LicensebyState

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

Rhode Island has reciprocity agreements with 0 states. Everyone else follows its standard out-of-state path: experience credit.

Rhode Island master electrician · “Electrical Contractor (Certificate A, Class A)”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 7 sources

Issued by Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Workforce Regulation and Safety, Professional Regulation (Board of Examiners of Electricians)

Rhode Island has no license titled 'master electrician'; the master-level credential is the Electrical Contractor license (Certificate A), issued by DLT to an individual (or, for firms, the AC corporate certificate) after passing the contractor examination. Under 260-RICR-30-15-7 § 7.7.D and the DLT application instructions, a Certificate A applicant must be at least 21, have at least 12,000 hours (six years) of trade experience, and have held a Rhode Island Certificate B journeyperson license for at least two years; holding a Certificate A does not by itself authorize the holder to perform the work, which still requires the Certificate B. Rhode Island has no reciprocity agreements for this license and no statutory waiver of the exam. Fees are a $75 application fee and a $240 two-year license fee; Class A holders must complete 15 hours of continuing education each renewal.

Every origin state

Experience credit 39No credit 11
Every state's path into Rhode Island
StateMechanismNoteVerified
AlabamaExperience credit2026-09-15
AlaskaExperience credit2026-09-15
ArizonaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
ArkansasExperience credit2026-09-15
CaliforniaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
ColoradoExperience credit2026-09-15
ConnecticutExperience credit2026-09-15
DelawareExperience credit2026-09-15
District of ColumbiaExperience credit2026-09-15
FloridaExperience credit2026-09-15
GeorgiaExperience credit2026-09-15
HawaiiExperience credit2026-09-15
IdahoExperience credit2026-09-15
IllinoisNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
IndianaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
IowaExperience credit2026-09-15
KansasNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
KentuckyExperience credit2026-09-15
LouisianaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
MaineExperience credit2026-09-15
MarylandExperience credit2026-09-15
MassachusettsExperience credit2026-09-15
MichiganExperience credit2026-09-15
MinnesotaExperience credit2026-09-15
MississippiNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
MissouriExperience credit2026-09-15
MontanaExperience credit2026-09-15
NebraskaExperience credit2026-09-15
NevadaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
New HampshireExperience credit2026-09-15
New JerseyExperience credit2026-09-15
New MexicoExperience credit2026-09-15
New YorkNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
North CarolinaExperience credit2026-09-15
North DakotaExperience credit2026-09-15
OhioExperience credit2026-09-15
OklahomaExperience credit2026-09-15
OregonExperience credit2026-09-15
PennsylvaniaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
South CarolinaExperience credit2026-09-15
South DakotaExperience credit2026-09-15
TennesseeNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
TexasExperience credit2026-09-15
UtahExperience credit2026-09-15
VermontExperience credit2026-09-15
VirginiaExperience credit2026-09-15
WashingtonExperience credit2026-09-15
West VirginiaExperience credit2026-09-15
WisconsinExperience credit2026-09-15
WyomingExperience credit2026-09-15

Getting licensed in Rhode Island from scratch

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

Verified September 23, 2026· 11 sources

Electrical Contractor (Certificate A) by examination

Rhode Island has no license called master electrician; a Rhode Island journeyperson moves up by earning the Electrical Contractor license (Certificate A). You must have held the Rhode Island Journeyperson Electrician license (Certificate B) for at least two years, have at least 12,000 hours (six years) of electrical experience, and be at least 21. Apply to DLT on the Application for an Electrician's License with notarized employer letters describing your experience and the $75 application fee, then pass the contractor exam written and given by DLT with an average of 70%. The $240 two-year license fee is invoiced after you pass.

The contractor exam is a single written DLT examination, which may include a practical demonstration, based on the adopted National Electrical Code; there is no separate law or business exam, and DLT's regulation disqualifies anyone found referring to notes or books unless the board gives permission. The application is signed before a notary and must reach DLT at least 15 working days before an exam date. A Certificate A lets you run an electrical contracting business, but you still need your Certificate B to do the work yourself. A contractor who wants to do business under a firm or corporate name applies separately, without an exam, for a corporate certificate (Certificate AC); confirm the current fee with DLT at (401) 462-8580. DLT does not publish a processing time.

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Not required
Exam given by
Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training
Passing score
70%
Renewal
Every 2 years
Continuing education
15 hours per cycle

Who can apply

  • Hold a Rhode Island Journeyperson Electrician license (Certificate B) for at least 2 years first.Held and valid for at least two years before applying for the contractor examination (260-RICR-30-15-7 § 7.7.D).
  • You must document at least 12,000 hours of qualifying work experience.At least six years (12,000 hours) of experience in the trade, documented by notarized statements on company letterhead from present or past employers.
  • Be at least 21 years old.

Steps to get licensed

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($75). Non-refundable examination application fee, paid by check or money order to the R.I. Department of Labor & Training with the notarized application and a copy of government-issued photo ID (R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-17).
  2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Rhode Island Electrical Contractor (Certificate A) examination written and administered by DLT, based on the adopted National Electrical Code; 70% average required to pass.
  3. 3License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($240). Two-year Electrical Contractor Class A license fee, invoiced after a passing score (R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-16).

Published fees on this path total $315, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

Keeping it active

Every 2 years with 15 hours of continuing education per cycle and a $240 renewal fee.

At least 15 clock hours of board-approved continuing education each renewal, taken from an approved provider and covering the currently adopted National Electrical Code; DLT's current course is the 2023 NEC code update. Submit the original uniform certificate of completion with the renewal. Out-of-state residents may use a 15-hour course from their home state if it meets Rhode Island's requirements and that state recognizes Rhode Island certificates.

Licenses expire on the licensee's birthday every two years; a firm or corporate certificate renews on the same date. Renewing late adds a $12-per-month administrative assessment, and a license not renewed within two years of expiring is forfeited and requires a new examination.

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

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. Rhode Island DLT - Electrical Contractor/Corporations Application · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training · Form · verified September 23, 2026
  2. Rhode Island DLT - Electrician Application Instructions and Application for Examination · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Professional Regulations Unit · Form · verified September 23, 2026
  3. Rhode Island DLT - Professional Regulation: Electricians · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  4. Rhode Island DLT - Trade License Exam Information · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  5. Rhode Island DLT - Professional Regulation Forms and Applications · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  6. 260-RICR-30-15-7 - Board of Examiners of Electricians (DLT regulation, effective January 4, 2022) · 260-RICR-30-15-7 §§ 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.14 · Rhode Island Department of State (Code of Rhode Island Regulations) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  7. R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-16 - License fees · R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-16 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  8. R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-17 - Application for examination; fee · R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-17 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  9. R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-20 - Expiration and renewal of certificates and licenses · R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-20 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  10. R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-20.1 - Mandatory continuing education · R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-20.1 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  11. R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-8 - Contractor's certificates/licenses · R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-6-8 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026

Related