Utah to Colorado: master electrician license reciprocity
Colorado has no reciprocity agreement with Utah. A Utah master electrician applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Licensure by endorsement (all states; no master reciprocity)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
Every out-of-state master electrician applies to Colorado by endorsement, because Board Rule 1.7 does not allow a master license by reciprocity. The applicant must hold or have held an active, state-issued Master Electrician license (or equivalent) issued after passing a state exam based on the NEC edition in effect in Colorado when the application is submitted, which has been the 2026 NEC since August 1, 2026; licenses issued without an exam, on a different NEC edition, or through continuing education are not eligible. The applicant must also document 10,000 hours of electrical experience earned over no fewer than five years, including 2,000 hours of commercial/industrial work, some planning and layout, and supervision performed while holding a journeyman or equivalent license, and must submit a Verification of Licensure form completed by the issuing state board. Qualifying applicants are licensed without taking the Colorado master exam; anyone who does not meet the endorsement criteria must qualify by examination.
The Board adopted the 2026 NEC in Rule 1.5, effective August 1, 2026, and Board Rule 1.7(E) requires the origin exam to match the edition in effect when the application is submitted. DPO's online application still refers to the 2023 NEC, so an applicant whose license was tested on the 2023 NEC should confirm eligibility with DPO (303-894-7800) before paying the application fee. The Colorado master exam, if needed, is given by PSI for $78 ($73 per retest); the application fee amount is shown only inside DPO Online Services.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Hold or have held an active, state-issued Master Electrician license (or equivalent) in another state
- Your Utah license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- You must document at least 10,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Earned in no less than 5 years, including 2,000 hours commercial/industrial, some planning and layout, and supervision while licensed as a journeyman or equivalent. Documented on Affidavit of Experience forms; experience may be accumulated in other states.
What you'll do to get licensed in Colorado
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee. Application fee paid in DPO Online Services (amount not published on the public pages; non-refundable).
- 2Other. Verification of Licensure form completed by the issuing state board.
- 3Other. Affidavit(s) of Experience completed by each supervising electrical contractor.
- 4Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Colorado Master Electrician exam (PSI) - only if the origin license does not meet the endorsement criteria.
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 Colorado licenses master electricians
Colorado master electrician · “Master Electrician”
Statewide license
Issued by Colorado State Electrical Board (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations)
Colorado issues a statewide Master Electrician license through the State Electrical Board within DORA's Division of Professions and Occupations. A master license can be obtained only by examination or by endorsement; Board Rule 1.7 states that a Colorado master electrician's license may not be granted by reciprocity, so there are no master-level reciprocity agreements. By examination an applicant needs 10,000 hours of experience over at least five years (or a qualifying degree with fewer hours) and must pass the PSI-administered Colorado master exam. By endorsement an applicant who holds or has held an active state-issued master license obtained by exam on the NEC edition Colorado currently uses (the 2026 NEC since August 1, 2026), and who documents 10,000 hours over five years, is licensed without the Colorado exam. Licenses expire September 30 every three years.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Colorado master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Utah?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- Do my Utah work hours count in Colorado?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Colorado's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- 3 CCR 710-1 - State Electrical Board Rules and Regulations · 3 CCR 710-1, Rule 1.7 (Application for Licensure) · Colorado Secretary of State (Code of Colorado Regulations) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- Colorado Revised Statutes Title 12, Article 115 - Electricians (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 12) · C.R.S. §§ 12-115-107(2)(i), 12-115-113 · Colorado General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Colorado Electrical Applications and Forms - Licensure Requirements (Examination, Endorsement, Reciprocity) · Colorado DORA, Division of Professions and Occupations · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Colorado Electrical Homepage - State Electrical Board · Colorado DORA, Division of Professions and Occupations · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- DPO Master Electrician (ME) Initial Application Preview · Colorado DORA, Division of Professions and Occupations · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Colorado State Electrical Board Candidate Information Bulletin · PSI Services LLC (for the Colorado State Electrical Board) · Form · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.