Do I have to take the Ohio master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Indiana?

Yes. Ohio requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.

How long do I need to have held my Indiana license?

At least 5 years before applying.

What does it cost to get a Ohio master electrician license from Indiana?

Published fees on this path total $50, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my Indiana work hours count in Ohio?

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

Does it work the other way, from Ohio to Indiana?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Ohio to Indiana, the mechanism is not applicable.

Indiana to Ohio: master electrician license reciprocity

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

Indiana does not issue a statewide master electrician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Ohio'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 contractor licensee without a reciprocity agreement (examination route)

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

An electrical contractor or master electrician licensed in a state without an OCILB reciprocity agreement must take the Ohio examination. R.C. 4740.06(C) and OCILB's Licensed Out-of-State Contractor Application let the out-of-state license stand in for the usual five years of Ohio tax and permit documentation: the applicant instead shows the license has been active for at least five years (letter of good standing), at least five building authorizations issued under it, one tax return reflecting income under the license (plus a W-2 if not the owner), and that their employer is registered in Ohio as a foreign corporation or LLC with a designated agent. After board approval (valid one year) the applicant completes BCI and FBI background checks, then passes both sections of the PSI exam (trade and Business & Law). The license is issued on submission of the results, a $25 fee and a $500,000 certificate of liability insurance, and must be assigned to a contracting company. OCILB describes no case-by-case endorsement that waives the exam outside a written reciprocity agreement.

The PSI examination fee amount is published only in the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin sent to approved candidates and was not confirmed from an official page. R.C. 4740.06(F) requires the board to authorize the license within 90 days of the application when the applicant qualifies and passes the exam. Applicants who fail may retake after 60 days.

At a glance

Trade exam: Required
Law / code exam: Required
Out-of-state hours: Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

You must have held your Indiana license for at least 5 years.Proof the substantially similar out-of-state license has been active at least five years (letter of good standing); otherwise the standard five years as a tradesperson applies.
At least five authorizations for construction, erection, equipment, alteration or addition of a building issued under the out-of-state license, and at least one tax return reflecting income earned under it (R.C. 4740.06(C))
Employer contracting company licensed as a foreign corporation (R.C. 1703.04) or registered as a foreign LLC (R.C. 1706.511) in Ohio with a designated agent
You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.

What you'll do to get licensed in Ohio

1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($25). OCILB Out-of-State Examination Application fee, payable to Treasurer, State of Ohio.
2Background check. Complete a background check. BCI and FBI background checks after board approval and before sitting for the exam (valid one year).
3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Ohio Electrical Contractor examination, trade section, administered by PSI (computer-based).
4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Ohio Business and Law examination section, administered by PSI.
5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee. PSI examination fee per the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (amount not published on the OCILB pages).
6License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($25). License issuance fee submitted with the exam results, payable to Treasurer, State of Ohio.
7Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($500,000). Certificate of contractor liability insurance of at least $500,000 in one contracting company name.
8Other. Assignment of the license and insurance to a contracting company as defined in R.C. 4740.01(C).

Published fees on this path total $50, 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
Law / code exam
Exam fee

Liability insurance

Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.

Insurance · $500,000

How Ohio licenses master electricians

Ohio master electrician · “Electrical Contractor (OCILB state license)”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 5 sources

Issued by Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Ohio Department of Commerce

Ohio has no license called 'master electrician'; its top person-held electrical credential is the statewide Electrical Contractor license issued by the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) to an individual (R.C. 4740.01(A)), who must then assign it to a contracting company. It is the credential Texas treats as equivalent to a master electrician license, and other states' reciprocity forms pair it with their master electrician licenses. A new applicant must be 18, a citizen or legal alien, have five years as a tradesperson in the electrical trade immediately before applying (or be an Ohio registered engineer with three years of construction business experience), pass BCI and FBI background checks, pass both sections of the PSI-administered examination (trade and Business & Law), carry $500,000 of contractor liability insurance in one company name, and pay a $25 application fee and $25 license fee. OCILB publishes reciprocity application pages for Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Louisiana, and Texas announced a master-level agreement with OCILB in June 2026. Licenses expire annually and renew with continuing education.

Moving to Ohio Leaving Ohio

Why Indiana has nothing to transfer

Indiana master electrician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 12 sources

Indiana has no statewide master electrician or electrical contractor license and no state electrical board; the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency's list of regulated professions contains no electrical trade. The master-level credential exists only at the local level and under varying names: Indianapolis/Marion County licenses Electrical Contractors whose craft license holder has passed the city's exam, Allen County (Fort Wayne) issues an Electrical Supervisors License that it expressly treats as a master electrician license, Evansville and Bloomington license Master Electricians by local examination, and South Bend and Terre Haute license electrical contractors on proof of a passing ICC National Master Electrician (or Experior/master) exam score. An out-of-state master electrician license carries no state-level recognition in Indiana and none of the major jurisdictions publish a formal reciprocity path for other states' licenses; a master must apply in each city or county where they will pull permits, which in practice means holding an ICC national master exam score or passing the local exam, then meeting that jurisdiction's bond and insurance requirements.

How local licensing works in Indiana

How local licensing works. Indiana regulates plumbers at the state level but has never created a state electrician or electrical contractor license. Each city or county building department decides whether and how to license electrical contractors and master-level electricians, and there is no statewide portability rule. Several jurisdictions accept the ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam as the qualifying test, which makes an ICC score the most portable credential inside the state.

Indianapolis / Marion County. The Department of Business and Neighborhood Services issues an Electrical Contractor license to a business that has at least one electrical craft license holder who has passed the required examination (contact the Trade Board & Licensing Coordinator for the exam); a license holder may be connected to only one partnership, LLC or corporation. The packet requires proof of business registration, a certificate of insurance ($500,000 per occurrence bodily injury and $100,000 property damage, or $500,000 combined) naming the Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County as additional insured, workers' compensation coverage or an Indiana exemption certificate (Ohio-based companies need an Indiana Certificate of Compliance), and a $10,000 license or permit surety bond expiring 12/31/2027. 2026 fees: new license holder $377 (applied for January-June 2026), $283 (July-December 2026) or $189 (2027); new business license $247, $185 or $124; business and license-holder renewals $247 each; more than five authorized agents $63 each. Licenses expire December 31 of odd-numbered years.

Fort Wayne / Allen County. The Building Department's Electrical Supervisors License requires four years and 7,000 hours as a journeyman (or eight years and 14,000 hours of documented OJT plus 30 days as a licensed journeyman) and a passing examination; the holder 'shall be considered a master electrician' and may qualify a business for the Electrical Contractors Business Registration ($90; supervisor license $25). Section H of the rules grants licensing reciprocity subject to the trade's reciprocity guidelines and the minimum qualifications, and allows the Building Commissioner to grant reciprocity at his discretion to applicants who present the necessary credentials.

Evansville. The Building Commission licenses Master Electricians (persons, firms or corporations installing or contracting to install electrical wiring and equipment). Applicants submit three notarized letters on letterhead proving at least four years of experience, are approved by the trade board to test, sit the exam through Ivy Tech and must score 75% or higher on each part, then receive a provisional license on paying the $300 fee and providing insurance and a surety bond; the Licensing and Disciplinary Board gives final approval. Renewal is $225 with a $25 late fee after January 31.

South Bend. The Building Department licenses electrical contractors after review of an application showing at least 21 years of age, four years of experience verified by employer letters (or business tax records), and a passing score of at least 70% on the ICC National Master Electrician exam (F16-N) via Pearson Vue or Prometric or a comparable nationally recognized exam approved by the Board of Examiners; a $5,000 surety bond naming the City of South Bend/St. Joseph County, workers' compensation proof, a $50 application review fee and $125 annual registration are required. South Bend issues reciprocal letters ($70) only to municipalities that accept the ICC master exams and cannot guarantee acceptance elsewhere.

Terre Haute. Commercial and residential electrical contractor licenses are issued to businesses; a full-time employee must have passed the Experior Assessment master electrician exam or equivalent for the commercial license (master, journeyman or residential exam for the residential license), proven by a letter from the testing agency. General contractor registration requirements also apply: a $10,000 bond on the city's form and $500,000/$100,000 insurance naming the city; a non-owner master signs a letter accepting responsibility as designated supervisor.

Bloomington. A city ordinance makes it unlawful to engage in electrical contracting without a city license and creates a Board for the Examination and Registration of Electricians that examines and licenses master electricians; current fees were not confirmed from the archived ordinance.

Out-of-state holders. No jurisdiction reviewed publishes reciprocity for another state's master or contractor license. Allen County has a discretionary reciprocity clause; South Bend and Terre Haute accept ICC/Experior national exam scores regardless of where they were earned; Indianapolis and Evansville require their own examinations. Expect to license separately in each jurisdiction and to meet each one's bond and insurance rules.

Moving to Indiana Leaving Indiana

Common questions

Do I have to take the Ohio master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Indiana?: Yes. Ohio requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
How long do I need to have held my Indiana license?: At least 5 years before applying.
What does it cost to get a Ohio master electrician license from Indiana?: Published fees on this path total $50, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Indiana work hours count in Ohio?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Ohio's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Ohio to Indiana?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Ohio to Indiana, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

Ohio Department of Commerce - Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) · Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026States that OCILB issues licenses to qualified electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics and refrigeration contractors who pass the licensing examination. No journeyman or individual electrician license is mentioned.
OCILB - Contractors & Contracting Companies (state license requirements, reciprocity list, document checklists) · Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Opened through the r.jina.ai text proxy because com.ohio.gov returned 404 to the fetcher. States that OCILB issues state licenses to commercial contractors in five trades: Electrical, HVAC, Hydronics, Plumbing and Refrigeration. Requirements: age 18, citizen or legal alien, five years as a tradesperson in the trade (or Ohio registered engineer with three years of construction business experience), no disqualifying offense, pass the trade examination, $500,000 contractor liability coverage, fees; BCI and FBI background checks after board approval and before the exam. Fees: $25 application per trade, $25 licensing fee per trade, $60 annual escrow renewal. 'Reciprocity with other states' section: Ohio offers reciprocity only to applicants who passed the state-recognized test; Tennessee accepts Ohio grandfathered licensees; where noted the Business and Law (B&L) exam is required. List: Alabama - HVAC and Refrigeration; Arkansas - Plumbing; Kentucky - Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration; Louisiana - Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration - B&L; Mississippi - Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration, Plumbing - B&L; North Carolina - Electrical; South Carolina - Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing - B&L; Tennessee - Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration, Plumbing, Hydronics - B&L; West Virginia - Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing; Virginia - Electrical; Texas - Electrical. Reciprocity applicant checklist: notarized reciprocity application, OCILB verification form signed by the other state's board, $25 application fee per trade. The page says nothing about a journeyman, technician or individual HVAC license and nothing about EPA Section 608.
OCILB - Licensed Out-of-State Contractor Application (examination route for out-of-state licensees) · Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Opened through the r.jina.ai text proxy. Holders of a substantially similar out-of-state contractor license qualify for the exam by showing the license has been active at least five years (letter of good standing), at least five building authorizations, one tax return (plus a W-2 if not the owner) and that the employer is registered in Ohio as a foreign corporation or LLC. Exams are computer based, both sections, results immediate. After passing, the license issues on a $25 check payable to Treasurer, State of Ohio and a $500,000 certificate of liability insurance. Last reviewed April 2024. Applies to all five OCILB trades including HVAC and Refrigeration.
OCILB Out-of-State Examination Application (PDF) · Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board · Form · verified September 15, 2026Check-one exam types: Hydronics, Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing, Refrigeration. Application fee $25.00 payable to Treasurer, State of Ohio. Out-of-state licensees provide five building authorizations, one tax return reflecting income under the out-of-state license, and proof the employer is a registered foreign corporation or LLC in Ohio. Board approval valid one year; BCI and FBI background checks before testing; approved candidates receive the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin; those who pass both sections receive the license by sending results, a $25 check and proof of $500,000 liability insurance; the insurance and license must be assigned to a contracting company (R.C. 4740.01(C)). The PSI exam fee is not printed on the form.
Ohio Revised Code 4740.01 - Construction industry licensing board definitions · R.C. 4740.01(A), (C), (E) · Ohio Legislative Service Commission · Statute · verified September 15, 2026'License' means a license the board issues to an individual as a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning contractor, refrigeration contractor, electrical contractor, plumbing contractor, or hydronics contractor. 'Tradesperson' means an individual employed by a contractor who performs the work without assuming responsibility for the means, method or manner of the work; tradespersons are not licensed under the chapter. 'Contracting company' is a company in the construction industry working on construction projects. Effective September 17, 2014.
Ohio Revised Code 4740.06 - License application; qualifications for examination · R.C. 4740.06(B), (C), (F), (H) · Ohio Legislative Service Commission · Statute · verified September 15, 2026(B) age 18, citizen or legal alien, five years as a tradesperson in the trade (or registered engineer with three years' business experience), contractor's liability insurance. (C) alternative qualification for holders of a substantially similar out-of-state license: at least five building authorizations and a tax return showing income under that license. (F) the specialty section authorizes the license within 90 days of the application once the applicant qualifies and passes the exam. (H) renewal without re-examination with continuing education. Effective September 30, 2025 (H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly).
Ohio Revised Code 4740.08 - Reciprocity · R.C. 4740.08 · Ohio Legislative Service Commission · Statute · verified September 15, 2026When a written reciprocity agreement between the states exists, an individual licensed in the other state who submits a copy of the agreement and pays the licensure fee is licensed without examination if the specialty section finds the other state's requirements substantially equal and that it extends similar reciprocity to Ohio licensees; the section may withdraw authorization for good cause before issuance. Effective December 29, 2023.
Ohio Revised Code 4740.09 - Fees · R.C. 4740.09 · Ohio Legislative Service Commission · Statute · verified September 15, 2026License, renewal and late fees are set by each specialty section subject to Controlling Board approval; the statute itself contains no dollar amounts.

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

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