LicensebyState

Washington to Florida: master electrician license reciprocity

Endorsement· Board reviewVerified September 15, 2026· 10 sources

Florida has no reciprocity agreement with Washington. A Washington master electrician applies by endorsement.

Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.

Certification by endorsement (all other states) or by examination

The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.

A contractor from a state whose exam is not on the ECLB Endorsement List applies on Form ECLB 2 ($492). The applicant must have obtained the origin license by examination and must meet Florida's own experience requirement (3 years of management experience within the last 6, 4 years as a foreman/supervisor/contractor within the last 8, 6 years of training/technical education/supervisory experience within the last 12, 3 years as an electrical professional engineer, or a 6-year combination, with at least 40% of the work on 3-phase services), documented with W-2/1099s, job lists and three verification letters. DBPR then sends an Examination Evaluation Questionnaire to the home-state testing authority; if the Board finds the exam substantially equivalent the Florida exam is waived, otherwise the applicant must pass the Florida technical/safety and business exams through Pearson VUE (exam application $263.25, computer-based exam $123.75). Separately, a contractor who has held a valid electrical contracting license in another state for at least 10 years may apply on Form ECLB 14 ($492) while that license is active or within 2 years after, with no exam and no experience documentation, after completing a 2-hour Florida Building Code course. All routes require personal and business credit reports, a financial statement showing $10,000 net worth, and liability and workers' compensation insurance for an active license.

Exams are waived only when the origin exam is on the Endorsement List or is later found equivalent through the questionnaire, or under the 10-year provision of s. 489.511(5)(c). Exams administered by Experior/Thomson Prometric cannot be compared. The typical timeline is an estimate; DBPR does not publish processing times. Rule 61G6-5.009 (Endorsement) was repealed in 2011, so the statute and the forms are the operative sources. The DBPR page does not state the liability insurance amounts.

At a glance

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility
Typical processing
About 90 days

What you must already have

  • Your Washington license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
  • Your Washington license must be active and in good standing.
  • Experience under s. 489.511(1)(b): 3 years management (within 6), or 4 years foreman/supervisor/contractor (within 8), or 6 years training/technical education/supervisory experience (within 12), or 3 years as an electrical PE, or a 6-year combination; at least 40% on 3-phase services for the EC category
  • You must have held your Washington license for at least 10 years.Alternative 10-year provision only: license held at least 10 years and active within the last 2 years; waives exams and experience documentation

What you'll do to get licensed in Florida

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($492). Endorsement application fee, Form ECLB 2 (exam-equivalence route) or Form ECLB 14 (10-year route); active or inactive status.
  2. 2Application fee. Pay the application fee ($263.25). Certified examination application fee, if the origin exam is not recognized and the applicant instead applies by examination.
  3. 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Florida Certified Electrical Contractor technical/safety examination (Pearson VUE), required unless the origin exam is on the Endorsement List or the 10-year provision applies.
  4. 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Florida business examination (Pearson VUE), required unless the origin business exam is recognized or the 10-year provision applies.
  5. 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($123.75). Certified computer-based exam fee paid to the vendor; retake application $67.25.
  6. 6License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($296). Initial certified license fee (active), as listed in DBPR's fee table.
  7. 7Continuing education. Complete continuing education (if applicable). 2-hour Florida Building Code course, required only under the 10-year endorsement provision.
  8. 8Other. Personal credit report and, for an active license, business credit report from a nationally recognized agency with a public-records statement, dated within 12 months.
  9. 9Other. Financial statement prepared within 12 months showing net worth of at least $10,000 for a Certified Electrical Contractor.
  10. 10Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Public liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage (or exemption) for an active license, as required on the application.

Published fees on this path total $1,175, 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 · $123.75

Continuing education

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

  • Continuing education · if applicable

Liability insurance

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

  • Insurance

How Florida licenses master electricians

Florida master electrician · “Certified Electrical Contractor (EC)”

State license plus local requirements

Verified September 15, 2026· 8 sources

Issued by Florida Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board (Department of Business and Professional Regulation)

Florida has no license called 'master electrician'. The highest person-held electrical credential is the certificate of competency as a Certified Electrical Contractor (license prefix EC), issued by the Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board within DBPR to an individual who meets the experience requirements of s. 489.511(1)(b), F.S. (for example 4 years as a foreman, supervisor or contractor, with at least 40% of the work on 3-phase services) and passes the Pearson VUE technical/safety and business examinations; the certificate holder then qualifies a business, but the certificate itself belongs to the person and is valid statewide. Alongside the state certificate, counties and municipalities issue their own master electrician or electrical contractor certificates of competency (Miami-Dade's Construction Trades Qualifying Board and Broward's Central Examining Boards, for example); their holders register with DBPR as Registered Electrical Contractors (ER) and may work only in the jurisdictions that issued the local card, which is why this level is marked Hybrid. Florida has no reciprocity agreement with any state. Out-of-state contractors are handled by endorsement under s. 489.511(5): the Board waives the Florida exam(s) only for exams it has found substantially equivalent (currently full recognition for California C-10, Georgia Class II with Low Voltage Unlimited, and North Carolina Unlimited; partial recognition for several others), or waives everything for a contractor licensed in another state for at least 10 years. Everyone else must pass the Florida exams. Certified licenses cost $296 to issue and renew, expire August 31 of even years, and require 11 hours of continuing education per biennium.

How local licensing works in Florida

Local contractor cards and state registration. Under s. 489.505, a Registered Electrical Contractor is one who registered with DBPR after 'fulfilling the competency requirements in the jurisdiction for which the registration is issued'; DBPR's FAQ explains that registered licensees can work only in the counties or municipalities where they hold the local license, while certified licensees can work anywhere in Florida. Initial registration costs $151 (active) plus $25 for each additional county. Miami-Dade's Construction Trades Qualifying Board and Broward County's Central Examining Boards examine and certify master electricians and electrical contractors locally (Broward: trade and Business & Law exams, 75% passing, $450 contractor application from January 1, 2025); Miami-Dade reciprocates its local cards only with Broward and Palm Beach counties. None of the county pages reviewed describes accepting an out-of-state master electrician license toward a local contractor card.

Moving to FloridaLeaving Florida

Common questions

Do I have to take the Florida master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Washington?
Yes. Florida requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
How long do I need to have held my Washington license?
At least 10 years before applying.
What does it cost to get a Florida master electrician license from Washington?
Published fees on this path total $1,175, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Washington work hours count in Florida?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Florida's eligibility requirements.
How long does the application take?
The board's published or typical processing time is about 90 days.
Does it work the other way, from Florida to Washington?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Florida to Washington, the mechanism is no credit.

Sources

  1. Broward County Building Code Division - Contractor Licensing packet (journeyman and mechanical contractor certificate of competency instructions) · Broward County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 9 - Contractors · Broward County Public Works and Environmental Services, Building Code Division · Form · verified September 15, 2026Text extracted from the PDF. 'Mechanical Journeyman: must have at least three years of experience in the mechanical field (includes mechanical, insulation or sheet metal)', proven by a notarized affidavit from the licensed employer and the last 3 years of W-2s; journeyman certifications do not require the Business & Law exam; the exam (GITS or ProV) needs 75% for the Mechanical exam; processing fee 'Mechanical $225'; the application offers 'New License' or 'License by Reciprocity' with Mechanical Journeyman, Insulation Journeyman and Sheet Metal Journeyman classifications. Fee notice effective January 1, 2025: contractor application or renewal $450, journeyman application $225, journeyman renewal $120, letter of reciprocity $50. Mechanical contractor categories (Mechanical Contractor, Class A Air Conditioning, Class B Air Conditioning 'Limited to 25 tons', Sheet Metal) require 4 years of practical experience and trade plus Business & Law exams.
  2. DBPR - Electrical Contractors FAQs · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation · Faq · verified September 15, 2026States that Florida has no reciprocity agreements but offers endorsement (10-year license, or a substantially similar exam); that 'The Department of Business and Professional Regulation does not license or regulate the journeyman's license. You must contact the local county licensing office'; explains certified vs registered contractors; and publishes the fee list: Certified Examination Application $263.25, Certified Computer Based Exam $123.75, Retake Examination Application $67.25, Initial Certified License (active) $296.00, Initial Registered License (active) $151.00, Endorsement Application $492.00.
  3. DBPR - Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board (ECLB) home page · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Lists the certified (statewide) license types EC/EF/EG/ES and the registered (county-limited) types ER/EY/EZ/ET/EJ, the application types (Examination, Endorsement, 10-Year Endorsement, etc.), Pearson VUE as the exam vendor, and renewal fees ($296 certified, $121 registered); licenses expire August 31 of even years. The page contains no journeyman license.
  4. Form DBPR ECLB 14 - Certified Contractor Application for Endorsement, 10 year Provision (Eff. July 2021) · Fla. Stat. § 489.511(5)(c); Rule 61-35.012, F.A.C. · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation · Form · verified September 15, 2026$492 fee. Requires verification of having held a similar license in another state or territory for at least 10 years, active within the last 2 years; proof of a 2-hour Florida Building Code course; personal and business credit reports; financial statement with $10,000 net worth for Certified Electrical Contractors; liability and workers' compensation insurance. No examination and no experience documentation.
  5. Form DBPR ECLB 2 - Application for Certification by Endorsement (Eff. July 2021) · Fla. Stat. § 489.511(5)(a); Rule 61-35.012, F.A.C. · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation · Form · verified September 15, 2026$492 fee (active or inactive). Applicant must have obtained the origin license by examination; for states not on the Endorsement List the Bureau of Education and Testing sends an Examination Evaluation Questionnaire to the home-state testing authority (exams given by Experior/Thomson Prometric cannot be compared). Experience options: 3 years management within 6, 4 years foreman/supervisor/contractor within 8, 6 years training/technical education/supervisory experience within 12, 3 years as an electrical PE within 12, or a 6-year combination; EC applicants need at least 40% of that work on 3-phase services. Requires W-2/1099s, three experience letters, personal and business credit reports with public-records statement, Verification of Licensure in Good Standing from the origin board, financial statement showing $10,000 net worth for EC, and liability and workers' compensation insurance for active status.
  6. ECLB Exam Endorsement/Reciprocity List · Fla. Stat. § 489.511(5)(a) · Florida Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Opens with 'At this time the Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board does not have reciprocal licensing agreements with any other state.' Then lists the exams found substantially equivalent: California C-10 (= FL Unlimited EC, March 2001), Colorado Master Electrical technical exam (technical only, Nov 2019), Georgia Class II Unrestricted with Georgia Low Voltage Unlimited (= FL Unlimited EC, March 1998) and Georgia Class I (= FL Residential Specialty, March 2010), NASCLA Residential Electrical (technical only, May 2020), Nevada Management Survey (business only, April 2020), North Carolina Unlimited (= FL Unlimited EC, March 1998), Ohio Electrical Contractor (NOT substantially similar, April 2024), Oklahoma Electrical Business exam (business only, April 2020), South Carolina Electrical Business Management & Law exam (business only, April 2020), Tennessee CE-A High Voltage exam (business only, October 2025), Texas Master Electrical exam (technical only, December 2019). The document itself cites the endorsement statute as 489.511(6)(a); the current statute numbers it (5)(a).
  7. Miami-Dade County - Contractors & Building Trades (Construction Trades Qualifying Board) · Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Journeyman certificate of competency: three years of proven field experience (up to one-half education equivalent) documented with employer letters and W-2s, an open-book exam 'with a grade of 75 percent or above', fee $240. 'Miami-Dade County only reciprocates with Broward and Palm Beach County in specific trade categories'; a reciprocating journeyman must have scored 75% or higher.
  8. Florida Statutes s. 489.505 - Definitions (Part II, Electrical and Alarm System Contracting) · Fla. Stat. § 489.505 · Florida Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Defines 'certified electrical contractor' as one holding a certificate of competency issued by the department, 'registered electrical contractor' as one who registered with the department after fulfilling the competency requirements of a local jurisdiction, and 'electrical contractor'. The section does not define 'journeyman'.
  9. Florida Statutes s. 489.511 - Certification; application; examinations; endorsement · Fla. Stat. § 489.511(1)(b), (5) · Florida Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026(1)(b) sets the experience/education options for certification; (5) requires the Board to certify by endorsement an individual who (a) meets the certification requirements and passed a substantially equivalent national, regional, state or territorial exam, (b) holds a valid license from another state whose issuance criteria were substantially equivalent, or (c) has held a valid current license in another state for at least 10 years and applies while it is active or within 2 years after (2-hour Florida Building Code course required). The history line ends with ch. 2020-160; which chapter law added the 10-year provision was not confirmed from this page. Section 489.517 covers renewal and continuing education (11 hours per biennium), not endorsement.
  10. Florida Statutes s. 489.517 - Renewal of certificate or registration; continuing education · Fla. Stat. § 489.517 · Florida Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Renewal and continuing-education section only: each electrical contractor certificateholder or registrant must complete at least 11 classroom hours of continuing education per biennium (technical, workers' compensation, workplace safety and business practices). It contains no endorsement or reciprocity provision; endorsement is in s. 489.511(5).

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

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