StateLicensed

Electrician License Requirements in Wisconsin

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
8000 hrs
Upfront cost
$230
Exam
Journeyman Electrician Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 4 years
Issuing board
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 18 years old. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age to become a licensed Journeyman Electrician in Wisconsin. DSPS's official Form #3106 application information does not itemize a criminal-history background-check step for this specific credential (unlike some other regulated professions), so backgroundCheck is recorded as false, though DSPS's general LicensE application process may still ask standard character/eligibility questions. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 8000 hours of training. Per DSPS's official Journeyman Electrician License Application Information (Form #3106), an applicant must EITHER complete an electrical construction apprenticeship recognized under Wis. Stat. Chapter 106 or the U.S. Department of Labor (with completion certificate attached), OR document experience: at least 8,000 hours of experience installing/repairing/maintaining electrical wiring over a period of at least 48 months, or at least 1,000 hours per year for at least 5 years. Each full-time semester in a related electrical program counts as 500 hours of experience, capped at 2,000 hours (2 years) credited toward the requirement. approvedProgramRequired is false since DSPS explicitly allows the experience-only pathway. [1]

  3. 3

    Journeyman Electrician Examination

    Pass the Journeyman Electrician Examination (fee: $95). Open-book computer-based exam; permitted reference materials are listed on DSPS's exam-information page. Exam fees are paid to Pearson VUE at the time of reservation (credit/debit card or voucher only — not accepted at the test center) and are non-refundable. Passing results are valid for one year; a two-day wait is required after passing before applying for the license. The Pearson VUE Wisconsin DSPS Trades Candidate Handbook lists the Journeyman Electrician exam fee as $95 (current as of this handbook); some third-party summaries cite an older $30 DSPS exam fee that predates the transition to Pearson VUE administration — the $95 Pearson VUE figure is used here as the current authoritative source. This is separate from the $35 DSPS application fee. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) with the $35 application fee. [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) issues your Journeyman Electrician License for Wisconsin.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $35
License fee [3] $100
Renewal fee [3] $100
Journeyman Electrician Examination [2] $95
Late continuing-education fee [3] $25
Reinstatement fee [3] $200

Per DSPS's official Trades Renewal Dates and Fees schedule, the Journeyman Electrician credential fee (issued on a 4-year cycle) is $100.00, with a $25.00 late-CE fee if continuing education is submitted late and a $200.00 reinstatement fee if the license lapses. The $35 application fee is charged separately when applying through LicensE (license.wi.gov), and the $95 exam fee (see exams entry) is paid directly to Pearson VUE.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 4 years. 24 continuing education hours required per cycle.

The Journeyman Electrician license is on a 4-year renewal cycle, expiring June 30. Wisconsin Admin. Code § SPS 305.44(6)(b) requires 24 hours of DSPS-approved continuing education before each renewal, largely covering National Electrical Code updates. A $25 late fee applies if CE documentation is submitted after the deadline.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Per DSPS Form #3106, Wisconsin's reciprocity is limited to Iowa and New Hampshire: a person holding a valid, unexpired Journeyman Electrician license obtained through a state examination in Iowa (Journeyman A) or New Hampshire may apply for a Wisconsin Journeyman Electrician license without taking the WI exam, provided they have held that out-of-state license continuously for at least one year immediately before applying (New Hampshire applicants must also have completed an electrical apprenticeship-schooling program of at least 600 hours, 24 of which are safety-related). No other states have a Wisconsin Journeyman reciprocity agreement, and there is no interstate licensure compact for electricians.

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

Cost calculator

  • $35
  • $100
  • $95
Total$230

Frequently asked questions

How many hours of experience does Wisconsin require for a Journeyman Electrician license?

8,000 hours over at least 48 months (or 1,000 hours/year for 5 years) of documented electrical experience, OR completion of a recognized electrical construction apprenticeship.

Who administers the Wisconsin Journeyman Electrician exam and what does it cost?

Pearson VUE, under contract with DSPS. The exam is open-book and costs $95, paid directly to Pearson VUE at the time of reservation. This is separate from the $35 DSPS application fee.

How much does a Wisconsin Journeyman Electrician license cost overall, and how often is it renewed?

A $35 application fee, a $95 Pearson VUE exam fee, and a $100 credential fee (also the renewal amount) on a 4-year renewal cycle expiring each June 30.

Does Wisconsin require continuing education to renew?

Yes — 24 hours of DSPS-approved continuing education (largely NEC code updates) before each 4-year renewal. A $25 late fee applies if CE is submitted after the deadline.

Does Wisconsin offer reciprocity for out-of-state journeyman electricians?

Only for Iowa (Journeyman A license) and New Hampshire, provided the applicant held that license continuously for at least one year. No other states qualify, and there is no broader multi-state reciprocity or IBEW shortcut.

Sources

  1. [1] dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Trades/fm3106.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
  2. [2] pearsonvue.com/content/dam/VUE/vue/en/documents/publications/405000.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
  3. [3] dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Trades/TradesRenewalDatesFees.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11