Electrician License Requirements in Alabama
- Training hours
- 8000 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $150
- Exam
- Statewide Journeyman Electrician Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 1 year
- Issuing board
- Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. Ala. Admin. Code 303-X-2-.02 does not set a minimum age or a criminal-background-check requirement for the Journeyman Electrician license. Applicants must submit a completed application, personal identification, and (per Code of Ala. 1975 §31-13-7) a Proof of Citizenship declaration/government-issued ID. [3]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 8000 hours of training. 8,000 hours of documented commercial, industrial, or residential electrical work experience (installation of wiring, apparatus, or equipment for lighting, power, and/or controls). Up to 2,000 of the 8,000 hours may be substituted with 1 year of education in an approved electrical curriculum or apprenticeship program per 1,000 hours (Ala. Admin. Code 303-X-2-.02(2)-(3)). Alabama also issues a separate, higher-tier Electrical Contractor license (business/supervisory level) not covered by this record. [1]
- 3
Statewide Journeyman Electrician Examination
Pass the Statewide Journeyman Electrician Examination (fee: $115). Cashier's check or money order only; a 4% service fee applies for credit card payment. Applicants who have already passed a Board-approved national standardized exam administered by an independent third party in Alabama may be deemed to have satisfied the testing requirement (Ala. Admin. Code 303-X-2-.02(7)). [2]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors. [2]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors issues your Statewide Journeyman Electrician's License for Alabama.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [2] | None specified |
| License fee [2] | $35 |
| Renewal fee [2] | $35 |
| Statewide Journeyman Electrician Examination [2] | $115 |
| Late renewal fee (renewed after the 30th of the license's expiration month) [2] | $15 |
| Reciprocal licensing fee (effective 2026-02-14) [2] | $315 |
No separate 'application' fee is listed on the Board's fee schedule beyond the $115 exam fee; a first-time Journeyman applicant pays the $115 exam fee plus the $35 Original License fee once the exam is passed.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 1 year.
Ala. Admin. Code 303-X-2-.02(5) states journeyman (and contractor) licenses 'shall expire annually or at other times designated by the Board'; the Board's own renewal form shows licenses renew within the specific quarter (March/June/September/December) they expire in, so the practical cycle is annual with a quarterly-staggered expiration date rather than the 2-year cycle some third-party sites describe (that 2-year figure appears to conflate the Journeyman renewal with the 14-hour/2-year continuing-education cycle the Board sets for Electrical Contractors only, per 303-X-2-.03(2)). Journeyman electricians currently have no continuing-education requirement to renew (unlike Electrical Contractors, who need 14 CE hours every 2 years, 7 of which must cover the NEC).
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
No interstate compact covers electricians. Alabama's board-recognized reciprocity list is Electrical-Contractor-only for most states (Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Louisiana); Texas (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation) is the sole reciprocal state whose Journeyman Electrician license Alabama also accepts by reciprocity, effective a $315 reciprocal licensing fee as of 2026-02-14.
9 state-approved training providers in Alabama — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $35
- $115
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of experience does Alabama require for a Journeyman Electrician license?
8,000 hours of documented commercial, industrial, or residential electrical work experience. Up to 2,000 of those hours can instead come from an approved electrical curriculum or apprenticeship program (1 year of education = 1,000 substituted hours).
Who administers the Alabama Journeyman Electrician exam?
Prov (Provexam.com) administers the exam under contract with the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors. The exam fee is $115, payable by cashier's check or money order (a 4% surcharge applies for credit card payment).
Does an Alabama Journeyman Electrician need continuing education to renew?
No. Journeyman electricians currently have no continuing-education requirement to renew their license, unlike Electrical Contractors, who must complete 14 CE hours every 2 years.
Can an out-of-state journeyman electrician transfer their license to Alabama?
Only if licensed in Texas. Texas is the only state whose Journeyman Electrician license Alabama's Board accepts for reciprocity; other listed reciprocal states apply to the Electrical Contractor license only.
Sources
- [1] aecb.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Rule2.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
- [2] aecb.alabama.gov/licensees/forms/ — accessed 2026-07-11
- [3] aecb.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/JManAp8-6-20.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11