Illinois to Delaware: master electrician license reciprocity
Illinois does not issue a statewide master 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.
Master license by reciprocity from a state not on the Board's published lists
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
A master electrician holding a current license of the same type from a state, U.S. territory or the District of Columbia that is not on the Board's published lists applies by reciprocity in DELPROS; no Delaware examination is required. The applicant must submit a copy of or links to the origin state's electrician laws and regulations so the Board can evaluate whether its standards are substantially similar under Regulation 11.3 (at least 6 years of full-time experience under a licensed master, a licensing test by a Board-recognized testing entity, 5 hours of NEC-based continuing education, and inspection of electrical work by qualified inspectors). If the Board finds them substantially similar, 24 Del. C. § 1409(a) requires it to grant the license; if not, § 1409(b) and Regulation 11.2 require proof of at least five years of practice under the license after licensure, documented with Verification of Employment forms or W-2s/Schedule C. Every applicant pays the $203 application fee, has licensure verification sent directly to the Board from each jurisdiction where licensed, files proof of $300,000 general liability insurance, and must complete the application within six months. Holders of only a municipal license (Pennsylvania, for example) cannot use reciprocity and must apply by examination with six years of experience (or four plus two years of technical training) and the Prov master exam.
The Board's page does not say how long the substantially-similar evaluation of an unlisted state takes. Applicants who cannot qualify by reciprocity apply by examination: $203 fee, Prov exam at 75%, six years' experience or four years plus two years of technical training (Delaware experience after June 30, 2012 must have been under an apprentice or journeyperson license).
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Illinois license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have held your Illinois license for at least 5 years.Required only if the Board finds the origin state's standards not substantially similar: five years of practice under the license after licensure (24 Del. C. § 1409(b); 24 DE Admin. Code 1400 § 11.2)
- Origin state's requirements are reviewed against Regulation 11.3: 6 years full-time experience under a licensed master, a licensing test administered by a Board-recognized testing entity, 5 hours of NEC-based continuing education, and inspection of electrical work by qualified inspectors
What you'll do to get licensed in Delaware
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($203). Master electrician application fee (exam or reciprocity), paid in DELPROS.
- 2Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Proof of general liability insurance of at least $300,000 (24 Del. C. § 1411; 24 DE Admin. Code 1400 § 6.1).
- 3Other. Licensure verification sent directly to the Board from each jurisdiction where the applicant holds or has held a license; the application must be completed within six months of starting it in DELPROS.
- 4Other. Copy of or links to the origin state's electrician laws and regulations for Board evaluation; Verification of Employment forms if the Board requires five years of practice.
Published fees on this path total $203, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
What you'll need to buy or arrange
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance
How Delaware licenses master electricians
Delaware master electrician · “Master Electrician”
Statewide license
Issued by Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation)
Delaware issues a person-held Master Electrician license through the Board of Electrical Examiners; it is the state's highest electrician credential and authorizes residential, commercial and industrial work. The Board also issues Master Electrician Special (restricted to specialties such as elevators, HVAC, signs, pools or primary distribution) and Limited Electrician licenses (residential-scale work, three years' experience), which are lesser credentials. A new master must show six years of full-time experience under a licensed master electrician, or four years plus two years of technical training, or a completed apprenticeship of 8,000 hours with 576 hours of related instruction, and pass the Prov-administered master exam with 75% using only the NEC as a reference; the application fee is $203 and proof of at least $300,000 general liability insurance is required before the license issues. Out-of-state masters are licensed by reciprocity without a Delaware exam under 24 Del. C. § 1409: the Board has published that Maryland and New Jersey standards are substantially similar (no experience proof) and that eighteen other jurisdictions are not, requiring five years of licensed practice; all other states are evaluated case by case. Licenses run two years and renew with continuing education.
Why Illinois has nothing to transfer
Illinois master electrician
Licensed by cities and counties
Illinois does not issue a statewide master electrician license and has no state electrical board; the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation does not license electricians. The master-level credential exists only at the municipal level, under names that vary by city: Chicago issues a Supervising Electrician license (2 years of experience plus a written exam) and separately licenses Electrical Contractors, Springfield issues an Electrical License based on 5 years of experience and the ICC Master Electrician exam, and Peoria, Aurora, Naperville and Elgin accept ICC Master/Residential Electrician certificates or licenses from Illinois testing municipalities. An out-of-state master electrician license carries no state-level recognition in Illinois and none of the major jurisdictions publish a reciprocity or endorsement path for it. A master electrician from another state must apply with each municipality where they will work, which typically means passing the ICC or local exam once and then registering as an electrical contractor in each additional city.
How local licensing works in Illinois
How local licensing works. Illinois has no state electrician license and no state electrical board. The Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-33-1) allows each municipality to require registration of electrical contractors, with an annual fee of $25, and provides that a contractor registered in one municipality cannot be required to register or pay a fee in another. Anything beyond registration (examinations, experience requirements, supervising or master licenses) comes from each city's or county's own ordinance.
Chicago. The Department of Buildings licenses Supervising Electricians (individuals) and Electrical Contractors (businesses); the supervising electrician is Chicago's equivalent of a master electrician. Eligibility for the supervising electrician exam is age 21 and at least 2 years of experience installing, altering, repairing and maintaining electrical wiring under a supervising electrician or equivalent, verified by supervisor letters. General and low-voltage exams are administered by Continental Testing Services (2026 fees: $150 per exam, $150 initial license, $150 annual renewal). An electrical contractor license ($150 initial, $150 renewal) is issued to a business, including a sole proprietorship, that is owned by or employs at least one licensed supervising electrician, who must perform or supervise all of the contractor's electrical work and may be the primary supervising electrician for only one contractor. Chicago's pages do not describe any reciprocity or endorsement for out-of-state licenses.
Springfield. The Building and Zoning Department issues an Electrical License to individuals who document 5 years of practical electrical experience with at least 2 years overseeing and directing electrical work and pass the ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam (W16). Applications go before the Springfield Electrical Commission; the fee is $25 and licenses expire December 31. A grandfather clause allows applicants licensed in another Illinois or out-of-state municipality with reciprocal testing to substitute proof of that exam only if the license was originally issued before 10/10/2007 and has not lapsed more than two years; otherwise the ICC exam is required.
Peoria. Electrical licenses are issued to individuals ($150 annual). Holders of Normal or Pekin licenses may register without testing; all others submit an ICC contractor exam certificate from the 2017 code cycle or newer.
Rockford. Registration only ($25 per calendar year, or free with proof of registration or license in another Illinois municipality); no exam.
Naperville and Aurora. Both accept current ICC certifications (Standard Master Electrician for commercial, Standard Residential Electrician for residential) or a license from a listed testing municipality (Naperville lists Chicago, Elgin, Libertyville, Orland Park, Ottawa, Peoria and Woodstock) in lieu of local testing. Naperville no longer renews or issues its own electrical licenses as of December 31, 2022 and registers electrical contractors through its Civic Access portal; Aurora requires a certificate of insurance naming the city.
Elgin. Requires a contractor's license from any Illinois city that gives a written NEC-based examination, or Elgin's own exam administered monthly through CLEC Enterprises.
Unincorporated Cook County. Electrical contractors must register with the Department of Building and Zoning ($150 initial, $75 annual renewal per trade), provide $1,000,000 general liability insurance naming the department, and submit a current supervising electrician's license from an Illinois city, town or village that has an electrical commission administering an examination.
Out-of-state holders. No reciprocity or endorsement path for other states' master licenses was found in any of these jurisdictions. The practical route is to pass the ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam (accepted by Springfield, Peoria, Aurora and Naperville) or a testing city's exam such as Chicago's, then register as an electrical contractor in each municipality where work will be performed.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Delaware master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Illinois?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Illinois license?
- At least 5 years before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Delaware master electrician license from Illinois?
- Published fees on this path total $203, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Illinois 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 Illinois?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Delaware to Illinois, 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 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.