District of Columbia to Texas: journeyman electrician license reciprocity
Texas has no reciprocity agreement with District of Columbia. A District of Columbia journeyman electrician applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state journeyman without a reciprocity agreement
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
TDLR publishes no electrician-specific endorsement process for states outside its reciprocity agreements. Occupations Code §51.4041 lets TDLR waive prerequisites case by case for an applicant who holds a similar license from a state with substantially equivalent requirements, and TDLR describes that substantial-equivalence review as its primary method for out-of-state licensees, but the electrician program pages do not describe how it is applied. In practice an applicant from a non-reciprocal state files the standard Journeyman Electrician application, documents 8,000 hours of on-the-job training on TDLR's Experience Verification form, and must pass the Texas journeyman exam. Texas has no separate law or business exam for individual electricians.
TDLR's application page says the training must be under a Master Electrician licensed in Texas; whether hours supervised by an out-of-state master are credited is not stated in the board's published materials. Applicants may sit the exam after 7,000 documented hours but need 8,000 for licensure.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
What you must already have
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.On-the-job training under the supervision of a master electrician (Tex. Occ. Code §1305.155).
What you'll do to get licensed in Texas
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($30). Journeyman Electrician license application fee (non-refundable), 16 TAC §73.80.
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Texas Journeyman Electrician exam administered by PSI (knowledge and calculations portions, open book, 2026 NEC).
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($78). PSI examination fee for both portions; retake $78.
Published fees on this path total $108, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
What you'll need to buy or arrange
Exam preparation
Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.
- Trade exam
- Exam fee · $78
How Texas licenses journeyman electricians
Texas journeyman electrician · “Journeyman Electrician”
Statewide license
Issued by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
Texas issues a statewide Journeyman Electrician license through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). A new applicant needs 8,000 hours of on-the-job training under a master electrician (TDLR's application page specifies a Texas-licensed master) and must pass the PSI-administered journeyman exam, which is open book and, from September 1, 2026, references the 2026 NEC. TDLR has signed journeyman reciprocity agreements with ten states; a qualifying licensee from one of those states is licensed without taking the Texas exam. Licenses are valid for one year and renewed annually.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Texas journeyman electrician exam if I'm licensed in District of Columbia?
- Yes. Texas requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Texas journeyman electrician license from District of Columbia?
- Published fees on this path total $108, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Sources
- Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1305 - Electricians · Tex. Occ. Code §§1305.153, 1305.155, 1305.164 · Texas Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Texas Occupations Code §51.4041 - Alternative Qualifications for License · Tex. Occ. Code §51.4041 · Texas Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- PSI - Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin · PSI Services LLC for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Electricians Administrative Rules, 16 TAC Chapter 73 · 16 TAC §§73.20, 73.21, 73.24, 73.80 · Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation · Admin Rule · verified September 14, 2026
- TDLR - Apply for a New Journeyman Electrician License · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- TDLR - Electrician Exam Information · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- TDLR - Transfer Your Out-of-State Electrician License to Texas · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- TDLR - Removing Barriers for Out-of-State Licensees at a Glance (AAG FORM-019, Jan. 2025) · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Other · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.