- Master: at least age 22, 12,000 hours of experience over at least six years, and a journeyman license held for at least two years. Journeyman: 8,000 hours and four years as an apprentice.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- The contractor license renews every three years by December 31. The master license renews every year by December 31, and a code update course is needed within one year of a new code.
Do you need a state license in Michigan?
Michigan licenses electrical work at the state level through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
The City of Detroit issues its own electrical licenses and registrations.
Michigan license types for electrical work
Michigan 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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical Contractor | Required to do business as an electrician; needs an associated master electrician |
| Master Electrician | In charge of code compliance for the contractor's installations; one contractor at a time |
| Electrical Journeyman | Electrical work after an apprenticeship |
| Apprentice registration | Employed by a master and contractor and enrolled in related technical instruction |
Steps to get licensed in Michigan
- Register as an electrical apprentice with a master and contractor, and enroll in related technical instruction.
- Complete 8,000 hours and four years, then pass the journeyman exam.
- Hold the journeyman license two years and reach 12,000 total hours over six years.
- Get LARA approval and pass the master electrician exam with PSI.
- Apply for the electrical contractor license with yourself as the master.
- Renew the master yearly and the contractor license every three years.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Master: at least age 22, 12,000 hours of experience over at least six years, and a journeyman license held for at least two years. Journeyman: 8,000 hours and four years as an apprentice.
The license to apply for. Electrical Contractor license (with a Master Electrician license).
Michigan electrical exams
Trade exam. Yes for master and journeyman, given by PSI, with a passing score of 75%. The electrical contractor license has no exam.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Michigan
The board lists 4 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 |
|---|---|
| Master electrician exam | $100 |
| Electrical contractor license (3 years) | $300 |
| Master electrician renewal (yearly) | $50 |
| Late fee | $50 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. The contractor license renews every three years by December 31. The master license renews every year by December 31, and a code update course is needed within one year of a new code.
Reciprocity. Michigan does not hold reciprocity with any other state. Out of state applicants send their license and their state's requirements for review.
Good to know in Michigan
- An out of state contractor that hires a master electrician must use a master who lives in Michigan.
- Exams are currently based on the 2023 National Electrical Code and the Michigan Electrical Code rules.
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 Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes 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.