How to get an electrical contractor license in Texas (2026)
Checked against TDLR publications, Texas Occupations Code ch. 1305, 16 TAC ch. 73 and the PSI candidate bulletin. Verified September 2026; reciprocity list re-checked October 9, 2026.
Texas licenses electrical contracting in two pieces. The Electrical Contractor license belongs to the business, and it must be backed by a Master Electrician, who is a person. So the real question is usually "how do I (or my company) get a master?" Here is how the whole path works.
Texas at a glance
| Agency | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Electricians program |
|---|---|
| Contractor license | $110 application, renews every year at $110. No exam of its own. Must designate a Texas master electrician. |
| Master electrician | 12,000 hours under a Texas-licensed master, plus 2 years holding a journeyman license, then the PSI master exam. Application $45. |
| Journeyman | 8,000 supervised hours, then the PSI journeyman exam. Renews at $30/yr. |
| Exam | PSI, after TDLR approves your application. Master: two portions, 70% each, $78. Open book, 2023 NEC. |
| Insurance | General liability $300k per occurrence / $600k aggregate / $300k products-completed operations, plus workers' comp proof or a filed notice of no coverage. |
| Continuing education | 4 hours per year for each individual license. None for the business license. |
| Master reciprocity | AL, AR, IA, LA, NE, NC, OH, TN (Tennessee added October 6, 2026). From Alabama, which has no master card, the counterpart is the Alabama Electrical Contractor license earned by exam. Contractor licenses don't transfer. |
| Journeyman reciprocity | AL, AK, AR, ID, IA, NE, NM, OK, SD, WY. $30 application; from Alabama, the license must be held 1 year, with 8,000 hours and a passed Alabama exam. |
Fees and rules change. Confirm current figures with TDLR before you file.
How the process works
- Decide where your master comes fromEarn it yourself (hours and exam), employ a licensed master and designate them to your company, or transfer a master license from a reciprocity state. A master can back only one contractor unless they own more than 50% of the company.
- Qualify as a masterDocument 12,000 hours under a Texas-licensed master and hold a journeyman license for at least 2 years. File the master application ($45); once TDLR approves it, schedule the PSI exam ($78).
- Insure the businessThe state minimum is the 300/600/300 general liability package, not the $1M many blog posts quote (GCs may still require more by contract). Add workers' comp or the Texas Department of Insurance notice of no coverage.
- File the contractor applicationApply to TDLR ($110), designate your master and attach the insurance certificate. A journeyman going all the way to a contracting business pays about $233 in state fees.
Want the whole Texas path on paper?
The Texas Electrical Roadmap is a 9-page PDF that goes past this summary:
- Every step in filing order, with the forms named
- Reciprocity rules per partner state (residency, tenure, license level)
- The master-designation traps that stall contractor applications
- Printable application checklist and a dated sources page
Instant download · free updated edition for 12 months · 30-day money-back guarantee
Already licensed in another state?
Texas reciprocates at the person level: your master card transfers, and the contractor license is then paperwork and insurance. Partner states as of October 2026 are Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee. The journeyman license must have been held 1 year if you come from AL, IA, NE, OH or TN and 2 years from AR, LA or NC. Louisiana's agreement requires Louisiana residency, and North Carolina covers master or unlimited electrical contractor licenses only. Alabama has no master card, so the Alabama license that counts is the Electrical Contractor license earned by exam, and TDLR also wants proof you held an Alabama journeyman license for 1 year (TDLR's Alabama checklist still asks for a "Class A" license copy, so call TDLR before you file). Journeymen have a separate list: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming ($30). Going the other way, the Tennessee agreement runs both ways: a Texas master earned by exam and held 1 year can have Tennessee's CE trade exam waived (the Tennessee Business & Law exam still applies), and Alabama lists Texas licensees for its contractor reciprocity. TDLR added five states in about ten months, so re-check before you plan a route.
Reciprocity lists change often. See every Southeast state side by side in the Southeast electrical reciprocity overview.
Free: Board Change Alerts
State boards change fees, exams and reciprocity lists with little notice. Join the free Board Change Alerts list and we'll email you when TX, FL, GA, NC, SC, TN, AL or VA changes fees, exams or reciprocity. No spam.
You'll get a confirmation email first. After you confirm: a short welcome email and 3 licensing tips over the next 10 days, then an email only when a board changes fees, exams or reciprocity. Unsubscribe anytime. We never sell or share your email. Privacy policy.
Texas electrical license FAQ
Do I need a master electrician license to get a Texas electrical contractor license?
Yes. A Texas Electrical Contractor license must be backed by a Texas-licensed Master Electrician, either the owner or an employee designated to the company. One master can back only one contractor unless the master owns more than 50% of the company.
How much does a Texas electrical contractor license cost?
The contractor application is $110 and renews every year at $110. A journeyman going to master also pays $45 for the master application and $78 for the PSI exam, so about $233 in state fees, plus insurance premiums.
What insurance does a Texas electrical contractor need?
General liability of at least $300,000 per occurrence, $600,000 aggregate and $300,000 products/completed operations, plus workers' compensation coverage or a filed notice of no coverage with the Texas Department of Insurance.
Which states have master electrician reciprocity with Texas?
As of October 2026: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee (Tennessee added October 6, 2026). The journeyman license must have been held 1 year if you come from AL, IA, NE, OH or TN, and 2 years from AR, LA or NC. From Alabama, the qualifying license is the Alabama Electrical Contractor license earned by exam. The contractor license itself does not transfer.
Can a Texas master electrician get licensed in Tennessee or Alabama?
Tennessee: yes, under the agreement TDLR announced on October 6, 2026. A Texas master licensed by exam for at least 1 year can have Tennessee's CE trade exam waived, but still passes the Tennessee Business & Law exam and files the full contractor application. Tennessee's own waiver form didn't list Texas yet in October 2026, so confirm with the Board. Alabama: Texas is on the Alabama Board's reciprocity list, so the trade exam is waived, but you pass the Alabama Business & Law exam and pay the $315 reciprocal fee.
Can a Texas city make me take its own electrician exam?
No. Under Occupations Code §1305.201, cities can't require their own exam or charge license fees beyond permit fees. They still run permits, inspections and local registration.
Ready to file in Texas?
Every step in filing order, a printable checklist, and every figure dated and cited to the board. Built by a contractor who holds licenses in 30+ states.
Get the Texas roadmap: $39 See sample pages →Other states
Informational only, not legal advice. LicenseFootprint is not affiliated with any state agency. The board's current published requirements always control.