Vermont to Michigan: journeyman electrician license reciprocity
Michigan has no reciprocity agreement with Vermont. Your Vermont experience counts toward eligibility, but you must pass the Michigan exam.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state journeyman (all states; Michigan has no reciprocity)
Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.
Michigan does not reciprocate with any state, so an out-of-state journeyman must take and pass the Michigan Electrical Journeyman exam regardless of where they are licensed. The out-of-state license and experience are used only to establish eligibility: LARA's Out-of-State License Verification instructions say applicants with out-of-state experience must be approved by the Electrical Administrative Board to sit for the exam and 'may receive credit for experience earned from other states.' The applicant submits Form BCC-341 with the $40 license fee, a copy of the current out-of-state license and that state's licensing requirements, the Out-of-State License Verification form completed and sealed by the issuing board (showing exam history and a passing score of at least 75%), and notarized employer letters documenting 8,000 hours over at least four years under licensed supervision. The board reviews out-of-state applications at its quarterly meetings; once approved the applicant schedules the PSI exam ($100), passes at 75%, and the license issues. There is no separate law or business exam for individual electricians.
LARA's PSI page says electrical journeyman candidates ordinarily test at PSI before applying, but the Out-of-State License Verification instructions say applicants relying on out-of-state experience must first be approved by the board, which meets quarterly; the 90-day timeline reflects that quarterly cycle and is an estimate. MCL 339.5715 requires the supervising electrician to be 'licensed under this article' and BCC-341 specifies a Michigan licensee, so out-of-state hours are credited at the board's discretion under MCL 339.5709 ('an equivalent of that experience requirement'), not automatically. A separate examination waiver exists only for service members, veterans and their dependents who hold an active electrical license in another state (BCC-341 military/uniformed services waiver).
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
- Typical processing
- About 90 days
What you must already have
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Obtained over at least four years in electrical construction, building maintenance or electrical wiring/equipment under direct licensed supervision (MCL 339.5715); out-of-state hours are credited only if the board accepts them as equivalent.
- At least 20 years old
- You must have passed a licensing exam in Vermont that the destination considers comparable.
What you'll do to get licensed in Michigan
- 1License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($40). Electrical Journeyman license fee, paid with the BCC-341 application (non-refundable), MCL 339.5707(2).
- 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($100). PSI examination fee, paid to PSI when scheduling; non-refundable and valid for one year (MCL 339.5707(1)).
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Michigan Electrical Journeyman examination administered by PSI (80 questions, 150 minutes, 75% to pass; 2023 NEC and Michigan Electrical Code Rules Part 8).
- 4Other. Out-of-State License Verification form completed and sealed by the issuing state board, plus a copy of the current license and that state's licensing requirements.
- 5Other. Notarized letters from each employer stating dates, hours, type of electrical work and the licensed supervisor.
Published fees on this path total $140, 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.
- Exam fee · $100
- Trade exam
How Michigan licenses journeyman electricians
Michigan journeyman electrician · “Electrical Journeyman”
State license plus local requirements
Michigan issues a statewide Electrical Journeyman license through LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes under Article 7 of the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (2016 PA 407). A new applicant must be at least 20, document 8,000 hours over at least four years under the direct supervision of a Michigan-licensed journeyman or master with notarized employer letters, pass the PSI-administered journeyman exam (80 questions, 75% to pass, 2023 NEC) for a $100 exam fee, and pay the $40 license fee; the license renews every year for $40. Michigan has no reciprocity agreements with any state: LARA states that out-of-state licensees must take and pass the Michigan exam, though experience earned in other states may be credited after board review. MCL 339.5733 lets a municipality with an equally stringent ordinance license its own residents; the City of Detroit does so, and Detroit licenses are valid statewide.
How local licensing works in Michigan
Under MCL 339.5733 a municipality that adopts an examination and licensing ordinance at least as stringent as the state's may license journeymen who reside in it, and both state and qualifying municipal licenses must be recognized by all municipalities. The City of Detroit's Board of Electrical Examiners examines and licenses Electrical Journeypersons who are Detroit residents (same 8,000-hour / four-year standard); Detroit licenses are valid throughout Michigan and equivalent to state licenses. Non-residents of Detroit apply to LARA. Other municipalities may require registration of state licensees under local inspection ordinances but do not issue their own journeyman licenses per the pages reviewed.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Michigan journeyman electrician exam if I'm licensed in Vermont?
- Yes. Michigan requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Michigan journeyman electrician license from Vermont?
- Published fees on this path total $140, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Vermont work hours count in Michigan?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Michigan's eligibility requirements.
- How long does the application take?
- The board's published or typical processing time is about 90 days.
- Does it work the other way, from Michigan to Vermont?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Michigan to Vermont, the mechanism is endorsement.
Sources
- City of Detroit - Board of Electrical Examiners FAQ · City of Detroit, Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department · Faq · verified September 15, 2026'City of Detroit Licenses and Apprentice Registrations are valid within the State of Michigan and are equivalent to those issued by the State of Michigan.' Licensees who move outside Detroit renew with the state; out-of-state companies must obtain a State of Michigan electrical contractor license before registering with Detroit.
- City of Detroit BSEED - Electrical Journeyperson Examination Overview · City of Detroit, Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Detroit examines and licenses electrical journeypersons who are residents of the City of Detroit (8,000 hours over at least four years under a Detroit- or Michigan-licensed electrician); non-residents are directed to the State of Michigan. Fee amounts are invoiced and not published on the page.
- Michigan LARA Form BCC-341 - Application for Journeyman, Master Electrician, Fire Alarm Specialty Technician or Sign Specialist Examination and Licensure (Rev. 3/22) · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Form · verified September 15, 2026License fees paid at application: Journeyman Electrician $40, Master Electrician $50 (non-refundable); the exam fee is paid to PSI when scheduling. Requires notarized employer letters with dates, hours, type of work and Michigan-licensed supervision. Refers out-of-state applicants to the Out-of-State License Verification form for experience credit. A military/uniformed-services examination waiver is available to service members, veterans and dependents who hold an active electrical license in at least one other state.
- Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - Electrical Examination, Licensing/Registration and Application Information · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026States 'Michigan does not hold reciprocity with any other state/country'; out-of-state applicants must submit a copy of their license and that jurisdiction's licensing requirements. Journeyman: age 20, 8,000 hours and 4 years supervised by a Michigan-licensed journeyman or master, pass the exam at 75%. Master: age 22, 12,000 hours over at least 6 years, journeyman license held 2 years, pass the exam at 75%. Exams are PSI-administered on the 2023 NEC and Michigan Electrical Code Rules Part 8. Notes that the City of Detroit issues its own licenses to residents.
- Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - Out-of-State License Verification form · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · Form · verified September 15, 2026Generic Bureau of Construction Codes form used for all skilled trades: 'The State of Michigan does not reciprocate with any other state for licensing. Therefore, you are required to take and pass an examination to receive a license in the State of Michigan.' and 'All applicants with out-of-state experience must be approved to sit for examination.' Read through the r.jina.ai text proxy because michigan.gov returned 403.
- Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - PSI Examinations · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Mechanical contractor candidates must be approved by LARA before testing: 'Once your application has been reviewed and you've been approved to test, your information is sent to PSI', who contacts the candidate within 10 business days to pay and schedule. Links the Mechanical Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI bulletin 5423). Read through the r.jina.ai text proxy because michigan.gov returned 403.
- Michigan Skilled Trades Regulation Act, 2016 PA 407, Article 7 - Electricians and Electrical Contractors · MCL 339.5707, 339.5709, 339.5713, 339.5715, 339.5733 · Michigan Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026339.5707: examination fee $100 for master electrician and electrical journeyman; initial license and annual renewal fee master $50, journeyman $40; licenses expire December 31 each year. 339.5709: applicant may sit for the exam after establishing to the board's satisfaction that he or she meets the experience requirement 'or an equivalent of that experience requirement' by notarized employer statements. 339.5713: master - age 22, 12,000 hours over 6+ years under a master electrician, journeyman license held 2 years. 339.5715: journeyman - age 20, 8,000 hours over 4+ years under direct supervision of an individual licensed under the article (military interior-electrician alternative). 339.5733: the article does not apply in a municipality that has adopted an equally stringent licensing ordinance, and such municipal licenses must be recognized by all municipalities. Article 7 contains no general out-of-state reciprocity provision; the only license-without-examination clause (339.5731(5)) is limited to sign specialists.
- PSI - Michigan Bureau of Construction Codes Electrical Candidate Information Bulletin (effective 8/20/2026) · PSI Services LLC for Michigan LARA · Other · verified September 15, 2026Examination fee $100, non-refundable, valid for one year. Journeyman exam: 80 questions, 150 minutes, 75% to pass. Master Electrician exam: 75% to pass. Items are based on the 2023 NEC and Michigan Electrical Code Rules Part 8. Registration at test-takers.psiexams.com/mielec.
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.