Electrician License in North Carolina: Limited to Unlimited

Who needs a license in North Carolina?

North Carolina licenses the business of electrical contracting. That covers anyone who installs, maintains, alters or repairs electrical work for others, or offers to. The state law exempts a person working as a bona fide employee of a licensee. So an apprentice or a journeyman wiring jobs for a licensed shop does not need a personal state license.

The license sits with the firm. Each place of business must have at least one listed qualified individual on active duty, and that person supervises and directs all the electrical work. You become a qualified individual by passing the Board's exam in a classification. The Board's FAQ says plainly that not everyone in a firm has to hold a license.

Limited, Intermediate and Unlimited: what each one covers

The Limited (L) license covers single projects up to $60,000 where the equipment is rated 1,000 volts or less. The Intermediate (I) license covers single projects up to $150,000. The Unlimited (U) license has no project value cap. Annual license fees are $100, $150 and $200.

There are also seven Special Restricted classes at $100 a year: single family residential dwelling, fire alarm/low voltage, plumbing and heating, swimming pool, groundwater pump, electric sign, and elevator. Each one allows only its own narrow scope of work. To activate an Intermediate or Unlimited license, you have to file a statement of bonding ability from a bonding company licensed in North Carolina.

How the Board counts your experience

The Board counts 2,000 hours as one year. Primary experience means hands-on installation of wiring and equipment covered by the National Electrical Code. Time as a journeyman, foreman, superintendent or estimator for a licensed contractor counts at 100 percent. Maintenance electrician work also counts at 100 percent.

Secondary experience is work or training related to the trade. Time in an apprenticeship approved by the NC Community College System counts at 100 percent. Time as a helper or as an apprentice outside an approved program counts at 80 percent. Electrical courses at a school count at 50 percent. Utility lineman time counts at only 10 percent. You show your hours on the Board's Employer Statement Forms.

The exam and keeping the license

You send the exam application and the $125 fee to the Board. Approval takes 5 to 10 business days. Once approved, you have a 90-day window to book and sit the computer-based exam with PSI. Testing centers are in Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greenville, Raleigh, Wilmington and Winston-Salem. The Board's study list names the 2020 NEC, NFPA 72 (2013 edition), the state licensing law and rules, and the NASCLA North Carolina business and law guide. If you fail, you wait three months before retesting in the same class.

Licenses run one year and must be renewed every year. Qualified individuals listed on L, I, U or residential licenses need 8 hours of continuing education a year. Those on special restricted licenses need 4. At least half the hours have to be in a classroom.

Pay

Electricians, North Carolina (25th to 75th percentile)

$48,700–64,100

Electricians, North Carolina median

$58,800

Apprentices and trainees, North Carolina (25th to 75th)

$38,000–46,800

Electricians, US (25th to 75th percentile)

$51,200–86,900

USD a year, before tax. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data from May 2025, adjusted to 2026 with a wage index. The state figures are modeled estimates. Pay depends on the region you work in, union or open-shop employment, and whether you are the qualified individual on a contractor's license. Refer to the Electricians salary guide for figures from live adverts.

What you need

Age and characterYou must be at least 18. You also need written statements from two people attesting to your good character.
Limited experienceYou need at least 3,000 hours of creditable experience, with at least 2,000 hours of it primary.
Intermediate experienceYou need at least 5,750 hours of creditable experience, with at least 5,000 hours of it primary.
Unlimited experienceYou need at least 9,000 hours of creditable experience, with at least 8,000 hours of it primary. You also need two statements from people who know your work, saying you can supervise an unlimited-class business.
ExamPass the Board's computer-based exam at PSI with a score of at least 70 out of 100. The exam fee is $125.
Bonding abilityIntermediate and Unlimited licenses require a bonding ability statement before the license is activated.
Continuing educationEach year you need 8 hours for L, I, U and residential licenses, or 4 hours for special restricted licenses. At least half must be classroom hours.

How to get there

Year 1Start as an apprentice or helperGo to work for a licensed contractor. As a bona fide employee you need no state license. An apprenticeship approved by the NC Community College System gives you full secondary credit for your hours.
Year 1-2Log primary hoursHands-on installation work as an electrician counts as primary experience, at 2,000 hours per year. Keep employer records so you can fill out the Board's Employer Statement Forms.
3,000 hours+Test for LimitedWith 3,000 hours of experience, including 2,000 primary, you can apply for the Limited exam. That license covers jobs up to $60,000 at 1,000 volts or less.
5,750 hours+Move up to IntermediateAt 5,750 hours, including 5,000 primary, you can sit the Intermediate exam. It covers single projects up to $150,000.
9,000 hours+Qualify for UnlimitedAt 9,000 hours, including 8,000 primary, and with two supervisory references, you can test for Unlimited. It has no project value limit.
After passingLicense and renewFile the license application with the fee and, for I or U, the bonding statement. Renew every year and complete your CE hours.

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Questions people ask

Does North Carolina have a journeyman electrician license?

The state does not issue a journeyman license. The Board licenses electrical contracting businesses and certifies qualified individuals who pass its exam. Employees of a licensed contractor are exempt from the state licensing law.

How many hours make a year of experience?

The Board counts 2,000 hours as one creditable year. Primary hours count at full value. Secondary hours are adjusted by type: an approved apprenticeship counts at 100 percent and helper time outside an approved program counts at 80 percent.

What code edition is the North Carolina exam based on?

The Board's current study list names the 2020 National Electrical Code and the 2013 edition of NFPA 72. It also covers the state licensing law and rules and the NASCLA North Carolina electrical business and law guide.

What happens if I fail the exam?

You have to wait three months from the date of the failed exam before you can take the exam again in the same classification. A review of a failed exam costs $25.

Can I transfer an out-of-state license to North Carolina?

The Board has reciprocal agreements with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Contractors licensed by those boards can get a North Carolina license of the same or equivalent class without taking the written exam.

Do I need a license to do electrical work on my own house?

No. The law exempts a person working on their own property for their own benefit, as long as the property is not meant to be rented, leased or sold at the time.

How do you get an electrician license in North Carolina?