Kentucky to Delaware: master electrician license reciprocity
Delaware has no reciprocity agreement with Kentucky. A Kentucky master electrician applies by endorsement.
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
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
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 Kentucky license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have held your Kentucky 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.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Delaware master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Kentucky?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Kentucky license?
- At least 5 years before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Delaware master electrician license from Kentucky?
- Published fees on this path total $203, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Kentucky 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 Kentucky?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Delaware to Kentucky, the mechanism is experience credit.
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 23, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- Delaware DPR - Board of Electrical Examiners examination information (Prov) · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Delaware DPR - Home Inspector Fee Schedule · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- 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, 2026
- 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, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.