To be an electrician and legally perform electrical services in Texas one must have a government granted license. It is granted by the Department of Licensing and Regulation of the state of Texas that also sets the regulations for becoming an electrician in Texas. Once the person has obtained the corresponding license, he is well on his way to making a career as an electrician in Texas!
You are likely to start out with an apprentice license, which must be renewed each year. Holding this license also requires to complete at least 4 hours of education per year in order to be in good standing with the Texas authorities. This is a safety regulation that keep license holder skills fresh.
Electrician Training in Texas, TX
Texas State Reciprocity
Reciprocity from another U.S. state to Texas depends on the type of license You are trying to transfer. A master electrician license from Louisiana or North Carolina would be valid if other documented conditions are met. Likewise, a journeyman electrician license could be reciprocal with Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Idaho, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming depending on other factors which the state government of Texas will define for You.
If you are moving over a master license from one of these states you must have taken and passed the reciprocal state exam and held the license for at least one year and have completed more than 12 000 hours of work under verified supervision. For a journeyman, the requirement is slightly less – 8 000 hours.
Electrician License Types in Texas
State of Texas classifies their licenses into 2 groups – business and individual licenses. The two most popular are master and journeyman within these two groups which can be confusing.
For a
master electrician
license in Texas You will be required at least 12 000 hours of on the job training all under supervision of an already licensed master electrician. You also need to have held a journeyman electrician license for at least 2 years or more. And,of course, You must have passed a master electrician test.
For a
journeyman
license you will be required at least 8 000 hours of on the job training all under the supervision of an already licensed master electrician. You also need to have passed a journeyman electrician exam held in the state.
The difference between above mentioned 2 licenses is that a master electrician can perform all work without supervision while a journeyman is supervised by a master electrician. This is standard regulatory practice. Possibility of enjoying more job opportunities and higher remuneration is most common factors that motivate electricians to strive for the master electrician license.
Other License Types and Corresponding Fees
Texas offers other licenses such as master sign electrician, journeyman sign electrician, residential wire- man, maintenance electrician, electrical contractor, and electrical sign contractor. The fees associated with all the available licenses are as follows:
- For master electrician license – $50
- For master sign electrician license – $50
- For journeyman electrician license – $35
- For journeyman Sign Electrician license – $35
- For residential wire-man license – $25
- For maintenance electrician license – $25
- For residential appliance installer license – $35
- For residential appliance installer contractor license – $115
- For electrical contractor license – $115
- For electrical sign contractor license – $115
- For electrical apprentice license – $20
- For electrical sign apprentice license – $20
View Texas’s license application here
Taking the Electrician Examination in Texas
The electrician test for the state of Texas is administered by PSI which charges a fee of $78 to cover administration costs. Your exam will differ based on which type of Texas license You are applying. For instance, the exam for master license contains 100 questions with a time limit of 5 hours.
The material covered corresponds to wiring methods, conductors, control devices, switchboards, motors and generators, special occupancies, plan reading and services. You must obtain a score of 75% or more to pass it.
If you are going for the journeyman license, the exam You must take has only 80 questions with a time limit of 4 hours. The material covered corresponds to switchboards, conductors, wiring methods, motors, generators and services. You must obtain a score of 75% or more to pass it.
Likewise in other states, both exams are based on the National Electrical Code .
Cities in Texas for the Best Electrical Employment
If Your are going for the electrician career in the state of Texas, You should have deep knowledge regarding which state areas will offer the most work. The population centers and highest overall electricity consumption are in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Houston. These places tend to have people who can spend money on electrical projects because they have decent income. Depending on the city, you may do well to speak some Spanish when dealing with customers and coworkers.
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