Florida to Wisconsin: master electrician license reciprocity
Wisconsin has no reciprocity agreement with Florida. Your Florida experience counts toward eligibility, but you must pass the Wisconsin exam.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state master without a reciprocity agreement
Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.
A master electrician licensed in any state other than Iowa gets no exam waiver in Wisconsin and applies through the Licensure by Examination method in LicensE like a first-time candidate. The out-of-state license itself is not credited, but experience is: the applicant documents at least 10,000 hours over at least 60 months installing, repairing and maintaining electrical wiring on the Trades Experience Form (Form 8168), signed off by witnesses, or uploads transcripts for a bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering. DSPS does not say whether experience under an out-of-state journeyman license satisfies the 12-months-as-a-licensed-journeyman route. The application and fees are submitted in LicensE ($35 application, $30 examination and $200 license fee under Table 305.02), DSPS makes the applicant eligible to test, and the applicant must pass the Wisconsin master electrician exam. Wisconsin has no separate law or business exam for individual electricians.
DSPS publishes no endorsement route for non-reciprocal states. Whether an out-of-state journeyman license satisfies the 12-month journeyman route is not stated in the board's published materials; the 10,000-hour route is available regardless. Fee amounts are from Table 305.02 of the administrative code and match DSPS's published fee list; the total is calculated in LicensE.
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 10,000 hours of qualifying work experience.At least 10,000 hours over at least 60 months installing, repairing and maintaining electrical wiring. Alternatives: 12 months of experience while licensed as a journeyman electrician, or a bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering.
What you'll do to get licensed in Wisconsin
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($35). Master Electrician license application fee (Table 305.02 line 24), paid in LicensE.
- 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($30). Master Electrician examination fee (Table 305.02 line 24); paid again for each retake.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Wisconsin Master Electrician examination (open book on SPS 305, SPS 316 and the NEC).
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($200). Master Electrician initial license fee (Table 305.02 line 24); four-year credential.
- 5Other. Trades Experience Form (Form 8168) signed off by witnesses, or electrical engineering transcripts, submitted with the LicensE application.
Published fees on this path total $265, 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 · $30
- Trade exam
How Wisconsin licenses master electricians
Wisconsin master electrician · “Master Electrician”
Statewide license
Issued by Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)
Wisconsin issues a statewide, person-held Master Electrician license through DSPS; the separate Electrical Contractor license is a business credential that must designate a master electrician and is not covered here. A new applicant under Wis. Stat. 101.868 qualifies with 12 months of experience as a licensed journeyman electrician, or 60 months with at least 10,000 hours of experience, or a bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering, applies in the LicensE portal, and passes the DSPS master electrician exam. Under Wis. Stat. 101.874 DSPS may enter into reciprocal agreements; DSPS currently waives the exam only for master electricians licensed by examination in Iowa. The license is renewed every four years for $200, with 24 hours of continuing education.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Wisconsin master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Florida?
- Yes. Wisconsin requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Wisconsin master electrician license from Florida?
- Published fees on this path total $265, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Florida work hours count in Wisconsin?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Wisconsin's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Wisconsin to Florida?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Wisconsin to Florida, the mechanism is endorsement.
Sources
- Wisconsin DSPS - Master Plumber: Licensure by Examination · Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.91 · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · Agency Page · verified October 12, 2026
- Wisconsin DSPS - Master Plumber (profession page) · Wis. Stat. 145.06; Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.91 · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · Agency Page · verified October 12, 2026
- Wisconsin DSPS - Master Electrician: Reciprocity · Wis. Stat. 101.874; Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.47 · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · Agency Page · verified October 12, 2026
- Wisconsin DSPS - Credential Fees and Renewal Dates · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · Agency Page · verified October 12, 2026
- Wisconsin DSPS - Trades Exam and Continuing Education Information (exam fee schedule) · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · Agency Page · verified October 12, 2026
- Wis. Admin. Code ch. SPS 305 - Licenses, Certifications and Registrations (Table 305.02 fees; Table 305.06 terms; SPS 305.09; SPS 305.91, 305.93, 305.95) · Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.02 Table 305.02 lines 62 and 65; SPS 305.06 Table 305.06; SPS 305.09; SPS 305.91; SPS 305.93; SPS 305.95 · Wisconsin Legislature · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- Wis. Stat. 101.868 - Master electrician license · Wis. Stat. 101.868 · Wisconsin Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Wis. Stat. 101.874 - Reciprocal agreements (electrical credentials) · Wis. Stat. 101.874 · Wisconsin Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.