StateLicensed

Electrician License Requirements in Michigan

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$140
Exam
Electrical Journeyman Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 1 year
Issuing board
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes, Electrical Division

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 20 years old. Minimum age 20 for the Electrical Journeyman license (Master Electrician requires minimum age 22). LARA's licensing page and application materials found in this research pass do not describe a criminal background check as part of the standard journeyman application. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete the required training. No fixed classroom-hour figure published; the standard path is 8,000 hours (4 years) as a registered electrical apprentice performing electrical construction/maintenance/wiring work under the direct supervision of a Michigan-licensed journeyman or master electrician. Some credit toward the 8,000/4-year requirement may be granted for a recognized training or educational program. Retrieved via archive.org snapshot dated 2026-02-09 because michigan.gov blocks automated fetches. [1]

  3. 3

    Electrical Journeyman Examination

    Pass the Electrical Journeyman Examination (fee: $100). Open-book exam; only the 2023 NEC, 2016 PA 407, and Michigan Electrical Code Rules Part 8 references are allowed; 75% required to pass Exams are currently based on the 2023 National Electrical Code, 2023 Michigan Electrical Code Rules Part 8, 1972 PA 230, and 2016 PA 407. Retrieved via archive.org snapshot dated 2026-02-09 (michigan.gov blocks automated fetches). [1]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes, Electrical Division. [2]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes, Electrical Division issues your Electrical Journeyman License for Michigan.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [2] None specified
License fee [2] $40
Renewal fee [2] $40
Electrical Journeyman Examination [1] $100
Apprentice electrician registration/renewal [2] $15

MCL 339.5707(2)(b): the fee for an initial electrical journeyman license and for its renewal is the same $40 figure (statute does not separate a distinct 'application' fee from the license-issuance fee). Exam fee ($100) is paid to PSI separately and is captured in the exams[] fact group, not here. Statute text confirmed via archive.org snapshot dated 2025-05-14 of legislature.mi.gov (the site refuses direct automated connections).

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 1 year.

MCL 339.5707(6): journeyman licenses expire December 31 each year and are renewable up to 60 days after (grace period to March 1) upon payment of the $40 fee. No fixed recurring CE-hour figure is set by statute; instead, per LARA's licensing page, licensees must complete an approved code-update course within 12 months whenever Michigan adopts a new NEC edition (an event-triggered requirement, not a fixed per-cycle hour count).

Reciprocity

No reciprocity or endorsement route was found.

Michigan does not offer direct license reciprocity/endorsement with any other state — an out-of-state license cannot be swapped for a Michigan one. Out-of-state licensees must still sit for Michigan's journeyman exam, though LARA's Electrical Division may credit verified out-of-state experience toward the 8,000-hour/4-year requirement on a case-by-case basis via its out-of-state license verification process. No multistate electrician licensure compact exists for this occupation, so compacts is empty.

6 state-approved training providers in Michigan — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $40
  • $100
Total$140

Frequently asked questions

How old do I need to be to hold an Electrical Journeyman license in Michigan?

At least 20 years old (Master Electrician requires at least 22).

How much apprenticeship experience is required before the journeyman exam?

8,000 hours over at least 4 years as a registered electrical apprentice, supervised by a Michigan-licensed journeyman or master electrician; some credit may be available for a recognized training program.

Who administers the journeyman exam and what does it cost?

PSI Services administers the exam; the fee is $100, and a 75% score is required to pass. The exam is open-book, limited to the 2023 NEC, 2016 PA 407, and Michigan Electrical Code Rules Part 8.

How often do I need to renew my journeyman license?

Annually — licenses expire December 31 each year, renewable up to 60 days after (grace period to March 1), for a $40 fee.

If I'm already licensed as an electrician in another state, can I transfer my license to Michigan?

No — Michigan does not offer direct reciprocity. You must pass Michigan's journeyman exam, though LARA may credit verified out-of-state experience toward the hours requirement on a case-by-case basis.

Sources

  1. [1] michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/sections/licensing-section/exam-lic/electrical-examination-licensing-registration-application-information — accessed 2026-07-11
  2. [2] legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL — accessed 2026-07-11
  3. [3] michigan.gov/lara/-/media/Project/Websites/lara/bcc-media/BCC-Forms/Miscellaneous/BCC-___-Out-of-State-License-Verification-0322.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11