Do you need a Washington electrical license to work as an electrician?
You must have an electrical license from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) to conduct electrical work. In Washington, there are several different types of licensure and certifications available:
- Trainee
- Electrician (journey level or specialty)
- Electrical administrator
- Telecommunications administrator
- Electrical contractor
- Telecommunications contractor
- Master electrician
There’s a lot of opportunity for individuals pursuing jobs in the electrical industry in Washington. Aside from large, electricity-intensive logging and airplane manufacturing industries, a strong demand for residential housing would keep future electricians busy.
It’s lucrative, too: Washington has one of the highest electrician wages at $42.72 per hour. But first, you’ll need to get your Washington electrical license.
Insurance requirements for a Washington electrical license
In Washington, you must have a $4000 bond or assignment of savings to be an electrical contractor. From there, your career path may vary. You may be employed or self-employed. Either way, business insurance in Washington is vital. Here are some of the types of electrician coverage to consider.
Workers’ Compensation insurance
If you employ electricians or other workers, you must have a workers’ compensation policy in Washington State. But because Washington is a monopolistic state, meaning employers cannot buy private workers’ comp coverage, they must get it through the Labor & Industries department or by self-insuring.
Workers’ comp coverage can help cover costs related to 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
General liability insurance can help cover your business from common risks and mishaps, 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.
Commercial Property insurance
Commercial property insurance can help protect the work property you own or rent against mishaps such as fire or theft. This coverage can include your building structure, products and inventory, furniture and the equipment that you use for work.
Business Owner’s Policy
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.
Tools and Equipment insurance
If you often work out of your truck on a job site, tools and equipment insurance can be helpful to help cover lost, stolen or damaged equipment.
Commercial Auto insurance
Commercial auto insurance can help if you drive a vehicle for work. It can cover accident-related repairs and even towing. Personal auto insurance may not cover business-related driving, so be sure to check with your insurer.
Coverage minimums include:
- $25,000 of bodily injury or death per person or $50,000 per accident.
- $10,000 of injury to or destruction of property per accident.
How to get an electrician license in Washington
If you’re starting from scratch in Washington, you need to start as an electrical trainee. That means you need to work under the supervision of a certified electrician. Here are the requirements for becoming an electrical trainee in Washington:
- Get a trainee certificate and renew it every two years as you’re completing training
- Must be 16 to become a trainee
- You must work with your supervising electrician on the same job site (supervisors usually have a 1:1 ratio, and specialists may have a 2:1 ratio).
- Must have a social security number
- Trainees must complete 48 hours of classroom instruction
Beginning July 2023, all trainees must complete an electrical apprenticeship program approved by the state.
It takes 8,000 supervised hours to get your electrician license. Those hours will move you from a trainee to a journeyman electrician license. You must also pass an exam. Time will vary due to the nature of supervision. From there, you may work towards your master electrician’s license, which will take four years.
General journey level electrician license (formerly journeyman)
As you gather more training, you can pursue your general journey level electrician license. This includes 8,000 hours of work experience and 96 hours of classroom training. You can apply online or submit the license application via mail.
You must also take and pass a licensing exam administered by PSI. The exam is open book and tests candidates on the National Electrical Code (NEC), Washington laws and rules, and basic knowledge of electrical theory.
Once certified as a journeyman, you can work for a licensed electrical contractor and install and supervise trainees.
Master electrician license requirements
To become a master electrician, you must hold a journey license for four years and pass a master electrician exam. In addition to journeyman electricians’ privileges like installing and working with trainees, you can also check to ensure all electrician work follows laws and rules.
Electrical contractor requirements
If you want to have your own electrical business, you must get an electrical contractor license, which enables you to perform all types of electrical installations and offer services to the public.
There is no exam to become an electrical contractor. However, these are requirements for obtaining a Washington State electrical contractor license:
Washington license renewal requirements
In Washington, you must renew your electrician license every three years. Your license expires on your birthday. Be sure to stay on top of renewals, as the fees double if you renew after the expiration date. You must also completely retest 90 days after expiration if you forget to renew.
When renewing, you must take 24 hours of continuing education. This includes eight hours of code update and four hours of RCW/WAC.
License reciprocity for Washington electricians
The state of Washington only has a reciprocity agreement with Oregon. To get a license in either state, you will need to mail your reciprocity application with the mentioned application fees. Upon receiving your application, you should be able to work as a licensed electrician in Washington and Oregon.
