SPEC SHEET · CO · ELECTRICIAN
Colorado electrician license requirements
The answer
Colorado licenses electricians statewide. Journeyman: 8,000 hours over at least 4 years (2,000 commercial/industrial) PLUS 288 hours of classroom education for all applicants. Residential Wireman: 4,000 residential hours over 2+ years. Master: 10,000 hours over 5+ years (or degree/trade-school combinations). Colorado is a NERA member — journeyman reciprocity with 14 states.Your paths to the license
8,000 hours + 288 classroom hours
Document 8,000 hours over at least 4 years — 2,000 in commercial/industrial work — on Affidavit of Experience forms signed by the supervising electrical contractor, plus 288 hours of classroom education (transcript required; no grandfathering). Then pass the exam.
Residential Wireman first
4,000 hours of residential-only experience earned over no less than 2 years qualifies you for the Residential Wireman exam — a faster credential while you build journeyman hours.
NERA reciprocity (14 states)
Colorado follows the National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance: journeymen licensed BY EXAM for 1+ year in Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah or Wyoming get a Colorado certificate without written examination. Grandfathered (no-exam) licenses do not qualify.
Endorsement from other states
Non-NERA licensees can apply by ENDORSEMENT if their active state license was gained by testing on the NEC edition Colorado currently uses, with a Verification of Licensure from the issuing board.
License levels in Colorado
| Level | What it takes | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Registered apprentice | Register with the State Electrical Board while training. | — |
| Residential Wireman | 4,000 hours residential-only experience over ≥2 years + exam. | — |
| Journeyman Electrician | 8,000 hours over ≥4 years (2,000 commercial/industrial) + 288 classroom hours + exam. | — |
| Master Electrician | 10,000 hours over ≥5 years — or an EE bachelor's + 2,000 hours, or trade-school/CC graduation + 8,000 hours — including planning/layout and supervision time. | — |
Published fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application / license | Set by DORA — shown in the online application (DPO Online Services) |
The exam
| Provider | PSI |
| Fees | Exam fee paid to PSI (see the candidate handbook after application approval) |
Moving here with a license? Renewal? The rest of the picture
Reciprocity: NERA journeyman reciprocity — exam-gained license held ≥1 year required; plus an endorsement path for NEC-tested licenses from other states. Check your exact state pair →
Renewal & continuing education: All Residential Wireman, Journeyman and Master licensees must complete 24 hours of continuing education per 3-year license period.
Watch out: Journeymen cannot sign their own experience affidavits — the supervising contractor must. · You cannot jump from Apprentice/Residential Wireman straight to Master on experience alone.
Official sources for this page
Colorado electrician licensing FAQ
How many hours do you need to become a licensed electrician in Colorado?
The shortest published route requires 4,000 hours of supervised experience. Colorado licenses electricians statewide. Journeyman: 8,000 hours over at least 4 years (2,000 commercial/industrial) PLUS 288 hours of classroom education for all applicants. Residential Wireman: 4,000 residential hours over 2+ years. Master: 10,000 hours over 5+ years (or degree/trade-school combinations). Colorado is a NERA member — journeyman reciprocity with 14 states.
What does the Colorado electrician license cost?
Exam fee paid to PSI (see the candidate handbook after application approval). Fee amounts are published on the current official application — see the sources below.
Does Colorado have electrician license reciprocity?
Yes — verified agreements cover licensees from: Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming. NERA journeyman reciprocity — exam-gained license held ≥1 year required; plus an endorsement path for NEC-tested licenses from other states.
How often does the license renew and how much continuing education is required?
All Residential Wireman, Journeyman and Master licensees must complete 24 hours of continuing education per 3-year license period.
Get your personal route
Four questions — your experience and training matched against Colorado's actual routes.