Oregon to Iowa: master electrician license reciprocity
Iowa has no reciprocity agreement with Oregon. A Oregon master electrician applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Licensure by verification (states without a master-level reciprocal agreement)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
A master electrician from a state without a master-level agreement can apply for licensure by verification under Iowa Code 272C.12 and rule 481-401.9. The board issues the Iowa Class A master license without examination if the applicant has been licensed in the other jurisdiction for at least one year, the scope of practice there is substantially similar, the license is in good standing everywhere it is held, the applicant passed the exam the origin state required, and there is no revocation, discipline or pending complaint. For electrician licenses the statute additionally requires that the applicant has established Iowa residency (or is the spouse of an active-duty service member on permanent change of station to Iowa). The origin jurisdiction completes the board's License by Verification form and sends it directly to the board, and the applicant pays the regular license fee ($375 for a full three-year master cycle, prorated). Without Iowa residency, the ordinary route is the Iowa master exam, for which the applicant must show one year of experience as a licensed journeyman electrician.
Masters from Alaska, Colorado, Montana and New Hampshire and Oklahoma electrical contractors are on Iowa's reciprocity list only for the Journeyman Class A license; the verification route above is the only published no-exam path to the Iowa master for them. Rule 481-401.2(3) requires 'one year of experience as a licensed journeyman electrician' for the exam route, and Iowa Code 103.10 describes it as experience as a licensed Class A or Class B journeyman; ask the board before relying on out-of-state journeyman time. The PSI master exam fee is $87 per attempt. DIAL tags the verification form as 'Archived' although the form is dated 10/20/25 and rule 481-401.9 is current; confirm with the board.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- You must have held your Oregon license for at least 1 year.Licensed by another issuing jurisdiction for at least one year (481-401.9(1)b).
- Your Oregon license must be active and in good standing.
- Your Oregon license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
- Scope of practice in the transferring jurisdiction is substantially similar to Iowa's Class A master
- Has established Iowa residency (rule 701-300.17) or is married to an active-duty service member accompanying them on an official permanent change of station to Iowa
What you'll do to get licensed in Iowa
- 1License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($375). Master Electrician Class A license fee for a full three-year cycle (481-401.3); prorated by month when issued mid-cycle.
- 2Other. License by Verification form completed by the transferring jurisdiction and sent directly to the board.
- 3Other. Proof of Iowa residency (homestead credit, voter registration, Iowa driver's license, or days-of-residence test) and documentation of complete criminal record.
Published fees on this path total $375, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
How Iowa licenses master electricians
Iowa master electrician · “Class A Master Electrician”
Statewide license
Issued by Iowa Electrical Examining Board, Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL)
Iowa's highest person-held electrician credential is the Class A Master Electrician license issued by the Electrical Examining Board (DIAL); the Class B master is a closed grandfather class, and the separate Electrical Contractor license is a business credential that requires employing a Class A or B master and registering as a contractor under Iowa Code chapter 91C. A new Class A master applicant must have at least one year of experience as a licensed Class A or Class B journeyman electrician and pass the PSI master exam with 70% or better (2023 NEC). The license runs on a three-year cycle; a full-cycle license costs $375, prorated by month of issue. Iowa has master-level reciprocal agreements with eight states (Arkansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming); master licenses from Alaska, Colorado, Montana and New Hampshire and Oklahoma's electrical contractor license reciprocate only to the Iowa Journeyman Class A license. Licensees from any other state may use Iowa's universal licensure-by-verification process (Iowa Code 272C.12), which waives the exam but requires Iowa residency.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Iowa master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Oregon?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Oregon license?
- At least 1 year before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Iowa master electrician license from Oregon?
- Published fees on this path total $375, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Oregon work hours count in Iowa?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Iowa's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Iowa to Oregon?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Iowa to Oregon, the mechanism is experience credit.
Sources
- Iowa Code Chapter 103 - Electricians and Electrical Contractors (2026) · Iowa Code §§103.10, 103.12, 103.16, 103.18, 103.19, 103.21 · Iowa Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Iowa Code 272C.12 - Licensure of persons licensed in other jurisdictions (2026) · Iowa Code 272C.12 · Iowa Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- DIAL - Electrical Licensing FAQs · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) · Faq · verified September 23, 2026
- DIAL - Electrical License Fees for the 2026-2028 license cycle · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) · Other · verified September 23, 2026
- Iowa Electrical Examining Board - Reciprocal Licensing Agreements with Other States (dated 1/29/2026) · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) · Other · verified September 15, 2026
- State of Iowa Testing Sponsorship Requirements and Information (rev. 12/14/2023) · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) · Other · verified September 23, 2026
- Iowa Electrical Examining Board - License by Verification Form (Iowa Code 272C.12), rev. 10/20/25 · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) · Form · verified September 15, 2026
- 481 IAC Chapter 401 - Electrician and Electrical Contractor Licensing Program: Licensing Requirements, Procedures, and Fees (IAC 12/10/25) · 481 IAC 401.2(3), 401.2(6), 401.2(13), 401.2(14), 401.2(15), 401.3, 401.7, 401.8, 401.9, 401.10 · Iowa Legislature / DIAL · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- PSI Candidate Information Bulletin - Iowa Electrical Examining Board (updated 9/19/2025) · PSI Services LLC · 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.