Moving to Iowa as a journeyman electrician: every state's rule

Graduates of a board-approved post-secondary electrical program (PSEP) at a community college or technical school may test after the program and 6,000 hours of on-the-job training. The program must be at least 2,000 hours of instruction and award a journeyman electrician degree or diploma. The 6,000 hours must be worked in Iowa while licensed as an unclassified person, supervised by an Iowa-licensed journeyman or master, within four years of finishing the program, with minimum hours in preliminary work, rough-in, finish work, special systems, troubleshooting and service, and motor controls. Submit the monthly sign-off sheets, an OJT affidavit and a copy of the degree with the sponsorship request.

A person who already holds a license from the board, such as an unclassified person license, may test after 16,000 hours of electrical work while licensed by the board, verified by an Iowa-licensed master electrician, plus 54 hours of board-approved continuing education. The hours must include at least 500 hours of preliminary work, 2,000 rough-in, 2,000 finish, 2,000 lighting and service, 500 troubleshooting and 500 motor control work on commercial or industrial installations, and at least 4,000 of the hours must fall within the five years before the application. Special electrician time does not count.

A holder of an Iowa residential electrician or residential master electrician license may test for the journeyman license after 4,000 hours of work on commercial or industrial installations while licensed by the board, verified by an Iowa-licensed master electrician. The hours must include at least 100 hours of preliminary work, 500 rough-in, 500 finish, 500 lighting and service, 100 troubleshooting and 100 motor control work.

An electrician who holds a current journeyman or master license from another state that required passing a state-sponsored test can be sponsored for the Iowa journeyman exam after completing 18 hours of board-approved continuing education and 1,000 hours of work in Iowa as a licensed unclassified person. This route is for licensees who cannot use Iowa's reciprocal agreements or licensure by verification.

An applicant who has moved to Iowa from a jurisdiction that did not license electricians may have the training requirement met by at least three years of full-time work experience (at least 1,700 hours a year) within the four years before applying, if the board finds the work substantially similar to a registered apprenticeship. Applicants must prove Iowa residency (or a military spouse's permanent change of station), document the work with employer letters, pay stubs or business records, and still pass the journeyman exam.