Michigan · electrician licensing · verified July 2026
Michigan electrician license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Michigan licenses electricians statewide through LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes under the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (PA 407 of 2016). Everyone on the job site must hold a credential: apprentices register annually with LARA while enrolled in an approved related-technical-instruction program, journeymen need 8,000 hours AND 4 years as a registered apprentice plus a PSI-administered exam (75% to pass), and masters need 12,000 hours over at least 6 years including 2 years (4,000 hours) as a licensed journeyman. Electrical contractor licenses (no exam) require an associated master electrician.
Do you need a license to work as an electrician in Michigan?
Michigan licenses electricians statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Michigan explicitly states it holds reciprocity with no other state or country; out-of-state licensees may apply with proof of equivalent hours/schooling for individual evaluation. The City of Detroit issues its own electrical licenses and registrations locally. Michigan also issues Fire Alarm Specialty Technician, Fire Alarm Contractor, Sign Specialist, and Sign Specialty Contractor licenses.
What licenses does Michigan issue?
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes - Licensing Section (Electrical Administrative Board) issues the credentials below for this trade. Boards often list further classes for specialties and business licenses; these are the ones this page covers.
Hours are what each class asks for on its own terms. Where a senior class shows fewer than a journeyman, the board is counting time served after the earlier license rather than from the start; the prerequisite column says which.
| License | On-the-job hours | Classroom hours | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Apprentice (registration) | not published | not published | No |
| Electrical Journeyman | 8,000 | not published | Yes |
| Master Electrician | 12,000 | not published | Yes |
| Electrical Contractor | not published | not published | No |
Source: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes - Licensing Section (Electrical Administrative Board) (michigan.gov). Verified July 2026.
Electrical Journeyman: 8,000 hours over at least 4 years as a registered electrical apprentice under Michigan-licensed journeyman/master supervision
Master Electrician: Journeyman license held at least 2 years plus 4,000 hours as a journeyman; 12,000 total hours over at least 6 years
How many hours do you need in Michigan?
Michigan requires 8,000 hours of on-the-job experience for an Electrical Journeyman electrician license. At a 40-hour week the on-the-job portion is roughly 4 years of full-time work.
What exam does Michigan require?
Electrical Journeyman examination (75% passing score; based on 2023 NEC and 2023 Michigan Electrical Code Rules Part 8). Administered by PSI (scheduled and paid directly to PSI after LARA approval).
Master Electrician examination (75% passing score). Administered by PSI.
Source: examination page (michigan.gov). Verified July 2026.
How much does a Michigan electrician license cost?
Michigan sets its fees per license class rather than as one figure for the trade, so no single total would be true of every applicant. The published items are below exactly as the board sets them.
- Application fee$40
- Exam feeset per license class
- Initial license fee$40
- Renewal fee (recurring)set per license class
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: Annual, journeyman and master licenses renew by December 31 each year; apprentice registrations renew by August 31 each year
Continuing education: No routine annual CE. Licensees must complete a state-approved code update course within one year of Michigan adopting a new electrical code (courses tracked via CE Broker); this does not happen every year.
Source: renewal requirements (michigan.gov). Verified July 2026.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
Apprenticeship is the mandatory entry route: register with LARA as an electrical apprentice while employed by a master electrician/electrical contractor and enrolled in a board-approved related technical instruction (RTI) program (per MCL 339.5717, programs must be equivalent to or exceed USDOL Office of Apprenticeship requirements). The 8,000 hours/4 years as a registered apprentice count directly toward the journeyman license; some credit is possible for recognized training or educational programs.
Which states does Michigan have license reciprocity with?
No published agreement for this trade names Michigan. That is not the same as a closed door: states without a published list usually take out-of-state applicants through an endorsement or equivalency review instead, decided case by case on the requirements set out above.
How does Michigan compare to neighboring states?
Requirements stop at the state line, which matters if you live near one or expect to move. Here is what the neighboring states ask of the same trade.
| State | Journeyman hours | Licensing model |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 8,000 | Statewide |
| Indiana | not published | City or county |
| Ohio | not published | Contractor level only |
| Wisconsin | 8,000 | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
How does Michigan compare nationally?
24 states publish an explicit hour figure for this trade, and they range from 8,000 to 10,000 hours. Michigan's 8,000 hours is what 23 of them ask, making it the standard rather than an outlier; no state asks less and 1 asks more. The full comparison is on the hours by state table.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- Electrical Examination, Licensing/Registration & Application Information (LARA BCC)
- License/Registration Renewals (LARA BCC) - per-license renewal fees and deadlines
- BCC-341 Application for Journeyman, Master Electrician, Fire Alarm Specialty Technician or Sign Specialist Examination and Licensure
Last verified July 2026. Found an error? Report it and it will be corrected and logged on the corrections page.
Other states with published requirements for this trade: Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico.
Price the whole path with the license cost estimator, or weigh earning against paying for school with the apprenticeship comparison. Back to electricians overview.
Licensing requirements change between our verification sweeps. This page is informational only, so confirm current requirements with Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes - Licensing Section (Electrical Administrative Board) before making decisions. Not legal advice.