When you start your career as an electrician in Maine, you need a license. This guide will cover what you need to get started. We’ll look at the process as a day-one electrician or one transferring to the Pine Tree State.
We’ll break down the requirements, work experience, renewals and reciprocity below:
Yes. You need a license to be an electrician in Maine. You can progress through the apprenticeship, journeyman, and master’s licenses. The State of Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation agency and the Electricians’ Examining Board oversee the licensing process for professional licensing.
The Board awards the following license categories:
They also offer senior licenses for Helper, Limited, Journeyman and Master electricians for those over 70 years old.
There is no specific electrical contractor license in Maine. This state does not maintain contractor licenses at the state level; instead, licensure is at the local or municipal level, so it will depend on where you operate.
To have your own contracting business, you must register with Maine’s Secretary of State office.
When you start your electrician business in Maine, you can get coverage with electrician insurance. Your insurance needs will vary based on the type and size of business you decide to start. Here are some common forms of insurance many electricians need.
You will need workers’ compensation insurance if you employ other electricians. Workers’ comp coverage can help cover costs for workplace injuries and work-related illnesses. It can help cover things like lost pay and medical expenses.
Learn more about workers’ compensation for contractors.
General liability insurance can help cover your business from common risks and accidents, such as property damage to someone else’s property or the medical expenses around injury to someone who isn’t an employee. It can also help protect against personal and advertising injuries.
Learn more about general liability insurance for contractors.
You can get commercial property insurance to help cover your workspaces. This coverage can help protect the work property you own or rent against mishaps such as fire or theft. Property insurance can include your building structure, products and inventory, furniture and equipment you use for work.
A business owner’s policy, or BOP insurance, provides broad coverage of general liability and commercial property policies combined in a single, more cost-efficient bundle. It helps cover damage that you or your employees may inadvertently cause to another person’s property and helps protect your business inventory in the event of a fire or other covered event.
You will likely need coverage for your tools and equipment. Tools and equipment insurance helps cover damaged, lost and stolen tools and equipment.
Commercial auto insurance helps cover work vehicles. It can help protect against accident-related costs like repairs and towing.
Coverage minimums include:
Here’s an overview of the various types of licensing and their requirements.
A journeyman-in-training electrician is employed by a master electrician, limited electrician or electrical company and works under the supervision of a licensed electrician. This licensure is for those who don’t take the apprenticeship path.
Requirements include:
Prov administers the journeyman exam, which has 80 questions and is timed. You must score at least 70% to pass. This license expires every two years.
A helper electrician is employed by a master electrician, limited electrician or electrical company and works under the supervision of a master electrician, limited or journeyman electrician. This licensure only requires completing an application and paying a fee — no test or work experience required.
A new licensee can start as an apprentice. An apprentice has agreed to 4-5 years of training and work programs to learn the trade through an approved Department of Labor apprenticeship program. Upon completion, they can then move on to a journeyman.
You will need to pay a license fee of $25, complete a criminal background check for $21 and complete an online application.
A journeyman can perform electrical installations if employed by a master electrician, limited electrician or electrical company. Here are the requirements to become a journeyman electrician:
Before a candidate can take the journeyman electrician exam, they must obtain approval from the Board. Once approved, they can schedule the testing with the third-party exam administrator, Prov.
Maine’s exams are mostly closed-book, though the current National Electrical Code (NEC) may be permitted as a reference. The journeyman exam has 80 questions and is timed. You must score at least 70% to pass.
Your license is valid for two years upon completion of requirements.
A limited electrician is licensed for electrical work limited to specific types of equipment or installations. You can get limited licenses in the following categories:
Each specialization has its own set work experience requirements, but to get this license you generally need:
Prov administers the limited electrician exams, which have around 50 questions each. You must score at least 70% to pass. This license expires every two years.
The final level of license is the master electrician. You can install without another electrician’s assistance when you hold this license. Once you complete the requirements, your license is valid for two years before renewal. Here are the requirements:
Prov’s exam is 100 questions, which you’ll have four hours to complete. You must score 70% to pass.
If you hold a license from a different state, you may not have to complete the licensure process to get your Maine license. Maine has journeyman reciprocity agreements with the following states:
Maine only has reciprocity agreements with New Hampshire and Vermont at the master level.
You can complete a reciprocity application form online.
The renewal requirements for everyone holding a Maine electrician license are the same. Renewals must occur every two years in Maine. Here are the following requirements:
If you complete the renewal process late, you may have to pay a late fee of $50 – $100.
NEXT Insurance focuses on small businesses — we help over 1,300+ professions. We can help you get the right electrician insurance for your unique needs and satisfy all license requirements.
You can do everything online. This means you can apply for coverage, get a certificate of insurance and get additional proof of coverage for job sites. If you have questions, our U.S.-based insurance professionals are available to help.
Start a free instant quote with NEXT.
Do you want to work as an electrical contractor in another U.S. state? Learn what states require licenses in our guide to electrician license requirements.
This information has been provided as a service. It is correct and up-to-date to the best of our knowledge; however, it is in no way intended to offer legal advice and you must always consult with local authorities before you make any business decisions. Regulations and requirements may change at any time.
Jessica spent over a decade working in education before moving into content marketing. She has worked on content marketing campaigns in the edtech, real estate, and personal finance sectors. She has a passion for working with companies that take the time to educate their customers. When she’s not working, she’s probably outside with her two kids.
