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Ohio electrician license renewal & CE requirements

When to renew, how many continuing-education hours you need, which topics are required, and where to find approved courses. Checked .

Quick answer

Renewal rules by license

Electrical Contractor (OCILB)

RenewalEvery year. All of your OCILB licenses expire on the date of your original license. Renew up to 90 days before with the fee, CE proof and insurance; members of the Compliant Contractor Program may renew every 3 years instead.Source: codes.ohio.gov · as of · Division (H). Triennial option: codes.ohio.gov
CE hours & topics10 hours per year
  • At least 5 hours of electrical code (electrical-only licensees)
  • The other 5 hours in health and safety, business or technology courses approved by the electrical section
Compliant Contractor Program members need 8 hours a year, or 24 hours for a 3-year renewal. A classroom hour is at least 50 minutes; no more than 10 hours count per day, and extra hours do not carry over.
Source: codes.ohio.gov · as of · Program rule: codes.ohio.gov
Fees
  • Exam application: $25
  • License issuance: $25
  • PSI exam (each exam, each attempt): $69
  • Annual renewal: $60
  • Triennial renewal (Compliant Contractor Program): $180
  • Late fee (up to): $120
Source: codes.ohio.gov · as of · PSI fee: test-takers.psiexams.com You also need at least $500,000 of contractor liability insurance.

Local electrician licenses (by city)

Ohio has no state journeyman license. OCILB licenses electrical contractors for commercial work, big cities register those contractors, and a few cities license journeymen. We checked Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland below; anywhere else, ask the city building department.

Toledo

Office: City of Toledo, Division of Building Inspection
Licenses journeymen?Yes. Toledo issues Electrical Journeyman and Apprentice licenses (exam application required) and Electrical Contractor licenses
FeesJourneyman renewal (per year): $50
Journeyman late fee: $50
Apprentice renewal: $25
Contractor renewal: $140
RenewalEvery year. 2027 licenses must be renewed by December 31, 2026; a late fee applies after January 31, 2027. Contractors also need a current State of Ohio license
CE10 hours · Journeymen need 10 hours of Board-approved CE within 12 months after Toledo adopts an updated NEC (TMC 1311.05(b)(3)D), so a class is due only after a new code is adopted. 2026 renewals needed the 10-hour NEC 2023 class.
ContactDivision of Building Inspection · 419-245-1220 (source)
Source: cdn.toledo.oh.gov · as of · License types: toledo.oh.gov · 2026 code update: toledo.oh.gov · Code: codelibrary.amlegal.com · Code: codelibrary.amlegal.com

Columbus

Office: City of Columbus, Department of Building and Zoning Services
Licenses journeymen?No electrical journeyman license found (Columbus licenses journeyperson plumbers). Electrical contractors must hold the State of Ohio license, then register with the city
FeesNot confirmed
RenewalNot confirmed
CENot confirmed
NotesElectrical, HVAC, refrigeration, hydronics and plumbing contractors must be licensed by the State in their trade before applying; the city does not require board approval for them.
Still openCity registration fee (see the BZS fee schedule)
ContactBuilding and Zoning Services · (614) 645-7433 (source)
Source: columbus.gov · as of

Cincinnati

Office: City of Cincinnati, Department of Buildings & Inspections (Contractor Registration)
Licenses journeymen?No journeyman license found. OCILB-licensed electrical contractors register with the city
FeesRegistration (per year, $125 plus surcharges): $131.25
Late renewal (within 30 days after expiration): $78.75
Renewal1, 2 or 3 years. Register for up to 3 years at $131.25 a year; the registration must end on the same date as your state license (new registrations pay $10.94 per month to line them up). Renewing within 30 days after expiration adds $78.75; after that a $131.25-a-year reactivation fee applies
CENot confirmed
NotesRegistration needs liability insurance of at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence, among other items.
ContactDepartment of Buildings & Inspections · 513-352-3271 (source)
Source: cincinnati-oh.gov · as of · FAQ: cincinnati-oh.gov

Cleveland

Office: City of Cleveland, Department of Building & Housing
Licenses journeymen?No journeyman license found. To register as an electrical contractor you must first be licensed by the State of Ohio, then submit the city contractor packet
FeesCertificate of Registration (initial): $150
Renewal: $120
Late renewal (per month, up to 3 months): $15
Renewal1, 2 or 3 years. Renew in the 30 days before expiration; a lapsed registration can be renewed for up to 3 months with $15 per month late
CENot confirmed
ContactDepartment of Building & Housing (source)
Source: clevelandohio.gov · as of · Fees, term and late renewal: Codified Ordinances 3107.12-.13, codelibrary.amlegal.com

Not listed? Call your city building department and ask whether it licenses journeymen or registers electrical contractors.

Approved CE provider lists (official)

What we couldn't confirm yet

We only publish what we can tie to an official source. These items aren't published anywhere we could verify, so ask the office listed:

FAQ

How often do you renew an Ohio electrical contractor license?

An Ohio electrical contractor license renews every year for $60, on the expiration date of your original license. Members of the Compliant Contractor Program may renew every 3 years for $180.

How many CE hours does an Ohio electrical contractor need?

An Ohio electrical contractor needs 10 hours of approved CE each year, with at least 5 hours on the electrical code. Compliant Contractor Program members need 8 hours a year or 24 hours for a 3-year renewal.

Does Toledo require CE for journeyman electricians?

Toledo ties its electrical CE to code updates: 2026 journeyman renewals needed a 10-hour NEC 2023 code-update class. Toledo journeyman licenses renew every year for $50.

Not licensed yet? See how to get an electrician license in Ohio.

Other states

Compare every state side by side: license requirements by state · renewal & CE by state.