Washington Solar Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Washington does not issue a standalone solar contractor license. Solar PV installation is regulated as electrical work under RCW 19.28 and is administered by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) Electrical Program. Any company installing photovoltaic systems must hold an L&I Electrical Contractor license (typically the 06 General Electrical or the 06A Residential / 06B Commercial specialty), employ a Master Electrician as the administrator, and post the required electrical contractor bond. Solar thermal water heating requires a Washington Plumbing Contractor license. NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification is the industry standard but is voluntary in Washington.

Regulatory Body Profile

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) is the statutory authority responsible for issuing and enforcing this license under Revised Code of Washington Chapter 18.27 (Contractors); Chapter 19.28 (Electricians); Chapter 18.106 (Plumbers). L&I registers contractors statewide, certifies individual electricians and plumbers, administers prevailing wage, and conducts complaint investigations.

Official portal: https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors/
Address: 7273 Linderson Way SW, Tumwater, WA 98501
Phone: (360) 902-5226

The Eligibility Audit

The threshold requirements are straightforward: age 18 or above, plus a valid Social Security Number. No Washington residency requirement.

Good moral character

L&I reviews criminal history under RCW 19.28.041.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure on the application.

Experience and Education Standards

A minimum of four years and 8,000 hours of journey-level electrical experience to qualify for the Master Electrician credential, which is a prerequisite to the Electrical Contractor license must be documented and verified. Unless the board publishes a different lookback period, applicants should keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records that support the claimed experience.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

L&I Affidavit of Experience signed by each supervising Master Electrician
Certified payroll covering the qualifying period
L&I-registered apprenticeship completion certificate

Education substitution

L&I-registered apprenticeship satisfies the experience requirement.

The Exam Syllabus

L&I administers in-house electrician examinations administers the required examination. Each part below must be passed before the license will issue:

Washington Master Electrician Examination — NEC, Washington Electrical Code, business and law — 100 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $94 examination fee.

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

Bonding, Insurance & Financial Security

Before the license is issued, the applicant must file a $4,000 contractor license surety bond in the form prescribed by the L&I.

General liability

L&I requires $250,000 bodily injury / $200,000 property damage commercial general liability for electrical contractors.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory under RCW Title 51 for any business with employees.

Additional financial requirements

No financial statement required.

Schedule of Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$365
Examination	$94
Initial license	$365
Renewal (every year)	$365

Renewal and Continuing Obligations

The Washington L&I Electrical Contractor (06 General) + Specialty 06A Residential and 06B Commercial runs on a year renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $365. L&I Electrical Contractor licenses renew annually.

Continuing education: Twenty-four hours of L&I-approved continuing education every three years for Master Electricians.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Out-of-State Reciprocity

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

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Oregon	Trade exam waived	Limited L&I–Oregon BCD reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare) for active electrical contractors.
Idaho	Trade exam waived	Limited L&I–Idaho reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).
Montana	Trade exam waived	Limited L&I–Montana reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).

L&I maintains limited electrical reciprocity (electrical only; solar-specific reciprocity is rare) with several Pacific Northwest 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 Application Roadmap

Document four years and 8,000 hours of journey-level experience. Track all hours under a Washington Master Electrician.
Pass the Master Electrician examination at 70%. L&I administers the exam in-house.
Submit the Electrical Contractor application. Designate the Master Electrician as the administrator.
Post the $4,000 electrical contractor bond. Required by RCW 19.28.041.
File the certificate of insurance. $250K BI / $200K PD minimum.
Receive the Electrical Contractor license. L&I issues the credential after bond and insurance are filed.
Pull permits and schedule L&I inspections per project. Every PV project requires an L&I or city electrical permit and inspection.

Pre-Application Checklist

Before submitting to L&I, the applicant should have each of the following ready:

☐ Four years and 8,000 hours of journey-level experience
☐ Master Electrician credential
☐ L&I Electrical Contractor application + $365 fee
☐ $4,000 electrical contractor bond
☐ $250K BI / $200K PD commercial general liability insurance
☐ Workers' compensation coverage
☐ Local permits and L&I inspections per project

Where Applications Stall

The errors below are the ones that most frequently cost Washington Solar applicants time, drawn from the cited board guidance.

Skipping the Master Electrician

Every Electrical Contractor must have a designated Master Electrician administrator.

Letting the bond lapse

L&I will suspend the license immediately upon bond cancellation.

Missing the 24-hour CE

Master Electricians need 24 hours of CE every three years.

Forgetting workers compensation

L&I administers workers comp directly and audits at every renewal.

Skipping the L&I inspection

Every PV project requires an L&I or municipal electrical inspection before energization.

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 Article 690 — Solar Photovoltaic Systems — NFPA. Primary technical reference.
Washington Electrical Code (WAC 296-46B) — L&I. State amendments to the NEC.
L&I Master Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin — L&I. Free PDF outlining exam content.

Other Washington Trade Licenses

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

Common Questions

Does Washington have a solar license?

No. Solar PV is regulated as electrical work under L&I Electrical Contractor licensing.

Is NABCEP required?

No. NABCEP is voluntary in Washington.

What credential supervises the work?

A Washington Master Electrician must serve as the administrator for any Electrical Contractor.

How big is the bond?

$4,000 electrical contractor bond under RCW 19.28.041.

Does Washington reciprocate?

Yes. L&I maintains limited reciprocity (verify directly with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare) with Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.

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