Electrician License Requirements in Kentucky
- Training hours
- 8000 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $100
- Exam
- Kentucky Electrician Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC), Public Protection Cabinet, Licensing Branch
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 18 years old, pass a criminal background check. DHBC's official EL-3 Electrical License Application requires the applicant to check a box confirming 'I am eighteen (18) years of age or older.' Both the initial application and the L-1 renewal application require a yes/no disclosure of any felony or misdemeanor conviction in Kentucky, any other state, or the United States; a 'yes' answer states the license 'may not be renewed [or issued] at this time' without contacting the Licensing Branch. [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 8000 hours of training. Per KRS 227A.060(2)-(3), the base 'Electrician' license (Kentucky's journeyman-equivalent tier, one step below Master Electrician) may be obtained via: 8,000 documented hours of work experience; OR six years of general electrical work experience; OR four years of experience combined with 576 hours of classroom training; OR three years of experience plus an associate's degree in electrical technology from a Kentucky Community and Technical College System program completed after 1998. Kentucky's tiers are Electrician (base/journeyman) -> Master Electrician -> Electrical Contractor (business-level); this record covers the Electrician tier as the first independent-work credential. [1]
- 3
Kentucky Electrician Examination
Pass the Kentucky Electrician Examination. Open-book multiple-choice exam (80 questions); Master and Electrician exams reference the National Electrical Code and Ugly's Electrical References DHBC's own website lists 'Prov Electrical Testing Information' as its electrical-exam testing resource (with 'Pearson Vue Exam Information' listed as a separate item, which may apply to other license types administered by the department). Third-party sources report exam-fee figures ranging $80-$100, which could not be confirmed on an official DHBC page during this research, so fee is recorded as null. [2]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC), Public Protection Cabinet, Licensing Branch with the $100 application fee. [1]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC), Public Protection Cabinet, Licensing Branch issues your Electrician License for Kentucky.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | $100 |
| License fee [1] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [1] | $50 |
| Kentucky Electrician Examination [2] | None specified |
DHBC's official Electrical License Application Fee Schedule sets the Electrician (base tier) application fee at $100 for a full 2-year (24-month) period, prorated by application month down to your birth-month renewal date (e.g. $54 if applying in February with a January birth month, down to $50 in the lowest-prorated months). The official Licensing Renewal Application (Form L-1) lists a flat $50 Electrician renewal fee (with a $50 late fee and $50 reinstatement fee); there is no separately itemized 'license' fee beyond the application/renewal fees, so license is recorded as null.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years. 6 continuing education hours required per cycle.
Electrician licenses renew every 2 years in the licensee's birth month. Per 815 KAR 2:010, at least 6 hours of Board-approved continuing education are required in the 12 months immediately preceding renewal (no more than 2 of those hours may be safety-practices content); the first renewal is exempt if the initial license was issued within 12 months of that renewal. Proof of CE completion must be submitted with the renewal application.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
DHBC's official EL-3 application requires applicants to mark whether they are qualifying via 'Test results' or 'Reciprocity,' attaching proof and required documentation for whichever applies -- confirming Kentucky offers a reciprocity/endorsement pathway for the Electrician license. The specific reciprocal states or agreement terms were not detailed on the pages retrieved during this research, so no named agreements are listed beyond confirming the pathway exists; there is no multi-state electrician compact, so compacts is recorded as an empty array.
16 state-approved training providers in Kentucky — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $100
Frequently asked questions
What is Kentucky's journeyman-level electrician license called?
Kentucky calls it simply the 'Electrician' license -- one tier below Master Electrician and below the business-level Electrical Contractor license.
How much experience does Kentucky require for an Electrician license?
8,000 documented hours of work experience, OR six years of general electrical work experience, OR four years of experience plus 576 hours of classroom training, OR three years of experience with a qualifying KCTCS associate's degree in electrical technology (earned after 1998).
How much does a Kentucky Electrician license cost?
The initial application fee is $100 for a full 2-year period (prorated by application month); renewal is a flat $50 every 2 years, timed to your birth month.
Does Kentucky require continuing education to renew an Electrician license?
Yes -- at least 6 hours of Board-approved continuing education in the 12 months before renewal, with no more than 2 of those hours from safety-practices courses. Your first renewal is exempt if the license was issued within the prior 12 months.
Can I transfer an out-of-state electrician license to Kentucky?
Kentucky's application form includes a reciprocity option alongside the standard exam-based path, so endorsement is available; contact the DHBC Licensing Branch at 502-573-2002 for the current reciprocal-state list and documentation requirements.
Sources
- [1] dhbc.ky.gov/Documents/EL-3%20Initial%20Electrician%20License%20Application-clean.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
- [2] dhbc.ky.gov/newstatic_info.aspx — accessed 2026-07-11
- [3] apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/815/002/010/ — accessed 2026-07-11