Louisiana to Hawaii: master electrician license reciprocity
Louisiana does not issue a statewide master electrician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Hawaii'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 journeyman or master license counted as equivalent experience, full Hawaii exam (all states)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
Hawaii has no reciprocity or endorsement for supervising or master electricians from any state. An applicant who has been licensed as a journey worker or supervising-level electrician for at least four years in another county, state or country whose licensure requirements the Board finds substantially equivalent to Hawaii's meets the 'equivalent experience in the trade' prerequisite for the Supervising Electrician (ES) exam without first holding a Hawaii journey worker license for four years; the Board makes that determination when it reviews the application. The applicant files the $40 application with notarized Experience Verification forms from the licensed electricians under whom the work was done (or the licensed contractor, where that state licenses only contractors), License Verification forms from every jurisdiction where a license has ever been held, and, after Board approval at one of its bi-monthly meetings, registers with PSI for the open-book Hawaii supervising electrician exam. On passing, the license fee is $306 in the first year of the triennium (July 2026 to June 2027), $204 in the second and $102 in the third. No electrical coursework requirement applies to the supervising classes.
The Board publishes no list of states it considers substantially equivalent; equivalence is decided per application. An applicant whose out-of-state license is not accepted as equivalent would need four years registered as a Hawaii journey worker electrician first. The exam fee is paid directly to PSI and is not printed on the current DCCA form; the 2018 FAQ listed $95.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
- Typical processing
- About 90 days
What you must already have
- You must have held your Louisiana license for at least 4 years.Licensed as a journey worker or supervising-level electrician for at least four years in another county, state or country whose licensure requirements are substantially equivalent to Hawaii's (HAR §16-80-3; HRS §448E-5(b)(3)), in lieu of four years registered with the Board as a Hawaii journey worker electrician.
- License Verification form completed by every jurisdiction in which the applicant has ever held a license, showing any discipline
What you'll do to get licensed in Hawaii
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($40). Non-refundable application fee payable to Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Hawaii Supervising Electrician examination administered by PSI Services (open code book); Board approval required before registering.
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee. Examination fee paid directly to PSI at registration (amount set in the PSI candidate bulletin; $95 in the Board's 2018 FAQ).
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($306). Initial license fee if licensed in the first year of the triennium (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), including the compliance resolution fund fee; $204 in the second year and $102 in the third.
- 5Continuing education. Complete continuing education. For each triennial renewal (by June 30, 2029): proof of a University of Hawaii community college NEC update course or approved equivalent (HRS §448E-8.5); renewal fee $306.
Published fees on this path total $346, 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
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Hawaii licenses master electricians
Hawaii master electrician · “Supervising Electrician (ES)”
Statewide license
Issued by Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing Division)
Hawaii's highest personal electrician credential is the Supervising Electrician (ES) license, which HAR §16-80-4 requires of anyone who directs or supervises electrical work; Hawaii does not use the title 'master electrician' for electricians (the term is used only for plumbers). Under HRS §448E-5(b)(3) an ES applicant must have been registered with the Board as a journey worker electrician for at least four years or have equivalent experience in the trade, and must pass the PSI-administered supervising electrician exam. HAR §16-80-3 and the Board's application form define equivalent experience to include having been licensed as a journey worker or supervising-level electrician for at least four years in another county, state or country whose licensure requirements are substantially equivalent to Hawaii's, so an out-of-state journeyman or master license can satisfy the four-year prerequisite, but Hawaii does not reciprocate with any jurisdiction and the Hawaii exam is never waived. Parallel supervising classes exist for industrial (ESI, three years) and specialty (ESS, two years) electricians. A contractor's license under HRS ch. 444 is separately required to contract for electrical work. Licenses renew every three years by June 30 with an NEC update course.
Why Louisiana has nothing to transfer
Louisiana master electrician
Licensed by cities and counties
Louisiana does not issue a statewide master electrician license. The state-level credential for electrical work is the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) commercial license with the Electrical classification, mandatory for any electrical project of $10,000 or more; it is a contractor license issued to the business (or to a sole proprietor) and qualified by a natural person, the qualifying party, who passed the Electrical trade exam through PSI, so it is treated here as a business license rather than a person-held master credential, even though Texas recognizes the Louisiana statewide license as master-equivalent. Master electrician licenses exist only at the local level: New Orleans issues a Class 'A' Master Electrical License ($125 per year) to an applicant who passed the ICC F49 Electrical Contractor exam or holds the LSLBC statewide license as its qualifying party, carries $500,000 of general liability insurance, and is the only Class 'A' holder for the company; Jefferson Parish issues a parish trade contractor license ($200) built on the state license. For the state contractor license the LSLBC waives the trade exam for any applicant who passed a comparable classification exam in any other state, with no partner-state list since October 23, 2024, but the Business and Law course/exam, the financial statement and the other licensing requirements are never waived. No parish or city page reviewed publishes reciprocity for out-of-state master licenses.
How local licensing works in Louisiana
State contractor license (not a master license). Under La. R.S. 37:2150.1 an electrical contractor is anyone contracting for electrical work of $10,000 or more, and the LSLBC issues the commercial license to that person or business with an Electrical classification qualified by a designated qualifying party. Applicants file the online application with a financial statement (required of all applicants), Secretary of State registration for any business entity including out-of-state companies, the online Business and Law course/exam, and the PSI trade exam for the classification; statutory fee caps are $50 per examination, $100 license and $100 renewal, plus a surcharge of up to $400 that the board may assess on a contractor not domiciled in Louisiana. Reciprocity for the state license: R.S. 37:2153(F)(5) directs the board to waive the trade portion of the exam for an applicant licensed in a comparable classification in another state on written certification that the applicant passed that classification's exam and is in good standing, and the Executive Director's October 23, 2024 letter extends this to any state: a classification exam passed in any other state 'with no waivers, exemptions, or grandfathering in effect' is accepted for the equivalent Louisiana classification, and all previous state-to-state agreements were declared null and void. The applicant has the origin board complete the Reciprocity Request form (license status, disciplinary history, and the name, exam developer, date and score of each person who passed the trade exam) and uploads it with the application; the exam/administrative fee is still charged, and the business law requirement 'shall not be waived'.
New Orleans. The Class 'A' Master Electrical License doubles as the city's electrical contractor license: the applicant submits a passing ICC Official Results Report for exam F49 Electrical Contractor, or a copy of the LSLBC statewide license with the qualifying party letter, plus certificates of general liability insurance of at least $500,000 and workers' compensation naming the City as certificate holder; the license costs $125 per year active or $30 inactive, with a $10 per month delinquent fee, and only one Class 'A' holder is allowed per company. The city page states no experience requirement and no reciprocity.
Jefferson Parish. A parish trade contractor license ($200 new) is issued to a license holder/qualifying party and lists the state license, occupational license, sales tax registration, liability insurance and workers' compensation on its checklist; the parish also administers its own electrical exam.
Shreveport. Requires city contractor registration for anyone performing electrical work and the state license for work over $10,000; master testing is referred to the ICC or the LSLBC.
Baton Rouge and Lafayette. No official page describing a master electrician license was located for East Baton Rouge Parish or Lafayette Consolidated Government.
Out-of-state holders. A master electrician from another state who wants to contract in Louisiana applies for the LSLBC commercial license and, if the master license was earned by a trade exam, requests the trade-exam waiver by reciprocity; the Business and Law course and financial statement are still required. City licenses such as New Orleans Class 'A' can then be obtained on the state license or the ICC F49 exam.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Hawaii master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Louisiana?
- Yes. Hawaii requires the trade exam on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Louisiana license?
- At least 4 years before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Hawaii master electrician license from Louisiana?
- Published fees on this path total $346, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Louisiana work hours count in Hawaii?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Hawaii's eligibility requirements.
- How long does the application take?
- The board's published or typical processing time is about 90 days.
- Does it work the other way, from Hawaii to Louisiana?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Hawaii to Louisiana, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- DCCA PVL - Requirements for Examination and License, Electricians and Plumbers (Forms EP-00 / EP-01, rev. 06/2026) · HRS ch. 448E; HAR ch. 16-80 · Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division · Form · verified September 15, 2026States 'IMPORTANT: Hawaii does not reciprocate with any jurisdiction.' Lists each electrician class with its requirement (EJ 5 years/10,000 hours plus 240 hours of coursework; ES 4 years as a licensed journey worker electrician or equivalent; EJI 4 years/8,000 hours plus 200 hours; ESI 3 years; EJS 3 years/6,000 hours plus 120 hours; ESS 2 years; EM 1 year plus 80 hours). Defines equivalent experience for supervising categories as having been licensed as a journey worker or supervising level electrician for at least 4 years in another county, state or country whose licensure requirements are substantially equivalent. Experience Verification forms must be signed by the licensed electrician who supervised the work (or by a licensed contractor where that state licenses only contractors); License Verification forms are required from every jurisdiction where a license was ever held. Application fee $40; exams through PSI Services (open code book); license fee on passing $306 in the first year of the triennium, $204 in the second, $102 in the third.
- DCCA PVL - Board of Electricians and Plumbers · Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Board home page. Electricians renew by June 30 every three years (2026, 2029, 2032); the current licensing period runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029; on-time renewal cost for all electrician classes is $306 active ($12 inactive).
- DCCA PVL - Electrician and Plumber Application Deadline and Examination Dates · Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Applications must be filed at least seven days before a Board meeting and approved by the Board before the exam; the electrician and plumber exams are offered by PSI Services, LLC; exam eligibility is valid for two years from the approval letter.
- DCCA PVL - Frequently Asked Questions, Electricians and Plumbers (July 2018) · Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division · Faq · verified September 15, 2026Same class requirements as the application form. 2018 fee table: application $40, examination $95, license $306/$204/$102 by year of the triennium, renewal $306. Renewal by June 30 every three years; all electricians except maintenance electricians must show attendance at a University of Hawaii community college NEC update course (or equivalent courses by the Hawaii Electricians Training Fund or ABC) to renew; licensees licensed within one year of the renewal date are exempt. The exam fee figure is from 2018 and may have changed.
- Hawaii Administrative Rules Title 16, Chapter 80 - Electricians and Plumbers · HAR §§16-80-3, 16-80-4, 16-80-5, 16-80-6 · Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026§16-80-3 defines 'equivalent experience in the trade' for supervising electricians as including having been licensed as a journey worker electrician or supervising electrician in another county, state or country whose requirements for licensure are substantially equivalent to Hawaii's (same definition for supervising specialty electricians). §16-80-4: anyone who performs electrical work needs a journey worker electrician license and anyone who directs or supervises it needs a supervising electrician license; unlicensed helpers may work only under a licensee physically present on site. §16-80-5: no license is issued unless the person applies for, takes and passes the board's written examination, and must submit documentary proof of experience. §16-80-6: triennial renewal fees due by July 1 every third year.
- HRS §448E-5 - Minimum requirements (electricians and plumbers) · HRS §448E-5(b) · Hawaii State Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026§448E-5(b)(1): journey worker electrician applicants must be 18, have at least five years full-time (not less than 10,000 hours) of residential or commercial wiring experience under the supervision of a journey worker or supervising electrician, and have completed 240 hours of electrical academic coursework accepted by a University of Hawaii community college. §448E-5(b)(3): supervising electrician applicants must have been registered with the board as a journey worker electrician for at least four years 'or shall have equivalent experience in the trade'.
- HRS §448E-5.5 - Examination · HRS §448E-5.5 · Hawaii State Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Every applicant shall be examined and shall pass an examination to be eligible for licensure; the board may contract with a professional testing service and the exam fee may be paid directly to the testing agency.
- HRS §448E-8 - Fees; renewals · HRS §448E-8(c)-(d) · Hawaii State Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Electricians renew every three years, paying all fees and meeting §448E-8.5 continued competency; failure forfeits the license, restorable within one year on payment of renewal and penalty fees.
- HRS §448E-8.5 - Continued competency; license renewals · HRS §448E-8.5(a), (c) · Hawaii State Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Before each renewal all licensed electricians except maintenance electricians must furnish proof of attendance at a community-college NEC update course or pass a board-prescribed NEC update exam; a licensee issued a new license within one year of the renewal date is exempt.
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.