Moving to Missouri as a master electrician: every state's rule
Missouri has reciprocity agreements with 0 states. Everyone else follows its standard out-of-state path: endorsement.
Missouri master electrician · “Statewide Electrical Contractor License (voluntary; master-level qualifier)”
State license plus local requirements
Issued by Missouri Division of Professional Registration, Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors (OSEC)
Missouri's highest person-held electrical credential is the Statewide Electrical Contractor License issued by the Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors (OSEC) under RSMo 324.900-324.945, in force since 2018-2019. Despite the name it is held by an individual: RSMo 324.920 requires the applicant personally to show 12,000 verifiable practical hours (or 10,000 hours plus a registered apprenticeship, 8,000 hours plus an electrical associate's degree, or 4,000 supervisory hours plus a four-year electrical engineering degree), pass a standardized nationally accredited electrical assessment examination, carry $500,000 of liability insurance and post any bonds required by the local jurisdictions where they pull permits; a company qualifies by employing at least one such licensee at a supervisory level (the 'qualifier' in 20 CSR 2117-1.010). The license is voluntary: RSMo 324.925 obliges every city and county to accept it in place of a local electrical contractor license and forbids any local exam for its holder, but jurisdictions may keep issuing their own master electrician and electrical contractor licenses to people who do not hold it (Springfield certifies Master Electrical craftsmen, and the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County and Kansas City run their own programs). Missouri publishes no reciprocity agreements with other states; RSMo 324.920 lets the Division negotiate them and OSEC says approved states will be posted, but none are. An out-of-state master electrician instead applies directly: OSEC accepts previously passed ICC, NASCLA, Prometric, Prov and PSI master or electrical contractor exams taken for another state board as meeting the exam requirement, and out-of-state hours count toward the 12,000.
How local licensing works in Missouri
Relationship between the state and local licenses. RSMo 324.925.1: political subdivisions may establish their own local electrical contractor license but shall recognize a statewide license in lieu of it, and may not require a statewide licensee to pass any examination or proficiency assessment; a jurisdiction that refuses can have its local sales tax withheld. Subdivisions may still require business licenses and permits, inspect work, and license electricians and contractors who lack the statewide license based on experience plus a nationally accredited exam (324.925.3). The statewide license covers only the contractor/qualifier, not employees.
Springfield. Building Development Services certifies Master Electrical craftsmen: 4 years as a certified journeyman in the trade or 10 years of satisfactory experience, notarized employer experience forms, approval by the Building and Trades Board (first Thursday monthly), then the ICC master exam through Pearson VUE (about $125) with a 75% minimum. Reciprocity from another jurisdiction is available by submitting a score of at least 75% on the identical exam from Prometric, Experior, Block or ICC plus the experience forms; copies of licenses held in other states must be attached. Initial master certificate $50 (covers the rest of the year), renewal $50 annually. A licensed master must generally be listed on electrical permits.
City of St. Louis. The Committee of Electrical Examiners examines applicants for electrical certificates and licenses by written and oral exam covering practical installations, theory and the St. Louis Electrical Code; classes, fees and reciprocity are not published on its page.
Local alternative. Someone who only needs to work in one city can instead apply to that city, which will generally accept the same national exam scores.
- Springfield (Building Development Services)
- City of St. Louis (Building Division, Committee of Electrical Examiners)
- St. Louis County (Transportation and Public Works, Electrical Licensing)
- Kansas City (City Planning and Development, Contractor Licensing)
Every origin state
| State | Mechanism | Note | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Alaska | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Arizona | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Arkansas | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| California | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Colorado | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Connecticut | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Delaware | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| District of Columbia | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Florida | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Georgia | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Hawaii | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Idaho | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Illinois | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Indiana | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Iowa | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Kansas | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Kentucky | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Louisiana | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Maine | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Maryland | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Massachusetts | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Michigan | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Minnesota | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Mississippi | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Montana | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Nebraska | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Nevada | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| New Hampshire | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| New Jersey | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| New Mexico | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| New York | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| North Carolina | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| North Dakota | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Ohio | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Oklahoma | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Oregon | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Pennsylvania | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Rhode Island | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| South Carolina | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| South Dakota | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Tennessee | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Texas | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Utah | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Vermont | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Virginia | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Washington | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| West Virginia | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Wisconsin | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Wyoming | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 |
Getting licensed in Missouri from scratch
No license yet, or nothing that transfers? This is how Missouri issues a master electrician license to a first-time applicant.
Statewide Electrical Contractor License by examination and experience
Missouri has no state journeyman license, so there is no lower tier to hold first: anyone with the required experience and a passing exam may apply directly to the Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors (OSEC) for the Statewide Electrical Contractor License. The standard route is 12,000 verifiable practical hours installing electrical equipment and wiring; fewer hours are needed with a registered apprenticeship journeyman certificate, an associate's degree or a four-year electrical engineering degree. The applicant must pass, or have already passed, an OSEC-approved electrical contractor, master electrician or journeyman electrician exam from a national vendor such as ICC through Pearson VUE, Prov, or NASCLA through PSI. There is no separate Missouri law or business exam. The license also requires $500,000 of liability insurance and any bond a city or county demands.
Applications are filed online in MOPRO; the paper application (MO 375-1051) and its instructions are still posted. Hours may be documented with W-2s plus a notarized employer letter, employer affidavits, the optional Work Experience Summary form, or verification of a local or state license that required similar experience; degrees need an official transcript sent directly by the school. Military education, training or service may be counted toward the requirements. The application also names the employer for which the applicant serves, or will serve, as the supervisory-level qualifier. An application not completed within 24 months is void and must be refiled with a new fee. On the ICC route, the F49 Electrical Contractor exam has 80 questions in 3.5 hours on the 2014 NEC, and the G16 Master Electrician exam has 100 questions in 5 hours on the 2017 NEC; both are open book, and a failed ICC exam can be retaken after 10 days. The statewide license is optional: someone who works only where they hold a city or county license does not need it.
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Exam given by
- ICC (Pearson VUE), Prov, or NASCLA (PSI)
- Renewal
- Every 3 years
- Continuing education
- None required
Who can apply
- You must document at least 12,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Verifiable practical hours installing equipment and associated wiring (RSMo 324.920.1(4)(a); 20 CSR 2117-2.010). Hours earned outside Missouri are not excluded.
Other ways to qualify
Each of these replaces the requirements above. You only need one.
Registered apprenticeship plus 10,000 hours
An electrical journeyman certificate from a U.S. Department of Labor-approved electrical apprenticeship program reduces the experience requirement to 10,000 verifiable practical hours.
- Complete a registered apprenticeship: Electrical journeyman certificate from a U.S. Department of Labor-approved electrical apprenticeship program.
- You must document at least 10,000 hours of qualifying work experience.
Associate's degree plus 8,000 hours
An associate's degree in a relevant electrical program from a state-accredited program reduces the experience requirement to 8,000 verifiable practical hours. The degree is proved with an official transcript sent by the school.
- Associate's degree in a relevant electrical program from a state-accredited program
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.
Electrical engineering degree plus 4,000 supervisory hours
A bachelor's or higher degree in electrical engineering from an ABET-accredited (or division-approved) program, plus 4,000 verifiable hours supervising the installation of electrical equipment and wiring.
- Four-year (bachelor's or higher) electrical engineering degree from an ABET-accredited or division-approved program
- You must document at least 4,000 hours of qualifying work experience.
Missouri local contractor or master license held six of the last eight years
A holder of a current Missouri city or county electrical contractor or master electrician license may qualify on that license instead of documenting hours, if it has been held for six of the previous eight years, required a standardized written NEC-based exam from an independent testing agency, and is not under discipline. The issuing jurisdiction must verify the license.
- Current Missouri political-subdivision electrical contractor or master electrician license, held for six of the previous eight years and not subject to disciplineThe local license must have required passing a standardized written electrical exam based on the National Electrical Code and given by an independent testing agency (RSMo 324.920.2).
Steps to get licensed
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($200). Statewide electrical contractor license application fee, nonrefundable. No separate license issuance fee is listed..
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. An OSEC-approved electrical contractor, master electrician or journeyman electrician exam: ICC F49, G16/F16 or G17/F17 through Pearson VUE, Prov contractor, master or journeyman exams, or NASCLA electrical exams through PSI. A passing score on an approved exam taken earlier, including for another state or city, counts..
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($120). ICC exam fee per attempt, paid to Pearson VUE. Prov and PSI set their own fees, and OSEC charges no exam fee of its own..
- 4Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($500,000). Certificate of liability insurance of at least $500,000 from an insurer authorized in Missouri; a certificate issued by an agent is not accepted.
- 5Surety bond. Post a surety bond. A bond posted with each city or county where you will work, if that jurisdiction requires one.
- 6Background check. Complete a background check. The application asks about license discipline, court judgments for electrical work, arrests and convictions, with certified court documents for any yes answer, and the division uses the applicant's Social Security number for criminal record checks. No fingerprinting is listed..
Published fees on this path total $320, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
Keeping it active
Every 3 years with no continuing education required and a $100 renewal fee.
Missouri's renewal rule requires only the renewal form and fee; the division has not adopted continuing education for this license.
All licenses expire September 30 every third year, and renewal notices go out about 90 days before. The fee page lists a $100 renewal fee; the 2019 text of 20 CSR 2117-1.070 lists $200.
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
- Exam fee · $120
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance · $500,000
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
Sources for this section
- 20 CSR 2117-1 - Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors, General Rules (definitions, certifying entities, fees) · 20 CSR 2117-1.010, 20 CSR 2117-1.070 · Missouri Secretary of State, Code of State Regulations · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- 20 CSR 2117-2 - Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors, Licensure Requirements (application, approved examinations, renewal, military training) · 20 CSR 2117-2.010 to 2117-2.070 · Missouri Secretary of State, Code of State Regulations · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- International Code Council - National Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin (published June 30, 2026) · International Code Council · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- OSEC - Application for Electrical Contractor License (MO 375-1051, 12-19) · Missouri Division of Professional Registration · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- OSEC - Statewide Electrical Contractors License Application Instructions · Missouri Division of Professional Registration · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- OSEC - Approved Examinations (revised 2022-02-01) · Missouri Division of Professional Registration · Other · verified September 23, 2026
- OSEC - Fees (effective June 30, 2019) · Missouri Division of Professional Registration · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Missouri Division of Professional Registration - Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors (OSEC) · Missouri Division of Professional Registration · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- OSEC - Renewal Information · Missouri Division of Professional Registration · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- RSMo 324.920 - Application requirements; grandfather provision; employee licensing requirements · RSMo 324.920 · Missouri Revisor of Statutes · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- RSMo 324.935 - Renewal of licensure; inactive status; transfer of employment · RSMo 324.935 · Missouri Revisor of Statutes · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- RSMo 324.940 - Refusal to issue or renew license; discipline · RSMo 324.940 · Missouri Revisor of Statutes · Statute · verified September 23, 2026