Do I have to take the Alaska journeyman electrician exam if I'm licensed in Montana?

No. The trade exam is waived on this path under the agreement with Montana.

How long do I need to have held my Montana license?

At least 1 year before applying.

What does it cost to get a Alaska journeyman electrician license from Montana?

Published fees on this path total $250, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

How long does the application take?

The board's published or typical processing time is about 10 days.

Does it work the other way, from Alaska to Montana?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Alaska to Montana, the mechanism is endorsement.

Montana to Alaska: journeyman electrician license reciprocity

Reciprocity· Exam waivedVerified September 15, 2026· 7 sources

Alaska has a reciprocity agreement with Montana: a Montana journeyman electrician can get a Alaska license without retaking the trade exam.

Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.

Reciprocal Electrician Journeyman certificate for Montana licensees

A signed state-to-state agreement. The trade exam is waived; you apply, prove your history, and pay the fee.

Montana is one of the thirteen states named on Mechanical Inspection's Reciprocal Electrician Journeyman License page. A Montana journeyman who tested for the Montana license, has held it for at least one year, and whose license is active receives an Alaska Electrician Journeyman Certificate of Fitness without taking the Alaska exam. The applicant submits the Reciprocal/Provisional application with a copy of the current license, picture identification and a 2x2 photo, and pays $250 ($50 application fee plus $200 two-year certificate fee). The reciprocal certificate is a full two-year certificate that renews as an ordinary journeyman COF and allows the holder to supervise trainees. Processing takes about 7-10 business days.

At a glance

Trade exam: Waived
Law / code exam: Not required
Typical processing: About 10 days
Agreement: Active

What you must already have

Your Montana license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
You must have held your Montana license for at least 1 year.Held the origin license for at least one year
Your Montana license must be active and in good standing.

What you'll do to get licensed in Alaska

1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($50). Nonrefundable certificate of fitness application fee (AS 18.62.030).
2License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($200). Two-year Electrician Journeyman certificate fee (AS 18.62.030).
3Other. Copy of the current origin license, picture identification and a professional 2x2 photo submitted with the Reciprocal/Provisional application.

Published fees on this path total $250, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

How Alaska licenses journeyman electricians

Alaska journeyman electrician · “Electrician Journeyman Certificate of Fitness”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 5 sources

Issued by Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section

Alaska issues a statewide Electrician Journeyman Certificate of Fitness (COF) through the Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Mechanical Inspection Section; a state COF is required for construction work subject to the National Electrical Code everywhere in Alaska (AS 18.62.010). A new applicant documents 8,000 hours of supervised electrical work (no more than 2,000 residential; up to 1,000 classroom hours, 1,000 lineman hours and 4,000 military/vocational hours may be substituted) and passes the department's open-book exam on the 2020 NEC with a score of at least 70%. The COF costs $50 to apply for plus $200 on issue, is valid for two years, and renews with 16 hours of continuing education. Since August 8, 2025 the department reciprocates journeyman certificates with any US jurisdiction whose requirements are substantially similar (8 AAC 90.111), still names thirteen long-standing reciprocal states, and offers a one-year provisional certificate to any out-of-state journeyman.

Moving to Alaska Leaving Alaska

Common questions

Do I have to take the Alaska journeyman electrician exam if I'm licensed in Montana?: No. The trade exam is waived on this path under the agreement with Montana.
How long do I need to have held my Montana license?: At least 1 year before applying.
What does it cost to get a Alaska journeyman electrician license from Montana?: Published fees on this path total $250, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
How long does the application take?: The board's published or typical processing time is about 10 days.
Does it work the other way, from Alaska to Montana?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Alaska to Montana, the mechanism is endorsement.

Sources

Alaska Certificate of Fitness Information Packet - AS 18.62 and 8 AAC 90 (Version 20250715) · AS 18.62.020, AS 18.62.030; 8 AAC 90.111, 8 AAC 90.112, 8 AAC 90.115, 8 AAC 90.160 · Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026AS 18.62.030: $50 application fee and $200 journeyman certificate fee (two years, prorated). 8 AAC 90.111: the department may reciprocate an electrical COF with any jurisdiction that has substantially similar requirements, considering hours, testing, apprenticeship membership and other factors. 8 AAC 90.112: provisional certificate requires a current license held a full year, $50 + $100, expires after one year or when the origin license expires; if the origin jurisdiction is not substantially similar the applicant must prove hours and take the exam. 8 AAC 90.115(c): passing score 70. 8 AAC 90.160: journeyman COF requires the exam plus 8,000 documented hours (max 2,000 residential; up to 1,000 classroom and 1,000 lineman hours substitutable; maintenance experience excluded). Includes the FAQ on the August 8, 2025 reciprocity change.
Alaska DOLWD Mechanical Inspection - Certificate of Fitness License Requirements (Electrician) · 8 AAC 90.111, 8 AAC 90.112, 8 AAC 90.160 · Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Mechanical Inspection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Electrician Journeyman: 8,000 hours (max 2,000 residential, 1,000 classroom, 1,000 lineman, 4,000 military/vocational), exam with 70% passing score, $50 non-refundable application fee plus $200 certificate fee, valid 2 years, 16 CE hours to renew. Reciprocal Electrician Journeyman: license held one full year, origin requirements substantially similar as determined by Mechanical Inspection, no exam, $50 + $200. Provisional Electrician Journeyman: held one full year, $50 + $100, valid 1 year, may not supervise apprentices.
Alaska DOLWD Mechanical Inspection - Frequently Asked Questions · Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Mechanical Inspection · Faq · verified September 15, 2026Covers only electrician and plumber certificates; says 'Alaska also has Mechanical Administrator and Electrical Administrator licenses which cover supervision and sign-off of code work. Refer to DCCED for details on these licenses.' Also notes that provisional plumber certificates do not allow fuel gas work because many states exclude gas from their plumber license.
Alaska DOLWD Mechanical Inspection - Home · Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Announces the changes effective August 8, 2025: expanded reciprocity for electricians and plumbers, new provisional licensing, and acceptance of military and vocational hours; a state-issued COF is required for construction work subject to the NEC in all parts of Alaska.
Reciprocal/Provisional Application for Electrical and Plumbing Certificates of Fitness (v.20250828) · Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Mechanical Inspection · Form · verified September 15, 2026Reciprocal Electrician Journeyman $250 for 2 years; Provisional Electrician Journeyman $150 for up to 1 year (not renewable); $50 nonrefundable application fee plus $100 or $200 certificate fee; attach a copy of the current license; processing 7-10 business days.
Alaska DOLWD Mechanical Inspection - Reciprocal Electrician Journeyman License · Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Mechanical Inspection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Names the thirteen reciprocal states (Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming), says Alaska no longer has a reciprocal agreement with Utah, requires the license to have been held at least one year, active, and obtained by testing, and states the fee: $250 total ($50 application fee and $200 two-year license fee). Required documents: copy of current license, picture ID, 2x2 photo.
Alaska DOLWD Mechanical Inspection - Testing Information · Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Mechanical Inspection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Electrician journeyman exam is open book on the 2020 National Electrical Code, minimum 70%, four-hour limit, given the first and third Wednesday of each month in Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks with proctored options; applications take 7-10 business days to approve before scheduling. No exam fee is listed.

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

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