- Limited and SP-SFD: 3,000 hours of experience, with at least 2,000 hours of primary experience. Intermediate: 5,750 hours, at least 5,000 primary. Unlimited: 9,000 hours, at least 8,000 primary, plus two written statements about your ability to supervise.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- A statement of bonding ability is needed to activate an Intermediate or Unlimited license.
- Every year. Licenses expire one year after issue. Qualified individuals on Limited, Intermediate, Unlimited and SP-SFD licenses need 8 hours of continuing education a year (4 hours for other special restricted licenses). Half must be in a classroom.
Do you need a state license in North Carolina?
North Carolina licenses electrical work at the state level through the North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
North Carolina license types for electrical work
North Carolina splits the work into 5 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 |
|---|---|
| Limited (L) | One project up to $60,000, equipment rated 600 volts or less |
| Intermediate (I) | One project up to $150,000 |
| Unlimited (U) | Any project, no value limit |
| SP-SFD Residential Dwelling | Special restricted license for single-family detached homes |
| Other special restricted licenses | Fire alarm and low voltage, plumbing and heating, swimming pool, groundwater pump, electric sign and elevator work |
Steps to get licensed in North Carolina
- Get the hours of electrical experience your license class needs.
- Read the exam handbook and send the exam application with the $125 fee.
- After board approval, schedule the exam with PSI within your 90-day window.
- Pass the exam with a score of 70 or higher.
- Send the new license application with the license fee for your class, and a bonding ability statement for Intermediate or Unlimited.
- Renew every year and finish your continuing education hours.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Limited and SP-SFD: 3,000 hours of experience, with at least 2,000 hours of primary experience. Intermediate: 5,750 hours, at least 5,000 primary. Unlimited: 9,000 hours, at least 8,000 primary, plus two written statements about your ability to supervise.
The license to apply for. Electrical Contractor License (Limited, Intermediate or Unlimited).
North Carolina electrical exams
Trade exam. Yes. A computer-based, open book exam given by PSI. Limited, Intermediate and Unlimited exams have 100 questions and 6 hours. You need a score of 70 to pass.
Business and law exam. No separate business exam is listed. The exam study list includes the NASCLA business, law and project management guide, North Carolina electrical edition.
What it costs in North Carolina
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 and exam fee | $125 |
| Limited license, per year | $100 |
| Intermediate license, per year | $150 |
| Unlimited license, per year | $200 |
| Special restricted license, per year | $100 |
| Late renewal fee | $25 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. A statement of bonding ability is needed to activate an Intermediate or Unlimited license.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every year. Licenses expire one year after issue. Qualified individuals on Limited, Intermediate, Unlimited and SP-SFD licenses need 8 hours of continuing education a year (4 hours for other special restricted licenses). Half must be in a classroom.
Reciprocity. The board lists reciprocity with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
Good to know in North Carolina
- Each place of business needs at least one listed qualified individual on active duty to supervise the electrical work.
- If you fail, you must wait three months before taking the same exam again.
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 North Carolina State Board of Examiners of 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.