To work as an electrician in Indiana, you may need a license from the city or county where you work. Indiana doesn't issue a statewide license to individual electricians, and only some cities and counties license them.
An apprenticeship is a paid job with training. You work for an employer and you learn the trade on the job. Indiana has 55 registered electrician apprenticeship programs. The median wage is $16.34 an hour at the start and $36.32 an hour at the end.
Find the office that licenses electricians where you will work
Only some cities and counties license electricians, and each one sets its own rules. Ask the building department in the city or county where you will work.
3
Step 3,
Check what that license requires
Each office sets the experience you need and the exam you must pass.
Master Electrical License
City of Indianapolis
The City of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood Services issues the Master Electrical License.
What this license lets you do: “Unrestricted”
The Master Electrical License costs $377.
You must pass the Electrical Contractor Master Examination.
You renew the Master Electrical License every 2 years. The renewal costs $247.
The $377 fee covers the full two-year term. If you apply later in the term, you pay less: $283 in the second half of its first year and $189 in its second year.
The official wording of the requirement
Master Electrical License (City of Indianapolis)“At least six years of documented experience in electrical construction, shown by a notarized employer letter (or three supplier or contractor letters with tax records). The Board may credit up to two years for related accredited college courses or a completed electrical apprenticeship, and the applicant must have worked in the industry at least 12 months of the last two years.”
Residential Electrical License
City of Indianapolis
The City of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood Services issues the Residential Electrical License.
What this license lets you do: “Allows license holder to work on one- and two-family structures only”
The Residential Electrical License costs $377.
You must pass the Electrical Contractor Residential Examination.
You renew the Residential Electrical License every 2 years. The renewal costs $247.
The $377 fee covers the full two-year term. If you apply later in the term, you pay less: $283 in the second half of its first year and $189 in its second year.
The official wording of the requirement
Residential Electrical License (City of Indianapolis)“At least six years of documented experience in electrical construction, shown by a notarized employer letter (or three supplier or contractor letters with tax records). The Board may credit up to two years for related accredited college courses or a completed electrical apprenticeship, and the applicant must have worked in the industry at least 12 months of the last two years.”
Electrical Supervisors License
Allen County
Hours on the job
7,000
Fee
$25
The Allen County Building Department issues the Electrical Supervisors License. The Electrical Supervisors License requires 7,000 hours on the job.
What this license lets you do: “Supervises and is responsible for electrical work; includes all journeyman and apprentice activities, and qualifies a business for an Electrical Contractors Business Registration”
About the exam: “Open book, with a 4-hour time limit”
The application fee is $25. The Electrical Supervisors License costs $25.
You must pass the Sponsor / ICC Electrical Test Master and Journeyman.
You renew the Electrical Supervisors License every year. The renewal costs $25.
You need 7,000 hours as a journeyman, over at least 4 years. If you have held your journeyman license for at least 30 days, you can show 8 years and 14,000 hours of experience instead.
The $25 fee is the Allen County exam sponsorship fee. The testing company sets the exam fee, and Allen County doesn't publish it.
The official wording of the requirement
Electrical Supervisors License (Allen County)“At least four years and 7,000 hours working for an electrical contractor as a journeyman in the same line of work, or eight years and 14,000 hours of documented experience while holding the journeyman licence for at least thirty days.”
Electrical Journeymans License
Allen County
Hours on the job
7,000
Fee
$25
The Allen County Building Department issues the Electrical Journeymans License. The Electrical Journeymans License requires 7,000 hours on the job.
What this license lets you do: “Installs, maintains, alters or repairs residential and/or commercial electrical work under the supervision of an Electrical Supervisors Licensee”
About the exam: “Open book, with a 4-hour time limit”
The application fee is $25. The Electrical Journeymans License costs $15.
You must pass the Sponsor / ICC Electrical Test Master and Journeyman.
You renew the Electrical Journeymans License every year. The renewal costs $15.
Approved apprenticeship schooling can count for 1,000 of these hours, so you can take the journeyman exam after 6,000 hours on the job.
The $25 fee is the Allen County exam sponsorship fee. The testing company sets the exam fee, and Allen County doesn't publish it.
The official wording of the requirement
Electrical Journeymans License (Allen County)“Four years and 7,000 hours as a registered electrical apprentice; approved, documented apprenticeship schooling may count for 1,000 of those hours, allowing the test after three years and 6,000 hours on the job.”
Electrical Apprentice Registration
Allen County
The Allen County Building Department issues the Electrical Apprentice Registration.
What this license lets you do: “Electrical systems work only under the direct supervision of an Electrical Supervisors or Electrical Journeyman licensee present on the job”
The Electrical Apprentice Registration costs $10.
You renew the Electrical Apprentice Registration every year. The renewal costs $10.
4
Step 4,
Apply to that office
Apply to the office that issues the license, and pay its fees when you apply.
To run an electrical business
These are the licenses for running an electrical business.
Electrical Contractor License (City of Indianapolis)
The City of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood Services issues the Electrical Contractor License.
The Electrical Contractor License costs $247.
You renew the Electrical Contractor License every 2 years. The renewal costs $247.
The $247 fee covers the full two-year term. If you apply later in the term, you pay less: $185 in the second half of its first year and $124 in its second year. A sole proprietor pays no business license fee.
The official wording of the requirement
Electrical Contractor License (City of Indianapolis)“Each business must have at least one electrical license holder who has taken and passed the required examination and received Board of Electrical Examiners Approval.”
Electrical Contractors Business Registration (Allen County)
The Allen County Building Department issues the Electrical Contractors Business Registration.
The Electrical Contractors Business Registration costs $90.
You renew the Electrical Contractors Business Registration every year. The renewal costs $90.
The official wording of the requirement
Electrical Contractors Business Registration (Allen County)“The business must have in its employ an Electrical Supervisors Licensee, who must be available at all times for consultations with the Allen County building officials.”
Take the exam
License
Exam
Master Electrical License (City of Indianapolis)
Electrical Contractor Master ExaminationThe International Code Council gives the exam.
Residential Electrical License (City of Indianapolis)
Electrical Contractor Residential ExaminationThe International Code Council gives the exam.
Electrical Supervisors License (Allen County)
Sponsor / ICC Electrical Test Master and JourneymanThe International Code Council gives the exam.
Electrical Journeymans License (Allen County)
Sponsor / ICC Electrical Test Master and JourneymanThe International Code Council gives the exam.
You take the exam for the license you apply for.
What electricians earn in Indiana
$32.93an hour
$68,490 a year, full time
Half of the electricians on a payroll in Indiana earn more than $32.93 an hour, and half earn less. The federal wage survey puts the yearly figure at $68,490.
These figures cover everyone on a payroll as an electrician in Indiana, from apprentices to people with decades in the trade, so they aren't a starting wage. The survey counts 19,020 jobs. The figures don't include self-employed electricians.
The yearly figure is for full-time work all year, which is 2,080 hours.
Half of the electricians on a payroll in Indiana earn between $24.04 and $43.89 an hour. These figures don't include overtime pay.
Can an electrician earn $100,000 a year in Indiana?
The highest-paid 10% of electricians on a payroll in Indiana earn more than $99,310 a year before overtime, so most electricians earn less than $100,000 a year from regular hours.
