- Plan for a trade exam.
- No state bond. Post the bond each city or county requires where you work, and give the state proof of it.
- Every three years. Licenses expire September 30 of every third year.
Do you need a state license in Missouri?
Missouri does not issue a statewide electrical license. Any license you need comes from the city or county where the job is, so the rules can change from one town to the next.
You do not need the statewide license if you only work where you already hold a local license or where no license is required. Cities and counties still issue permits and inspect work, and may still require a business license. They cannot make a statewide license holder pass another local trade exam.
The Missouri license for this work
There is one license to aim for here.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Statewide Electrical Contractor License | Optional license held by a supervisory qualifier for the business, recognized statewide instead of a license in each city or county |
How to get set up in Missouri, step by step
- Decide if you want it. It is optional and helps if you work in many cities or counties.
- Document your hours: 12,000, or fewer with a journeyman certificate or a degree.
- Pass an approved exam such as ICC, Prov, NASCLA or PSI, if you have not already passed one.
- Get $500,000 of liability insurance and post any local bonds.
- Apply through MOPRO and pay the $200 fee.
- Renew every three years.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. One of these: 12,000 verifiable hours installing equipment and wiring; 10,000 hours plus a journeyman certificate from a US Department of Labor approved apprenticeship; 8,000 hours plus an associate degree from a state accredited program; or 4,000 hours supervising installs plus a four year electrical engineering degree.
The license to apply for. Statewide Electrical Contractor License (optional).
Missouri electrical exams
Trade exam. A standardized, nationally accredited electrical exam approved by the office, such as ICC Electrical Contractor or Master Electrician, Prov, NASCLA or PSI exams. You pay for the exam.
What it costs in Missouri
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 |
|---|---|
| License application | $200 |
| Triennial renewal | $100 |
| Temporary license | $100 |
| Reinstatement | $250 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. Liability insurance of $500,000.
Bond. No state bond. Post the bond each city or county requires where you work, and give the state proof of it.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every three years. Licenses expire September 30 of every third year.
Reciprocity. The statute has no reciprocity language. A test you passed and hours you verified elsewhere may still count toward the requirements.
Good to know in Missouri
- A holder of a local electrical contractor or master electrician license can qualify with a passed NEC based exam and 12,000 hours, or six of the last eight years licensed by a Missouri city or county that requires an exam.
- A company must employ at least one statewide licensed electrical contractor at a supervisory level to use the statewide license.
Once you are cleared to work
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 Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors 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.