Short answer: Compare three totals for the same period: the hours in your own log, the hours worked on your pay stubs, and the hours your apprenticeship program or employer has on record. If they do not match, find out why now, while your supervisor and payroll still have the details. TDLR asks for on-the-job training under a Texas Master Electrician, and each Master who supervised you signs an Experience Verification Form for the hours worked in their period. A total you have already checked is much easier for that Master to confirm.
Tsai Electro is an independent learning site. Not affiliated with TDLR or any apprenticeship program.
Compare your three totals
Hours check calculator
Use the same dates for all three numbers, for example one month or one pay period. Enter only hours you actually worked; leave out paid time off or holiday pay. The calculator shows the gaps; it does not decide which number is right.
- Hours in my own log for this period
- Hours worked shown on my pay stubs for the same period
- Hours my program or employer has on record for the same period (enter 0 if you do not have it yet)
Common reasons the totals differ
| What you see | Possible reason | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Pay stub shows more hours than your log | Paid time off, holiday pay, or paid time your supervisor may not count as supervised electrical work | Ask your supervising Master which hours they will verify, and note the answer |
| Your log shows more than the pay stub | Missed punch, wrong dates or hours counted twice | Check your timecard with payroll before the period gets old |
| Program record differs from your log | Records updated late, or a different date range | Ask your program which dates and hours it has for you |
| Two jobs overlap on the same dates | Dates copied wrong when you changed employers | Fix the dates so each period belongs to one supervising Master |
Do this check every month, not just before you apply. For each gap, write three things next to the period: the dates, the reason and who you asked. When you change employers, see what to get before you leave.
Starting your first year as a Texas apprentice? The US$19 Texas First-Year Electrical Apprentice Kit gives you printable pages for the first months on the job: a tool-check card, a who-to-ask list with a short stop-and-ask script, emergency-contact and heat-and-rest cards, plus a Tool budget sheet and a Tool inventory sheet (CSV).
Log your Texas Journeyman hours free. A free Tsai Electro account keeps your supervised hours, your online practice scores and your exam date in one place. Start with a five-question check to see which topic to practice next.
The free hours ledger in your Tsai Electro account lets you record each employer, supervisor, work period and hours, shows how far you are from 7,000, 8,000 and 12,000 hours, and exports a CSV or a printable summary. It is your own record, not an official TDLR record, and it does not replace the Experience Verification Form your supervising Master signs.
Getting close to 7,000 hours? Your hours stay in the free ledger. When you start studying for the Journeyman exam, the Texas Journeyman Electrician Exam Practice Pack has 1,000 original practice questions in the PSI two-part format, 10 full timed two-part mocks and step-by-step solutions for every calculation question, built on the 2026 NEC. It is exam prep only; it does not track hours, verifications or renewals. One payment of US$39, no subscription, and you can try 70 questions free with no sign-up.
Should my hours log match my pay stubs exactly?
Not always. Pay stubs can include paid time that is not on-the-job training, such as paid time off. What matters is that you can explain each difference, so write the reason next to the period while you still remember it.
What should I do if my program’s hours do not match mine?
Ask your program or employer which dates and hours they recorded and compare them with your log and pay stubs for the same dates. Fix mistakes while the people involved still have the records.
Do the hours on my pay stub count toward my Texas Journeyman license?
A pay stub can support your record of paid hours, but it does not show that all those hours were supervised electrical training. TDLR asks for verification signed by each supervising Texas Master Electrician on an Experience Verification Form.
