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How to get an electrician license in New York

Hours, exam, fees, renewal and continuing education for New York, pulled from official NY sources and checked .

Quick answer
  • Licensing body: No state board: cities and counties license electricians (largest: NYC Department of Buildings)
  • State journeyman license: No (New York State does not license electricians. Cities and counties do (for example NYC, Suffolk, Westchester and Buffalo; see the local table below).)
  • Electrician license (local): Set by each city or county. New York City: 7 years of hands-on work within the last 10 under a licensed master or special electrician (2 of them in NYC) for a Master or Special Electrician license. See the local table.
  • Exam: see below, via Set locally (e.g., NYC Department of Buildings, county licensing boards)
  • Code edition: Set locally. NYC: the 2025 NYC Electrical Code (NYC amendments to the 2020 NEC) took full effect Dec. 21, 2025.

Requirements by license

Electrician license (local)

ExperienceSet by each city or county. New York City: 7 years of hands-on work within the last 10 under a licensed master or special electrician (2 of them in NYC) for a Master or Special Electrician license. See the local table.Source: nyc.gov · as of
ExamSet locally (e.g., NYC Department of Buildings, county licensing boards). Each jurisdiction runs or picks its own exam. NYC: a written multiple-choice exam (no reference materials, 70% to pass) and then a practical exam.Source: nyc.gov · as of
FeesSet locally / not listedSource: nyc.gov · as of · Set by each city or county; see the local table.
RenewalSet locally. NYC: every year (expires on your birthday). Suffolk County: every 2 years. Westchester County: every year, expiring December 31. See the local table.Source: nyc.gov · as of · Suffolk: suffolkcountyny.gov · Westchester: consumer.westchestercountyny.gov
CE to renewSet locally: e.g., NYC 8 hours per renewal; Suffolk 8 hours per 2-year renewal; Westchester 4 hours per renewal. See the local table.Source: nyc.gov · as of · Suffolk: suffolkcountyny.gov · Westchester: consumer.westchestercountyny.gov

License types in New York

  • No state electrician license
  • NYC: Master Electrician and Special Electrician (Department of Buildings)
  • Suffolk County: Master Electrician and Restricted Electrician licenses
  • Westchester County: Master/Special Electrician license
  • Buffalo: Master Electrician and Journeyman Electrician licenses
  • Other cities, towns and counties: check the local building department
Source: dos.ny.gov · as of · NYC: nyc.gov · Suffolk: suffolkcountyny.gov · Westchester: consumer.westchestercountyny.gov · Buffalo: buffalony.gov

Local electrician licenses (by city/county)

New York State does not license electricians, so cities and counties do. Most license master electricians (who run the business and pull permits) rather than journeymen. We checked New York City and the largest counties and cities below; anywhere else, ask the local building department.

New York City

Office: NYC Department of Buildings, Licensing & Exams Unit
Licenses journeymen?No journeyman license found. DOB licenses Master Electricians (independent contractors) and Special Electricians (specific buildings)
Experience7 years of hands-on work in the last 10 years under a licensed master or special electrician, at least 2 of them in NYC. Alternatives: a bachelor's in electrical engineering plus 3 years in the last 5, or a NYS DOL-registered apprenticeship plus 5 years in the last 10 (2 years in NYC either way). Must be 18+
ExamCPS HR Consulting, the exam administrator for NYC DOB (written exam, then a practical exam). closed book. Written exam: 80 multiple-choice questions on NYC electrical codes and rules, no reference materials, 70% to pass. Pass the practical within 24 months of the written result
FeesWritten exam: $585
Practical exam: $530
License: $310
Original seal: $50
Renewal (license $60 + seal $30): $90
RenewalEvery year. License term is 1 year; under the Administrative Code it expires on your birthday. Renew in DOB NOW: Licensing with a physical exam form (LIC62) done within 90 days
CE8 hours · A Department-approved course of at least 8 hours for every renewal (required since Jan. 1, 2016).
NotesYou must be an officer, partner or sole proprietor of an electrical business with a place of business in NYC, with liability, workers' comp and disability insurance. A 2024 bill to move to a 3-year term (Int. 0437-2024) was filed at the end of the session without passing.
Still openLate renewal fee ($400 on the renewal page vs. $310 in the fee table)
ContactLicensing & Exams Unit · (212) 393-2259 · licensingdob@buildings.nyc.gov (source)
Source: nyc.gov · as of · Fees and 1-year term: nyc.gov · Renewal and CE: nyc.gov · Birthday expiry (current Admin. Code text quoted in Int. 0437-2024): legistar.council.nyc.gov · Exam administrator: nycdob.cpshr.us · Exam administrator: nycdob.cpshr.us

Suffolk County

Office: Suffolk County Dept. of Labor, Licensing & Consumer Affairs (Electrical Licensing Board)
Licenses journeymen?No journeyman license found. The county licenses Master Electricians and Restricted Electricians (HVAC, oil and gas burners, signs and lighting, communications cable); only a Master may do line-voltage work
ExperienceMaster Electrician: 7 years of experience within the past 10 years (Suffolk County Code ch. 563, art. XI)
ExamNot confirmed
FeesMaster Electrician license (per year, billed for the 2-year term): $200
Biennial renewal: $400
RenewalEvery 2 years. Licenses expire on the last day of the 24th month after issuance
CE8 hours · Master electricians: 8 hours per 2-year renewal period (restricted licenses: 4 hours), from Board-approved providers, based on the current NEC.
Still openExam format; Whether the 2025 fee bill took effect
ContactSuffolk County Consumer Affairs · (631) 853-4600 (source)
Source: suffolkcountyny.gov · as of · County Code (official publisher, linked from the county page): ecode360.com

Westchester County

Office: Westchester County Dept. of Consumer Protection (Electrical Licensing Board)
Licenses journeymen?No journeyman electrician license found. The county gives exams for Master/Special Electrician licenses (journey-level licensing is for plumbers)
ExperienceMaster Electrician exam: 7½ years of experience, or shorter terms with an electrical engineering degree or trade school training (County Code § 277.706)
ExamWestchester County Electrical Licensing Board. Written exam set by the Board or an outside testing organization. Retake after 1 month; after a second failure, wait 6 months
FeesExam application: $50
Master Electrician license: $500
Master renewal (per year): $500
Special Electrician license: $350
Special renewal (per year): $350
Late fee, renewal in January: $50
Late fee, renewal in February: $100
RenewalEvery year. All licenses expire December 31. Late fee $50 in January, $100 in February; from March 1 you must appear before the Board
CE4 hours · 4 hours from a Board-approved provider before you renew or shelve a license, with written proof.
ContactTrades Licensing Division · (914) 995-2657 · cp-trades@westchestercountyny.gov (source)
Source: consumer.westchestercountyny.gov · as of · Experience and exam: consumer.westchestercountyny.gov · CE: consumer.westchestercountyny.gov

Buffalo (city)

Office: City of Buffalo, Electrical (Permit & Inspection Services)
Licenses journeymen?Yes
ExperienceJourneyman: 5 years under a licensed master electrician plus a NYS journeyman card, or a passing ICC score plus 5 years, or a Board-approved alternative. Master: 10 years (21,000 hours: 4 years as an apprentice and 6 as a journeyman) within the last 10 years
ExamICC (master: R16, 2023 NEC). Master applicants need a passing ICC R16 score (75%) from the last 12 months, must be an officer of the company and have an interview
FeesMaster Electrician application: $100
RenewalNot confirmed
CENot confirmed
NotesRequirements are from the city's journeyman and master application forms.
Still openLicense and renewal fees; Renewal cycle; CE
ContactCity of Buffalo, Electrical, 65 Niagara Square, Room 312 · 716-851-4600 (source)
Source: buffalony.gov · as of · Journeyman: buffalony.gov

Not listed? Call your city, town or county building department and ask which electrician license it requires.

Reciprocity (licensed in another state?)

No statewide reciprocity, because New York State issues no electrician license. Each city or county decides whether to accept another license; NYC requires its own exams, and at least 2 years of the required experience must be in NYC.Source: dos.ny.gov · as of · NYC: nyc.gov

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

Does New York have a state electrician license?

No. New York State does not license electricians; the Department of State's codes division says licensing of electricians is a local matter, so cities and counties issue their own licenses.

How do you get a master electrician license in New York City?

NYC requires 7 years of hands-on work within the last 10 under a licensed master or special electrician, with 2 of those years in NYC. You must pass a written exam ($585) and a practical exam ($530) given for the Department of Buildings.

Is the NYC master electrician exam open book?

No. The NYC written exam is multiple choice on NYC electrical codes and rules, reference materials are not permitted, and 70% is needed to pass.

Does New York have electrician license reciprocity?

There is no statewide reciprocity because New York State issues no electrician license. Each city or county decides what it accepts, and NYC requires its own exams.

Already licensed? See New York electrician license renewal & CE requirements.

Other states

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