To work as an electrician for an employer in Georgia, you don't need a state license of your own. The Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors licenses the electrical business and not the electricians it employs.
Dates are estimates. You must be at least 21, and up to 1 of the 4 years can be secondary experience or education.
The FAQ of the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors says Georgia doesn't offer reciprocity now. Its How-To Guide still lists Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Call the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors before you apply, and ask whether it recognizes your license.
Work for a licensed business or join an apprenticeship
You can work for a licensed electrical business without a state license of your own.
The largest cities and counties in Georgia don't issue their own electrician license. They issue a business or occupation tax certificate that asks for your state license number.
An apprenticeship is a paid job with training. You work for an employer and you learn the trade on the job. Georgia has 41 registered electrician apprenticeship programs. The median wage is $16.00 an hour at the start and $28.14 an hour at the end.
If you take electrical work in your own name, the business needs one of these 2 licenses from the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors. For both, you must be at least 21.
Statewide Class I Electrical Contractor (Restricted)
Experience
4 years in the electrical field, with experience in at least 5 of the 8 kinds of work the board lists, and in load calculation.
Exam
Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Electrical Contractors licensure examination, Class I (Restricted). PSI gives the exam.
Exam fee
The board doesn't list it
Fee
$110 to apply. The board doesn't list a license fee.
Renewal
Every 2 years, $100, with 8 hours of continuing education
Statewide Class II Electrical Contractor (Unrestricted)
Experience
4 years in the electrical field, with experience on systems larger than single-phase, 200 amperes, and in all 8 kinds of work the board lists.
Exam
Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Electrical Contractors licensure examination, Class II (Unrestricted). PSI gives the exam.
Exam fee
The board doesn't list it
Fee
$110 to apply. The board doesn't list a license fee.
Renewal
Every 2 years, $100, with 8 hours of continuing education
The $110 is the $100 application fee plus a $10 processing fee. An older fee schedule lists $30, and that schedule is out of date.
From January 1, 2026, you record every continuing education course in CE Broker, where the board can see it. A basic account costs nothing. The board’s continuing education page has the rest.
What electricians earn in Georgia
$28.04an hour
$58,320 a year, full time
Half of the electricians on a payroll in Georgia earn more than $28.04 an hour, and half earn less. The middle half earn $22.43 to $36.77. The lowest-paid 10% earn $17.88 or less, and the highest-paid 10% earn $40.39 or more.
These figures cover everyone on a payroll as an electrician in Georgia, from apprentices to people with decades in the trade, so they aren't a starting wage. The survey counts 21,650 jobs and doesn't include self-employed electricians. The yearly figure is for full-time work all year, which is 2,080 hours.
If you hold a license from another state, call the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors before you apply, and ask whether it recognizes your license. Its FAQ says Georgia doesn't offer reciprocity now. Its How-To Guide still lists Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, for a current license you got by passing an exam, with no violations.
Questions
Can you become an electrician with no experience?
Yes. You can start as an apprentice and learn the trade on the job.
How much do most electricians earn in Georgia?
Half of the electricians on a payroll in Georgia earn between $22.43 and $36.77 an hour. These figures don't include overtime pay.
Can an electrician earn $100,000 a year in Georgia?
The highest-paid 10% of electricians on a payroll in Georgia earn more than $84,000 a year before overtime, so most electricians earn less than $100,000 a year from regular hours.
Contact the licensing office
Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractorssos.ga.gov
