SPEC SHEET · OR · ELECTRICIAN
Oregon electrician license requirements
The answer
Oregon licenses electricians statewide through the Building Codes Division. General Journeyman: at least 4 years of apprentice experience (or board-rule equivalent) including 1,000+ hours of dwelling wiring, plus the written exam. General Supervising: 4 more years as a journeyman. Reciprocity with 7 states for journeymen.Your paths to the license
Apprenticeship → journeyman exam
Complete at least 4 years of general experience as an apprentice (or its board-determined equivalent) installing, maintaining and repairing electrical wiring — including no fewer than 1,000 hours wiring single/multifamily dwellings — then pass the board's written exam.
Journeyman → supervising
After 4 years as a general journeyman (or equivalent), pass the supervising exam — required to supervise installations and qualify an electrical contractor.
Reciprocity from 7 states
Oregon has journeyman reciprocity with Arkansas, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Utah, Washington and Wyoming (Supervising: Arkansas, Utah). You must have qualified via a 4-year apprenticeship with 576+ classroom hours and 8,000 supervised hours; Washington applicants must have completed an OR/WA apprenticeship and passed WA's exam.
License levels in Oregon
| Level | What it takes | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical apprentice | Registered apprentice working under licensed supervision. | — |
| Limited Residential Electrician | Residential-scope license with its own experience track (ORS 479.630(14)). | — |
| General Journeyman Electrician (J) | 4 years apprentice experience (≥1,000 hrs dwelling wiring) + written exam. ORS 479.630(4). | — |
| General Supervising Electrician (S) | 4 years experience as a general journeyman + exam. ORS 479.630(2). | — |
Published fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application / exam / license | Per the current BCD application forms (fees non-refundable) |
The exam
| Provider | Oregon BCD (board-prepared written exam) |
| Fees | See the BCD application for current fees |
Moving here with a license? Renewal? The rest of the picture
Reciprocity: Apprenticeship-based qualification (576 classroom hrs + 8,000 supervised hrs) required; no Oregon exam. Check your exact state pair →
Renewal & continuing education: Oregon electrical licenses renew on multi-year cycles with code-change CE per BCD rule — check your license's renewal date on the BCD site.
Watch out: Limited specialty licenses (sign, limited energy, etc.) have their own tracks. · Exact renewal cycles and CE hours are set by BCD rule — confirm on your license.
Official sources for this page
Oregon electrician licensing FAQ
How many hours do you need to become a licensed electrician in Oregon?
Oregon licenses electricians statewide through the Building Codes Division. General Journeyman: at least 4 years of apprentice experience (or board-rule equivalent) including 1,000+ hours of dwelling wiring, plus the written exam. General Supervising: 4 more years as a journeyman. Reciprocity with 7 states for journeymen.
What does the Oregon electrician license cost?
See the BCD application for current fees. Fee amounts are published on the current official application — see the sources below.
Does Oregon have electrician license reciprocity?
Yes — verified agreements cover licensees from: Arkansas, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. Apprenticeship-based qualification (576 classroom hrs + 8,000 supervised hrs) required; no Oregon exam.
How often does the license renew?
Oregon electrical licenses renew on multi-year cycles with code-change CE per BCD rule — check your license's renewal date on the BCD site.
Get your personal route
Four questions — your experience and training matched against Oregon's actual routes.