South Carolina to Idaho: master electrician license reciprocity
Idaho has no reciprocity agreement with South Carolina. A South Carolina 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 electricians (reciprocal application with license verification)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
An out-of-state master electrician files the master application as a 'Reciprocal' application type ($80 processing fee, which is the $15 application fee plus the $65 original license fee) with a License Verification Form completed by the state of licensure; a copy of the license is not accepted. The verification must show that the license was obtained by examination, that the applicant held a journeyman license for at least four years, that the master license is active, and the date it was originally issued. The application's examination section applies to initial applicants only, but the instructions state that 'a passing examination score may be required prior to the issuance of a license', so DOPL may still require the Idaho master exam (PSI) case by case. An applicant who cannot document four years as a journeyman does not qualify; an applicant with four years as a licensed journeyman in any jurisdiction may instead apply as an initial applicant and take the Idaho master exam.
Exam flags reflect the reciprocal application type, which does not include the examination section; DOPL reserves the right to require a passing exam score before issuing the license.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your South Carolina license must be active and in good standing.
- Your South Carolina license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- You must have held your South Carolina license for at least 4 years.Journeyman license held for a minimum of four years, consistent with Idaho Code 54-1007(3).
What you'll do to get licensed in Idaho
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($15). DOPL application fee (the application form shows the combined $80 processing fee, which includes the license fee).
- 2License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($65). Original Master Electrician license fee, three-year term (renewal $45); a journeyman license is issued with it at no additional cost.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Idaho State Master Electrician exam administered by PSI; required for initial (experience-pathway) applicants and may be required of reciprocal applicants before issuance.
- 4Other. License Verification Form completed by the state of licensure.
Published fees on this path total $80, 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 · if applicable
How Idaho licenses master electricians
Idaho master electrician · “Master Electrician”
Statewide license
Issued by Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (Idaho Electrical Board)
Idaho issues a statewide Master Electrician license through DOPL on behalf of the Idaho Electrical Board. Idaho Code 54-1007(3) qualifies anyone who has worked as a licensed journeyman for at least four years to apply for a master license, and since House Bill 153 a master licensee is automatically issued a journeyman license at no extra cost. The only signed master-level reciprocity agreement is the 2006 bilateral agreement with Wyoming; the multi-state NERA agreement covers journeymen only. For other states, the master application offers a 'Reciprocity Pathway' based on a License Verification Form from the origin state showing licensure by examination, at least four years as a journeyman, and an active master license, but the instructions warn that a passing exam score may still be required before issuance. Applicants who do not qualify that way use the experience pathway (four years as a licensed journeyman) and pass the Idaho master exam administered by PSI.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Idaho master electrician exam if I'm licensed in South Carolina?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my South Carolina license?
- At least 4 years before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Idaho master electrician license from South Carolina?
- Published fees on this path total $80, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my South Carolina work hours count in Idaho?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Idaho's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Idaho to South Carolina?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Idaho to South Carolina, the mechanism is experience credit.
Sources
- Idaho Code 54-1007 - Issuance of licenses - Reciprocity · Idaho Code 54-1007 · Idaho Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Idaho Electrical Board - Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Idaho Electrical Board - Program Information and Exams · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Idaho Master Electrician License Application and Instructions (revised June 15, 2024) · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Idaho Electrical Board draft meeting minutes, August 12, 2025 · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Other · verified September 23, 2026
- Idaho Electrical Board meeting minutes, October 29, 2025 · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Other · verified September 23, 2026
- Reciprocal Agreement - Wyoming and Idaho Journeyman and Master Electrician Licenses (with the November 9, 1999 Multi-State Electrician Reciprocal Agreement and 2006 amendment adding Idaho) · Idaho Code 54-1007 · Idaho Division of Building Safety / Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety · Agreement Document · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.