Short answer: TDLR’s Journeyman Lineman license covers work on equipment that moves electricity from its source toward a substation. It is a limited license, not a Journeyman Electrician license. You qualify with 7,000 hours in a US Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship or 3.5 years as a journeyman lineman in Texas, then pass a 40-item exam.
Preparing to apply for a lineworker apprenticeship? Start with that program’s published selection requirements. If it includes general math, reading or interview assessments, the Texas Electrical Apprenticeship Entry Kit can give you extra practice: 1,366 math and 288 reading questions with worked answers, 8 timed aptitude simulations and 20 interview questions. It was built for Texas electrical apprenticeship entry, not for a specific lineworker test. Launch price US$49 through November 30, 2026.
Tsai Electro is an independent learning site. Not affiliated with TDLR or PSI. This page summarizes TDLR’s public pages, the PSI bulletin and the Texas Occupations Code as we checked them in October 2026. The entry kit is built for electrical apprenticeships; lineworker programs run their own selection, so check each program’s requirements.
What the license covers
TDLR describes a Journeyman Lineman as licensed to do electrical work involving the maintenance and operation of equipment associated with the transmission and distribution of electricity from its original source to a substation for further distribution. TDLR also states plainly that it is a limited license and not the equivalent of a Journeyman Electrician license (TDLR Journeyman Lineman page).
Who does not need it
The law that creates the license lists two groups who do not need it (Texas Occupations Code section 1305.1605):
- People doing work that is exempt under section 1305.003(a)(5). TDLR’s exemptions page describes that exemption as work on equipment under the exclusive control of an electric utility, electric cooperative or power generation company (TDLR exemptions page).
- Journeyman Electricians employed by an institution of higher education who do lineman work.
This means lineworkers working on a utility’s or co-op’s own equipment may fall under the exemption rather than this license. Whether a particular job needs it depends on who controls the equipment; ask the employer and TDLR.
Two ways to qualify
| Route | What TDLR asks for |
|---|---|
| Apprenticeship | 7,000 hours of training in an apprenticeship program approved by the US Department of Labor |
| Experience | 3.5 years of experience as a journeyman lineman for an electric utility, electric cooperative, municipally owned utility or electrical contractor in Texas |
The experience is documented and signed by the supervising electrician on the experience part of the application. Then mail the application with a $30 non-refundable fee.
The exam
| Item | Journeyman Lineman |
|---|---|
| Scored items | 40 |
| Time | 120 minutes |
| Non-scored items | 3 more, with 12 more minutes |
| Pass mark | 70% (28 of 40) |
| Fee | $61 |
From the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (updated September 15, 2026). The outline puts the most weight on Electrical Equipment and Devices (10 items, including transformers, capacitors, surge arresters, and resistors and reactors), Electrical Services and Service Equipment (8), Definitions and Theory (6) and Control Devices and Disconnecting Means (6). In TDLR’s fiscal year 2025 statistics, 8 of 20 Journeyman Lineman attempts passed, 40.00% (TDLR FY2025 exam statistics); with only 20 attempts, read that rate loosely.
Renewal
The license is valid for one year. Renewal needs 4 hours of continuing education each license cycle and a $30 renewal fee (TDLR Journeyman Lineman renewal page).
Worked example: the two routes side by side
- Apprenticeship route: 7,000 hours. At 2,000 working hours a year: 7,000 ÷ 2,000 = 3.5 years.
- Experience route: 3.5 years as a journeyman lineman.
- Exam score needed: 40 × 0.70 = 28 correct.
Check: 3.5 × 2,000 = 7,000, so at a full-time pace the two routes take about the same time, but the experience route counts years already working as a journeyman lineman, not apprentice hours.
Lineman or inside electrician?
| Journeyman Lineman | Journeyman Electrician | |
|---|---|---|
| Work | Transmission and distribution equipment up to the substation | Electrical work in and on buildings and premises |
| Qualifying | 7,000 DOL apprenticeship hours or 3.5 years as a lineman | 8,000 hours under a Texas Master; may test at 7,000 |
| Exam | 40 items, 120 minutes, $61 | Two parts, 59 + 26 items, $78 |
| Application fee | $30 | $30 |
Lineman experience does not turn into a Journeyman Electrician license; the hours and supervision rules are different. Choose the route that matches the work you want.
FAQ
How do you get a Journeyman Lineman license in Texas?
Complete 7,000 hours in a US Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship, or show 3.5 years as a journeyman lineman for a Texas utility, cooperative, municipal utility or electrical contractor. Mail the application with the $30 fee and pass the 40-item exam.
Do utility lineworkers need a TDLR license?
Work on equipment under the exclusive control of an electric utility, electric cooperative or power generation company is exempt from state electrician licensing, so utility lineworkers working on their employer’s own system may not need it. Check with the employer and TDLR for a specific job.
Is a Journeyman Lineman license the same as a Journeyman Electrician license?
No. TDLR calls the Journeyman Lineman license a limited license that is not the equivalent of a Journeyman Electrician license.
How many questions are on the Texas Journeyman Lineman exam?
40 scored items in 120 minutes, plus 3 non-scored items with 12 extra minutes. You need 70% to pass, which is 28 correct.
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Formulas and conversion tables in your pocket
Ugly’s Electrical References, 2026 Edition. The publisher’s description lists mathematical formulas, ampacity and conduit fill information, conversion tables, and transformer and control circuit wiring diagrams. It is a field reference, not a substitute for the NEC.
Sources checked October 2026
- TDLR Journeyman Lineman application page: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/apply/individuals/journeyman-lineman.htm
- TDLR Journeyman Lineman renewal page: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/renew/individuals/journeyman-lineman.htm
- Texas Occupations Code section 1305.1605, Journeyman Lineman: https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._occ._code_section_1305.1605
- TDLR exemptions page: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/exemptions.htm
- PSI Candidate Information Bulletin for TDLR (updated 9/15/2026): https://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/1682
- TDLR FY2025 exam statistics: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecExamStats2025.htm
