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Ohio to Kentucky: master electrician license reciprocity

Reciprocity· Exam waivedVerified September 15, 2026· 8 sources

Kentucky has a reciprocity agreement with Ohio: a Ohio master electrician can get a Kentucky license without retaking the trade exam.

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

Reciprocity with Ohio (OCILB electrical contractor licensees receive Kentucky master and contractor licenses)

A signed state-to-state agreement. The trade exam is waived; you apply, prove your history, and pay the fee.

DHBC's electrical application checklist states that a State of Ohio electrical contractor 'will be issued a Kentucky Contractor Electrician and Master Electrician license' by reciprocity. The applicant submits a copy of the active Ohio (OCILB) electrical contractor license, a Certificate of Liability Insurance/ACORD form for general liability and workers' compensation insurance naming DHBC Electrical Licensing (500 Mero St., 1st Fl., Frankfort KY 40601) as certificate holder, completed Electrical Contractor (EL-2) and Electrical License (EL-3) applications marked 'Reciprocity', the application fees ($200 master plus $400 contractor, each biennial and prorated by birth month), a passport-style color photo, and a good-standing letter from OCILB. No Kentucky trade or Business and Law exam is required. All insurers must be listed with the Kentucky Department of Insurance. This is the mirror of OCILB's Kentucky reciprocity application, which requires Kentucky master and contractor licenses obtained by examination.

The checklist does not state that the Ohio license must have been obtained by examination or held for a minimum period; the underlying agreement text is not published on dhbc.ky.gov. Ohio has no journeyman license, so this agreement applies at the master/contractor level only.

At a glance

Trade exam
Waived
Law / code exam
Not required
Agreement
Active

What you must already have

  • Your Ohio license must be active and in good standing.
  • Compliance with the requirements of the Kentucky-Ohio reciprocity agreement (815 KAR 35:060 Section 2)

What you'll do to get licensed in Kentucky

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($200). Master Electrician license application fee for a two-year license (Form EL-3), prorated by birth month; non-refundable.
  2. 2Application fee. Pay the application fee ($400). Electrical Contractor license application fee for a two-year license (Form EL-2), prorated by birth month; non-refundable.
  3. 3Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($1,000,000). General liability policy of at least $1,000,000 (KRS 227A.060(1)(c)) and workers' compensation certificate (or notarized sole-proprietor waiver), ACORD certificate naming DHBC Electrical Licensing as certificate holder, from an insurer listed with the Kentucky Department of Insurance.
  4. 4Other. Copy of the active Ohio license, OCILB good-standing letter, and passport-sized color photo.

Published fees on this path total $600, 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 · $1,000,000

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 KentuckyLeaving Kentucky

Common questions

Do I have to take the Kentucky master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Ohio?
No. The trade exam is waived on this path under the agreement with Ohio.
What does it cost to get a Kentucky master electrician license from Ohio?
Published fees on this path total $600, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Sources

  1. 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).
  2. 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).
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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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