Do you need a state license in New York?
New York 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.
Master electricians are licensed by local governments. In New York City, the Department of Buildings licenses master electricians, with a $585 written exam and a $530 practical exam.
How to get set up in New York, step by step
- Find out which local board licenses electricians where you will work.
- Get the experience that board requires.
- Apply for and pass the local master electrician exam.
- Register your business and get the insurance the locality requires.
- If you install alarm systems, also apply to the Department of State.
What it costs in New York
There is no state license fee for electrical work in New York. Ask the city or county where you work about any local fees.
Good to know in New York
- Electricians who install security or fire alarm systems need a separate New York State Department of State license or registration. A locally licensed master electrician may register for a $50 fee or get the state license for $200.
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 official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with your city or county before you file.
More for your trade: how electrical contractors run on Koira.