage Work — DSPS and Local Requirements | No statewide exam | — | — | — | — | — | Depends on the work scope and issuing state or local authority. |
| Wyoming Mixed / scope-dependent | Wyoming Low Voltage Technician and Contractor License | Confirm with authority | — | — | $100 | 3 yr | — | DFPES says each portal processing step can take up to five business days |
National picture for low-voltage technician
Of the 51 jurisdictions currently published in this dataset, 35 record required or conditional examination pathways, 6 record a positive license-bond amount, and 0 record NASCLA acceptance. Among entries with a positive numeric experience threshold, the average recorded value is 3.0 years.
The comparison above is generated at build time directly from the state license entries on this site. Every value is traceable to the regulator's published rule. If you spot a discrepancy, the state page is the source of truth and will be re-verified against the official source set.
Choosing where to license first
- Lowest barrier to entry: compare the recorded fee and examination pathway, then read the guide for local obligations and missing costs. A local-only label does not mean the work is unregulated.
- Strongest reciprocity downstream: states marked NASCLA Accepted, because the same exam can unlock multiple jurisdictions later.
- Lowest upfront cost: focus on combinations with the smallest initial fee and no bond requirement.
- Fastest path to wallet card: compare the Time column, but remember that municipal programs can still involve multiple city registrations.
Related trades
Scope of work overlaps at the edges of every classification. Contractors researching low-voltage technician licensing often also need the comparison hub for these adjacent trades:
Related reading
Original cross-state analyses from our dataset that add context to the low-voltage technician table above — who runs the exams, where the burden is heaviest, and what a criminal record means for eligibility.
The Contractor Licensing Atlas
What mapping 918 licenses revealed about exam providers, bonds, and where a trade needs no state license at all.
Contractor license difficulty index
Where each state ranks on exam, experience, and bond burden — hardest to easiest.
License costs ranked by state
Cheapest to most expensive states once fees, bond, and first-year insurance are counted.
Licensing with a criminal record
A 50-state look at background checks and which convictions actually block a license.
Data is sourced from the issuing boards' published rules. Latest completed source-check date represented in the dataset: 2026-09-30.