Short answer: TDLR requires documentation of your electrical work experience. Each Texas-licensed master electrician who supervised you must verify your hours. You can submit an Experience Verification Form (ELC017) or an accepted letter on company letterhead signed by the supervising master electrician. The form needs the supervisor’s name, phone, company, license type and number with effective and expiration dates, the dates supervised, the hours worked in that period, the type and description of the work, the date signed and the supervisor’s signature. A copy of the supervisor’s license or a letter of verification is required, and no notary field appears on the form.
The form proves your hours. The exam is a separate step, and the Practice Pack is for the exam, not for forms. It has 1,000 original questions, 10 full timed two-part mocks scored at 70%, 299 step-by-step calculation solutions, a ranked tab-these-first list for your code book, and a score by part and by topic so you know which part needs work. US$39, one payment.
Tsai Electro is an independent learning site. Not affiliated with TDLR or PSI. Rules and fees can change, so confirm on the TDLR and PSI pages linked below.
Who fills it out and who signs
- One form per supervisor. Each Texas-licensed master electrician who supervised you signs a form for the hours worked under them. The application form also says one for each employer, so make extra copies as needed.
- A letter can replace the form. A letter on company letterhead, completed and signed by the supervising master electrician, is also accepted with the application.
- The person who verifies can be contacted. The form is completed by a person qualified to verify the experience, and TDLR may contact them.
- The supervisor signs only for real work. By signing, the supervisor states they verify only the hours and duties actually performed under their license and general supervision. Verifying other experience can bring discipline up to license revocation, so do not ask a supervisor to sign for hours they did not oversee.
Every field on ELC017 (rev October 2022)
| Field | What to check |
|---|---|
| Applicant name | Your legal name, the same as on your application |
| Supervising electrician name and phone | A number where TDLR can reach them |
| Company name | The company you worked for in that period |
| Supervisor license type and number | Master electrician license |
| License effective and expiration dates | Dates filled in |
| Copy of license or letter of verification | Attached; the form says it is required |
| Issuing state, county or municipality | Filled in |
| Period supervised | Start and end date, month/day/year |
| Hours worked in that period | A number, not blank |
| “Did you supervise the electrical work of the applicant during the above dates?” | Answered yes or no |
| “Did the applicant hold a valid license during the dates listed?” | Answered yes or no; license type entered if applicable |
| Type of work | Installed, maintained, extended wiring systems, service entrance conductors, each marked residential, commercial, industrial, exempt or other |
| Detailed description of work performed | Real duties, in plain words |
| Date signed and signature | Signed by the supervising electrician |
When you cannot reach a former supervisor
- Contact the electrical contractor the supervisor worked under.
- Ask the contractor to have the master electrician contact you.
- Use the TDLR license search to help locate or verify the supervising electrician’s license information.
- Once you reach them, give them the form and your work dates so they can fill it in. They verify only the hours and duties they actually supervised, then sign.
Start contacting former supervisors early. For the hour thresholds, see Texas Journeyman 7,000 vs 8,000 Hours.
Check your form before you mail it
Experience Verification Form check
Tick each field that is filled in on one ELC017 form. Run it again for every supervisor’s form.
- Applicant name
- Supervising electrician name and phone number
- Company name
- Supervisor license type and number
- Supervisor license effective and expiration dates
- Copy of the supervisor’s license or a letter of verification attached
- State, county or municipality that issued the supervisor’s license
- Period supervised: start and end dates, month/day/year
- Number of hours worked in that period
- Supervision question answered
- Applicant license question answered yes or no; license type entered if applicable
- Type of work marked, with residential, commercial, industrial, exempt or other
- Detailed description of work performed
- Date signed
- Signature of the supervising electrician
[ETOS_ACCOUNT_CARD]
Does the Texas Experience Verification Form need to be notarized?
No notary field appears on the ELC017 form, revision October 2022. It does need the supervising electrician’s signature and the date signed, plus a copy of their license or a letter of verification. Ask TDLR if you have been told otherwise.
Do I need a separate form for each supervisor or employer?
Yes. TDLR asks for one form from each Texas-licensed master electrician who supervised you, and the application form says one for each employer. Make extra copies as needed.
Can I send a letter instead of the form?
Yes. The application accepts a letter on company letterhead, completed and signed by the supervising master electrician, in place of the form. Documents sent with the application are not returned, so keep a copy of the letter.
