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Oregon Electrical and Elevator Board · checked 2026-10-21
Oregon Electrician License Requirements
Statewide electrician licenses issued by the Building Codes Division on exams prepared by the Electrical and Elevator Board, under ORS 479.630. General supervising electrician: 8 years of experience at minimum, plus an exam.
- 1GJ · General journeyman electrician 4 years
- 2GS · General supervising electrician 8 years
License levels in Oregon
The Oregon path has 2 steps on this page: General journeyman electrician and General supervising electrician. The source states the time in years.
| Level | Experience | Classroom | Time from start | Exam | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GJ General journeyman electrician | 4 years | — | 4 years | Yes | Not printed |
| GS General supervising electrician | 4 years at the prior level | — | 8 years | Yes | Not printed |
General journeyman electrician (GJ)
At least four years of general experience as an apprentice or its equivalent, including at least 1,000 hours of wiring on single or multifamily dwellings; or two years as a limited residential electrician plus two more years of apprentice-level commercial and industrial experience. Then the board's written exam. Source: ORS 479.630, Electrical licenses.
General supervising electrician (GS)
At least four years of experience as a general journeyman electrician or its equivalent as set by board rule, then the board's written exam. Source: ORS 479.630, Electrical licenses.
Oregon also issues narrower classes on the same page: Limited residential electrician (two years of residential apprenticeship or trainee experience, safety and theory training, written exam).
Exam
2 of the 2 levels listed here require an exam: General journeyman electrician and General supervising electrician. The source does not print a pass mark.
Fees
The Oregon source read prints no dollar amounts for this license. ORS 479.630 prints no fees, and the Building Codes Division fee pages could not be read in this run.
Reciprocity
The Oregon sources read for this trade name no reciprocity agreement and no route for out-of-state licensees.
Seen from the other side: Maine lists Oregon among its partners on its own board page (Maine). Each state applies its own conditions, so read both pages.
How Oregon compares
Among the 24 states on this site that state a minimum time to the top electrician credential, Oregon ranks 23 of 24 from shortest (2 years) to longest (9 years). Kentucky and Montana set the same 8 years.
Same trade elsewhere: California · Texas · Florida · Ohio · Georgia. All states side by side: Electrician license requirements by state.
Other trades in Oregon
- Plumber: Journeyman plumber: the source states no minimum time, plus an exam.
- General contractor: Commercial general contractor, level 1: the source states no minimum time, plus an exam.
All covered trades on one page: Oregon trade licenses.
Background reading: From apprentice to master: how long each state takes · How trade license exams work.
Questions
Who issues the electrician license in Oregon?
Oregon Electrical and Elevator Board, Building Codes Division. Statewide electrician licenses issued by the Building Codes Division on exams prepared by the Electrical and Elevator Board, under ORS 479.630.
How long does it take to qualify for the General supervising electrician in Oregon?
8 years by this site's count. At least four years of experience as a general journeyman electrician or its equivalent as set by board rule, then the board's written exam.
Does Oregon have electrician license reciprocity?
The Oregon sources read name no reciprocity agreement for this trade.
Sources and last checked
| What | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing authority | Oregon Electrical and Elevator Board, Building Codes Division | 2026-10-21 |
| GJ requirements | ORS 479.630, Electrical licenses | 2026-10-21 |
| GS requirements | ORS 479.630, Electrical licenses | 2026-10-21 |
| Law cited | ORS 479.630(2), (4) and (14) | 2026-10-21 |
This page summarises what the Oregon source said on 2026-10-21. It is general information, not legal advice; the board's own page and the statute are the authority and can change. Confirm with Oregon Electrical and Elevator Board before applying. The free official route is the board itself: its page, application forms and staff answer eligibility questions.