Do I have to take the Kentucky master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Illinois?

Yes. Kentucky requires the trade exam on this path.

What does it cost to get a Kentucky master electrician license from Illinois?

Published fees on this path total $280, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my Illinois work hours count in Kentucky?

Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Kentucky's eligibility requirements.

Does it work the other way, from Kentucky to Illinois?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Kentucky to Illinois, the mechanism is not applicable.

Illinois to Kentucky: master electrician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 8 sources

Illinois does not issue a statewide master electrician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Kentucky'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.

Out-of-state master electrician without a reciprocity agreement (examination with experience credit)

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

A master electrician licensed in a state other than Ohio, West Virginia or Virginia applies on Form EL-3 as a new applicant. Out-of-state experience counts toward the 16,000-hour requirement when documented by tax records showing the occupation, a sworn affidavit on letterhead from a union, the licensed electrical contractor and master electrician who employed the applicant, an industrial facility or an approved apprenticeship program, or by military form ELM-1. The applicant must pass the Kentucky Master Electrician exam through Prov, NASCLA or Pearson Vue with at least 70% (an $80, open-book, 100-question exam); 815 KAR 35:060 Section 4(5) lets DHBC recognize another examination as equivalent on a showing that it covers the same material at the same level. The $200 biennial application fee is prorated by birth month and a passport-sized photo is required. A master who also wants to contract must separately obtain the Electrical Contractor license (Form EL-2, $400, Business and Law exam, $1,000,000 liability insurance and workers' compensation proof naming DHBC as certificate holder).

The Business and Law exam applies only to the Electrical Contractor license, not the Master Electrician license. DHBC publishes no endorsement path that waives the master exam for non-reciprocal states; acceptance of a previously passed NASCLA exam under Section 4(5) is at the department's discretion and was not confirmed from an official page.

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 16,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Verifiable electrical work under the scope of the NEC since the applicant's sixteenth birthday (KRS 227A.060(2)); education substitutes for 4,000 or 6,000 hours.

What you'll do to get licensed in Kentucky

1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($200). Master Electrician license application fee for a two-year license (Form EL-3), prorated by birth month to between 13 and 24 months; non-refundable.
2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Kentucky Master Electrician examination (Prov, NASCLA or Pearson Vue), open book, 100 questions, 4 hours, 70% to pass.
3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($80). Examination fee per attempt (Prov Candidate Information Bulletin).
4Other. Passport-sized color photograph taken within six months, plus notarized experience affidavit or tax documents.
5Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license (if applicable). Optional Electrical Contractor license to operate a business: Form EL-2, $400 biennial fee, Business and Law exam ($80), $1,000,000 general liability policy and workers' compensation proof naming DHBC as certificate holder.

Published fees on this path total $280, 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.

Trade exam
Exam fee · $80

How Kentucky licenses master electricians

Kentucky master electrician · “Master Electrician”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 7 sources

Issued by Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC), Licensing Branch

Kentucky issues a statewide Master Electrician license to individuals through the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC) under KRS 227A.060(2). A separate Electrical Contractor license (Form EL-2, $400 biennial, Business and Law exam, $1,000,000 general liability insurance and workers' compensation compliance) is the business credential and must always have a licensed master electrician associated with it. A new master applicant needs 16,000 hours of verifiable electrical experience since age 16 (an approved training course or two years of teaching substitutes for 4,000 hours; an associate degree in electrical technology for 6,000), must pass the open-book Master Electrician exam (100 questions, 4 hours, $80) through Prov, NASCLA or Pearson Vue with at least 70%, and pays a $200 biennial application fee prorated by birth month. DHBC's published reciprocity list names Ohio (electrical contractor licensees receive both the Kentucky master and contractor licenses), West Virginia and Virginia (master electricians); applicants from all other states document their hours and take the Kentucky exam.

Moving to Kentucky Leaving Kentucky

Why Illinois has nothing to transfer

Illinois master electrician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 14, 2026· 12 sources

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.

Moving to Illinois Leaving Illinois

Common questions

Do I have to take the Kentucky master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Illinois?: Yes. Kentucky requires the trade exam on this path.
What does it cost to get a Kentucky master electrician license from Illinois?: Published fees on this path total $280, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Illinois work hours count in Kentucky?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Kentucky's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Kentucky to Illinois?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Kentucky to Illinois, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

DHBC Form EL-2 - Electrical Contractor's License Application, April 2023 · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction · Form · verified September 15, 2026Individual or business contractor license; applicant marks 'Test results' or 'Reciprocity'; requires an insurance certificate under KRS 227A.060(1)(c) and the name and license number of the associated Master Electrician (a contractor must have a master license holder associated at all times).
DHBC Form EL-3 - Electrical License Application (Master Electrician / Electrician), October 2024, with fee schedule · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction · Form · verified September 15, 2026One form for Master Electrician and Electrician licenses; applicant marks 'Test results' or 'Reciprocity' and attaches proof; passport photo required. Fee schedule: Electrical Contractor $400, Master Electrician $200, Electrician $100 for a two-year (24-month) period, prorated by birth month for initial licenses (13 to 24 months).
Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC) - home · Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet, Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026States that HBC licenses/certifies plumbers, electricians, boiler contractors, sprinkler and fire alarm contractors and building inspectors statewide; links to the licensing portal and forms pages.
DHBC - Licensing Information (forms and documents, eServices portal, Prov HVAC testing information, exam scheduling) · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Fetched with curl (the default fetcher returned only a summary). Licensing contact 502-573-2002; links the forms and documents page, the licensing portal, the 'Prov HVAC Testing Information' candidate bulletin, 'Schedule Exam' (Pearson Vue/ICC) and Pearson Vue exam information. No HVAC reciprocity partner list is published on this page.
DHBC - Electrical New Application Checklists (KRS 227A.060 & 815 KAR 35:060; 080; 090), Feb. 4, 2025 · KRS 227A.060; 815 KAR 35:060 · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction · Form · verified September 15, 2026Master electrician: pass the Master Electrician's Exam with Prov, NASCLA or Pearson Vue, 16,000 hours of experience. Electrician: pass the Journeyman's Electrical Exam with Prov, NASCLA or Pearson Vue, 8,000 hours. Contractor: Business and Law exam, insurance certificate. RECIPROCITY LICENSES section: State of Ohio electrical contractor is issued a Kentucky Contractor Electrician and Master Electrician license (copy of active Ohio license, insurance certificate, contractor and electrical license applications, fees, photo, good standing letter); State of West Virginia or Commonwealth of Virginia master electrician or journeyman electrician (copy of active license, electrical license application, fee, photo, good standing letter). No other states are listed.
Kentucky Electrical Licensing Examinations - Prov Candidate Information Bulletin (July 2020) · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction / Prov · Other · verified September 15, 2026Exams cost $80 each, computer-based, open book and timed. Journeyman Electrician: 80 questions, 3 hours. Master Electrician: 100 questions, 4 hours. Business and Law (contractor): 40 questions, 1.5 hours.
815 KAR 35:060 - Licensing of electrical contractors, master electricians, and electricians · 815 KAR 35:060 Sections 1-4, 6, 8, 9 · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Section 1: application fees $400 (contractor), $200 (master), $100 (electrician) for a biennial license, prorated to not less than 13 months, expiring on the last day of the birth month; passport photo; application void after one year. Section 2 (Reciprocity): comply with the reciprocity agreement between Kentucky and the licensing state and the Section 1 requirements; provide a copy of the license and a letter of good standing; contractors also provide proof of insurance. Section 3: proof of experience by tax documents, business license, sworn affidavit from a union, licensed contractor/master electrician, industrial facility or approved training program, or military form ELM-1; one year of experience equals at least 1,600 hours. Section 4: pass an examination administered by an approved provider with at least 70%; passing score valid three years; the department may recognize another examination as equivalent. Section 8: two-year licenses, renewal fees $400/$200/$100 with continuing education. Section 9: late fee $50; fees non-refundable.
KRS 227A.060 - Qualifications for licensure; provisional license · KRS 227A.060(1)-(5) · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Electrical contractor: application fee up to $200, pass the exam, workers' compensation and unemployment insurance compliance and $1,000,000 general liability policy. Master electrician: application fee up to $100, 16,000 hours of verifiable experience since age 16 (training course or two years teaching substitutes for 4,000 hours; associate degree substitutes for 6,000), pass the exam. Electrician: application fee up to $50, 8,000 hours (training course, two years of a four-year program, associate degree or two years teaching substitutes for 4,000 hours), pass the exam. Military experience may count. Nonrenewable one-year provisional electrician license for six years of experience at 2,080 hours per year.

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

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