North Carolina to Texas: master electrician license reciprocity
Texas has a reciprocity agreement with North Carolina: a North Carolina master electrician can get a Texas license without retaking the trade exam.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Reciprocal agreement with North Carolina (master)
A signed state-to-state agreement. The trade exam is waived; you apply, prove your history, and pay the fee.
Texas has a long-standing master-level reciprocity agreement with North Carolina; TDLR recognizes the North Carolina master electrician or unlimited electrical contractor license. A North Carolina licensee who passed North Carolina's statewide exam, has held the license in good standing for at least one year, has 12,000 hours under a master electrician, and held a journeyman license for at least two years receives a Texas Master Electrician license without taking the Texas exam. Apply with the Master Electrician by Reciprocity form, a copy of the North Carolina license, a letter of good standing, and the $45 fee.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Agreement
- Active
What you must already have
- Your North Carolina license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- You must have held your North Carolina license for at least 1 year.Reciprocal license (master electrician or unlimited electrical contractor) held at least one year
- Your North Carolina license must be active and in good standing.
- You must document at least 12,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Under the supervision of a master electrician
- Held a journeyman electrician license for at least 2 years
What you'll do to get licensed in Texas
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($45). Master Electrician by Reciprocity application fee (non-refundable).
- 2Other. Copy of the state-issued license and a letter of good standing / certification from the North Carolina licensing authority.
Published fees on this path total $45, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
How Texas licenses master electricians
Texas master electrician · “Master Electrician”
Statewide license
Issued by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
Texas issues a statewide Master Electrician license through TDLR. A new applicant must have held a journeyman electrician license for at least two years, have 12,000 hours of on-the-job training under a master electrician (TDLR's application page specifies a Texas-licensed master), and pass the PSI-administered master exam. TDLR has master-level reciprocity agreements with seven states, four of them added between December 2025 and June 2026; qualifying licensees are licensed without the Texas exam. Licenses are valid for one year and renewed annually.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Texas master electrician exam if I'm licensed in North Carolina?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path under the agreement with North Carolina.
- How long do I need to have held my North Carolina license?
- At least 1 year before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Texas master electrician license from North Carolina?
- Published fees on this path total $45, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Sources
- Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1305 - Electricians · Tex. Occ. Code §§1305.153, 1305.155, 1305.164 · Texas Legislature · Statute · verified September 14, 2026§1305.155 journeyman: 8,000 hours OJT under a master electrician and pass the exam. §1305.153 master: 12,000 hours OJT, journeyman license held at least two years, pass the exam. §1305.164: the executive director may license an applicant licensed in a state with which Texas has an agreement to recognize licenses.
- TDLR - Apply for a New Master Electrician License · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 14, 2026
- TDLR - Electrician Exam Information · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 14, 2026
- TDLR Form ELC-LIC-008 - Master Electrician License by Reciprocity Application · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Form · verified September 14, 2026$45 non-refundable fee; requires a copy of the state license and a letter of certification from the issuing licensing authority; all requirements must be met within 12 months of filing.
- TDLR - Transfer Your Out-of-State Electrician License to Texas · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 14, 2026Lists the current journeyman and master reciprocity partner states, the eligibility bullets, fees, and the reciprocity application forms.
- TDLR - Removing Barriers for Out-of-State Licensees at a Glance (AAG FORM-019, Jan. 2025) · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Other · verified September 14, 2026Agency-wide summary: substantial-equivalence review under Occupations Code 51.4041(b)(1) is described as the primary case-by-case method for out-of-state licensees; reciprocity agreements require the Governor's approval. Its electrician partner lists are as of January 2025.
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.