North Carolina to Idaho: journeyman electrician license reciprocity
North Carolina does not issue a statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Idaho's standard path for out-of-state applicants.
Your origin state does not issue a statewide license at this level, so there is no license to transfer. The destination's standard out-of-state path is shown; expect to meet it in full.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state journeymen from non-reciprocal states (standard route with out-of-state experience credit)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
An applicant licensed in a state that is not on Idaho's reciprocal list applies as an initial applicant. Idaho accepts supervised electrical-installation hours earned in any state: the journeyman application states that work hours 'can be obtained in or out of the State of Idaho' and IDAPA 24.39.10.100.02 counts apprentice hours obtained 'in accordance with the requirements of the jurisdiction in which the applicant obtained the experience.' The applicant needs either 8,000 supervised hours plus completion of a Board-approved four-year apprenticeship program, or 16,000 supervised hours, documented on Work Verification Forms (one per employer or state). Hours in appliance repair, motor winding, or communications do not count. The applicant must pass the Idaho journeyman exam administered by PSI (the Idaho State Journeyman Electrician exam replaced the NASCLA exam on December 1, 2025) before applying, and pay DOPL's $15 application fee plus the $55 original journeyman license fee (shown as a combined $70 processing fee on the form).
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.8,000 supervised electrical-installation hours plus a completion certificate from a Board-approved four-year apprenticeship program; otherwise 16,000 supervised hours. Up to 2,000 hours as a limited electrical installer or trainee may count.
What you'll do to get licensed in Idaho
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($15). DOPL application fee (the application form shows the combined $70 processing fee, which includes the license fee).
- 2License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($55). Original Journeyman Electrician license fee, three-year term (renewal $45).
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Idaho State Journeyman Electrician exam administered by PSI; a passing score is required before the application is submitted; exam fee paid to PSI.
- 4Other. Work Verification Form(s) for each employer and state where hours were earned; apprenticeship completion certificate if using the 8,000-hour route.
Published fees on this path total $70, 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
How Idaho licenses journeyman electricians
Idaho journeyman electrician · “Journeyman Electrician”
Statewide license
Issued by Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (Idaho Electrical Board)
Idaho issues a statewide Journeyman Electrician license through the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) on behalf of the Idaho Electrical Board, under Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 10 and IDAPA 24.39.10. Idaho Code 54-1007(6) lets the administrator sign reciprocal agreements with states whose qualifications are at least equal to Idaho's, and Idaho participates in the multi-state National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance (NERA) agreement as well as a separate bilateral agreement with Oregon. Journeymen from those states are licensed without examination on proof of an active license obtained by examination. Everyone else applies on the standard route, where out-of-state hours count toward the 8,000-hour (with a four-year program) or 16,000-hour experience requirement and the Idaho journeyman exam (PSI) must be passed. DOPL was re-evaluating its reciprocal agreements in late 2025, so the partner list may change.
Why North Carolina has nothing to transfer
North Carolina journeyman electrician
No individual license at this level
Issued by North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (contractor licensing only)
North Carolina does not issue a journeyman electrician license, and no North Carolina city or county issues one either. The Electrical Contractors Licensing Law (G.S. Chapter 87, Article 4) regulates only electrical contracting: the business of installing, maintaining, altering or repairing electrical work, which requires a Limited, Intermediate, Unlimited or Special Restricted electrical contracting license qualified by a listed qualified individual. Electricians below that level work as employees under the supervision of the licensee's qualified individual with no personal license, and the Board's exam handbook and fee schedule contain no journeyman credential. The Board's rules mention 'journeyman electrician' only as a category of primary experience (credited at 100%, 2,000 hours per year) toward the electrical contracting exam. An out-of-state journeyman license therefore has nothing to transfer to in North Carolina; it is neither required nor recognized for employment, but the documented hours behind it count toward the 3,000 (Limited), 5,750 (Intermediate) or 9,000 (Unlimited) hours needed to sit the contractor exam.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Idaho journeyman electrician exam if I'm licensed in North Carolina?
- Yes. Idaho requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Idaho journeyman electrician license from North Carolina?
- Published fees on this path total $70, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my North Carolina work hours count in Idaho?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Idaho's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Idaho to North Carolina?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Idaho to North Carolina, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Idaho Code 54-1007 - Issuance of licenses - Reciprocity · Idaho Code 54-1007 · Idaho Legislature · Statute · verified September 14, 2026Subsection (3): a person who has worked as a licensed journeyman at least four years is qualified to apply for a master license. Subsection (6): 'To the extent that other states that provide for the licensing of electricians require qualifications at least equal to those contained in this chapter, the administrator may enter reciprocal agreements with such other states to grant licenses to electricians licensed by such other states.'
- Idaho Electrical Board - Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 14, 2026Fee table: application fee $15; Journeyman original license $55 (3-year term, renewal $45); Master original license $65 (3-year term, renewal $45).
- Idaho Electrical Board - Program Information and Exams · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 14, 2026Exams are administered by PSI (registration at test-takers.psiexams.com/idcon/test).
- Idaho Electrical Board - Frequently Asked Questions · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Faq · verified September 14, 2026Q: Does Idaho have Reciprocal Licensing agreements? A: 'Yes. The states that Idaho has an agreement with are listed in the Reciprocal Information document.' The linked PDF (bcre-reciprocal-info.pdf) returned 404 on 2026-09-14; the current list is on the journeyman application form.
- IDAPA 24.39.10 - Rules of the Idaho Electrical Board · IDAPA 24.39.10.100 · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Admin Rule · verified September 14, 2026Section 100.02: journeyman applicant must pass a Board-designated exam and show either 8,000 hours as an apprentice 'in accordance with the requirements of the jurisdiction in which the applicant obtained the experience' plus a four-year approved sequence of instruction, or 16,000 hours of electrical experience. Section 100.03: a master electrician does not need to also hold a journeyman license. The rule contains no separate reciprocity section; reciprocity is governed by 54-1007 and the signed agreements.
- Idaho Electrical Journeyman License Application and Instructions (revised August 2, 2024) · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Form · verified September 14, 2026Reciprocal Pathway lists NERA states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming (DOPL obtains license status, proof of licensure by examination, and issue date from the origin state), plus a separate Oregon pathway. Initial and reciprocal applications carry a $70.00 processing fee. Work hours for the standard route 'can be obtained in or out of the State of Idaho.'
- Idaho Electrical Board draft meeting minutes, August 12, 2025 · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Other · verified September 14, 2026'DOPL staff are reviewing the current reciprocal agreements as well as changes in other states' legislation that may affect those agreements. A revaluation of the reciprocal agreements will be conducted later this year.' Also notes House Bill 153 amended 54-1007 so a master licensee is automatically issued a journeyman license at no additional cost.
- Idaho Electrical Board meeting minutes, October 29, 2025 · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Other · verified September 14, 2026Idaho State Journeyman and Master Electrician exams developed with PSI went live December 1, 2025, replacing the NASCLA exams. Idaho hosted the National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance (NERA) conference; staff to report on reciprocal status with surrounding states and the list of participating states.
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.