Short answer: To apply for a Texas Master Electrician license you need two things: a Journeyman Electrician license held for at least two years, and 12,000 hours of on-the-job training under Texas Masters, verified by each one. Your earliest potential application date is the later of your two-year Journeyman license anniversary and the date you accumulate 12,000 qualifying supervised hours. TDLR must still review and approve your application and experience, and you must pass both portions of the licensing exam.
The exam is the part you can practice for. The Texas Master Practice Pack has 368 practice questions and 10 timed two-part mocks with the published PSI exam lengths: 75 NEC Knowledge questions in 150 minutes and 33 Calculations questions in 170 minutes. All 110 calculation questions have step-by-step solutions. The 10 mocks draw on the bank of 368 practice questions. US$79 once.
Tsai Electro is an independent learning site. Not affiliated with TDLR or PSI. Requirements below come from TDLR’s pages, the PSI bulletin and the Texas Occupations Code as we checked them in October 2026.
The gates to Master
| Gate | What TDLR asks for |
|---|---|
| Journeyman tenure | You have held a Journeyman Electrician license for at least two years. Journeyman Industrial Electrician experience does not qualify. |
| Supervised hours | 12,000 hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of a Master Electrician licensed in Texas, verified by each supervising Master on an Experience Verification Form |
| Application | By mail, with a $45 non-refundable fee |
| Exam | Two parts, 70% or better on each |
Sources: TDLR Master application page. TDLR’s FAQ adds that the two-year Journeyman requirement comes from Texas Occupations Code §1305.153 and that a Journeyman Industrial license does not meet it (TDLR electrician FAQ).
If you held a municipal or regional Master license, TDLR says you may verify your own on-the-job training for the years you held it.
Do your apprentice hours count toward 12,000?
TDLR’s Master page asks for 12,000 hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of a Texas Master. It does not say the hours must come after your Journeyman license, and it lists the two years as a separate requirement. TDLR lists the 12,000 hours as a separate requirement from the two-year Journeyman tenure. Keep documentation for all of your supervised hours, and confirm any unusual history with TDLR before you count on it.
Two cautions. First, every hour still needs a supervising Master to verify it, so the record-keeping habits from your apprentice years still matter. Second, if your history is unusual, for example out-of-state work or long gaps, ask TDLR before you count on the hours.
Worked examples: your earliest Master date
A planning estimate, not an official TDLR determination:
- Tenure date = the date your Journeyman license was issued + 2 years
- Estimated hours-completion date = use the date you expect to begin or continue qualifying supervised work as your starting point. Subtract your documented qualifying hours from 12,000, then divide the remaining hours by your expected annual qualifying work hours. This is a planning estimate, not a TDLR eligibility determination. Account for breaks in employment, changes in working hours, and any experience TDLR may not accept. If you already have 12,000 qualifying hours, the hours gate may already be met, subject to TDLR verification
- Estimated earliest eligibility date = the later of the two dates, assuming both requirements are satisfied and the supporting experience is accepted by TDLR
Example A: full-time, tenure is the last gate
Journeyman license issued November 1, 2026, with 8,300 verified hours. Works about 2,000 hours a year.
- Tenure date: November 1, 2028.
- Hours still needed: 12,000 − 8,300 = 3,700.
- Time: 3,700 ÷ 2,000 = 1.85 years, or 1.85 × 12 = 22.2 months. That lands in early September 2028.
- Earliest date: November 1, 2028, because tenure comes later than the hours.
Example B: part-time, hours are the last gate
Journeyman license issued November 1, 2026, with 8,000 verified hours. Works about 1,200 hours a year.
- Tenure date: November 1, 2028.
- Hours still needed: 12,000 − 8,000 = 4,000.
- Time: 4,000 ÷ 1,200 = 3.33 years, or 40 months. November 1, 2026 plus 40 months is March 1, 2030.
- Earliest date: about March 2030, because the hours come later than the tenure.
Example C: lots of overtime before Journeyman
Journeyman license issued November 1, 2026, with 10,400 verified hours. Works about 2,400 hours a year.
- Hours still needed: 12,000 − 10,400 = 1,600.
- Time: 1,600 ÷ 2,400 = 0.67 years, or 8 months, so July 2027.
- Earliest date: still November 1, 2028. Overtime cannot shorten the two-year tenure.
Check on Example B: 40 months × 100 hours a month (1,200 ÷ 12) = 4,000 hours, which matches step 2.
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The 2026 NEC in print
NFPA 70, National Electrical Code (NEC) 2026, softbound. Texas adopted the 2026 NEC as the state electrical code effective September 1, 2026 (TDLR adoption notice). A print copy lets you check any section number yourself.
The Master exam
| Part | Items | Time | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEC Knowledge | 75 (5 not scored) | 150 minutes | 70% |
| Calculations | 33 (3 not scored) | 170 minutes | 70% |
From the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin for TDLR (updated September 15, 2026). The fee is $78 for both parts, and a retake costs $78. Since September 1, 2026, the exam is referenced to the 2026 NEC, and it is open book with your own soft-bound copy.
The Master exam is not a formality. In TDLR’s fiscal year 2025 statistics, 19.08% of Master Calculations attempts and 22.21% of Master NEC attempts passed (TDLR FY2025 exam statistics).
How to use the two years
- Renew on time every year. Four hours of CE and $30 each year keep the Journeyman license current. We found no TDLR guidance on whether a lapse interrupts the two years; if your license has lapsed, ask TDLR. See our Journeyman renewal guide.
- Keep collecting verification. Get an Experience Verification Form from each supervising Master as you go, using the same form as your Journeyman application (TDLR form ELC017).
- Start the exam work early. The Calculations part gives 170 minutes for 33 questions on services, feeders, motors and transformers, so speed comes from practice, not from reading.
- Mail a complete application with the $45 fee once both gates are behind you. The exam approval follows TDLR’s review.
Mistakes that delay Master applications
- Counting years on a Journeyman Industrial license toward the two-year tenure.
- Missing verification from a Master you worked under years ago.
- Assuming overtime shortens the two years. It only speeds up the hours.
- Studying from outdated NEC references. The City of Denison’s published summary identifies Article 120 as the 2026 location for branch-circuit, feeder, and service load calculations previously covered in Article 220. Confirm the applicable provisions in your own 2026 NEC before relying on an older reference (City of Denison 2026 NEC summary).
FAQ
How many hours do you need for a Master Electrician license in Texas?
12,000 hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of a Texas Master Electrician, verified by each supervising Master, plus at least two years holding a Journeyman Electrician license.
Do apprentice hours count toward the Texas Master 12,000 hours?
TDLR’s Master page asks for 12,000 supervised hours and lists the two-year Journeyman requirement separately. It does not limit the hours to time after the Journeyman license. Each hour still needs verification from the supervising Master, and TDLR is the place to confirm how your own history is treated.
Does a Journeyman Industrial license count toward Master?
No. TDLR’s FAQ says the two years must be on a Journeyman Electrician license, not a Journeyman Industrial Electrician license.
How much does it cost to get a Texas Master Electrician license?
The application fee is $45 and the PSI exam fee is $78 for both parts. Each retake costs $78. Add the cost of your own 2026 NEC and any study materials.
Sources checked October 2026
- TDLR Master application page: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/apply/individuals/master-electrician.htm
- TDLR electrician FAQ: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecfaq.htm
- Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1305: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/OC/htm/OC.1305.htm
- TDLR Experience Verification Form ELC017: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/forms/ELC017%20Electrician%20Experience%20Verification%20Form.pdf
- 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
- City of Denison, 2026 NEC significant changes: https://denisontx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4131/2026-National-Electrical-Code-Significant-Changes
