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

Yes. Kentucky requires the trade exam on this path.

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

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

Do my Nevada 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 Nevada?

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

Nevada to Kentucky: master electrician license reciprocity

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

Nevada 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 Nevada has nothing to transfer

Nevada master electrician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 13 sources

Issued by Nevada State Contractors Board (contractor licensing only); master electrician cards issued at county/city level

Nevada does not issue a master electrician license. The state-level electrical credential is a classification C-2 Electrical Contracting license from the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB), which is a business license issued to a sole proprietor, partnership, corporation or LLC and qualified by a named individual, not a license held by the electrician personally. A master-level personal card exists only at the local level: Clark County, the City of Las Vegas and the City of Reno recognize a 'Master Electrician' category, obtained by passing the ICC G16 Master Electrician exam at 75% and holding an ESP-issued Nevada Electrical Qualifications Card, and Clark County code allows a master electrician or electrical qualified individual to satisfy the contractor's on-site supervision duty. None of these jurisdictions publish reciprocity for an out-of-state master license. To contract independently, an arriving master electrician must obtain a C-2 license: the qualifying individual needs four years of experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor within the past 15 years, must pass the PSI-administered Nevada Business and Law exam and the C-2 trade exam, and the business must pay the $300 application fee and $600 biennial license fee, submit a financial statement and background check, and post a bond of $1,000 to $500,000 set by the Board. Under licensure by endorsement (NAC 624.600 and 624.615) the C-2 trade exam and experience certification are waived for a qualified individual who has held an active electrical contractor license with no discipline for the past four years in Arizona (CR-11), California (C-10), Connecticut (E1), Louisiana (9 Electrical Work), North Carolina (Unlimited Electrical) or Tennessee (CE Electrical), while Florida (EC) and West Virginia (A Electrical) licensees get experience credit but must take the Nevada trade exam; the Business and Law exam is never waived.

How local licensing works in Nevada

State level. NRS 624 and NAC 624 create only contractor licenses. NAC 624.200 defines classification C-2 Electrical Contracting (C-2a Electrical Wiring, C-2b Integrated Ceilings, C-2c Fire Detection, C-2d Low Voltage Systems, C-2e Lines to Transmit Electricity, C-2f Residential Wiring, C-2g Photovoltaics). The license belongs to the business; the individual who qualifies it must have four years of journeyman-or-higher experience within 15 years (NRS 624.260(6)) and pass the Business and Law and trade exams unless the trade exam is waived under NAC 624.600 for an endorsing-state exam approved under NAC 624.615. Fees: $300 application, $600 to issue or renew (NAC 624.130), PSI exam fees, bond $1,000-$500,000 (NRS 624.270).

Clark County. Clark County Code §22.02.260 recognizes a Master Electrician (all aspects of electrical work) alongside the journeyman categories; a master or the contractor's qualified individual is responsible for supervision, inspection and code conformance of the contractor's permitted work, and a master found not to meet the NSCB qualified-individual standard is not recognized until re-examined. The exam is the ICC G16 Master Electrician (75% under the ESP program) and the card is issued by ESP with 30 CEU hours per three-year renewal, including an 8-hour NEC update. The code's only equivalency is for certificates from the accepted testing agency or other Nevada political subdivisions within Clark County.

City of Las Vegas and City of Henderson. Las Vegas Administrative Code §306 uses the same master electrician / qualified individual / journeyman supervision rule and the ESP card; Henderson is listed by ESP as requiring the card but its ordinance was not verified.

City of Reno. Reno's published journeyman program covers the ICC G17/G18 exams; the ESP presentation lists Reno as a participating jurisdiction for master cards as well, but Reno's own page does not describe a separate master card.

Out-of-state holders. No local jurisdiction publishes a waiver of the ICC master exam for an out-of-state master license. The practical route is to pass the ICC G16 exam and obtain the ESP card, or, if contracting, to apply for a C-2 license through NSCB, where the endorsement charts above may waive the trade exam.

Clark County (Department of Building and Fire Prevention)
City of Las Vegas (Department of Building and Safety)
City of Henderson (per ESP program notice; ordinance not verified)
City of Reno (Development Services)

Moving to Nevada Leaving Nevada

Common questions

Do I have to take the Kentucky master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Nevada?: Yes. Kentucky requires the trade exam on this path.
What does it cost to get a Kentucky master electrician license from Nevada?: Published fees on this path total $280, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Nevada 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 Nevada?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Kentucky to Nevada, 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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