- Journeyman: 4 years or 8,000 work hours. Master: 8 years or 16,000 work hours. Both need an NEC code class certificate taken within 2 years, and experience letters signed off by a master.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- For regular voltage work, a $4,000 company bond and a $2,000 master bond. For low voltage work, $2,000 and $1,000.
- Every two years. Electrician licenses expire November 30 of odd numbered years.
Do you need a state license in the District of Columbia?
the District of Columbia licenses electrical work at the state level through the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Board of Industrial Trades. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
the District of Columbia license types for electrical work
the District of Columbia splits the work into 4 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Apprentice | Learning the trade, no experience needed |
| Journeyman | Low voltage or regular voltage electrical work |
| Master | Low voltage or regular voltage, and can serve as a contractor designated master |
| Contractor | The business license, which needs a DC licensed designated master and company and master bonds |
Steps to get licensed in the District of Columbia
- Build 4 years of experience for journeyman, or finish a nationally certified apprenticeship.
- Build 8 years or 16,000 work hours for master and take an NEC code class within 2 years of applying.
- Apply online with DLCP and pay the $65 application fee.
- Schedule and pass the open book PSI exam, or apply by reciprocity if you hold a Maryland or Virginia license by exam.
- For your own business, register the company, name a designated master, and file the company and master bonds with the contractor application.
- Renew by November 30 of each odd numbered year.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Journeyman: 4 years or 8,000 work hours. Master: 8 years or 16,000 work hours. Both need an NEC code class certificate taken within 2 years, and experience letters signed off by a master.
The license to apply for. Master Electrician (and an Electrical trade contractor license for the business).
the District of Columbia electrical exams
Trade exam. Yes. Journeyman and master exams are open book, based on the National Electrical Code and Ugly's Electrical Reference, and scheduled through PSI. Finishing a nationally certified apprenticeship can waive the journeyman exam.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in the District of Columbia
The board lists 6 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $65 |
| Master license, up to 2 years | $120 |
| Contractor license, up to 2 years | $120 |
| Master renewal | $155 |
| Contractor renewal | $180 |
| Late renewal fee | $50 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. For regular voltage work, a $4,000 company bond and a $2,000 master bond. For low voltage work, $2,000 and $1,000.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every two years. Electrician licenses expire November 30 of odd numbered years.
Reciprocity. Journeyman and master electricians licensed by exam in Maryland or Virginia can get a DC license through reciprocity without taking the exam.
Good to know in the District of Columbia
- Low voltage work is any work at 49 volts and below.
- The contractor license needs a designated DC licensed master who supervises the work.
- There is no exam for the contractor license itself.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for an electrician near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Board of Industrial Trades and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how electrical contractors run on Koira.