LicensebyState

Pennsylvania to North Carolina: master electrician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 10 sources

Pennsylvania does not issue a statewide master electrician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is North Carolina'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 or electrical contractor without a reciprocity agreement (examination)

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

A master electrician or electrical contractor from a state that has no agreement with the Board gets no license by endorsement: the Board's rules (21 NCAC 18B .0701) waive the written examination only for the eleven named reciprocal states. Everyone else applies to sit the PSI-administered classification exam like a first-time candidate. Out-of-state experience does count: Rule .0202 credits work as a journeyman electrician, foreman, supervisor or estimator at 100% and apprentice or helper time at 80-100%, with 2,000 hours equal to one year, toward the 3,000 / 5,750 / 9,000-hour thresholds for Limited / Intermediate / Unlimited, and the rule does not require the experience to have been earned in North Carolina. The exam application fee is $125, Board approval is required before scheduling, one attempt is allowed per approval, and the 100-question open-book exam (70% to pass) includes 15-18 questions on the North Carolina licensing law, Board rules and the NASCLA business guide, so no separate law exam is given to examinees. After passing, the applicant files the license application with the classification fee ($100 Limited/SP, $150 Intermediate, $200 Unlimited), character statements, bonding-ability statements for Intermediate and Unlimited, and completes the free 4-hour Laws and Rules class within 12 months. One exception: an applicant who already passed the NASCLA Accredited Electrical Examination (Electrical Contractor/Master Electrician) in another state may skip the NC technical exam and apply directly for any classification, taking only the 25-question NC laws, rules and business exam that reciprocity applicants take.

G.S. 93B-15.3 (neighboring-state recognition for Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia licensees held at least one year) adds no additional origin states because all five already have Board reciprocity agreements. Rule .0701 also names Louisiana as a recognized state, but Louisiana is absent from the Board's reciprocity page, its forms list and its per-state pages (the /louisiana/ page returns 404), so Louisiana is not recorded as an agreement here. No NC-specific exam fee beyond the $125 application/exam fee is published; the Board's fee page lists the two together.

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 9,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Unlimited classification: 9,000 hours with at least 8,000 primary. Intermediate: 5,750 (5,000 primary). Limited and Special Restricted: 3,000 (2,000 primary). 2,000 hours = one creditable year (21 NCAC 18B .0201-.0202; G.S. 87-43.3).
  • Primary experience is work as a journeyman electrician, electrical foreman, supervisor or estimator on the installation of electrical wiring and equipment (100% credit); approved apprenticeship 100%, helper/apprentice outside an approved program 80%, electrical college coursework 50%, utility lineman work 10% (21 NCAC 18B .0202).

What you'll do to get licensed in North Carolina

  1. 1Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($125). Application and examination fee, all classifications (21 NCAC 18B .0209); $25 for an examination review after a failure.
  2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. NCBEEC electrical contracting examination administered by PSI: 100 multiple-choice questions, 6 hours, open book (2020 NEC, NFPA 72, NASCLA NC Electrical business guide), 70% to pass; includes laws, rules and business-practice questions.
  3. 3License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($200). Annual license fee for the Unlimited classification; Intermediate $150; Limited and Special Restricted $100 (G.S. 87-44; 21 NCAC 18B .0404).
  4. 4Surety bond. Post a surety bond. Statement of bonding ability from a surety, or a bank line-of-credit letter, of at least $150,001 for Unlimited or $60,001 for Intermediate (G.S. 87-43.2(a)(4)); not required for Limited or Special Restricted.
  5. 5Other. Two character statement forms; for Unlimited, two supervise-and-direct statements from people who can attest to the applicant's ability to supervise all electrical work; corporations and LLCs must hold a certificate of authority from the NC Secretary of State.
  6. 6Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Free 4-hour NCBEEC Laws and Rules class within 12 months of becoming a qualified individual, then 8 hours of approved CE per license year for Limited, Intermediate, Unlimited and SP-SFD qualifiers (21 NCAC 18B .1101).

Published fees on this path total $325, 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.

  • Exam fee · $125
  • Trade exam

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

Continuing education

Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.

  • Continuing education

How North Carolina licenses master electricians

North Carolina master electrician · “Electrical Contractor (Limited / Intermediate / Unlimited) - Listed Qualified Individual”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 8 sources

Issued by North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC)

North Carolina has no license called 'master electrician'; its highest and only exam-qualified electrical credential is the electrical contracting license issued by the State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors under G.S. 87-43 in the Limited (single projects up to $60,000, equipment up to 600 V), Intermediate (up to $150,000) and Unlimited (any value) classifications, plus seven Special Restricted classifications such as SP-SFD (single-family dwellings) and SP-FA/LV (fire alarm/low voltage). The license is issued in the name of a business, which may be a sole proprietorship, but it is earned by a listed qualified individual: the person who passed the PSI-administered classification exam and is named on the license with the statutory duty and authority to supervise and direct all electrical work done in the licensee's name (G.S. 87-41.1). That qualification is personal, follows the individual between licenses through the Board's add/drop form, carries the continuing-education duty, and is what Texas and Virginia treat as equivalent to their master electrician licenses, so this site maps it to the master level. A new qualified individual needs 3,000 hours of experience (2,000 primary) for Limited, 5,750 (5,000 primary) for Intermediate or 9,000 (8,000 primary) for Unlimited, and must pass a 100-question open-book exam (6 hours, 70% to pass) that also covers the licensing law, Board rules and business practices; the exam application fee is $125 and annual license fees are $100, $150 and $200 by classification. Intermediate and Unlimited applicants must also show bonding ability ($60,001 and $150,001). Licenses expire one year after issuance; qualifiers complete a free 4-hour Laws and Rules class within 12 months and 8 hours of CE per year. The Board has reciprocity agreements with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia under G.S. 87-50, which waive the technical exam but not a short NC laws, rules and business exam.

Moving to North CarolinaLeaving North Carolina

Why Pennsylvania has nothing to transfer

Pennsylvania master electrician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 14 sources

Pennsylvania issues no statewide master electrician or electrical contractor license; none of the Department of State's licensing boards covers the trade, so the master-level credential exists only at the city level under names that vary: Philadelphia's Electrical Contractor License (four years with a licensed contractor, the ICC-administered Philadelphia Electrical Contractor exam, eight hours of NFPA 70 coursework, insurance, $60 application, $262 license and $202 annual renewal), Pittsburgh's Electrical Trade License (six years of combined experience and education, an ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam or the city exam, $1M/$2M liability insurance, $90 per year with eight hours of CE), and Master Electrician licenses in Allentown (four years, ICC G16, $50 application), Harrisburg (six years, ICC master exam, $125), Reading (two years as a journeyman, ICC G16Y, $90) and Scranton (four years plus ICC master exam, $250), with Erie licensing electrical contractors through its Trades Licensing Board. Because nearly every city relies on the ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam, a passing ICC score earned in another state is the most portable credential, and Pittsburgh's rules expressly allow the License Officer to accept equivalent out-of-state certification tests. Formal reciprocity is limited to Harrisburg (Maryland, Delaware and several Pennsylvania cities) and Reading (a published list that includes Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia); an out-of-state master must otherwise apply to each city separately, document local experience thresholds and pay each city's fees.

How local licensing works in Pennsylvania

How local licensing works. Pennsylvania has no state electrical board. Each city that licenses electricians does so under its own ordinance through a local board, and a license is valid only in the issuing city unless that city's rules recognize another jurisdiction. Nearly all cities use ICC exams, and several accept any ICC master exam regardless of code year.

Philadelphia. The Department of Licenses and Inspections issues the Electrical Contractor License (Philadelphia Code 9-1006), the city's only master-level electrician credential; it is issued to the individual, who must also hold a Commercial Activity License. Requirements: a minimum of four years of employment doing electrical work for a company licensed through a local or state jurisdiction (two years of electrical education equals one year of experience, up to two years), proven by tax records from a licensed contractor or proof of licensure through a local or state jurisdiction subject to L&I approval; a passing Philadelphia Electrical Contractor Examination administered by ICC referencing the current Philadelphia Code (or an application within 12 months of passing); eight hours of NFPA 70 coursework approved by the PA Department of Labor and Industry within the preceding 12 months; general liability $500,000 per occurrence, auto $300,000 and workers' compensation $100,000/$100,000/$500,000 naming the city as certificate holder. Fees: $60 non-refundable application, $262 license, $202 annual renewal with a 1.5 percent monthly surcharge after 60 days. Out-of-state licensure can serve as proof of experience but does not waive the Philadelphia exam.

Pittsburgh. The Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections issues the Electrical Trade License to individuals performing work that requires an electrical permit (PLI Rules VI.6; PCC 747). Applicants show a passing City-proctored Master Electrical exam or an ICC Standard Master Electrician exam for any code year (T16, G16, F16 or older) and six years of combined experience and education evaluated by the License Officer, with employer or licensed-electrician statements; insurance is $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate general liability plus workers' compensation or a no-employee affidavit. The license costs $90 (2025 fee schedule), expires 365 days from issue and renews with eight hours of continuing education. PLI Rule VI.1(E)(d) states that equivalent certification testing programs from other states are accepted upon the License Officer's determination of equivalence.

Allentown. The Electricians' Examining Board issues a Master license on four years of practical experience and the ICC National Standard Master exam (G16); applicants must be over 21 with a high school diploma or GED, pay a $50 non-refundable application fee, obtain Board approval before scheduling the exam, and pay an annual license fee set in the Business Regulation and Tax Code. No reciprocity provision is published.

Harrisburg. The Bureau of Codes issues a Master Electrician license ($125) on six years of practical experience or four years of technical school plus four years, with a passing ICC Master, National Standard Master or Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) Standard Master exam, insurance of $1,000,000 property damage and $300,000 bodily injury per occurrence, and a Mercantile Tax License. Documentation may be by test results or by reciprocity from Allentown, Bethlehem, Lancaster, Reading, Philadelphia, Maryland or Delaware (others considered case by case); a letter of good standing is required from any other Pennsylvania municipality that licenses the applicant.

Reading. The Electrical Board issues a Master Electrician license ($90 annual) to holders of a Reading or reciprocated journeyman license for two years who pass the ICC G16Y master exam. A reciprocal master license ($190 including a one-time reciprocity fee) recognizes licenses from jurisdictions of at least third-class-city standing with an equivalent board and standards; the June 2023 list names Bethlehem, Easton, Erie, Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Scranton, Springfield MO, Sullivan County NY, and the states of Delaware, Maryland (master), Michigan, New Jersey, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Reciprocal licenses become permanent Reading licenses.

Scranton. Licensing, Inspections and Permits issues a Master Electrical contractor license ($250, calendar year) on four years under a licensed contractor (W-2s or 1099s), a passing ICC/UCC Master Electrical exam, general liability of $500,000 per person / $1,000,000 per occurrence and a Single Tax Office registration; an alternative route uses eight years of experience plus notarized referral letters in place of the exam. The form asks for copies of licenses held in other municipalities but states no reciprocity rule.

Erie. All electrical work must be done by an electrical contractor licensed by the City of Erie and only master license holders may obtain permits; the Trades Licensing Board reviews applications under Article 333 of the Codified Ordinances (not openable), which per the Board page also provides 90-day temporary apprentice and journeyman licenses.

Out-of-state holders. Apart from Harrisburg's and Reading's lists there is no reciprocity. The practical path is to present an ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam result (accepted by Pittsburgh for any code year and by Harrisburg, Allentown, Reading and Scranton), document the local experience threshold, meet each city's insurance requirement and pay its fee; Philadelphia requires its own ICC-administered Philadelphia exam.

Moving to PennsylvaniaLeaving Pennsylvania

Common questions

Do I have to take the North Carolina master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Pennsylvania?
Yes. North Carolina requires the trade exam on this path.
What does it cost to get a North Carolina master electrician license from Pennsylvania?
Published fees on this path total $325, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Pennsylvania work hours count in North Carolina?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward North Carolina's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from North Carolina to Pennsylvania?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from North Carolina to Pennsylvania, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. N.C.G.S. Chapter 87, Article 4 - Electrical Contractors Licensing Law (as published by the Board) · N.C.G.S. 87-41.1, 87-43, 87-43.3, 87-44, 87-50 · North Carolina General Assembly (reproduced by NCBEEC) · Statute · verified September 15, 202687-43 defines electrical contracting as engaging or offering to engage in the business of installing, maintaining, altering or repairing electric work. 87-43.3 sets the classifications and their experience floors (Limited 3,000 hrs / 2,000 primary; Intermediate 5,750 / 5,000; Unlimited 9,000 / 8,000). 87-41.1 defines the 'listed qualified individual' as the person who passed the qualifying exam and is listed on the license with the duty and authority to supervise and direct all electrical contracting done in the licensee's name. 87-44 caps annual license fees at $100/$150/$200. 87-50 authorizes reciprocal licensing without written examination. The Article contains no journeyman license.
  2. N.C.G.S. 93B-15.3 - Neighboring states licensure recognition · N.C.G.S. 93B-15.3 (S.L. 2025-61) · North Carolina General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Requires occupational licensing boards to license an applicant who has established residence in North Carolina, has been licensed at the same or substantially equivalent level in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia or West Virginia for at least one year, passed any examination required there, is in good standing in every jurisdiction, has no disqualifying criminal history or unresolved discipline, and pays all fees; the board may verify competency through methods it determines, including minimum education, supervision or work-experience requirements.
  3. 21 NCAC 18B - Board Rules for the Electrical Contractors Licensing Law · 21 NCAC 18B .0201, .0202, .0209, .0404, .0701, .1101 · NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026.0201 experience per classification; .0202 primary experience (journeyman electrician, foreman, supervisor, estimator at 100%; 2,000 hours = 1 year) and secondary experience (approved apprenticeship 100%, helpers 80%, college coursework 50%, lineman 10%); .0209/.0404 fees ($125 exam application, $25 review, $100-$200 license). .0701 reciprocity: the Board recognizes licenses from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia; the applicant must furnish certification of the current reciprocal-state license, list the same qualified individual as on the original license, document that all non-examination requirements of Sections .0200-.0400 for the classification are met, and pay the license fee. .1101 CE: free 4-hour Laws and Rules course within 12 months of becoming a qualified individual; 8 hours CE per year for Limited/Intermediate/Unlimited/SP-SFD qualifiers.
  4. NCBEEC Examination Information Handbook 2026 (PSI) · NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors / PSI · Other · verified September 15, 2026Passing score 70% for all exams. Board approval is required before scheduling; one attempt per approval; 3-month wait after a failure. Exam content for Limited/Intermediate/Unlimited includes 15-18 questions on the licensing law, 21 NCAC 18B and the NASCLA business/law guide, so there is no separate law exam for examinees. References the 2020 NEC. Until licensed it is unlawful to engage in electrical contracting (G.S. 87-43).
  5. NCBEEC - Examinations (PSI) · NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Exams are administered by PSI. Limited, Intermediate and Unlimited exams are 100 multiple-choice questions in 6 hours, open book (NEC, NFPA 72, NASCLA business guide). The page contains no journeyman license or exam.
  6. NCBEEC - Fees & Services · NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Application & examination fee $125 (all classifications); examination review $25; license fees Limited $100, Intermediate $150, Unlimited $200, Special Restricted $100; verification of license $25. No separate reciprocity fee is listed.
  7. North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors - Home · NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Board mission under G.S. Chapter 87, Article 4. Lists the ten current reciprocity states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
  8. NCBEEC - Licensing (classifications, fees, qualified individuals) · NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Limited ($100/yr, single project up to $60,000, equipment up to 600 V), Intermediate ($150/yr, up to $150,000, bonding ability statement), Unlimited ($200/yr, any value, bonding ability statement) plus seven Special Restricted classifications ($100/yr). The license is issued to the business and the person who passed the exam is listed as the Qualified Individual; qualified individuals may be added or dropped. Licenses expire one year after issuance; $25 late renewal fee.
  9. NCBEEC - Application for License: NASCLA Qualified Individuals · NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors · Form · verified September 15, 2026A person who passed the NASCLA Accredited Electrical Examination: Electrical Contractor/Master Electrician may obtain any NC classification; the NASCLA Residential Electrical Contractor exam qualifies only for SP-SFD. Transcripts must arrive through NASCLA's NED system. Same checklist, license fees and 25-question NC laws/rules/business exam as the reciprocity packets.
  10. NCBEEC - Reciprocity · N.C.G.S. 87-50 · NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Quotes G.S. 87-50: 'the Board may grant licenses of the same or equivalent classification to electrical contractors licensed by other states without written examination.' Lists the ten reciprocal states and links to a page and application packet per state.

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

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