Tennessee to Delaware: journeyman electrician license reciprocity
Tennessee does not issue a statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Delaware'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.
Journeyperson license by reciprocity (any state, Board review of standards)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
Any electrician holding a current journeyperson license issued by another state, U.S. territory or the District of Columbia applies by reciprocity in DELPROS rather than by examination; Delaware does not require the Prov exam of reciprocity applicants. Under 24 Del. C. § 1409(a) the Board must grant the license if the origin state's licensure standards are substantially similar to Delaware's, which Regulation 11.4 defines as at least 4 years of full-time experience under a licensed master electrician, a licensing test by a Board-recognized testing entity, and 5 hours of NEC-based continuing education; if they are not, § 1409(b) requires proof of at least five years of licensed full-time practice as a journeyperson after licensure. The Board's journeyperson page does not name any state as substantially similar and says the Board will make that determination on each application, so every applicant submits a copy of or links to the origin jurisdiction's law and regulations, Verification of Employment forms showing five years of licensed journeyperson experience, and licensure verification sent directly to the Board from every jurisdiction where they are or have been licensed. The application fee is $105 and the application must be completed within six months of starting it. Licenses issued only by a municipality (for example in Pennsylvania) do not qualify; those applicants must take the examination path.
Whether the Board waives the five-year practice proof for journeypersons from Maryland or New Jersey (the states it lists as substantially similar at the master level) is not stated on the journeyperson page, which asks all reciprocity applicants for the five-year Verification of Employment. Applicants without a current out-of-state license apply by examination: 8,000 hours under a licensed master, Prov exam at 75%, $105 fee.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Tennessee license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have held your Tennessee license for at least 5 years.Required when the origin state's standards are not substantially similar to Delaware's: five years of licensed, full-time practice as a journeyperson after licensure, shown on Verification of Employment forms (24 Del. C. § 1409(b); 24 DE Admin. Code 1400 § 11.2)
- Origin state's requirements are reviewed against Regulation 11.4: 4 years of full-time experience under a licensed master electrician, a licensing test administered by a Board-recognized testing entity, and 5 hours of NEC-based continuing education
What you'll do to get licensed in Delaware
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($105). Journeyperson electrician application fee (exam or reciprocity), paid in DELPROS.
- 2Other. Licensure verification sent directly to the Board from each jurisdiction where the applicant holds or has held a license, plus a copy of or links to each jurisdiction's electrician law and regulations.
- 3Other. Verification of Employment form(s) showing five years of licensed full-time journeyperson experience (W-2s with an explanatory letter accepted as a substitute).
Published fees on this path total $105, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
How Delaware licenses journeyman electricians
Delaware journeyman electrician · “Journeyperson Electrician”
Statewide license
Issued by Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation)
Delaware issues a statewide Journeyperson Electrician license through the Board of Electrical Examiners in the Division of Professional Regulation; a lesser Residential Electrician license (4,000 hours plus a residential exam) also exists. A new journeyperson must be at least 20 and either hold a certificate of completion from a Board-approved apprenticeship (no further exam) or document over 8,000 hours of full-time electrical work under a licensed master electrician (at least 4,000 of them directly under a master) and pass the Prov-administered journeyperson exam with 75%, using only the NEC as a reference. The application fee is $105. Out-of-state journeypersons are licensed by reciprocity under 24 Del. C. § 1409 without a Delaware exam: the Board decides case by case whether the origin state's requirements are substantially similar (Regulation 11.4 sets the benchmark at 4 years of supervised experience, a licensing exam and 5 hours of NEC continuing education) and otherwise requires five years of licensed practice. Unlike the master level, the Board publishes no list of substantially-similar states for journeypersons. Licenses run two years and renew with continuing education.
Why Tennessee has nothing to transfer
Tennessee journeyman electrician
Licensed by cities and counties
Tennessee has no statewide journeyman electrician license. The Board for Licensing Contractors regulates electrical work at only two levels: the contractor license with the CE (electrical) classification, required for projects of $25,000 and up, and the Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE), a personal license for projects under $25,000 that is accepted only in the roughly 65 counties where the State Fire Marshal's Division of Fire Prevention issues permits and inspects. The Board itself says the LLE exam 'is NOT comparable to the journeyman/master', that no experience is required to take it, and that 'there are no out-of-state reciprocal (exam waiver) agreements for the LLE'. Journeyman cards exist only where a city or county runs its own testing, licensing and inspection program: Nashville, Memphis/Shelby County, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Jackson and about two dozen other 'exempt jurisdictions' listed by the state do not accept the LLE and require their local journeyman or master license, or a state CE contractor license, to obtain permits. An out-of-state journeyman license has no state-level recognition in Tennessee; the state's LLE packet states flatly that 'out-of-state electricians and contractors must obtain a license in Tennessee', and none of the largest local programs publish a reciprocity or exam-waiver path, so a journeyman arriving from another state should expect to sit the local exam in each jurisdiction where they will work (or take the $50 LLE exam for small jobs in fire-marshal counties).
How local licensing works in Tennessee
How local licensing works. T.C.A. Title 62, Chapter 6 gives the Board for Licensing Contractors the CE contractor license (business-level, $25,000 and up, accepted by every jurisdiction) and the LLE (individual, under $25,000, valid only where the state inspects). Local governments that operate their own electrical inspection programs may license electricians for smaller work under their own codes, and the state publishes a list of exempt jurisdictions that do not accept the LLE. Every one of them accepts a state CE contractor license for permits, but none accepts another city's or state's journeyman card by rule.
Nashville (Metro Codes and Building Safety). The Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Examiners and Appeals Board examines and licenses Master Electricians, Equipment Installers, Low Voltage Installers and Journeyman Electricians. A journeyman applicant must show completion of an electrical construction apprenticeship program or regular employment as a journeyman under an electrical contractor or master electrician, submit employer verification letters and a character letter, be approved by the Chief Electrical Inspector, and pass the Prov-administered Metro journeyman exam with 70% (30-day wait to retest). The application asks whether the applicant holds a master license in another city or state but describes no exam waiver.
Memphis / Shelby County (Office of Construction Code Enforcement). The joint Memphis and Shelby County Electrical Code licenses Journeyman Electricians and Linemen (age 20, three years of experience in the electrical field immediately preceding application, application in person with three industry recommendations, 30-day investigation, exam before the Electrical Code Advisory Board; exam $50, annual renewal $50) and registers apprentices ($12). Journeymen work under a licensed Master Electrician who pulls the permit. No reciprocity provision appears in the code.
Knoxville (Plans Review & Inspections). Knoxville is on the state's exempt list and requires everyone pulling a permit to hold a city registration matching their qualifications (state contractor, homeowner, or unlicensed/LLE-LLP registration). The city's own electrical exam, experience and fee details are not published on the pages found; contact 865-215-4311.
Chattanooga (Land Development Office). Issues a Journeyman electrical license ($55, two-year term) to applicants with 3 years or 6,000 documented hours of experience with an electrical contractor who pass the city test, and a separate 'state certified' journeyman registration on the same terms; a Board of Electrical Examiners oversees testing. No reciprocity is mentioned.
Out-of-state holders. The state has no journeyman license to endorse, the LLE has no reciprocity, and the four largest local programs publish no exam waiver for other jurisdictions' journeyman cards. Practical routes are: pass the local journeyman exam in each exempt jurisdiction where you will work; take the LLE exam ($50 license, no experience required) for sub-$25,000 work in fire-marshal counties; or, for independent contracting, obtain the state CE contractor license, which every jurisdiction accepts.
- Nashville / Davidson County (Metro Codes and Building Safety)
- Memphis / Shelby County (Office of Construction Code Enforcement)
- Knoxville (Plans Review & Inspections)
- Chattanooga (Land Development Office)
- Hamilton County
- Clarksville
- Murfreesboro
- Franklin
- Jackson
- Kingsport
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Delaware journeyman electrician exam if I'm licensed in Tennessee?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Tennessee license?
- At least 5 years before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Delaware journeyman electrician license from Tennessee?
- Published fees on this path total $105, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Tennessee work hours count in Delaware?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Delaware's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Delaware to Tennessee?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Delaware to Tennessee, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- 24 Del. C. Chapter 14, Subchapter II - License (Board of Electrical Examiners) · 24 Del. C. §§ 1407-1411 · Delaware General Assembly (Delaware Code Online) · Statute · verified September 15, 2026§ 1408(a)(1) master electrician: knowledge of residential, commercial and industrial work plus six years' full-time experience under a licensed master, or 8,000 hours plus 576 hours of related instruction in an apprenticeship, or four years' experience plus two years' technical training; § 1408(a)(4) journeyperson: age 20 and either a Board-approved apprenticeship with final exam or over 8,000 hours of full-time electrical work under a licensed master; § 1408(a)(5) residential electrician: exam plus over 4,000 hours or a residential apprenticeship; all except apprentices pass a standardized written exam. § 1409(a): on application and fee the Board 'shall grant a license' to an applicant with proof of current licensure in good standing in another state, D.C. or territory whose standards are substantially similar; § 1409(b): an applicant from a state whose standards are not substantially similar 'shall have practiced for a minimum of 5 years after licensure'. § 1411: proof of general liability insurance as required by the Board; licenses renew biennially with continuing education.
- Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners - Home · 24 Del. C. ch. 18 · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Fetched through the r.jina.ai text proxy because dpr.delaware.gov rejects direct fetches. 'The Board issues master plumber, master HVACR and master restricted HVACR licenses'; restricted licenses limit practice to a specialty such as air conditioning. Notes the March 11, 2025 regulation update (restricted candidates take only the relevant bypass exam sections; continuing education clarified for the 2026 renewal). Board meets the second Tuesday monthly and reviews only complete applications.
- Delaware DPR - Board of Electrical Examiners examination information (Prov) · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Exams are administered by Prov at Delaware test sites (Wilmington, Newark, Dover) or online via Examroom; a minimum score of 75% is required; exams are based on the most current NEC adopted in Delaware; candidates apply in DELPROS first and Prov contacts approved candidates within 1-2 weeks with a Candidate Information Bulletin. Exam fees are not stated on the page.
- Delaware DPR - Plumbing and HVACR Fee Schedule · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Fetched through the r.jina.ai text proxy. Application fees: Master HVACR $173; Master Restricted HVACR $173; Plumber or HVACR Temporary $40. Commercial Hood System Examination $50; Verification of Licensure $35 ($45 with exam scores/hours/history). Renewal fee is announced at renewal; late renewal adds 50%. All fees are non-refundable and paid in DELPROS.
- Delaware DPR - Apply for a Journeyperson Electrician license (certificate, examination or reciprocity) · 24 Del. C. § 1408(a)(4); 24 DE Admin. Code 1400 § 11.0 · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Three paths: apprenticeship certificate of completion (no exam), examination (8,000 hours of full-time electrical work under a licensed master electrician), or reciprocity for holders of a current journeyperson license from another state, U.S. territory or D.C. Reciprocity applicants must submit licensure verification from every jurisdiction, a copy of or links to each jurisdiction's law and regulations, and Verification of Employment forms showing five years of licensed full-time journeyperson experience; 'the Board will determine whether the licensure requirements in any jurisdiction where you hold a current license are substantially similar to those of Delaware'. No list of substantially-similar states is published for journeypersons.
- Delaware DPR - Apply for a Master or Limited Electrician license by Examination or by Reciprocity · 24 Del. C. § 1408(a); 24 DE Admin. Code 1400 · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Reciprocity is for holders of a current license of the same type from another state, U.S. territory or D.C. Applicants licensed in Maryland or New Jersey need no proof of experience (standards substantially similar). Applicants licensed in Arkansas, Colorado, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia or Wyoming must submit Verification of Employment forms (or W-2s/Schedule C with an explanation) showing five years of licensed practice. Applicants from any other state must submit that state's laws and regulations for Board evaluation. Pennsylvania issues no state license, so holders of only Pennsylvania municipal licenses must apply by examination. All applicants: proof of general liability insurance of at least $300,000 and licensure verification sent directly from every jurisdiction; master by exam needs six years' full-time experience or four years under a master plus two years of technical training; applications must be completed within six months of starting in DELPROS.
- Delaware Register of Regulations, 18 DE Reg. 704 (March 1, 2015) - Board of Electrical Examiners final order (Regulations 3.0 Qualifications and 4.0 Examinations) · 24 DE Admin. Code 1400 §§ 3.0, 4.0 · Delaware Registrar of Regulations / Board of Electrical Examiners · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Regulation 3.0: qualifications are proven by affidavit on a Board form (supervising-electrician affidavits or W-2s); two years of technical training may be a vocational/technical high school program or 48 post-secondary credit hours; for journeyperson licensure at least 4,000 of the 8,000 hours must be under a licensed master electrician. Regulation 4.0: applicants must score 75% on the Division-approved test with only the NEC book as a reference; applications with credentials are due 45 days before the test; the license issues on a passing score, proof of insurance and payment of the fee.
- Delaware Register of Regulations, 27 DE Reg. 885 (May 1, 2024) - Board of Electrical Examiners final order amending Regulation 11.0 Reciprocity · 24 DE Admin. Code 1400 § 11.0 · Delaware Registrar of Regulations / Board of Electrical Examiners · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Final order signed April 3, 2024, effective ten days after publication. 11.1: reciprocity applicants present proof of current licensure in good standing from every jurisdiction where licensed (inactive, lapsed, expired, suspended or revoked licenses do not qualify) and copies of the reciprocal state's requirements. 11.2: if the reciprocal state's requirements are not substantially similar, proof of practice under the license for at least 5 years after licensure (employer affidavits, or W-2s/tax documents showing five years of full-time employment). 11.3: a state's master electrician requirements are substantially similar if it requires at least 6 years full-time experience under a licensed master, passing a licensing test by a Board-recognized testing entity, 5 hours of NEC-based continuing education, and inspection of electrical work by qualified inspectors. 11.4: journeyperson requirements are substantially similar if the state requires at least 4 years full-time experience under a licensed master electrician, a licensing test by a Board-recognized testing entity, and 5 hours of NEC-based continuing education.
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.