Buy the minimum list your program requires first, then add the rest over time. North Texas JATC requires a newly indentured apprentice to supply and maintain its published minimum set and expects the remaining tools in the agreement to be added “as quickly as practicable.” Keep money for program fees too: books and tuition can be due at registration. Use the planner below with prices from your own store.
Checked against official program and agency pages on October 16, 2026. Rules differ by program and employer, so your own program's documents come first.
A budget order that follows the rules
- Your program's minimum list. The planner below reproduces every item and quantity in the North Texas published minimum list; replace it with your own program's list when needed.
- Boots, if your program requires them. South Texas JATC requires work boots with hard toe protection on jobsites unless an employer supervisory agent grants an explicit exception that is not inconsistent with current OSHA regulation or other prevailing safety rules and policies.
- The rest of the agreement list, over time. The North Texas Electrical JATC policy effective January 15, 2026 does not list a meter or tester in its minimum tool list. South Texas marks the voltage tester for the 4th year. Follow your own program.
- Skip what the employer provides. For construction, 29 CFR 1926.95(d) requires protective equipment used to comply with Part 1926 to be employer-provided at no cost, subject to its listed exceptions.
Fees that compete with your tool money
- North Texas JATC: books and tuition are due by the scheduled registration date, with a $20 late fee per business day. A make-up class costs $50.
- Austin Electrical Training Alliance: a $35 application fee; tuition is announced before class starts.
- South Texas JATC: registration fees vary from year to year.
- ABC South Texas: tuition is $2,450 per apprentice for member companies and $2,825 for future members. The guide says employers typically sponsor tuition.
We found no official Texas program page with a dollar estimate for a full tool kit, so the planner uses prices you type in.
Free tool: what fits your budget, in order
Enter your budget. For every item, enter a price or mark I own this. An empty price does not count as an owned item or a completed list. Nothing is saved.
If a starter set covers your list
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).
Compare the set with your program's list before you buy. A set can be cheaper than single tools, but only if you need what is in it.
Klein Tools 92911 Apprentice Tool Set (11 pieces)
Four pliers, a wire stripper and cutter, four screwdrivers, a pouch and a belt. Check it against your program's or employer's list before you buy.
As an Amazon Associate, Tsai Electro earns from qualifying purchases.
See the 92911 set on AmazonTimberland PRO Boondock 6-inch Composite Safety Toe Waterproof Work Boot
Listing states electrical hazard protection and ASTM F2413-18. Composite toe and waterproof.
Prices and stock change on Amazon, so check the listing before you buy.
Product details come from each Amazon listing, checked October 16, 2026.
Track this skill and the rest of your route with ET Member
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Sources
- North Texas Electrical JATC, Statement of Policy (effective January 15, 2026)
- South Texas Electrical JATC, Rules and Policies, Inside Wireman (rev. 12/30/2025)
- Austin Electrical Training Alliance, Apprentice Program
- ABC South Texas, 2026-2027 Program Guide
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.95, Criteria for personal protective equipment
