Rest of the US · 3 trades verified · checked 2026-10-21
Washington trade licenses
Electrician, Plumber and General contractor credentials in Washington, from the issuing board's page or the statute: who issues each one, the levels, the time it takes and the exam.
- 1Electrician 4 years
- 2Plumber 4 years
- 3HVAC not covered here
- 4General contractor registration
| Trade | Issued by | Top credential | Time to top | Exam | Fees printed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries | Journey level electrician | 4 years | Yes | No |
| Plumber | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries | Journey level plumber | 4 years | Yes | No |
| General contractor | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries | General contractor registration | registration | No | Yes |
Electrician in Washington
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.
Journey level electrician — 4 years, exam. No reciprocity partner is named in the source.
What the top level asks for: 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.
Washington electrician details · Electrician in every state
Plumber in Washington
Statewide plumber certificate of competency issued by L&I under chapter 18.106 RCW, with journey level and specialty certificates. Journey level plumber: 4 years of experience at minimum, plus an exam.
Journey level plumber — 4 years, exam. No reciprocity partner is named in the source.
What the top level asks for: 8,000 hours and not less than four years of documented training, with 4,000 hours of commercial work under a certified journey level plumber; before testing, 16 hours of continuing education including at least 4 hours of industry-related electrical training. Then the certification exam.
Washington plumber details · Plumber in every state
General contractor in Washington
Washington registers contractors with L&I under chapter 18.27 RCW; registration checks bond and insurance, not trade skill. Washington uses a general contractor registration for general contractors, not a skills license.
General contractor registration — registration, registration application $150.20. No reciprocity partner is named in the source.
What the top level asks for: Register with L&I and file a $30,000 continuous contractor surety bond (specialty contractors $15,000), or assign a bank account instead, plus liability insurance of $200,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage or a $250,000 combined single limit. The registration steps list no exam and no experience requirement.
Washington general contractor details · General contractor in every state
Moving to or from Washington
Electrician: no route is named in the source. Plumber: no route is named in the source. General contractor: no route is named in the source. Conditions differ by board, so read the state page for each trade before relying on a partner list.
Not covered yet
HVAC is not on this page because no Washington board page or statute for it was fetched and verified in this run. The methodology lists every exclusion.
Nearby and comparable: Alabama · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Delaware. Guides: how long each state takes · license or registration.
General information from the Washington sources on 2026-10-21, not legal advice. Each board is the authority; confirm before applying.