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How to become an electrician in Virginia

To work as an electrician in Virginia, you need your own license from the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). If you work under the supervision of a licensed electrician, as an apprentice does, you don't need one of your own.

See your steps Find an apprenticeship

Your ladder

  1. ApprenticeStart here
  2. Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman licenseYour first state license
  3. Master Electrical (ELE) tradesman licenseThe next license up
  4. Class A contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classificationRun your own business

First: start as an apprentice.

Find an apprenticeship

Your steps

Steps for: New to the trade. Change where you are at the top of the page.

  1. Step 1, Start here

    Start as an apprentice

    An apprenticeship is a paid job with training. You work for an employer and you learn the trade on the job. Virginia has 536 registered electrician apprenticeship programs. The median wage is $17.34 an hour at the start and $24.05 an hour at the end.

    The programs with the most active apprentices

    See all 536 programs

  2. Step 2,

    Get the experience you need

    DPOR sets the experience you need for the Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman license.

    Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman license

    You need 4 years of practical experience in the trade and 240 hours of formal vocational training (approved courses in the trade). More experience can replace training: you can also qualify with 5 years and 160 hours, 6 years and 80 hours, 7 years and 40 hours, or 8 years and no training. You can also qualify with a related associate degree or 2-year certificate and 2 years of experience, or a related bachelor's degree in engineering and 1 year of experience.

    The Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman license costs $150.

    You must pass the Virginia journeyman electrician examination. The exam costs $100.

    You renew the Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman license every 3 years. The renewal costs $160. You need 3 hours of continuing education for each renewal.

    The 240 hours are the training hours for an applicant with 4 years of experience.

    You pay $171.75 when you apply. That is the $150 license fee plus a technology fee of $7.25 a year for 3 years.

  3. Step 3,

    Apply for your Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman license

    Apply to DPOR for the Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman license. You must pass the Virginia journeyman electrician examination. PSI gives the exam.

  4. Step 4,

    Renew your license

    You renew the Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman license every 3 years.

Other electrician licenses

Master Electrical (ELE) tradesman license

The Master Electrical (ELE) tradesman license costs $150.

You must pass the Virginia master electrician examination. The exam costs $125.

You renew the Master Electrical (ELE) tradesman license every 3 years. The renewal costs $160. You need 3 hours of continuing education for each renewal.

You pay $171.75 when you apply. That is the $150 license fee plus a technology fee of $7.25 a year for 3 years.

The official wording of the requirement
Master Electrical (ELE) tradesman license“Having held a valid journeyman license in the trade for which licensure is desired for a minimum of one year”

To run an electrical business

These are the licenses for running an electrical business.

Class A contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification

The Class A contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification requires 8 classroom hours.

The Class A contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification costs $400.

You must pass the Virginia Board for Contractors Class examination. The exam costs up to $200.

You renew the Class A contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification every 2 years. The renewal costs $270.

The 8 hours are a basic business course and not trade training. All 3 contractor classes require the course.

You pay this fee with your application, and there is no separate application fee. You also pay a $25 recovery fund fee.

The $200 is the most that the testing company can charge for each part of the exam. If you take more than 1 part, you pay for each part.

The official wording of the requirement
Class A contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification“Master electrician tradesman license issued by the Board for Contractors”

Class B contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification

The Class B contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification requires 8 classroom hours.

The Class B contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification costs $380.

You must pass the Virginia Board for Contractors Class examination. The exam costs up to $200.

You renew the Class B contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification every 2 years. The renewal costs $260.

The 8 hours are a basic business course and not trade training. All 3 contractor classes require the course.

You pay this fee with your application, and there is no separate application fee. You also pay a $25 recovery fund fee.

The $200 is the most that the testing company can charge for each part of the exam. If you take more than 1 part, you pay for each part.

The official wording of the requirement
Class B contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification“Master electrician tradesman license issued by the Board for Contractors”

Class C contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification

The Class C contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification requires 8 classroom hours.

The Class C contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification costs $235.

You renew the Class C contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification every 2 years. The renewal costs $220.

The 8 hours are a basic business course and not trade training. All 3 contractor classes require the course.

You pay this fee with your application, and there is no separate application fee. You also pay a $25 recovery fund fee.

The official wording of the requirement
Class C contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification“Master electrician tradesman license issued by the Board for Contractors”

Take the exam

LicenseExam
Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman licenseVirginia journeyman electrician examinationPSI gives the exam.
Master Electrical (ELE) tradesman licenseVirginia master electrician examinationPSI gives the exam.
Class A contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classificationVirginia Board for Contractors Class examinationPSI gives the exam.
Class B contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classificationVirginia Board for Contractors Class examinationPSI gives the exam.

You take the exam for the license you apply for.

What electricians earn in Virginia

$30.24an hour

$62,900 a year, full time

Half of the electricians on a payroll in Virginia earn more than $30.24 an hour, and half earn less. The federal wage survey puts the yearly figure at $62,900.

These figures cover everyone on a payroll as an electrician in Virginia, from apprentices to people with decades in the trade, so they aren't a starting wage. The survey counts 23,630 jobs. The figures don't include self-employed electricians.

The yearly figure is for full-time work all year, which is 2,080 hours.

Use a license from another state

If you hold a license from one of the states listed for a license, you may be able to use your license to qualify in Virginia.

Virginia licenseRecognized from
Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman licenseDistrict of Columbia, Kentucky and West Virginia
Master Electrical (ELE) tradesman licenseAlabama, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia

Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman license: If you hold a journeyman or master electrician license from one of these places, the agreement lets you use the exam you passed there. You don't take the Virginia exam. You still apply to DPOR for the Virginia license and pay the Virginia fee. You must meet all the terms of the agreement with your state.

Master Electrical (ELE) tradesman license: If you hold a license from one of these places, the agreement lets you use the exam you passed there. You don't take the Virginia exam. You still apply to DPOR for the license and pay the Virginia fee. You may hold a North Carolina Unlimited or Intermediate electrical contractor license. If so, the agreement also covers a Virginia Class A or Class B contractor license.

These states recognize a license from Virginia.

Virginia licenseRecognized by
Master Electrical (ELE) tradesman licenseAlabama, North Carolina and Ohio
Class A contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classification and Class B contractor license, Electrical (ELE) classificationAlabama and North Carolina

Questions

Can you become an electrician with no experience?

Yes. You can start as an apprentice and learn the trade on the job.

Virginia electrician apprenticeships

How much do most electricians earn in Virginia?

Half of the electricians on a payroll in Virginia earn between $23.76 and $37.59 an hour. These figures don't include overtime pay.

Can an electrician earn $100,000 a year in Virginia?

Yes. The highest-paid 10% of electricians on a payroll in Virginia earn more than $105,720 a year before overtime.

Can you take the classroom hours online?

DPOR says this about the Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman license: "'Formal vocational training' means courses in the trade administered at an accredited educational facility; or formal training, approved by the board, conducted by trade associations, businesses, the military, correspondence schools, or other similar training organizations."

Contact the licensing office

Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractorsdpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Tradesmen

Words to know

Apprentice
Someone who learns the trade on the job, working under a licensed worker.
Journeyman
The license level after apprentice. Some states write journeyperson, journeyworker or journey level.
Master
A higher license level, for a worker with more years in the trade. It often lets you supervise others.
Continuing education
Classes you take to keep your license.
Reciprocity
An agreement that lets you use a license from one state to get a license in another.
PSI
A company that runs licensing exams for state and city offices.
Median
The middle figure. Half of the workers earn more, and half earn less.

Sources

19
  1. Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors, electrician licensing, who needs a license, the licensing office and license names
  2. Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors, electrician licenses, experience and exam
  3. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
  4. Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors, electrician licensing, license names
  5. Virginia Law, 18VAC50-30-39 B
  6. Virginia Law, Journeyman Electrical (ELE) tradesman license, online classes
  7. Virginia Law, 18VAC50-30-100, "Examination fees"
  8. PSI, Individual License and Certification Candidate Information Bulletin for the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
  9. Virginia Law, electrician licenses, fees
  10. Virginia Law, 18VAC50-30-120 A, "Renewal"
  11. Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors, electrician licenses, licenses from other states
  12. NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors, electrician licenses, licenses from other states
  13. Virginia Law, electrician licenses, fees (second page)
  14. Virginia Law, electrician licenses, online classes
  15. Virginia Law, electrician licenses, experience
  16. Virginia Law, 18VAC50-22-80, "Examination fees"
  17. Virginia Law, 18VAC50-22-110, "Renewal required"
  18. Virginia Law, § 54.1-1129 A of the Code of Virginia, "Necessity for licensure"
  19. U.S. Department of Labor national apprenticeship data, extract of August 17, 2026

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