Short answer: An electrician license in Texas is issued by TDLR. With a few stated exemptions, electrical work in Texas has to be done by someone who holds one. Most people start with a $20 Electrical Apprentice license and no exam. After 7,000 supervised hours you can take the Journeyman exam, and that license is issued at 8,000 hours. Master takes two years as a Journeyman and 12,000 hours. These licenses renew every year, with 4 hours of continuing education.
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In detail: TDLR licenses electricians at several levels. The main path is Electrical Apprentice (no experience, $20), then Journeyman Electrician (8,000 hours, two-part exam), then Master Electrician (2 years as a Journeyman plus 12,000 hours, two-part exam). An Electrical Contractor is a business license that needs a Master Electrician of record. Side licenses cover narrower work: Residential Wireman (homes up to four stories, 4,000 hours), Maintenance Electrician (8,000 hours) and Journeyman Industrial Electrician (industrial plants only, 8,000 hours, does not count toward Master).
Requirements from TDLR’s license pages (read October 1 and 2, 2026); exam formats and fees from the PSI candidate information bulletin for TDLR electricians, updated September 15, 2026.
Side-by-side
| License | Experience to apply | TDLR fee | PSI exam | Exam fee | TDLR page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Apprentice | None | $20 (online) | None | – | Apprentice |
| Residential Wireman | 4,000 hours under a Master or Residential Wireman, or an approved career and technology program | $20 | 80 questions, 240 minutes | $64 | Residential Wireman |
| Journeyman Electrician | 7,000 hours to test, 8,000 to be licensed, under a Texas Master | $30 | NEC Knowledge 59 questions, 130 minutes; Calculations 26 questions, 110 minutes | $78 | Journeyman |
| Maintenance Electrician | 8,000 hours under a Master or Maintenance Electrician | $20 | 60 questions, 180 minutes | $64 | Maintenance |
| Journeyman Industrial Electrician | 8,000 hours as a licensed apprentice under a Texas Master | $30 | 60 scored questions, 180 minutes | $64 | Journeyman Industrial |
| Master Electrician | 2 years as a Journeyman Electrician and 12,000 hours under a Texas Master | $45 | NEC Knowledge 75 questions, 150 minutes; Calculations 33 questions, 170 minutes | $78 | Master |
| Electrical Contractor | A Master Electrician of record, liability insurance, workers’ compensation filing | $110 | None listed | – | Electrical Contractor |
Every exam needs 70% to pass (each part separately for the two-part exams), and all are referenced to the 2026 NEC from September 1, 2026. TDLR also licenses sign electricians, journeyman linemen and residential appliance installers, which have their own pages.
See the full Texas ladder and the skills for each step
What each license lets you do
- Electrical Apprentice: electrical work under the general supervision of a Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician or Residential Wireman.
- Residential Wireman: electrical installations in single-family and multifamily dwellings not exceeding four stories.
- Journeyman Electrician: electrical work under the general supervision of a Master Electrician.
- Maintenance Electrician: electrical maintenance work under the general supervision of a Master Electrician.
- Journeyman Industrial Electrician: electrical work only at chemical plants, petrochemical plants, refineries, natural gas plants and treating plants, pipelines, and oil and gas exploration and production operations. TDLR says it is a limited license, not the equivalent of a Journeyman Electrician license, and its experience cannot be used toward a Master license.
- Master Electrician: installing, maintaining or extending electrical wiring systems, including service entrance conductors, and serving as Master Electrician of record for a contractor.
- Electrical Contractor: the business that contracts for electrical work.
Which one should you aim for?
- Commercial work or your own shop later: Journeyman Electrician, then Master. It is the only path to Master. See the Texas Journeyman exam guide and the timeline.
- Homes only, sooner: Residential Wireman at 4,000 hours. See the Residential Wireman guide.
- Refinery or petrochemical career: Journeyman Industrial, knowing it does not lead to Master.
- Moving from another state: check reciprocity first.
Pass rates by license (fiscal year 2025)
| Exam | Pass rate |
|---|---|
| Journeyman NEC Knowledge | 24.46% |
| Journeyman Calculations | 20.56% |
| Master NEC Knowledge | 22.21% |
| Master Calculations | 19.08% |
| Residential Wireman | 30.15% |
| Journeyman Industrial Electrician | 15.69% |
| Maintenance Electrician | 44.44% (18 attempts) |
Source: TDLR. More years and context on our pass rates page.
Next step on the Texas ladder
You are here: License types compared. Next: Apprentice license. Every main-path license starts here.
Also useful: How long it takes · All Texas electrician exams
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Texas license ladder
Exam prep
FAQ
What are the electrician license levels in Texas?
Electrical Apprentice, Journeyman Electrician and Master Electrician on the main path, plus Residential Wireman, Maintenance Electrician, Journeyman Industrial Electrician, sign and lineman licenses. Electrical Contractor is a business license.
What is the difference between a journeyman and a journeyman industrial electrician in Texas?
A Journeyman Industrial Electrician may work only at industrial sites such as refineries and chemical plants, and that experience does not count toward a Master license. A Journeyman Electrician has no such site limit.
Which Texas electrician license needs the fewest hours?
The Electrical Apprentice license needs none. Among licenses with an exam, Residential Wireman needs the fewest: 4,000 hours, or an approved career and technology education program.
Do all Texas electrician exams use the 2026 NEC?
Yes. The PSI bulletin for TDLR electricians states that examinations are referenced to the 2026 NEC from September 1, 2026.
Do Texas electrical contractors take an exam?
TDLR’s Electrical Contractor page lists no separate exam. The contractor needs a licensed Master Electrician of record, who passed the Master exam.
How long does it take to become a licensed electrician in Texas?
TDLR counts hours, not years. The Journeyman exam opens at 7,000 hours under a Texas Master Electrician and the license needs 8,000 hours. A Master license needs 12,000 hours and 2 years as a Journeyman. Residential Wireman needs 4,000 hours or an approved career and technology program. Source: TDLR license pages.
Do Texas electrician licenses need continuing education?
Yes. Texas electricians complete 4 hours of TDLR-approved continuing education before each license renewal, and licenses renew every year. Electrical contractors and residential appliance installers do not need continuing education. Source: TDLR electrician continuing education page.
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- TDLR: Electricians and its license application pages for Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, Residential Wireman, Maintenance, Journeyman Industrial and Electrical Contractor, read October 1 and 2, 2026
- TDLR: Electrician Continuing Education, read October 2, 2026
- PSI candidate information bulletin for TDLR electricians, updated September 15, 2026, read October 1, 2026
- TDLR fiscal year 2025 electrician exam statistics, 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
