StateLicensed

Electrician License Requirements in Virginia

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
8000 hrs
Upfront cost
$271.75
Exam
Virginia Journeyman Electrical Tradesman Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 3 years
Issuing board
Virginia Board for Contractors, Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 18 years old, pass a criminal background check. Per DPOR's Tradesman Application Instructions (citing Va. Code §54.1-116), all applicants must be 18 years of age. Applicants must disclose any felony conviction in any U.S. jurisdiction on a Criminal Conviction Reporting Form (a plea of nolo contendere counts as a conviction); Virginia residents must provide an original criminal history record from Virginia State Police, and non-residents from each state where convicted. Applicants also authorize release of background information from government agencies and current/former employers. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 8000 hours of training. Per DPOR's official Tradesman Application Instructions, Journeyman applicants qualify one of several ways: (1) completion of a registered apprenticeship program in Virginia or another state, or (2) 4 years of practical experience plus 240 hours of formal vocational training (approx. 8,000 hours total, recorded here as the primary figure), or (3) 5 years + 160 hours, 6 years + 80 hours, or 7 years + 40 hours of vocational training, or (4) an associate's degree in a related trade field plus 2 years of experience, a bachelor's in a related engineering curriculum plus 1 year of experience, or 10 years of verified practical experience. approvedProgramRequired is false because DPOR explicitly allows experience-only pathways alongside apprenticeship completion. [1]

  3. 3

    Virginia Journeyman Electrical Tradesman Examination

    Pass the Virginia Journeyman Electrical Tradesman Examination (fee: $100). 70 questions in 3.5 hours, 70% (49 of 70 correct) required to pass. Exam sites include Charlottesville, Richmond, Roanoke, Vienna, Virginia Beach, and out-of-state locations in Johnson City, TN and Salisbury, MD. Exam fee is paid directly to PSI and is separate from the DPOR application/license fee. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Virginia Board for Contractors, Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) with the $171.75 application fee. [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Virginia Board for Contractors, Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) issues your Journeyman Electrical Tradesman License for Virginia.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $171.75
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] $160
Virginia Journeyman Electrical Tradesman Examination [2] $100
Card Exchange method of licensure (locality-issued card swap) [3] $131.75

Per DPOR's official Tradesman Exam & License Application form, the combined application/license fee for Journeyman Electrical is $171.75 for the Examination, Reciprocity, or Apprenticeship Program methods of licensure ($131.75 for the Card Exchange method), which includes a $7.25/year Technology Fee added pursuant to 2026 House Bill 30. license is null since DPOR does not itemize licensure separately from this application fee. Renewal is $90 per cycle, likely also subject to the same per-year Technology Fee add-on, which could not be confirmed precisely for the renewal form during this research pass. Renewal fee corrected to $160 per 18VAC50-30-120(G) (amended Aug 2025; the DPOR board page's $90 figure is stale).

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 3 years. 3 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Tradesman licenses expire three years from the last day of the month of issuance per 18VAC50-30-120(A) (amended Aug 2025). Renewal requires 3 hours of Board-approved continuing education on the National Electrical Code per 18VAC50-30-120(C). Note: the DPOR Tradesmen board page still describes a two-year cycle in places; the current rule text controls (2026-07-12 correction).

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Per the Board for Contractors' official Reciprocal Licensing/Examination Agreements list: District of Columbia (Journeyman and Master Electrical Tradesman) has full license-and-examination reciprocity with Virginia's Journeyman and Master Electrical Tradesman license; West Virginia (Journeyman and Master Electrical Tradesman) likewise has full license-and-examination reciprocity. Kentucky (Electrician and Master Electrician license) has examination-only reciprocity with Virginia's Journeyman and Master Electrical Tradesman exam (i.e. exam credit, not automatic licensure). Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina, and Ohio agreements listed by the Board apply to the Master Electrical tier only, not Journeyman. No interstate licensure compact covers electricians.

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

Cost calculator

  • $171.75
  • $100
Total$271.75

Frequently asked questions

How do I qualify for a Virginia Journeyman Electrician license?

Complete a registered apprenticeship program (in Virginia or another state), or show 4 years of practical experience plus 240 hours of formal vocational training (or one of several other experience/education combinations DPOR accepts), then pass the Virginia Journeyman Electrical exam.

Who administers the Virginia Journeyman Electrical exam and what does it cost?

PSI, under contract with DPOR. The exam is 70 questions in 3.5 hours, requiring 49 correct (70%) to pass, and costs $100 paid directly to PSI.

How much does a Virginia Journeyman Electrical license cost?

The DPOR application/license fee is $171.75 for the Examination, Reciprocity, or Apprenticeship Program methods of licensure ($131.75 for a locality-card exchange), which includes a $7.25/year Technology Fee under 2026 House Bill 30. This is separate from the $100 PSI exam fee.

Does Virginia have reciprocity with other states for Journeyman electricians?

Yes — full license reciprocity with the District of Columbia and West Virginia for Journeyman Electrical Tradesman licenses, and examination-only reciprocity with Kentucky. Other listed agreements (Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio) apply only to the Master Electrical tier.

What are Virginia's age and background-check requirements?

All applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants must disclose any felony conviction and provide a criminal history record (from Virginia State Police for VA residents, or from each state where convicted for non-residents), and authorize a background check.

Sources

  1. [1] dpor.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/boards/Tradesman/Tradesman%20Application%20Instructions.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
  2. [2] dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Tradesmen — accessed 2026-07-11
  3. [3] dpor.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/boards/Tradesman/A501-2710EXLIC.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
  4. [4] law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency50/chapter30/section120/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  5. [5] dpor.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/boards/Tradesman/Tradesmen%20reciprocal%20agreements.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11