Tennessee to Connecticut: master electrician license reciprocity
Tennessee does not issue a statewide master electrician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Connecticut'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.
Contractor (E-1) by equivalent out-of-state license (all states)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
A master electrician or electrical contractor licensed in any other state applies under DCP's 'Electrical Contractor - Equivalent Out of State License' path. DCP reviews a single out-of-state license for equivalency to the E-1: it must have required 720 classroom hours with a curriculum matching Exhibit A, 8,000 apprentice OJT hours and two years (4,000 hours) of licensed OJT, 12,000 hours in total. The applicant submits a copy of the license, an official license verification, the laws and regulations that set the requirements met to obtain it, and the scope of work for that license, with the non-refundable $150 application fee. If approved, the applicant must pass both the E-1 trade exam and the Business and Law exam through PSI ($59 per portion) and then pay the $150 initial license fee; the out-of-state license does not waive either exam because Connecticut has no reciprocal agreements. An applicant whose license is not found equivalent must document the classroom and OJT hours directly under the equivalent experience and training path.
The out-of-state license page does not restate the exam requirement; it follows from the Electrical License page, CGS 20-333 and the PSI bulletin, which states that all contractors must pass a Business and Law examination and a trade examination. CGS 20-333a allows licensure without examination only where the other state reciprocates for Connecticut licensees, and DCP states no such agreements exist. Whether DCP treats an out-of-state 'master' license (rather than a contractor license) as the E-1 equivalent depends on the hour and curriculum comparison; DCP publishes no list of accepted titles.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Tennessee license must be active and in good standing.
- The out-of-state license must be equivalent: it required 720 classroom hours matching Exhibit A, 8,000 apprentice OJT hours and 4,000 licensed OJT hours (12,000 total)Only one out-of-state license is reviewed for equivalency.
- You must document at least 12,000 hours of qualifying work experience.8,000 hours as an apprentice plus 2 years (4,000 hours) working as a licensed journeyperson.
What you'll do to get licensed in Connecticut
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($150). Contractor application fee, non-refundable (CGS 20-333).
- 2Other. Copy of the out-of-state license, official license verification, the laws/regulations listing the requirements met to obtain it, and the scope of work for that license.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. E-1 Unlimited Electrical Contractor trade exam administered by PSI: 100 questions, 4 hours, 70% to pass, open book (2020 or 2023 NEC).
- 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Connecticut Business and Law exam (PSI): 50 questions, 2 hours, 70% to pass, based on the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Connecticut 6th edition.
- 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($59). PSI fee for the trade portion (same fee for retakes).
- 6Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($59). PSI fee for the Business and Law portion (same fee for retakes).
- 7License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($150). Initial license fee for a contractor's license after passing both exams (CGS 20-335); renews annually for $150.
Published fees on this path total $418, 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 · $59
- Exam fee · $59
How Connecticut licenses master electricians
Connecticut master electrician · “E-1 Unlimited Electrical Contractor”
Statewide license
Connecticut has no license titled 'master electrician'; the top-tier personal license is the E-1 Unlimited Electrical Contractor, issued by DCP to an individual (DCP licenses individuals, not companies) and permitting all electrical work under CGS 20-330, pulling permits and contracting with the public. A new E-1 applicant needs 720 classroom hours matching DCP's Exhibit A curriculum and 12,000 OJT hours (8,000 as an apprentice plus 4,000 hours, two years, working as a licensed journeyperson), reachable through two years as a Connecticut journeyperson, equivalent experience and training, or an equivalent out-of-state license, and must pass both the PSI E-1 trade exam (100 questions, 4 hours, 70%) and the Business and Law exam (50 questions, 2 hours, 70%). DCP states that Connecticut does not have reciprocal agreements with any other jurisdiction. Fees are a $150 application fee, $59 per exam portion and a $150 initial license fee; licenses expire every September 30 and renew for $150.
Why Tennessee has nothing to transfer
Tennessee master electrician
Licensed by cities and counties
Tennessee does not issue a master electrician license. The state-level credential for electrical contracting is a contractor license with the CE (electrical) classification from the Board for Licensing Contractors, which is issued to a business (sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC or corporation) that names a qualifying agent, and which is required for any electrical project of $25,000 or more. To obtain it the qualifying agent passes the Tennessee Business & Law exam and the CE trade exam (Prov), and the business files a reviewed or audited CPA financial statement (or, from July 1, 2026, a surety bond) that sets its monetary limit, proves general liability and workers' compensation insurance, and pays a $250 application fee ($200 biennial renewal). The Board has trade-exam-waiver agreements under which a contractor licensed in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina or West Virginia, or one who passed the NASCLA electrical exam, skips the CE trade exam but still takes the Business & Law exam and meets every other requirement; the Board stresses that these 'do NOT allow using another state's license in Tennessee'. Master electrician licenses proper exist only at the local level in the jurisdictions that run their own inspection programs: Nashville (Metro Master Electrician, six years of experience), Memphis/Shelby County (Master Electrician, four years as a journeyman), Chattanooga (Class I electrical contractor, three years as a journeyman) and other exempt jurisdictions, each with its own exam and fees and none publishing reciprocity for out-of-state masters. An out-of-state master electrician who only wants to work for an employer needs no state license; to pull permits for small jobs they need the local master license or an LLE where accepted, and to contract for work of $25,000 or more they need the state CE contractor license.
How local licensing works in Tennessee
State CE contractor license (business level). Required statewide for electrical projects of $25,000 and up and accepted by every local jurisdiction for permits, but it is a business license, not a personal master credential. Requirements: qualifying agent (owner, officer or full-time employee) passes the Tennessee Business & Law exam and the Electrical (CE) trade exam administered by Prov; reviewed or audited financial statement less than 12 months old (or a contractors' surety bond at 50% of the requested limit from July 1, 2026) setting a monetary limit of 10 times the lesser of working capital or net worth ($300,000 of each for an unlimited limit); general liability insurance scaled to the limit; workers' compensation or exemption; $250 initial fee, $200 renewal every two years; exam scores valid about two years. Trade exam waiver (the only state reciprocity): a contractor licensed in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina or West Virginia whose board verifies a comparable electrical exam on the Request for Contractor License Verification form, or who passed the NASCLA Electrical exam, files that verification in place of the CE trade exam score. The Business & Law exam is never waived, applicants with discipline, open complaints or felonies are ineligible, and the waiver cannot be used for the LLE. Arkansas's agreement covers only building classifications, not electrical.
Nashville (Metro Codes and Building Safety). The Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Examiners and Appeals Board issues the Metropolitan Master Electrician certificate. Applicants need six years of experience (an electrical engineering degree may substitute), employer verification letters, a character letter and approval by the Chief Electrical Inspector, then pass the Prov-administered Metro master exam with 70%. The application asks whether the applicant holds a master license in another city or state and how long, but no exam waiver is described. Nashville registers state CE contractors separately.
Memphis / Shelby County (Office of Construction Code Enforcement). The Master Electrician license (Sec. 1305 of the joint electrical code) requires age 24 and either an electrical engineering degree plus two years of installation experience or four certified years as a journeyman; application in person with three industry recommendations, 30-day investigation, exam before the Electrical Code Advisory Board on theory, installation, the NEC and local codes. Fees: exam $150, initial license $100, active renewal $150. A separate Electrical Contractor license ($150 exam, $150 license, $150 registration) must be held by or employ a master; state-certified CE contractors register for $150 instead of testing. No reciprocity provision appears in the code.
Chattanooga (Land Development Office). The Class I electrical license is the contractor/master credential: three or more years as a journeyman or plant electrician (or three years as a Class II residential contractor, a prior Class I license, a Tennessee PE license, or equivalent), city examination, $415 per two-year term. A Board of Electrical Examiners oversees testing; no reciprocity is mentioned.
Knoxville (Plans Review & Inspections). Knoxville is on the state's exempt list and requires a city registration to pull permits; a state CE contractor registers directly. Details of Knoxville's own electrical contractor/master exam and fees are not published on the pages found (865-215-4311).
Out-of-state holders. No Tennessee city or the state endorses another state's master license as such. The realistic paths are: (1) obtain the state CE contractor license, using the trade-exam waiver if licensed in AL, LA, MS, NC, OH, SC or WV or NASCLA-tested, which every jurisdiction accepts; or (2) apply for the local master license in each exempt jurisdiction where you will work, documenting the experience required there and passing the local exam.
- Nashville / Davidson County (Metro Codes and Building Safety)
- Memphis / Shelby County (Office of Construction Code Enforcement)
- Knoxville (Plans Review & Inspections)
- Chattanooga (Land Development Office)
- Hamilton County
- Clarksville
- Murfreesboro
- Franklin
- Jackson
- Kingsport
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Connecticut master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Tennessee?
- Yes. Connecticut requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
- What does it cost to get a Connecticut master electrician license from Tennessee?
- Published fees on this path total $418, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Tennessee work hours count in Connecticut?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Connecticut's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Connecticut to Tennessee?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Connecticut to Tennessee, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 393 - Occupational Licensing (Electrical, Plumbing and Piping, Heating, Cooling...) · CGS §§ 20-333, 20-333a, 20-334a, 20-335 · Connecticut General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026§20-333: non-refundable application fee of $90 for limited licenses and journeyman-type licenses under 20-334a(a)(2)-(3) and $150 for unlimited contractor licenses under 20-334a(a)(1); competency is shown by examination. §20-333a Reciprocity: the Commissioner may grant a license without examination to a currently practicing, competent person holding a similar license from another state with substantially similar or higher requirements, but only if that state grants the same privilege to Connecticut licensees; DCP reports no such agreements exist. §20-334a(a)(1)(A): an unlimited contractor's license may be issued to a person who served as a journeyman in the trade for at least two years 'and, if such service as a journeyman was outside this state, has furnished evidence satisfactory to the appropriate state board or the department that such service is comparable to similar service in this state', and has passed the examination; (a)(2)(A): an unlimited journeyman's license requires a bona fide apprenticeship including not less than four years' experience and passing the state licensure examination. §20-335: initial license fee $150 for a contractor's license and $120 for any other license; licenses expire annually; renewal $150 contractor / $120 other. The page returned a TLS certificate error to the fetch tool on 2026-09-15 and was downloaded directly with curl to read the section text.
- Connecticut DCP - Electrical Contractor: Equivalent Experience and Training · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Fallback path when an out-of-state license is not found equivalent: E-1 needs 720 classroom hours equivalent to the Exhibit A courses, 8,000 apprentice OJT hours and 4,000 licensed OJT hours (12,000 total), documented by transcripts/diplomas, notarized employer letters with dates and work descriptions, and out-of-state completion certificates. Continuing-education and manufacturer certificates are not accepted, and OJT cannot substitute for classroom hours.
- Connecticut DCP - Electrical Contractor: Equivalent Out of State License · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Same equivalency definition as the journeyperson page. E-1 requires 8,000 apprentice OJT hours plus 2 years (4,000 hours) of licensed OJT for 12,000 total OJT hours, and 720 classroom hours matching Exhibit A (required courses). Same document list; only one out-of-state license is reviewed. Does not state exam requirements or fee amounts itself.
- Connecticut DCP - Electrical License (application paths, fees, renewal) · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Lists the six application paths (contractor: 2+ years as journeyperson, equivalent experience and training, equivalent out-of-state license; journeyperson: Connecticut apprenticeship, equivalent experience and training, equivalent out-of-state license). Application fee: contractor $150, journeyperson $90, non-refundable. Renewal: contractor $150, journeyperson $120; all licenses expire September 30 annually. States 'Separate fees will be due to the exam vendor at time of exam registration' and, verbatim, 'Connecticut does not have reciprocal agreements with any other jurisdiction.'
- Connecticut DCP - Electrical License Types and Scope of Work · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026E-1 Unlimited Electrical Contractor: all electrical work as defined in CGS 20-330. E-2 Unlimited Electrical Journeyperson: all electrical work, only while employed by a properly licensed contractor. Also lists the limited classes (C-5/C-6, C-7/C-8, L-1/L-2, L-5/L-6, T-1/T-2, PV-1/PV-2).
- Connecticut DCP Occupational Licensing - Electrical Trades Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI, updated 2/4/2026) · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection / PSI Services LLC · Other · verified September 15, 2026Eligibility for examination is determined by the State (DCP approves the application, then PSI schedules). Fee: $59 per examination portion, first attempt or retake, non-refundable. Journeypersons pass only a trade portion; contractors must pass both a trade portion and the Business and Law portion (50 questions, 2 hours, 70%, based on the NASCLA Contractors Guide, Connecticut 6th edition). E-1 Unlimited Electrical Contractor trade exam: 100 questions, 4 hours, 70%, open book. E-2 Unlimited Electrical Journeyperson: 80 questions, 3.5 hours, 70%, open book. Code questions are based on the 2020 or 2023 National Electrical Code. Eligibilities are valid for one year; a passed portion is valid for two years.
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.