How to Become an Electrician
Installing, maintaining and repairing electrical wiring, panels, lighting and equipment in homes, commercial buildings or industrial sites.
Who it suits
People who like precise, logical work, are careful about safety, and are willing to learn through years of supervised training.
How people get started
Most electricians train through an apprenticeship (union or non-union) or a trade school program that leads into one.
Step-by-step plan
- Research your state's apprentice, journeyman and master steps on your state electrical board's website.
- Brush up on algebra and basic physics if you're rusty.
- Compare union and non-union apprenticeship programs and trade schools near you (apprenticeship.gov).
- Prepare for any aptitude test or interview the program uses.
- Apply, and start logging every hour exactly as your state requires.
- Study the National Electrical Code as your state has adopted it.
- Prepare for your journeyman exam when you're eligible.
- Decide later whether to pursue a master or contractor license.
Skills to learn first
Basic math and electrical theory, safety, the National Electrical Code and how apprenticeship hours are logged.
- Electrical theory and Ohm's law
- Safe work practices and lockout/tagout
- Reading blueprints and schematics
- The NEC (published by NFPA, nfpa.org)
- Hand and power tool skills
- Professional communication on job sites
Licensing pointers
Licensing is set by each state (and sometimes cities), usually moving from apprentice to journeyman to master. Check your state electrical licensing board and apprenticeship.gov.
OSHA sets workplace safety rules for construction work (osha.gov/construction). States and cities adopt specific editions of the NEC; ask your board which one applies.
Rules vary by state, county and city. Confirm with your state board or agency before you start. This isn't legal advice.
Insurance to ask about
- Ask your employer what coverage applies while you're an apprentice or employee
- If you go independent later: general liability, commercial auto, tools coverage, workers' compensation once you hire
- Ask about any license bond your state or city requires for contractors
Equipment and tools to research
- Tools your program or employer lists for apprentices
- Personal protective equipment
- Reliable transportation to job sites
- A notebook or app to log hours
Week-by-week getting-started plan
Week 1
- Read your state board's licensing steps
- List programs near you
Week 2
- Math refresher
- Contact programs about aptitude tests
Week 3
- Apply to programs
- Gather documents
Week 4
- Prepare for interviews
- Set up your hour log
How people find their first customers
- Apprenticeship sponsors and union training centers
- Electrical contractors hiring helpers
- Trade school job placement offices
- Later as a contractor: builders, property managers and referrals
Common beginner mistakes
- Not documenting hours the way the state requires
- Skipping math prep before the aptitude test
- Working beyond what your license level allows
- Treating safety steps as optional
Quality red flags
- Work that fails inspection
- Shortcuts on lockout/tagout
- Unlicensed side work
Questions to ask yourself before you commit
- Am I ready for years of supervised training?
- Do I prefer residential, commercial or industrial work?
- Union or non-union, and why?
- Am I comfortable with heights, confined spaces and physical work?
Questions to ask a licensing board
- Which license or registration do I need for exactly the work I plan to offer?
- What education, hours or exams are required, and in what order?
- What can I legally do while my application is pending?
Questions for an insurer
- Which coverages are required by law for my work in this state, and which are just recommended?
- What isn't covered by the policy you're quoting?
- Do I need different coverage when I hire my first employee or subcontractor?
Questions for a mentor
- What do you wish you'd known in your first year?
- What mistakes cost beginners the most time or customers?
- How did you find your first customers?
My worksheet
Use only your own numbers and research.
- My state board and website: ________
- Programs I'll apply to: ________
- Application deadlines: ________
- Aptitude test dates: ________
- Documents I need: ________
- My hours log method: ________
- Mentor I can ask: ________
- Questions for the board: ________
My startup checklist
- State electrical board's apprentice, journeyman and master steps read
- Apprenticeship or trade school programs compared (apprenticeship.gov)
- Aptitude test or entrance requirements checked
- Apprenticeship or helper job secured with a licensed employer
- Apprentice registration filed if my state requires it
- Hours log kept the way my state requires
- Journeyman exam requirements and code edition confirmed with my board
- License renewal and continuing education rules noted
If you later go independent: business setup (structure, registration, EIN, bank account, bookkeeping and your own insurance) comes then. See Part one.
Your next step
Back to the free starter guide
General education only. Not legal, tax, financial or licensing advice. Rules vary by state, county and city, so confirm with the official sources named here and a qualified professional. No income, earnings or business results are promised or implied. Published by Ryan Via, doing business as The Collective.