Part of Texas Electrician Exams: every Texas license step and exam in one place.
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Short answer: A Texas Electrical Apprentice license needs no experience and no exam. You apply online to TDLR with a $20 non-refundable fee, and the license lasts one year and renews every year. You work under the general supervision of a Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician or Residential Wireman, and those hours later qualify you for the Journeyman exam.
In detail: A Texas Electrical Apprentice license needs no experience and no exam. You apply online to TDLR with a $20 non-refundable fee. If you apply online and report no criminal convictions, a temporary license is issued automatically. The license lasts one year and is renewed every year. As an apprentice you work under the general supervision of a Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician or Residential Wireman. Your hours under a Texas Master Electrician are what later qualify you for the Journeyman exam (7,000 hours) and license (8,000 hours).
Last checked October 1, 2026 against the TDLR apprentice, Journeyman and continuing education pages.
Requirements at a glance
| Item | Texas Electrical Apprentice |
|---|---|
| Experience needed | None |
| Exam | None |
| How to apply | Online application to TDLR |
| Fee | $20, non-refundable |
| Temporary license | Issued automatically if you apply online and report no criminal convictions |
| License term | 1 year, renewed annually (online) |
| Supervision | General supervision of a Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician or Residential Wireman |
| Continuing education | TDLR’s FAQ points apprentices to the electrician continuing education rules (4 hours of approved courses) |
With certain allowed exemptions, anyone doing electrical work in Texas must be licensed, so get the apprentice license before you start work.
The hours that count toward Journeyman
Not every hour counts the same. TDLR’s Journeyman requirement is on-the-job training under the supervision of a Texas-licensed Master Electrician:
- 7,000 hours lets you apply and take the Journeyman exam early.
- 8,000 hours is required before the Journeyman license is issued.
- Each supervising Master Electrician signs an Experience Verification Form when you apply.
See when your hours reach 7,000 and 8,000 in the license timeline.
Keep your own log from day one: dates, employer, supervising master’s name and license number, and hours. Supervisors change jobs and become hard to reach. TDLR suggests contacting the electrical contractor the master worked under, or using the TDLR license search to find them.
Renewing and continuing education
Apprentice licenses expire after one year and can be renewed online. TDLR requires 4 hours of approved continuing education before each renewal, covering the NEC, Texas electrician law, the Texas electrician rules and electrical safety (NFPA 70E). Apprentices have one alternative: being enrolled in a TDLR-registered electrical apprenticeship training course also satisfies the renewal requirement. The course provider reports your hours, and you can check them on TDLR’s continuing education course lookup. Details: Texas electrician continuing education.
From apprentice to Journeyman: the ladder
| Stage | Main requirement | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Apprentice | None, $20 online | None |
| Journeyman Electrician | 7,000 hours to test, 8,000 to license, $30 application | Two parts on the 2026 NEC, 70% each |
| Master Electrician | Journeyman for 2 years and 12,000 hours | Two parts, 70% each |
| Electrical Contractor | A Master Electrician of record plus insurance | No separate exam listed |
Next steps: the TDLR Journeyman application, the Texas Journeyman exam, the Texas Master exam and the electrical contractor license. For the wider picture, read how to become an electrician in Texas.
Start studying before you reach 7,000 hours
TDLR’s May 2026 staff report shows candidates from apprenticeship programs passed the early Journeyman exam 83.54% of the time on the first attempt, against 23.71% for their repeat attempts. Preparing while you build hours pays off. Try the free Texas Journeyman practice: 20 questions, no sign-up.
Next step on the Texas ladder
You are here: Apprentice license. Next: Journeyman application. Your hours under a Texas Master Electrician count toward it.
Also useful: Residential Wireman license · All Texas electrician exams
Free first: try 20 Texas Journeyman questions, no sign-up.
Texas license ladder
Exam prep
FAQ
How much does a Texas electrician apprentice license cost?
$20, non-refundable, with an online application to TDLR. No experience or exam is required.
How long does it take to get a Texas apprentice electrician license?
If you apply online and report no criminal convictions, TDLR issues a temporary license automatically. With a criminal history, the review takes from one to six weeks.
Do Texas electrician apprentices need continuing education?
TDLR’s FAQ points apprentices, along with journeymen, masters, linemen and wiremen, to the electrician continuing education page, which requires 4 hours of approved courses. Confirm your renewal requirement on TDLR.
How many hours does a Texas apprentice need to become a journeyman?
8,000 hours under a Texas-licensed Master Electrician for the license. You can apply and take the exam at 7,000 hours.
Who can supervise a Texas electrical apprentice?
A Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician or Residential Wireman, under general supervision. Hours toward the Journeyman license must be under a Texas Master Electrician’s supervision.
Practice on the 2026 NEC
20 free practice questions on the 2026 NEC, no sign-up.
Start 20 free questions All Texas electrician exams in one placeSources
- TDLR: Apply for a New Electrical Apprentice License, read October 1, 2026
- TDLR: Apply for a New Journeyman Electrician License, read October 1, 2026
- TDLR: Continuing Education for Electricians and TDLR electrician FAQ, read October 1, 2026
- TDLR: Electrician Continuing Education, read October 2, 2026
- TDLR staff reports, May 12, 2026, read October 1, 2026
- TDLR Active License Search: look up a Texas electrician license, read October 3, 2026
- Texas Open Data Portal: TDLR All Licenses dataset, read October 3, 2026
