Ohio to Oklahoma: master electrician license reciprocity
Oklahoma has no reciprocity agreement with Ohio. A Ohio master electrician applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state master or electrical contractor (all states)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
No state has a published contractor-level reciprocity agreement with Oklahoma, so every out-of-state master electrician or electrical contractor uses the same route. Under OAC 158:40-9-2.4 an applicant from a state without a reciprocal agreement may request exam equivalency; if the Board has previously approved that jurisdiction's exam, the technical trade portion of the Oklahoma contractor exam is waived on a certified letter showing current good standing, the license category, a 70%+ exam score and no pending discipline, but the Business and Law portion must still be passed. Otherwise the applicant files the standard application with work history and employer affidavits, documents 12,000 hours (out-of-state residents attach copies of apprenticeship registrations or government-issued licenses), pays $330, and passes both portions of the Unlimited Electrical Contractor exam through PSI. Before the license is activated the contractor files the $5,000 bond, $50,000 general liability certificate naming CIB as certificate holder, and workers' compensation proof, and must be an owner, partner or officer of the firm.
OAC 158:40-7-5(e) provides that where a written contractor reciprocity agreement exists the applicant receives a journeyman license by reciprocity and the contractor license after passing Business and Law and meeting bond/insurance requirements, but no such agreement is named on any CIB page. CIB's published rules and application do not say whether the 4,000 hours and two years as a licensed unlimited journeyman must be under an Oklahoma license; ask CIB before applying. The list of jurisdictions approved for exam equivalency is not published.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- You must document at least 12,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Verifiable on-the-job hours in electrical construction while employed by a licensed electrical contractor; 6,000 in commercial/industrial work; up to 2,000 by formal electrical education.
- Proof of 4,000 hours and two years of experience as a licensed unlimited electrical journeyman employed by a licensed electrical contractor
What you'll do to get licensed in Oklahoma
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($30). Contractor application (processing) fee, non-refundable (OAC 158:40-9-3(b)).
- 2License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($300). Initial contractor license fee, submitted with the application; annual renewal $200.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Technical trade portion of the Unlimited Electrical Contractor exam (PSI), 70% to pass; waived only under approved exam equivalency.
- 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Oklahoma Electrical Contractor Business and Law portion of the contractor exam (PSI), 70% to pass; never waived.
- 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($184). PSI fee of $92 per examination portion (two portions), non-refundable.
- 6Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($5,000). Continuous $5,000 license bond filed with the CIB Bonds and Insurance Unit before activation (OAC 158:40-5-5(a)).
- 7Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($50,000). Comprehensive general liability insurance, $50,000 combined single limit, with CIB named as certificate holder (OAC 158:40-5-5(b)).
- 8Other. Proof of workers' compensation coverage or exemption; the contractor must be an owner, partner or officer of the electrical firm to activate the license.
Published fees on this path total $514, 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
- Exam fee · $184
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 · $5,000
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance · $50,000
How Oklahoma licenses master electricians
Oklahoma master electrician · “Unlimited Electrical Contractor”
Statewide license
Issued by Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB), Electrical Licensing Unit
Oklahoma has no 'master electrician' license; its highest person-held electrical credential is the Electrical Contractor license (Unlimited, Residential or Limited), which CIB issues to an individual who passes the two-portion contractor exam (technical trade and Business and Law, 70% each). This site maps the Unlimited Electrical Contractor license to the master level. An Unlimited applicant needs 12,000 verifiable hours while employed by a licensed electrical contractor, including 4,000 hours and two years as a licensed Unlimited Electrical Journeyman and 6,000 hours of commercial/industrial work; up to 2,000 hours may be formal education. The fee is $330 ($30 application plus $300 initial license) and PSI charges $92 per exam portion. To activate the license the contractor must be an owner, partner or officer of the electrical firm and file a $5,000 license bond, $50,000 general liability insurance and workers' compensation proof; an inactive contractor license may be used to work as a journeyman. CIB publishes no contractor-level reciprocity agreements; its rules allow them, but its reciprocity page describes journeyman agreements only.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Oklahoma master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Ohio?
- Yes. Oklahoma requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
- What does it cost to get a Oklahoma master electrician license from Ohio?
- Published fees on this path total $514, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Ohio work hours count in Oklahoma?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Oklahoma's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Oklahoma to Ohio?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Oklahoma to Ohio, the mechanism is experience credit.
Sources
- Oklahoma CIB - Electrical Industry · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Oklahoma CIB - Electrical Application Information and Application for Electrical Licensure (revised June 2024) · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Oklahoma CIB - Electrical Contractor · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Oklahoma Electrical License Act, 59 O.S. §§ 1680-1690 (effective 11-1-2025) · 59 O.S. §§ 1684, 1685, 1685.1 · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- OAC Title 158, Chapter 40 - Electrical Industry Regulations (permanent rules effective 07/11/2026) · OAC 158:40-5-3, 158:40-5-5, 158:40-7-1, 158:40-7-5, 158:40-9-1, 158:40-9-2, 158:40-9-2.4, 158:40-9-3, 158:40-9-4 · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- State of Oklahoma Electrical, Mechanical, Roofing and Plumbing Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI, effective 12/18/2025) · PSI Services for the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Form · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.