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How to get an electrician license in Pennsylvania

Hours, exam, fees, renewal and continuing education for Pennsylvania, pulled from official PA sources and checked .

Quick answer
  • Licensing body: No state board: municipalities license electricians (largest: Philadelphia Dept. of Licenses & Inspections)
  • State journeyman license: No (Pennsylvania has no state electrician license. Some of its 2,562 municipalities license electrical contractors or electricians (see the local table below).)
  • Electrician license (local): Set by each municipality. Philadelphia: 4 years of electrical work for a licensed company (education can replace up to 2). Pittsburgh: 6 years of combined experience and education. See the local table.
  • Exam: see below, via Set locally (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown use ICC exams)
  • Code edition: Set through the PA Uniform Construction Code. Pittsburgh tells applicants to take the ICC exam version for the most recent code year adopted by the UCC and accepts exams on the 2020, 2017 and 2014 NEC.

Requirements by license

Electrician license (local)

ExperienceSet by each municipality. Philadelphia: 4 years of electrical work for a licensed company (education can replace up to 2). Pittsburgh: 6 years of combined experience and education. See the local table.Source: phila.gov · as of · Pittsburgh: pittsburghpa.gov
ExamSet locally (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown use ICC exams). Each municipality picks its exam. Philadelphia: the ICC-administered Philadelphia Electrical Contractor Examination. Pittsburgh: the ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam through Pearson VUE.Source: phila.gov · as of · Pittsburgh: pittsburghpa.gov · Allentown: allentownpa.gov
FeesSet locally / not listedSource: phila.gov · as of · Set by each municipality; see the local table.
RenewalSet locally. Philadelphia and Allentown renew every year; Pittsburgh requires 8 CE hours in the 12 months before renewal. See the local table.Source: phila.gov · as of · Allentown: allentownpa.gov · Pittsburgh: pittsburghpa.gov
CE to renewSet locally: e.g., Philadelphia 8 hours of NFPA 70 coursework per license period; Pittsburgh 8 hours in the 12 months before renewal. See the local table.Source: phila.gov · as of · Pittsburgh: pittsburghpa.gov

License types in Pennsylvania

  • No state electrician license
  • Philadelphia: Electrical Contractor License (L&I)
  • Pittsburgh: Electrical Trade License (PLI)
  • Allentown: Electrician license (Electricians' Examining Board)
  • Other municipalities: check the local code office
  • Most home improvement contractors: registration with the PA Attorney General (not a trade license)
Source: pa.gov · as of · Philadelphia: phila.gov · Pittsburgh: pittsburghpa.gov · Allentown: allentownpa.gov

Local electrician licenses (by city)

Pennsylvania has no state electrician license, and the state keeps no list of which municipalities license. We checked the three largest cities below; anywhere else, ask the municipal code or building office.

Philadelphia

Office: Philadelphia Dept. of Licenses & Inspections (L&I)
Licenses journeymen?No separate journeyman license. The Electrical Contractor License is required to do electrical work in Philadelphia, including low-voltage wiring
Experience4 years of electrical work for a company licensed by a local or state jurisdiction. 2 years of electrical education count as 1 year of experience, for up to 2 years
ExamPhiladelphia Electrical Contractor Examination, administered by the International Code Council (ICC). Must reference the current Philadelphia Code, or apply within 12 months of passing
FeesLicense (includes $60 non-refundable application fee): $262
Renewal: $202
RenewalEvery year. Renew in eCLIPSE. More than 60 days late: 1.5% of the license fee for each month since it expired
CE8 hours · 8 hours of coursework in the current or later NFPA 70 (NEC), earned in the previous license period (for a new license, within 12 months before applying), from a provider approved by PA Labor & Industry.
NotesAlso needs insurance (general liability $500,000 per occurrence, auto $300,000, workers' comp), current City taxes, and a Commercial Activity License. From July 1, 2026, permits that include an EV charger need an EVITP certification on the contractor's license.
Still openWhether employees of a licensed contractor need their own license
ContactPermit and License Center (311) · 311 or (215) 686-8686 (source)
Source: phila.gov · as of

Pittsburgh

Office: City of Pittsburgh, Dept. of Permits, Licenses & Inspections (PLI)
Licenses journeymen?No separate journeyman license found. The city requires an Electrical Trade License to do electrical work in Pittsburgh
Experience6 years of combined experience and education (resume or documentation)
ExamICC National Standard Master Electrician exam (T16, G16 or F16), proctored by Pearson VUE. Take the version for the latest NEC adopted under the PA UCC (T16 = 2020 NEC; references NEC and Ugly's Electrical References)
FeesElectrical Trade License (initial): $90
Annual renewal: $90
Late fee (per license): $50
RenewalEvery year. Renew yearly with 8 hours of CE from the previous 12 months; a $50 late fee applies
CE8 hours · 8 hours of CE completed in the 12 months before the renewal date.
ContactPermits, Licenses & Inspections (source)
Source: pittsburghpa.gov · as of · 2026 fee schedule (effective Jan. 1, 2026): pittsburghpa.gov

Allentown

Office: City of Allentown, Building Standards & Safety (Electricians' Examining Board)
Licenses journeymen?Yes. The city licenses Master, Journeyman and Residential electricians (2026 application)
ExperienceMust be over 21. Master and Journeyman: 4 years of practical experience; Residential: 2 years
ExamICC National Standard exams, after approval by the Electricians' Examining Board. Master: ICC T16; Journeyman: ICC T17; Residential: ICC T18. Register for the exam only after the city approves you
FeesApplication: $50
RenewalEvery year
CENot confirmed
NotesTo run a contracting company you need both a trades license and a city business license. License fees are in the Business Regulation and Tax Code (Art. 5 § 270-32).
Still openLicense and renewal fee amounts; CE
ContactTrade Licensing Office · (610) 437-7592 (source)
Source: allentownpa.gov · as of · 2026 application: allentownpa.gov

Not listed? Call your municipal code or building office and ask whether it requires an electrician or electrical contractor license.

Reciprocity (licensed in another state?)

No statewide reciprocity, because Pennsylvania issues no electrician license. Each municipality decides what it accepts; for example, Philadelphia counts experience with a company licensed in another local or state jurisdiction, and Pittsburgh accepts any qualifying ICC exam version.Source: pa.gov · as of · Philadelphia: phila.gov · Pittsburgh: pittsburghpa.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 Pennsylvania have a state electrician license?

No. Pennsylvania has no state electrician license; the Department of Labor & Industry says some municipalities license electricians or electrical contractors and that you must ask the municipality where the work is.

How do you get an electrical contractor license in Philadelphia?

Philadelphia requires 4 years of electrical work for a licensed company (education can replace up to 2 years), a passing score on the ICC-administered Philadelphia Electrical Contractor Examination, and 8 hours of NFPA 70 coursework. The license fee is $262, including a $60 non-refundable application fee.

What exam does Pittsburgh use for its Electrical Trade License?

Pittsburgh accepts the ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam, taken through Pearson VUE, and requires 6 years of combined experience and education.

Does Pennsylvania have electrician license reciprocity?

There is no statewide reciprocity because Pennsylvania issues no electrician license. Each municipality decides what it accepts.

Already licensed? See Pennsylvania electrician license renewal & CE requirements.

Other states

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