- In New Hampshire no electrical installation can be made for pay unless it is done by a licensed electrician.
- Journeyman: 8,000 hours as an apprentice plus 600 hours of electrical schooling (or 10 years licensed as a journeyman or master elsewhere). Master: pass the journeyman exam and work 2,000 hours as a journeyman before taking the master exam.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Pay runs from about $20.76 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of electricians to $44.16 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 13.7% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 6.5% projected nationally.
The path in New Hampshire, step by step
New Hampshire licenses electrical work at the state level through the New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, Electricians' Board. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Register as an apprentice electrician with the state.
- Complete 8,000 hours as an apprentice and 600 hours of electrical schooling.
- Pass the journeyman exam with 70 percent or better.
- Work 2,000 hours as a licensed journeyman, then pass the master exam.
- Pay the $198 two year master license fee. If you operate as a company, also get a corporation or partnership license.
- Complete the NEC update continuing education each code cycle and renew every 2 years.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: electrical license in New Hampshire.
Finding an apprenticeship in New Hampshire
New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire
The license to aim for: Master Electrician.
Trade exam. Board approved journeyman and master exams. Passing score is 70 percent. Each exam costs $90.
Keeping it. Licenses run 2 years. After each new edition of the National Electrical Code, licensees must finish the required continuing education within 12 months from the following January 1, or the license becomes invalid.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Master Electrician | Runs an electrical business or does electrical installations as a business on their own account. |
| Journeyman Electrician | Installs wiring and equipment while employed by a licensed master electrician or licensed company. |
| Apprentice Electrician | Registers with the state and works under direct supervision of a master or journeyman. |
| Corporation or partnership license | For a company whose officer or employee in charge of the business is a licensed master electrician. |
What the New Hampshire license costs
The fees the New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, Electricians' Board lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Master electrician license, 2 years (initial or renewal) | $198 |
| Journeyman electrician license, 2 years | $110 |
| Electrical corporation or partnership license, 2 years | $137 |
| Master electrician exam | $90 |
| Apprentice registration, 12 months | $33 |
What electricians earn in New Hampshire
The median electrician in New Hampshire earned $30.21 an hour in May 2025, 32nd of 51 states, with 3,330 on payrolls. The national median was $30.38.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of electricians in New Hampshire earned under $23.28 an hour and a tenth under $20.76. At the top, a quarter earned over $37.68 and a tenth over $44.16.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $20.76 | $43,190 |
| 25th percentile | $23.28 | $48,420 |
| Median | $30.21 | $62,840 |
| 75th percentile | $37.68 | $78,370 |
| 90th percentile | $44.16 | $91,850 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: electrician salary in New Hampshire.
Jobs ahead in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's labor market office projects jobs for electricians growing from 3,210 in 2022 to 3,650 in 2032, a change of 13.7%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 340 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 13.7% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 6.5% projected nationally, ranking 20th 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 New Hampshire
To contract on your own in New Hampshire, the license is the Master Electrician.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the New Hampshire median of $30.21 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $123.64 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 New Hampshire'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.
- RSA 319-C, Electricians (checked 2026-10-08)
- Elec 100 to 400 rules, Electricians' Board (checked 2026-10-08)
- Plc 1000 rules, OPLC fees (checked 2026-10-08)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2022 to 2032 (state labor market offices) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship System (Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agencies) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, State Offices (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Program (checked 2026-10-09)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Electricians (checked 2026-10-09)
Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become an electrician.