New Jersey to Colorado: journeyman electrician license reciprocity
Colorado has no reciprocity agreement with New Jersey. A New Jersey journeyman electrician applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Licensure by endorsement (all other states)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
A journeyman from a state without a NERA reciprocity agreement (for example Texas, which DPO's application expressly names as not reciprocal) applies by endorsement. The license to be endorsed must be active, issued and regulated by a state, and have been gained by testing on the NEC edition in effect in Colorado when the application is submitted, which has been the 2026 NEC since August 1, 2026; licenses issued without an exam, by exam on a different NEC edition, or through continuing education do not qualify. The applicant must also document 8,000 hours of electrical experience earned over no fewer than four years on Affidavit of Experience forms, and submit a Verification of Licensure form completed by the issuing state board. Qualifying applicants are licensed without taking the Colorado exam; anyone who does not meet the endorsement criteria must qualify by examination instead.
The Board adopted the 2026 NEC in Rule 1.5, effective August 1, 2026, and Board Rule 1.7(E) requires the origin exam to match the edition in effect when the application is submitted. DPO's online application still refers to the 2023 NEC, so an applicant whose license was tested on the 2023 NEC should confirm eligibility with DPO (303-894-7800) before paying the application fee. Rule 1.7(E) also treats the 288 hours of electrical training as part of substantial equivalence; the Board considers requests to waive it case by case. The Colorado exam, if needed, is given by PSI for $78 ($73 per retest); the application fee amount is shown only inside DPO Online Services.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your New Jersey license must be active and in good standing.
- Your New Jersey license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Earned in no less than 4 years; 2,000 hours must be commercial/industrial work. Experience may be accumulated in other states and is documented on the Board's Affidavit of Experience form.
What you'll do to get licensed in Colorado
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee. Application fee paid in DPO Online Services (amount not published on the public pages; non-refundable).
- 2Other. Verification of Licensure form completed by the issuing state board.
- 3Other. Affidavit(s) of Experience completed by each supervising electrical contractor.
- 4Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Colorado Journeyman Electrician exam (PSI) - only if the origin license does not meet the endorsement criteria.
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 · if applicable
How Colorado licenses journeyman electricians
Colorado journeyman electrician · “Journeyman Electrician”
Statewide license
Issued by Colorado State Electrical Board (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations)
Colorado issues a statewide Journeyman Electrician license through the State Electrical Board within DORA's Division of Professions and Occupations. There are three routes: examination (8,000 hours over at least four years, 288 hours of classroom education, and the PSI-administered Colorado exam), endorsement of an active state-issued license obtained by exam on the NEC edition Colorado currently uses (the 2026 NEC since August 1, 2026), and reciprocity for journeymen from the 14 NERA member states. Endorsement and reciprocity both issue the license without a Colorado exam. Applications are filed through DPO Online Services; licenses expire September 30 every three years.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Colorado journeyman electrician exam if I'm licensed in New Jersey?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- Do my New Jersey work hours count in Colorado?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Colorado's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- 3 CCR 710-1 - State Electrical Board Rules and Regulations · 3 CCR 710-1, Rule 1.7 (Application for Licensure) · Colorado Secretary of State (Code of Colorado Regulations) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- Colorado Revised Statutes Title 12, Article 115 - Electricians (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 12) · C.R.S. §§ 12-115-107(2)(i), 12-115-113 · Colorado General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Colorado Electrical Applications and Forms - Licensure Requirements (Examination, Endorsement, Reciprocity) · Colorado DORA, Division of Professions and Occupations · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Colorado Electrical Homepage - State Electrical Board · Colorado DORA, Division of Professions and Occupations · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- DPO Journeyman Electrician (JW) Initial Application Preview · Colorado DORA, Division of Professions and Occupations · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Colorado State Electrical Board Candidate Information Bulletin · PSI Services LLC (for the Colorado State Electrical Board) · Form · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.