Do I have to take the New Jersey master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Maryland?

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

What does it cost to get a New Jersey master electrician license from Maryland?

Published fees on this path total $325, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my Maryland work hours count in New Jersey?

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

Maryland to New Jersey: master electrician license reciprocity

Experience credit· Hours transferVerified September 15, 2026· 10 sources

New Jersey has no reciprocity agreement with Maryland. Your Maryland experience counts toward eligibility, but you must pass the New Jersey exam.

Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.

Out-of-state electrician or contractor without a recognized reciprocal jurisdiction: qualify and sit the New Jersey electrical contractor exam

Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.

An applicant from a state the Board has not recognized under N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.9 receives no exam waiver. They file the Application for Examination with the $100 non-refundable fee, a photo, disclosure of every license held in any jurisdiction, and Work Experience Certifications from each employer proving five years of hands-on electrical construction and installation work in compliance with the NEC; the employer certification asks in what state the employer is licensed, so out-of-state experience is accepted as proof. The five years must be a completed four-year U.S. DOL-approved apprenticeship (DOL certificate) plus at least one year (2,000 hours) as a journeyman, or an alternative the Board accepts such as a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or technology (credited for three years) plus two years of hands-on work. After the Board approves eligibility the applicant must pass all three written sections of the Board exam (electrical contractor, business and law, alarm systems), then pay the prorated license fee ($225 in the first year of the triennial period). To actually contract, the licensee's business must then obtain a business permit ($150 prorated) with a $1,000 surety bond, $300,000 general liability coverage or bank letter of credit, a federal tax ID and a pressure seal. Reciprocity without examination is available only where the Board finds equal reciprocity and substantial equivalence (2,000 supervised hours count as one apprenticeship year), the applicant has practiced as a contractor for two of the last five years, and completes an eight-hour New Jersey business-law course; no qualifying states are published.

The Board's exam vendor fee is not stated on any page that could be opened and is omitted. Whether the Board has determined that any state satisfies the 'equal reciprocity' test of N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.9 / N.J.S.A. 45:5A-11.8 could not be confirmed because the Board's FAQ page could not be opened; no agreements are listed for that reason. Older Board documents quote a $150 initial license fee and $90 renewal; the current N.J.A.C. 13:31-1.6 schedule (effective June 2, 2025) sets $225.

At a glance

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

What you must already have

Five years in electrical construction and installation immediately preceding the application: a completed four-year U.S. DOL-approved apprenticeship plus at least one year (2,000 hours) of hands-on work as a journeyman, or a Board-accepted alternative (N.J.S.A. 45:5A-9(b); N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.3)
Over 21 years of age with a high school diploma or equivalency certificate (N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.1)
You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.

What you'll do to get licensed in New Jersey

1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($100). Non-refundable Application for Examination filing fee (N.J.A.C. 13:31-1.6).
2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Board electrical contractor examination: electrical contractor section and alarm systems section (all sections must be passed; retakes after six months).
3Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Business and law section of the Board electrical contractor examination.
4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($225). Initial electrical contractor license fee when paid in the first year of the triennial period ($150 second year, $75 third year); triennial renewal $225.
5Business license. Obtain a business license ($150). Initial business permit fee when issued in the first year of the triennial period ($100 second year, $50 third year); required to contract, one licensee may qualify only one permit.
6Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($1,000). Surety bond in favor of the State of New Jersey for a 36-month term (N.J.S.A. 45:5A-19), filed with the business permit application.
7Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($300,000). General liability insurance (or bank letter of credit) of at least $300,000 naming the Board as certificate holder, with 10-day cancellation notice (N.J.S.A. 45:5A-9.1).
8Other. Work Experience Certification from each employer covering the five years claimed, U.S. DOL apprenticeship Certificate of Completion or diploma, and a 2x2 photograph.

Published fees on this path total $325, 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

Business registration

If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.

Business license · $150

Surety bond

A license or contractor bond is bought from a surety, not the state. Price is a small percentage of the bond amount and depends on your credit.

Surety bond · $1,000

Liability insurance

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

Insurance · $300,000

How New Jersey licenses master electricians

New Jersey master electrician · “Licensed Electrical Contractor”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 8 sources

Issued by New Jersey Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (Division of Consumer Affairs)

New Jersey has no license called 'master electrician'; its highest person-held electrical credential is the Electrical Contractor license, issued by the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors to an individual who establishes five years of qualifying experience and passes the Board's three-part written examination (electrical contractor, business and law, and alarm systems). This file treats that license as the master level. Under N.J.S.A. 45:5A-9 as amended by P.L. 2021, c.479, the five years must consist of a completed four-year U.S. Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship followed by at least one year (2,000 hours) as a journeyman; the Board's overview also describes alternatives such as a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering plus two years of hands-on work, and the exam application lets a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or technology count for three of the five years. The individual license alone does not permit contracting: the licensee's business must also hold a Board business permit backed by a $1,000 surety bond and $300,000 of general liability insurance, and every licensee must be over 21 with a high school diploma or equivalent. Licenses and permits run on a three-year cycle. N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.9 allows licensure without examination for electrical contractors from jurisdictions that give New Jersey equal reciprocity and have substantially equivalent requirements, but the Board publishes no list of such states.

Moving to New Jersey Leaving New Jersey

Common questions

Do I have to take the New Jersey master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Maryland?: Yes. New Jersey requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a New Jersey master electrician license from Maryland?: Published fees on this path total $325, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Maryland work hours count in New Jersey?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward New Jersey's eligibility requirements.

Sources

Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors - Application for Examination (electrical contractor) · New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs · Form · verified September 15, 2026Non-refundable $100 application filing fee. Applicants must document practical experience working with tools in compliance with the NEC with a Work Experience Certification from each employer (the certification asks whether the employer is a licensed electrical contractor and in what state, so out-of-state employment is contemplated), must disclose licenses held in any other state, and may use a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or technology for three of the five years, with the remaining two years hands-on.
Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors - Application Process Overview · New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs · Other · verified September 15, 2026Board slide deck summarizing the journeyman qualification (8,000 hours with 576 classroom hours, 4,000 hours within five years) and the electrical contractor exam eligibility (over 21, high school diploma, five years hands-on experience, or a four-year federally approved apprenticeship plus one year, or a qualified journeyman plus one year, or a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering plus two years). It lists application fees of $40 (journeyman) and $100 (electrical contractor) and a three-year license term; the $40 figure predates the 2025 fee schedule.
Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors - Application for an Initial Business Permit · N.J.S.A. 45:5A-9.1, 45:5A-19; N.J.A.C. 13:31-1.6 · New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs · Form · verified September 15, 2026A licensed electrical contractor who wants to contract must obtain a business permit: $1,000 surety bond in favor of the State for a 36-month term (N.J.S.A. 45:5A-19), certificate of general liability insurance or bank letter of credit of at least $300,000 naming the Board as certificate holder, federal tax ID, pressure seal, and the prorated permit fee ($150 in the first year of the April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2027 triennial, $100 in the second, $50 in the third).
N.J.A.C. 13:31-1.6 - Fee schedule (Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors) · N.J.A.C. 13:31-1.6 · New Jersey Office of Administrative Law (text via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Current fee schedule (effective June 2, 2025): non-refundable application fee for all licenses $100; initial electrical contractor license $225/$150/$75 depending on the year of the triennial period (renewal $225); initial business permit $150/$100/$50 (renewal $150); initial Class A journeyman electrician license $150/$100/$50 (renewal $150); Class B wireman $75/$50/$25; temporary courtesy license $75; 30-day temporary license $75; late renewal $50; reinstatement $100.
N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.1 - Qualifications of applicants for the electrical contractor examination · N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.1 · New Jersey Office of Administrative Law (text via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Exam applicants must be over 21, hold a high school diploma or equivalency, meet the experience requirements of 13:31-2.3, pay the application fee before testing and the license fee after passing.
N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.2 - Board licensing examination (electrical contractor) · N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.2 · New Jersey Office of Administrative Law (text via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026The electrical contractor examination has three written sections: electrical contractor, business and law, and alarm systems. All three must be passed; failed sections may be retaken after six months, three consecutive failures require restarting, and all sections must be passed within five years. Exams are held at least four times a year.
N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.3 - Experience requirements for the electrical contractor examination · N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.3 · New Jersey Office of Administrative Law (text via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Requires five years immediately preceding the application in electrical construction and installation, consisting of a completed four-year U.S. DOL-accredited apprenticeship (DOL Certificate of Completion) followed by at least one year (2,000 hours) of practical hands-on experience as a journeyman electrician. Supervising, engineering, estimating and managerial time does not count.
N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.9 - Electrical contractor licensure by reciprocity · N.J.A.C. 13:31-2.9 · New Jersey Office of Administrative Law (text via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026The Board may license an out-of-state electrical contractor without examination only if that jurisdiction provides equal reciprocity to New Jersey electrical contractors and the Board finds its qualifications and examination substantially equivalent (2,000 supervised hours count as one apprenticeship year). The applicant must have actively practiced as an electrical contractor for two of the last five years, have no discipline or pending complaints, be current on continuing education, complete an eight-hour Board-approved course in New Jersey business law and Board statutes and rules, and have the origin board send verification directly. No list of qualifying states is published.
Electrical Contractors Licensing Act of 1962, N.J.S.A. 45:5A-1 et seq., with Board regulations (compilation) · N.J.S.A. 45:5A-9, 45:5A-9.1, 45:5A-19 · State of New Jersey (nj.gov) · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Older compilation hosted on nj.gov; used for 45:5A-9(a) (a business permit plus a licensed electrical contractor is required to engage in electrical contracting), 45:5A-9.1 (every business permit holder must file a $300,000 general liability certificate or bank letter of credit) and 45:5A-19 (the $1,000 surety bond). Its fee schedule predates the 2025 amendments and is not used.
P.L. 2021, c.479 - An Act concerning the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (Class A journeyman, Class A apprentice and Class B wireman licenses) · N.J.S.A. 45:5A-9, 45:5A-11.1, 45:5A-11.7, 45:5A-11.8, 45:5A-11.9 · New Jersey Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Converts the former 'qualified journeyman electrician' registration into a mandatory Class A journeyman electrician license and creates Class A electrical apprentice and Class B wireman licenses (registrants had 13 months after enactment to exchange registrations). Amends 45:5A-9(b): an electrical contractor exam applicant needs five years in the trade, spent as one year as a Class A journeyman and four years in a U.S. DOL-approved apprenticeship. C.45:5A-11.7: the Board may issue a temporary license without examination to an out-of-state Class A journeyman, apprentice or wireman for up to 30 days (one per triennial period). C.45:5A-11.8: the Board 'may in its discretion grant licenses without examination to applicants so licensed in another state ... provided that equal reciprocity is provided' to New Jersey electrical contractors, Class A journeymen, Class A apprentices and Class B wiremen.

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

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