LicensebyState

Moving to Nebraska as a master electrician: every state's rule

Nebraska has reciprocity agreements with 4 states. Everyone else follows its standard out-of-state path: endorsement.

Nebraska master electrician · “Electrical Contractor”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 7 sources

Issued by Nebraska State Electrical Division (State Electrical Board)

Nebraska's highest person-held electrical license is the Electrical Contractor license, issued by the State Electrical Division to an individual who has at least one year of experience as a licensed journeyman electrician (or a four-year electrical engineering degree plus one year as a journeyman) and passes the PSI-administered contractor exam. Nebraska stopped issuing new Class A Master Electrician licenses in 1993; the master, Class B contractor and Class B journeyman fees in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2118(4) apply only to renewals of licenses issued before September 9, 1993, so this site maps the Electrical Contractor license to the master level. The application fee is $180 and the license fee is $187.50 per year of the two-year term ($187.50 when issued in an even-numbered year, $375 in an odd-numbered year); licenses expire December 31 of even-numbered years. A contractor who owns and operates an electrical contracting firm must keep in force the liability insurance required by Board Rule 7 ($100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident, $100,000 property damage). The Division's Electrical Contractor and Reciprocal Information pages list reciprocal Electrical Contractor agreements with Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Texas.

States Nebraska reciprocates with

Every origin state

Reciprocity 4Endorsement 35No credit 11
Every state's path into Nebraska
StateMechanismNoteVerified
AlabamaEndorsement2026-09-15
AlaskaEndorsement2026-09-15
ArizonaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
ArkansasEndorsement2026-09-15
CaliforniaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
ColoradoEndorsement2026-09-15
ConnecticutEndorsement2026-09-15
DelawareEndorsement2026-09-15
District of ColumbiaEndorsement2026-09-15
FloridaEndorsement2026-09-15
GeorgiaEndorsement2026-09-15
HawaiiEndorsement2026-09-15
IdahoEndorsement2026-09-15
IllinoisNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
IndianaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
IowaReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
KansasNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
KentuckyEndorsement2026-09-15
LouisianaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
MaineEndorsement2026-09-15
MarylandEndorsement2026-09-15
MassachusettsEndorsement2026-09-15
MichiganEndorsement2026-09-15
MinnesotaReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
MississippiNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
MissouriEndorsement2026-09-15
MontanaEndorsement2026-09-15
NevadaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
New HampshireEndorsement2026-09-15
New JerseyEndorsement2026-09-15
New MexicoEndorsement2026-09-15
New YorkNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
North CarolinaEndorsement2026-09-15
North DakotaEndorsement2026-09-15
OhioEndorsement2026-09-15
OklahomaEndorsement2026-09-15
OregonEndorsement2026-09-15
PennsylvaniaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
Rhode IslandEndorsement2026-09-15
South CarolinaEndorsement2026-09-15
South DakotaReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
TennesseeNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
TexasReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-15
UtahEndorsement2026-09-15
VermontEndorsement2026-09-15
VirginiaEndorsement2026-09-15
WashingtonEndorsement2026-09-15
West VirginiaEndorsement2026-09-15
WisconsinEndorsement2026-09-15
WyomingEndorsement2026-09-15

Getting licensed in Nebraska from scratch

No license yet, or nothing that transfers? This is how Nebraska issues a master electrician license to a first-time applicant.

Verified September 23, 2026· 16 sources

Electrical Contractor license by examination

Nebraska no longer issues new master electrician licenses, so a journeyman moves up by earning the Electrical Contractor license. A licensed journeyman electrician with at least one year (2,000 hours) of experience acceptable to the State Electrical Board, installing electrical equipment while employed by an electrical contractor, files an exam application with the $180 application fee. Once the Division approves it, PSI emails a link to schedule and pay for the exam, which covers the 2023 National Electrical Code (open book), basic electrical theory, the Nebraska State Electrical Act and emergency and fire alarm circuits; the passing grade is 75 percent. A contractor who owns and operates an electrical contracting firm must also carry the liability insurance set by Board Rule 7.

The Electrical Contractor license lets the holder bid, plan, lay out, install and supervise electrical work anywhere in Nebraska. There is no separate business or law exam. After approval you have 90 days to test; a failed candidate must submit a new exam application, the re-examination fee is the same as the original, and after a third attempt you must wait 90 days. PSI's own exam fee is shown when you schedule and is not published on the Division's site; call the Division at 402-471-1058 for the current amount. When more than one license holder owns and operates the same firm, only one of them must carry the insurance.

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Not required
Exam given by
PSI
Exam format
Open book
Passing score
75%
Renewal
Every 2 years
Continuing education
12 hours per cycle

Who can apply

  • Hold a Nebraska Journeyman Electrician license for at least 1 year first.At least one year (2,000 hours) of experience acceptable to the Board as a licensed journeyman electrician, installing electrical equipment while employed by an electrical contractor (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2107; Board Rule 8; Division Policy 36).

Other ways to qualify

Each of these replaces the requirements above. You only need one.

Electrical engineering degree plus one year as a journeyman

A graduate of a four-year electrical engineering program at an accredited college or university who also has at least one year of experience acceptable to the Board as a journeyman electrician may sit the contractor exam.

  • Four-year electrical engineering degree from an accredited college or university
  • You must document at least 1 year of qualifying work experience.

Five years planning, laying out, supervising and installing electrical work

The Division's application also lists at least five years of experience acceptable to the Board in planning, laying out, supervising and installing wiring, apparatus or equipment for electric light, heat and power as qualifying for the Electrical Contractor exam.

  • You must document at least 5 years of qualifying work experience.

Passed an approved Nebraska municipal contractor exam

Under Board Rule 11, a person who passed a State Electrical Board-approved municipal exam at the contractor level with at least 75 percent, holds a current license from that municipality, and meets the state experience requirement is issued the state license at the same level on payment of the license fee, without the PSI exam.

  • Passed a State Electrical Board-approved municipal contractor-level exam with 75 percent or more and holds a current license from that municipality
  • Hold a Journeyman electrician license for at least 1 year first.The state experience requirement still applies.

Steps to get licensed

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($180). Electrical Contractor application fee, paid with each exam application; not refunded once processed, even if the application is rejected.
  2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Nebraska Electrical Contractor exam given by PSI at a PSI test center: 2023 NEC (open book), basic electrical theory, Nebraska State Electrical Act, emergency and fire alarm circuits; 75 percent to pass.
  3. 3License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($187.50). License fee when issued in an even-numbered year; $375 when issued in an odd-numbered year. Covers the rest of the two-year term ending December 31 of the even year..
  4. 4Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Liability insurance of at least $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident and $100,000 property damage, required of a license holder who owns and operates an electrical contracting firm (Board Rule 7).

Published fees on this path total $367.50, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

Keeping it active

Every 2 years with 12 hours of continuing education per cycle and a $375 renewal fee.

Twelve contact hours of State Electrical Board-approved continuing education per two-year license period, at least six of them on the National Electrical Code; the rest may cover electrical theory, blueprint reading, motors and transformers, controls or other approved electrical topics. A contact hour is 50 minutes of classroom attendance. Passing a license exam counts for six hours.

All licenses expire December 31 of each even-numbered year. Renew from October 1 through November 30 of the even year at $187.50 for each year of the two-year period; renewals from December 1 to December 31 add a 10 percent late fee. An expired license cannot be renewed and requires passing the exam again.

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

Liability insurance

Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.

  • Insurance

Continuing education

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

  • Continuing education

Sources for this section

  1. Nebraska State Electrical Division - Application for State Electrical License (updated 3/2026) · Nebraska State Electrical Division · Form · verified September 23, 2026
  2. State Electrical Board Rules (April 2024) · Nebraska State Electrical Board · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  3. Nebraska State Electrical Division - Continuing Education · Nebraska State Electrical Division · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  4. Nebraska State Electrical Division - Electrical Contractor · Nebraska State Electrical Division · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  5. Nebraska State Electrical Division - Exam Information and Licensing Applications · Nebraska State Electrical Division · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  6. Nebraska State Electrical Division - Exam Scheduling · Nebraska State Electrical Division · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  7. Nebraska State Electrical Division - 2025-2026 License and Registration Fees · Nebraska State Electrical Division · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  8. Nebraska State Electrical Division - License Renewal · Nebraska State Electrical Division · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  9. State Electrical Division Policy 36 - Exam applications approval requirements (November 8, 2019) · Nebraska State Electrical Division · Other · verified September 23, 2026
  10. State Electrical Division Policy 37 - Exam testing requirements (July 11, 2025) · Nebraska State Electrical Division · Other · verified September 23, 2026
  11. Nebraska State Electrical Division - PSI Exams · Nebraska State Electrical Division · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  12. State Electrical Act and State Electrical Board Rules (July 2026 booklet) · Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 81-2104(6), 81-2107, 81-2108, 81-2109, 81-2115, 81-2118, 81-2120 · Nebraska State Electrical Division · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  13. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2107 - Electrical contractor license; applicant; qualifications · Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2107 · Nebraska Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  14. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2115 - License; written examination; when given; examination required to renew license; when · Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2115 · Nebraska Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  15. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2117.01 - License renewal; continuing education required · Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2117.01 · Nebraska Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  16. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2118 - Licenses and registrations; expiration; fees · Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2118 · Nebraska Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026

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