Home / Electrician / Washington
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries · checked 2026-10-21
Washington Electrician License Requirements
Statewide certificate of competency issued by L&I under chapter 19.28 RCW. Journey level electricians may do all electrical work; specialty certificates cover narrower fields. Journey level electrician: 4 years of experience at minimum, plus an exam.
- 1JL · Journey level electrician 4 years
License levels in Washington
Washington has one credential on this path: the Journey level electrician. The source counts experience in hours; the "time from start" column turns those hours into full-time years at 2,000 hours a year.
| Level | Experience | Classroom | Time from start | Exam | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JL Journey level electrician | 8,000 hours | — | 4 years | Yes | Not printed |
Journey level electrician (JL)
Completion of an 8,000-hour electrical construction apprenticeship, of which 4,000 hours must be new industrial or commercial installations, or the out-of-state, military or 16,000-hour out-of-state experience routes in the statute. A two-year public community or technical college program may substitute for up to two years of work experience. L&I confirms eligibility and then sends exam instructions. Source: RCW 19.28.191, Electrician certificates of competency.
Washington also issues narrower classes on the same page: Residential, pump and irrigation, sign, limited energy and nonresidential maintenance specialties (at least 4,000 hours of supervised work) and Appliance repair, restricted nonresidential maintenance, equipment repair and domestic pump specialties (at least 2,000 hours).
Exam
1 of the 1 level listed here requires an exam: Journey level electrician. The source does not print a pass mark.
Fees
The Washington source read prints no dollar amounts for this license. RCW 19.28.191 does not print the certificate or exam fees, and the L&I fee rule was not read.
Reciprocity
The Washington sources read for this trade name no reciprocity agreement and no route for out-of-state licensees.
How Washington compares
Among the 24 states on this site that state a minimum time to the top electrician credential, Washington ranks 9 of 24 from shortest (2 years) to longest (9 years). New Hampshire, California, Florida and Georgia set the same 4 years.
Same trade elsewhere: California · Texas · Florida · Ohio · Georgia. All states side by side: Electrician license requirements by state.
Other trades in Washington
- Plumber: Journey level plumber: 4 years of experience at minimum, plus an exam.
- General contractor: Washington uses a general contractor registration for general contractors, not a skills license.
All covered trades on one page: Washington 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 Washington?
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). Statewide certificate of competency issued by L&I under chapter 19.28 RCW. Journey level electricians may do all electrical work; specialty certificates cover narrower fields.
How long does it take to qualify for the Journey level electrician in Washington?
4 years by this site's count. Completion of an 8,000-hour electrical construction apprenticeship, of which 4,000 hours must be new industrial or commercial installations, or the out-of-state, military or 16,000-hour out-of-state experience routes in the statute. A two-year public community or technical college program may substitute for up to two years of work experience. L&I confirms eligibility and then sends exam instructions.
Does Washington have electrician license reciprocity?
The Washington sources read name no reciprocity agreement for this trade.
Sources and last checked
| What | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing authority | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) | 2026-10-21 |
| JL requirements | RCW 19.28.191, Electrician certificates of competency | 2026-10-21 |
| Law cited | RCW 19.28.191 | 2026-10-21 |
This page summarises what the Washington 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 Washington State Department of Labor and Industries before applying. The free official route is the board itself: its page, application forms and staff answer eligibility questions.