Obtaining your New Jersey electrical license is the first step toward a rewarding and stable profession. This process ensures you have the necessary training and knowledge to perform safe and effective electrical work.
In this article, we’ll guide you through getting your electrical license in New Jersey, from the application process to the insurance you’ll need to protect your business. We’ll cover the following:
Yes, you need a license to work as an electrician in New Jersey. The state requires all electricians to be licensed to ensure they meet safety standards and comply with local building codes. The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs oversees the licensing process for electricians through the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors.
There are two different types of New Jersey electrical licenses. They are:
Unlike other states, there is no New Jersey master electrician license.
With the demand for new housing and skilled electricians rising, it’s an excellent time to enter this field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Garden State electricians are among the nation’s highest-paid.
Electrician insurance can help you protect the business you’re building. The type of insurance you may need depends on whether you operate a small business with employees or are self-employed as an electrician. The following policies help safeguard your business from unexpected financial losses.
New Jersey requires most businesses with one or more employees to obtain workers’ compensation insurance. This coverage helps pay for job injuries, illnesses, lost wages and medical expenses.
Learn more about workers’ compensation for contractors.
While not required for getting your license, general liability insurance can help cover non-employee slip-and-fall injuries and property damage. It also helps cover advertising injuries — such as slander or libel — and reputational harm.
Learn more about general liability insurance for contractors.
Commercial property insurance can help cover your business property, including physical spaces you own or rent, inventory, and equipment.
A business owner’s policy, or BOP insurance, provides broad coverage of general liability and commercial property policies combined in a single, cost-efficient bundle. That means it can help cover damage that you or your employees may accidentally cause to another person’s property and help protect your business equipment in the event of a fire or other covered event.
Tools and equipment insurance can help provide repair and replacement coverage for workplace equipment damaged, stolen or lost while on a job.
If you drive a vehicle for work purposes, commercial auto insurance can help pay accident-related expenses such as repairs or towing. If you use your own vehicle, your personal auto insurance may not cover work-related activities.
In the state of New Jersey, auto coverage minimums for bodily injury are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per incident. You also need at least $25,000 for damage to another person’s property.
Getting an electrician license in New Jersey involves steps to ensure you have the necessary experience and knowledge.
If you’re starting without experience, obtaining an electrician license in New Jersey can take four to six years. This includes gaining practical experience, completing educational requirements, applying for the license and prepping for the exam.
Here’s a basic overview of the licensing process.
Electrician training in New Jersey doesn’t require a special license, but you must enroll in a vocational school or apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor.
While apprenticeship program requirements vary, these are typical requirements:
You can get experience through trade schools, community colleges, and union or non-union apprenticeship programs.
According to New Jersey law, to become a journeyman electrician, you must complete four years of a United States Department of Labor-accredited and approved apprenticeship. However, a “journeyman electrician” differs from a “qualified journeyman electrician.
A qualified journeyman electrician has fulfilled additional requirements and can supervise the work of apprentices. To apply for a journeyman electrician license, you need:
Electrical contractor license requirements include:
Experience can include the following:
Note: New Jersey does not have any reciprocity agreements with other states.
Before you can get your electrical contractor license, you must pass an exam. You must get authorization from the Board to sit for the exam.
When submitting the application form, documentation, you must also submit the necessary documentation, including proof of your work experience, educational credentials and apprenticeship completion certificates. The exam application fee is $100 and is non-refundable.
To pass the electrical contractor exam, candidates must score 70% or higher on 150 questions in general electrical knowledge and specific electrical topics. The exam is in three parts — candidates must pass all parts:
The exam is administered through PSI and is open book; PSI will provide the most current version of the National Electrical Code (NEC).
You can find more information about the exam in PSI’s Licensure Examination Information Bulletin.
After passing the exam, your results will be sent to the Board, and you will receive your electrician license.
Licenses expire every three years. Before renewing, licensed electricians must complete 34 hours of continuing education, which includes nine hours of National Electrical Code and one hour of New Jersey laws, rules and regulations. Journeymen must complete 10 hours of continuing education.
NEXT Insurance is 100% dedicated to small businesses. We’ll help you get affordable electrician insurance to satisfy state laws and protect your business.
All our services are available online, meaning you can apply for coverage and get a certificate of insurance in minutes. You can share unlimited digital certificates for no additional charge from anywhere, including job sites.
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.
Kim Mercado is a content editor at NEXT. She writes and edits content for small business owners, and enjoys helping entrepreneurs solve their business challenges and learn about insurance. Kim has contributed to Salesforce, Samsara and Google.
You can find Kim trying new recipes and cheering the 49ers.
