Making Your Way Through the Texas Electrical Contractors License Journey

What You Need to Know About the Texas License for Electrical Contractors

The Texas Electrical Contractors license process is complex. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) is responsible for regulating electrical contractor licenses, however each city or county has its own requirements for electrical permits as well as additional requirements for electricians. The information below was obtained from the Texas Department of Labor & Statistics, and can be found here.
Proper licensing is required to work as an electrical contractor. Electrical contractors are defined as employers, or self-employed individuals, who supervise licensed electricians on projects which involve electrical work. Depending on the size of the project, the shop’s revenue, or the number of employees, a master electrician may have to supervise one or more licensed apprentices, and/or unlicensed laborers as well as licensed electricians.
A master must have two years’ experience at the master level, in addition to passing a two-part, 12-hour examination administered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Current master electricians are allowed to use a uniform master license, replacing mismatched licenses from several municipalities. Licensing without examinations may be given to applicants licensed to perform electrical contracting in another state, whose exam was similar to those in Texas.
Journeyman electricians must have four years’ experience working under a master electrician, and then pass the same two-part examination required for masters .
An apprentices must be at least 16 years of age, fit into the following categories, and have eight hours of classroom training, and 12 hours of work experience per week for 24 weeks, for total of 960 classroom training hours and 11520 on-the-job training hours. The three categories of apprentices are listed below.
For an applicant to qualify as having 4 years’ hands on experience as a Residential Wireman, he or she must have worked for a master electrician on residential jobs. This experience must include at least 7500 hours net electrical wiring installation, and at least 2000 hours of wiring installation and/or supervision of electrical installations of outside of single family dwellings on commercial, industrial, or multiple-family premises. This experience must have been obtained in accordance with the plan requirements set forth in Subchapter E of the Electrician Rules.
Non-licensed laborers does not include anyone who performs activities that require a building permit of electrical license; makes connections to any electrical power supply; installs any circuit breaker or disconnecting switch; connects four or more conductors to a pull box, junction box, or breaker panel; or performs work on the interior or exterior of a multi-family, or commercial building, in excess of 400 volts.
Permits are required prior to the initiation of any work, on any electrical project. The permit must be posted in a conspicuous place, at the jobsite, and may be inspected at any time. Only the master of record, or the electrical contractor for the job, may apply for the permit.

A Guide to Applying for a Texas Electrical Contractors License

Step #1 – Submit your application
The first step in the licensing process is submitting the completed application. While you may submit your application to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) online, you must submit it with either a money order, check or credit card authorization form. The TDLR requires all parties to sign the application. The completed application, as well as the required form or check, should be sent to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, P.O. Box 12157, Austin, Texas 78711-2157.
Step #2 – TDLR reviews the application
The TDLR will initiate its review of the application upon receiving confirmation that the payment has been processed. Once the TDLR has reviewed the document, it will either issue the license or ask for clarification of missing or contradictory information. The TDLR can also deny an application if it determines the applicant has not submitted all of the necessary forms and/or payments.
Step #3 – Submit fingerprints
The next step is to have your fingerprints on file with the Texas Department of Public Safety. The TDLR will send fingerprint cards to applicants who require them as part of their license application.
Step #4 – Submit additional documentation
If the TDLR requires additional documentation or clarification on information provided by the applicant, the applicant must respond within the time period specified by the department. Failure to do so will result in the application being voided. The department can also take action against the electrical contractor’s license if it determines that the application contains false or misleading information, or if the applicant did not disclose all criminal activity, including convictions and pleas.
Step #5 – Pay the application fee
The Texas Electrical Contractors License application process comes at a cost of $114. As mentioned above, the fee can be paid by check, money order, or credit card.

Preparing for the Electrical Contractor Exam

Becoming a licensed electrical contractor in Texas requires passing an exam that covers both business and technical aspects. This can seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach, you can prepare yourself for success on your first attempt.
The exam is a three-part test that includes a state law and business management section, a practical knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC) portion, and a practical portion that tests your knowledge of basic electrical principles. The business and law part represents 20% of your total score, while 60% accounts for the practical knowledge of the NEC section, and the final 20% comes from the practical portion.
A good place to start with your preparation is to become familiar with the NEC. Take time to study the 2020 NEC, which is the adopted version for the State of Texas, and familiarize yourself with the code book. Many resources are available for the exam prep, including the Electrician Exam Quizzer on the Fischer Technology app, available on both Google Play and the Apple Store.
Once you are familiar with the NEC and its codes, you should focus on the business aspect of the exam. For this, you should review the Texas Business & Law Portion of the Exam by Red Vector. You could check the Red Vector’s website for more updated resources or new editions of the study reference.
For exam registration, applicants are recommended to register online for the exam, as well as to opt for a computer-based test at a Pearson Vue test center of their choice in Texas. When registering for the test, applicants are required to submit an initial registration form detailing their license type and status, a completed NFPA Code Book Activity form, and two forms of identification. Once the registration form is approved by the Department, the applicant will be contacted with further instructions via email.

Keeping Your Electrical Contractors License Current in Texas

As part of your ongoing ability to work in the state of Texas as an electrical contractor, there are several continuing guidelines and requirements that you must meet to remain on the right side of the law. In addition to numerous other state and federal standards for electrical contractors, the Department of Licensing and Regulation requires that each licensed electrical contractor submits a renewal application every year under current Texas law. An electrical contractor license in Texas is only good for the duration of one year after the license is issued, meaning that all contractors must be diligent in having their licenses renewed promptly each year to avoid the consequences of operating an unlicensed electrical business.
If you have allowed your license to lapse inadvertently by missing the one-year renewal application window, you will be required to start over with a new application for an electrical contractor license in the state of Texas, which can be a lengthy and expensive process. It is important to set up a reminder system for yourself to get your renewal application in a few months before the one-year anniversary of receiving your electrical contractor license in Texas .
In addition to the renewal process each year, licensed electrical contractors in Texas are required to complete 4 hours of continuing education credit each year, including 2 hours related to electrical safety. This continuing education can help you stay up to date with new electrical codes and safety procedures, especially given the stringent safety requirements for contractors working on power-lines or contacted with high voltage equipment.
Lastly, various local jurisdictions and governmental organizations may also require an electrical contractor to participate in safety programs related to the type of work they are performing as part of contractor license maintenance. For instance, electrical contractors who are subcontracted to perform electrical work for large commercial or industrial clients are often required to pass a detailed safety training course specific to that company before the contractor is allowed to perform the contracted work. Keeping these requirements in mind will help keep you up to date with all requirements for maintaining your electrical contractor license for the state of Texas.

Why Obtaining Your Texas Electrical Contractors License is a Good Idea

The Texas Electrical Contractors License is more than a legal requirement for working in the electrical industry; it is a badge of honor. An Electrical Contractors License assures potential clients and employers that the contractor possesses the required knowledge and experience to perform electrical work in a safe and compliant manner. Likewise, when employees see their employer with this license, they can be assured that their employer is properly trained to train and supervise them. Basement cowboys and unlicensed operators who endanger the public by cutting corners and avoiding diligence are bad for the industry’s reputation. Texas licensed electrical contractors will always be in demand. As the only license providing such assurance, those contractors can expect to enjoy an excellent return on their investment in licensing as they will benefit from the respect accorded them by their license while enjoying the brand recognition, marketability, reputation, and income potential that come with the grant of a Texas Electrical Contractors License.

Potential Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

A Texas electrical license doesn’t come easy – unless you know where to get help. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation maintains a website that provides some information about licensing requirements, application procedures, and the like. But the site offers no guidance for someone actually in the trenches. I’ve helped many dozens of electrical contractors navigate the path to licensure and I can assure you that there are plenty of pitfalls along the way. Here’s how to deal with the challenges:
Challenge: I am not currently working as a residential or commercial electrician for a Texas licensed contractor.
Solution: You will need to find a company that has an open "apprentice electrician" slot for which it is willing to sponsor your application.
Challenge: I don’t have a current copy of the National Electrical Code and the new one is coming out in less than a month.
Solution: If you do not yet own and regularly review a copy the NEC, get one right away. Read as much of it as you can. If you can manage to acquire a draft of the next NEC, review that too. If you view learning the Code as a daunting task, and an encyclopedia of tomes it certainly can be, start with the exam guide I have authored and published. I have prepared the book with the ideal study process in mind. This approach will save you considerable time and aggravation. It will also be cheaper than fumbling around with many others.
Challenge: One of the prerequisite forms requires verification of my electrical work experience. None of the forms my boss and I have seen in the past make any sense. Several seem designed for other trades.
Solution: There are several different forms used for a Texas electrical license application. As a practical matter , these forms all ask the same types of questions and require the same sort of information. I have developed a form that meets the requirements of the training consultant board and the department, so use the form I have developed for your license application.
Challenge: I have passed all the tests to become licensed as a journeyman electrician, but my employer won’t renew my registration until my first license expires.
Solution: Your registration to work under your current employer expired because you have been unemployed long enough that it has lapsed. Your current juggling act requires you to apply to become licensed before the first license expires. If you do so now your registration to work under your current employer will expire before you have the license in hand. When you obtain the license you will need to reapply for the registration to work for your current employer.
Challenge: I am a master electrician or equivalent and want to become a licensed electrical contractor.
Solution: Grab a fresh copy of my Texas Electrical Contractor Exam Guide. Read about the requirements. You can obtain an application in Texas or open a new online account and submit an application. Most importantly, you will need an applicant agreement. Obtain the application from the department and fill it out. Fax it to the department. Then you can proceed with the application process.