How to Become an Electrician in Georgia: Steps, License and Pay

How to become an electrician in Georgia

Georgia licenses electrical contractors statewide through the Division of Electrical Contractors of the State Construction Industry Licensing Board. Electricians there earned a median $28.04 an hour ($58,320 a year) in May 2025, 8% below the national median of $30.38. The state projects about 2,300 openings a year through 2032.

$28.04Median hourly pay

2,300Openings a year to 2032

YesState license

U.S. Labor Dept.Registers apprenticeships

The short version for Georgia

Georgia licenses electrical contractors statewide through the Division of Electrical Contractors of the State Construction Industry Licensing Board.
At least 4 years of primary hands on electrical experience. Up to one year can come from secondary experience or education credited at 50 percent. Class II applicants must show work on systems above single phase 200 amps. Applicants with six years of electrical contracting experience can qualify without primary installation experience. You must be at least 21.
Plan for a trade exam.
Pay runs from about $17.88 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of electricians to $40.39 for the top tenth.
Jobs are projected to grow 17% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 6.5% projected nationally.

The path in Georgia, step by step

Georgia licenses electrical work at the state level through the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Electrical Contractors. These are the steps it lays out, in order.

Build at least 4 years of electrical experience, or 6 years of electrical contracting experience.
Apply in the GOALS portal with three references, a background check and the fee.
Once the board approves you, register with PSI and pass the exam with a score of at least 70.
Wait for your license before doing any work.
Renew online by June 30 of each even numbered year with 8 hours of continuing education.

The full license guide, with every fee and form: electrical license in Georgia.

Finding an apprenticeship in Georgia

Georgia has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency, so the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers and oversees programs there through a state field office. Apprenticeship.gov lists the Georgia Apprenticeship Office as the contact.

Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.

Across the country. Most electricians learn the trade in a 4 or 5 year apprenticeship. Each year brings about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training plus some classroom instruction.

License levels and exams in Georgia

The license to aim for: Electrical Contractor, Class II (unrestricted) or Class I (restricted).

Trade exam. Yes. The board must approve you, then you register with PSI and need a score of at least 70. If you fail twice, you must finish a board approved review course before a third try.

Keeping it. Every two years. Renew online by June 30 of even numbered years, with a late period in July. You need 4 hours of continuing education each year, 8 hours per renewal.

Coming from another state. Georgia does not offer licensure by reciprocity, effective May 2026.

License	What it covers
Class I Electrical Contractor (restricted)	Single phase installations up to 200 amps at the service drop or lateral.
Class II Electrical Contractor (non-restricted)	Unrestricted electrical contracting.

What electricians earn in Georgia

The median electrician in Georgia earned $28.04 an hour in May 2025, 47th of 51 states, with 21,650 on payrolls. The national median was $30.38.

At the bottom of the range, a quarter of electricians in Georgia earned under $22.43 an hour and a tenth under $17.88. At the top, a quarter earned over $36.77 and a tenth over $40.39.

Pay level	Hourly	Yearly
10th percentile	$17.88	$37,180
25th percentile	$22.43	$46,640
Median	$28.04	$58,320
75th percentile	$36.77	$76,490
90th percentile	$40.39	$84,000

Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: electrician salary in Georgia.

Jobs ahead in Georgia

Georgia's labor market office projects jobs for electricians growing from 20,630 in 2022 to 24,130 in 2032, a change of 17%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 2,300 openings a year.

Jobs are projected to grow 17% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 6.5% projected nationally, ranking 11th of the 50 states in the file.

These are the state's own long-term projections, published together on Projections Central for the occupation group electricians.

Starting your own electrician business in Georgia

To contract on your own in Georgia, the license is the Electrical Contractor, Class II (unrestricted) or Class I (restricted).

Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Georgia median of $28.04 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $119.83 per billable hour. Try your own in the electrician labor rate calculator.

The full checklist is in how to start an electrical business. The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.

Where this comes from

The license steps, fees and rules are from the official pages below, read on the date shown. Pay is the BLS May 2025 state estimate, the job outlook is Georgia's own long-term projection, and the apprenticeship details are from the U.S. Department of Labor. A detail an official page did not confirm is left out.

Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become an electrician.

FAQ

How do you become an electrician in Georgia?

Build at least 4 years of electrical experience, or 6 years of electrical contracting experience. Apply in the GOALS portal with three references, a background check and the fee. Once the board approves you, register with PSI and pass the exam with a score of at least 70. The rest of the steps are on this page.

Do you need an electrical license in Georgia?

Yes. Georgia licenses electrical contractors statewide through the Division of Electrical Contractors of the State Construction Industry Licensing Board. You may not legally perform services until you hold an active license. The board licenses contractors, not individual electricians.

How much experience does Georgia require?

At least 4 years of primary hands on electrical experience. Up to one year can come from secondary experience or education credited at 50 percent. Class II applicants must show work on systems above single phase 200 amps. Applicants with six years of electrical contracting experience can qualify without primary installation experience. You must be at least 21.

How much do electricians make in Georgia?

The median was $28.04 an hour, or $58,320 a year, in May 2025, from the BLS wage survey. The national median was $30.38.

Who runs apprenticeships in Georgia?

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers programs in Georgia, since the state has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency. Programs themselves are sponsored by employers, unions and trade groups.

How often do you renew in Georgia?

Every two years. Renew online by June 30 of even numbered years, with a late period in July. You need 4 hours of continuing education each year, 8 hours per renewal.