LicensebyState

Tennessee to Virginia: journeyman electrician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 11 sources

Tennessee does not issue a statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Virginia'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.

Universal License Recognition for out-of-state journeymen (all other states)

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

A journeyman licensed by any state without a reciprocal agreement applies on the Tradesman Universal License Recognition form for a 'Licensed Journeyman Electrical (ELE)' license, which DPOR issues without the Virginia trade examination. The Tradesman ULR form requires that the current out-of-state journeyman (or master) license has been held for at least three years, that the licensing state required an examination and required education, training or experience to obtain it, that there are no unresolved complaints or pending investigations, and that a Certification of Licensure/Letter of Good Standing dated within 90 days is sent directly by every state board that has licensed the applicant, listing the license number, initial date, expiration, means of licensure and any closed disciplinary actions. DPOR reserves the right to require an exam specific to Virginia law (Va. Code 54.1-205), and a felony or misdemeanor history must be reported. The fee printed on the 2023 ULR form is $130. Applicants who do not meet the ULR criteria are not shut out: the standard Tradesman Exam & License Application ($171.75) accepts 'individuals currently certified or licensed as a journeyman or master by a governing body located outside the Commonwealth' as a qualification to sit the PSI journeyman exam ($100) with no experience or training documentation.

DPOR's general ULR page says one year of licensure, while the Tradesman ULR application (v2, 08/14/2023) requires three years; the trade-specific form is recorded here. The ULR form predates the 2025 fee change and 2026 technology fee, so the current charge may be the $171.75 shown on the exam/license form rather than $130. Whether DPOR actually imposes a Virginia-law exam on tradesman ULR applicants is not stated on any page found.

At a glance

Trade exam
Waived
Law / code exam
Not required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

  • You must have held your Tennessee license for at least 3 years.Current out-of-state journeyman or master license held at least 3 years (Tradesman ULR form); DPOR's general ULR page states 1 year
  • Your Tennessee license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
  • Your Tennessee license must be active and in good standing.
  • You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.

What you'll do to get licensed in Virginia

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($130). Tradesman Universal License Recognition application fee as printed on form A501-2710ULR (2023); non-refundable. The 2026 exam/license form charges $171.75 including the technology fee..
  2. 2Other. Certification of Licensure/Letter of Good Standing from each state board where licensed, sent directly to the Board for Contractors - Tradesmen Program and dated within 90 days.
  3. 3Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam (if applicable). DPOR may require an examination specific to Virginia law under Va. Code 54.1-205.
  4. 4Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Only for applicants who do not meet the ULR criteria: PSI Virginia journeyman electrical exam ($100) via the Tradesman Exam & License Application ($171.75), for which an out-of-state journeyman or master license is itself the qualification.

Published fees on this path total $130, 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.

  • Law / code exam · if applicable
  • Trade exam · if applicable

How Virginia licenses journeyman electricians

Virginia journeyman electrician · “Journeyman Electrical Tradesman (ELE)”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 7 sources

Issued by Virginia Board for Contractors, Tradesmen Program (DPOR)

Virginia issues a statewide Journeyman Electrical tradesman license to individuals (never to companies) through the Board for Contractors' Tradesmen Program at the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). A first-time applicant qualifies for the PSI journeyman exam ($100) with a combination of practical experience and vocational training (4 years plus 240 hours down to 7 years plus 40 hours), a related degree plus experience, 8 years of verified experience, or completion of a registered apprenticeship, which exempts the applicant from the exam. The application fee on the 2026 form is $171.75, which includes the $7.25-per-year technology fee added by 2026 House Bill 30 on top of the $150 fee in 18VAC50-30-90. A journeyman or master license from another state qualifies its holder to sit the Virginia exam without documenting hours, and a licensee who has held that out-of-state license for three years may instead apply through Universal License Recognition, which issues the license without the Virginia trade exam. The Board also has signed journeyman-level examination reciprocity agreements with the District of Columbia, Kentucky and West Virginia. Anyone who contracts for work over $1,000 needs a separate Virginia contractor business license.

Moving to VirginiaLeaving Virginia

Why Tennessee has nothing to transfer

Tennessee journeyman electrician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 11 sources

Issued by Local code enforcement offices (Nashville, Memphis/Shelby County, Knoxville, Chattanooga and other exempt jurisdictions); no state journeyman license

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.

Moving to TennesseeLeaving Tennessee

Common questions

Do I have to take the Virginia 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 3 years before applying.
What does it cost to get a Virginia journeyman electrician license from Tennessee?
Published fees on this path total $130, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Tennessee work hours count in Virginia?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Virginia's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Virginia to Tennessee?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Virginia to Tennessee, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. 18VAC50-30-100 - Examination fees · 18VAC50-30-100 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Amended effective March 11, 2026. Exam fees are set by the Board's vendor contract and may not exceed $200 for a journeyman exam or $225 for a master exam; the current PSI fees on the Tradesmen page are $100 and $125.
  2. 18VAC50-30-39 - Evidence of ability and proficiency (tradesman qualifications) · 18VAC50-30-39 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Effective April 1, 2025 (replacing repealed 18VAC50-30-40). Journeyman pathways: engineering bachelor's plus one year, associate degree plus two years, 240 hours vocational training plus four years, 160 plus five, 80 plus six, 40 plus seven, or eight years of experience. Master pathways: three years holding a valid residential HVAC tradesman license, one year as a licensed journeyman in the trade, or nine years of practical experience. The regulation does not itself address out-of-state licenses; those are handled through the application form's out-of-state qualification option, reciprocity and ULR.
  3. 18VAC50-30-50 - Exemptions from examination · 18VAC50-30-50 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Exam exemptions cover pre-July 1, 1995 DHCD tradesman cards, pre-July 1, 1978 locality cards, and completion of an apprenticeship program approved by the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement (journeyman exam). Out-of-state licenses are not among the listed exemptions.
  4. 18VAC50-30-90 - Fees (individual licenses and certifications) · 18VAC50-30-90 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Effective August 1, 2025: original tradesman license with or without examination $150; card exchange $110; additional tradesman designation $105. All fees are non-refundable. The 2026 application form adds the statutory technology fee, giving $171.75.
  5. Va. Code 54.1-103 - Additional training of regulated persons; reciprocity; endorsement · Va. Code 54.1-103(B)-(C) · Virginia General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Subsection B lets regulatory boards enter agreements with other jurisdictions to recognize their licenses; subsection C authorizes regulations recognizing other states' licenses as full or partial fulfillment of Virginia qualifications. Statutory basis for the Maryland HVAC examination reciprocity agreement and the out-of-state qualification route.
  6. Virginia Board for Contractors - Reciprocal Licensing/Examination Agreements with Other Jurisdictions · Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR) · Agreement Document · verified September 15, 2026Board-approved list. The only HVAC entry is: 'Maryland HVAC Board Journeyman and Master HVA Tradesman License and Virginia Journeyman and Master HVA License Examination Reciprocity.' All other entries concern electrical tradesmen (AL, DC, KY, MD, WV, NC, OH) or WSSC plumbers and gas fitters. Anyone applying under an agreement must meet all of its terms and submit a complete application with verification of licensure from the out-of-state board.
  7. Form A501-2710EXLIC - Tradesman Exam & License Application (v8, 07/01/2026) · Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR) · Form · verified September 15, 2026Designations include Journeyman and Master Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVA). Methods of licensure: Examination (1005), Reciprocity (1021) and Apprenticeship Program (1022) at $171.75 each, Card Exchange (1023) at $131.75; the fees include the $7.25-per-year Technology Fee added by 2026 House Bill 30. Question 10 lets an applicant list a current tradesman license from another jurisdiction 'to qualify you for the tradesman examination' or for reciprocity, with a Certification/Letter of Good Standing. Journeyman qualification options include 'Individuals currently certified or licensed as a journeyman or master by governing body located outside the Commonwealth of Virginia'; master options are one year as a licensed journeyman, three years as a Virginia residential HVAC or plumber tradesman, nine years of practical experience, or a current out-of-state journeyman or master license. Anyone performing work over $1,000 must also hold a Virginia contractor license.
  8. Board for Contractors - Tradesman Licensing Information and Application Instructions · Va. Code 54.1-1128 to 54.1-1131 · Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR) · Other · verified September 15, 2026States that tradesman licenses are issued to individuals, not companies. Explains that an out-of-state license can be reviewed 'for experience or eligibility to sit for the exam or reciprocity' when a Certification/Letter of Good Standing showing the license number, initial date, expiration, means of licensure and closed disciplinary actions is provided.
  9. Form A501-2710ULR - Tradesman Universal License Recognition Application (v2, 08/14/2023) · Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR) · Form · verified September 15, 2026Offers 'Licensed Journeyman Heating, Ventilation & Air Cond. (HVA)' and 'Licensed Master HVAC (HVA)' (transaction code 1021, licensure without examination) and 'Unlicensed Journeyman/Master HVAC (HVA) - ULR by exam' (code 1005), $130 each, non-refundable. Licensed applicants must have held the current out-of-state license for at least 3 years, the issuing state must have required an examination and education/training/experience, there must be no unresolved complaints or pending investigations, and every state board that has licensed the applicant must send a Certification of Licensure/Letter of Good Standing dated within 90 days directly to the Tradesmen Program. The form states DPOR may require an examination specific to Virginia law under Va. Code 54.1-205. Applicants from states that do not regulate the trade need 3 years of employment, an Experience Verification Form, and must take the Virginia exam unless they have passed one elsewhere.
  10. DPOR Board for Contractors - Tradesmen Program · Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Program page for journeyman and master tradesman licenses in electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas fitting. Exams are administered by PSI: $100 for a journeyman tradesman exam, $125 for a master tradesman exam. HVAC journeyman and master licensees complete three hours of board-approved continuing education on the International Mechanical Code each two-year renewal cycle. Links the Tradesman Exam & License Application (A501-2710EXLIC), the Residential Tradesman application (A501-2709EXLIC, launched April 1, 2025), the Universal License Recognition application (A501-2710ULR) and the reciprocal agreements list.
  11. DPOR - Universal License Recognition · Va. Code 54.1-204, 54.1-205 · Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026ULR applies to an applicant who holds a valid out-of-state license or certification in an occupation with a similar scope of practice, has been licensed there for at least one year, passed an examination and met training standards, has no disciplinary actions or pending investigations, has no disqualifying criminal history, and pays the Virginia fees. Tradesmen certifications are among the listed occupations.

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

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