Idaho Electrician License: Everything You Need to Know

As a professional electrician, you can be a critical resource for homeowners and businesses. Whether you become an electrician or start your own electrical contracting business, you need an Idaho electrical license. You’re in the right state if you want a career with significant growth. Across the country, electrician job growth rates are expected to increase at a rate of 6% per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Idaho’s electrician industry is booming by comparison. In fact, job growth over the next decade should increase 32% from 2022 to 2032.

If you like a challenge, plenty of room for growth, and the chance to learn practical adaptations of new technologies, an electrician job may be right up your alley. Our guide to getting your electrician license in Idaho covers licensing requirements, prerequisite exams, and unions. We also include helpful links to everything you need to get started as an Idaho electrician.

Does Idaho require an electrical license?

Yes, you need an Idaho electrical license. The Idaho Division of Building Safety oversees the licensing process. Even apprentices have to register with the state. Journeymen, master electricians, and electrical contractors must also have a license that covers the scale and scope of their work.

What are the different types of electrical licenses in Idaho?

Idaho issues several different types of electrician licenses. The two most common are journeyman and master electrician. However, the state also offers various types of specialty licenses. The Idaho Division of Building Safety issues all electrician licenses in Idaho. Here’s a brief overview of each type of license available in Idaho and the training and education required to secure it:

• Apprentice Electrician: Must work under a licensed journeyman electrician or master electrician.
• Journeyman Electrician: Performs or supervises electrical work in residential or commercial structures under the supervision of a licensed contractor. The application fee is $15; you must take a test to receive your license. Once you pass, the license fee is $55
• Master Electrician: Must work as a journeyman for at least four years under the direction of an electrical contractor before submitting your application ($15) and taking the master electrician exam. The licensing fee is $65.
• Electrical Contractor: A license can be issued to a person or an entity offering electrical contracting services, including submitting bids. Applicant (fee is $15) must either be a licensed Master Electrician or employ at least one. The licensing fee is $125.
• Limited Electrician: These are specialty licenses, including linemen, irrigation and sprinkler, elevator, refrigeration, HVAC, manufacturing and assembling, and well drilling and pump installation. You must have at least two years or 4.000 hours of work experience in the area you’re seeking a license.
• Limited Trainee Electrician: Apprentice trade journeymen for a specialist category, who must work under the supervision of a licensed specialty electrician in the specialist area they’re seeking licensure. License registration fee is $30.
• Limited Electrical Installer: This person installs or supervises the installation of specialty electrical systems or wiring under the direct supervision of a licensed specialty electrician. The application fee is $15, and the licensing fee is $55.
• Limited Electrical Contractor: May be issued to a person or an entity that provides specialty electrical services. Applicants must either be a licensed specialty electrician or employ at least one licensed specialty electrician. The application fee is $15; license fee is $125.

How to get an electrician license in Idaho

Each type of license in Idaho has different requirements. Your journey as an electrician starts with an apprenticeship, then a journeyman, and finally a Master Electrician, Specialty Electrician, or Electrical Contractor.

Apprentices

Idaho electrical apprentices are not required to be licensed by the state but must register with the Idaho Electrical Board. Applicants must be at least 16 years old and submit a notarized application. If you’ve been a journeyman or master electrician in any recognized jurisdiction before, you’re not eligible to register as an apprentice.

There are five electrical apprenticeship levels:

• Apprentice: First-time registration
• Apprentice Level 1: Registered apprentice who’s completed 2,000 hours of work and a year’s worth of training at an electrical apprentice school approved by the Idaho Electrical Board.
• Apprentice Level 2: Registered apprentice who’s completed 4,000 hours of work and two years’ worth of training at an electrical apprentice school approved by the Idaho Electrical Board.
• Apprentice Level 3: Registered apprentice who’s completed 6,000 hours of work and three years’ worth of training at an electrical apprentice school approved by the Idaho Electrical Board.
• Apprentice Level 4: Registered apprentice who’s completed 8,000 hours of work and four years of training at an electrical apprentice school approved by the Idaho Electrical Board.

Registration is good for one year, and the registration fee is $15. All work hours must be completed under the supervision of a journeyman electrician with an Idaho electrical license.

Journeymen Electricians

To qualify for this license, you must pass the examination. You can qualify to sit for the examination in one of three ways:

• Complete four years of training at an approved electrical apprentice school and 8,000 hours of supervised work experience OR
• Complete 16,000 hours or more of supervised work experience as an apprentice OR
• In-state apprentices may complete four years of training at an approved electrical apprentice school and 6,000 hours of supervised work experience, but they must work an additional 2,000 hours after passing the exam to be licensed as journeymen.

You’ll have four hours to pass an exam, which consists of 80 multiple-choice questions. The passing grade is 70%.

Master Electrician

To qualify for this license, you must pass the examination. In-state candidates qualify for this examination after holding a Journeyman Electrical license for at least four years.

An applicant with an out-of-state Journeyman Electrical license must pass the Idaho Journeyman Electrical exam before being eligible to sit for the Idaho Master Electrician exam. Individuals who’ve worked in states that don’t require electricians to be licensed are not eligible to take Idaho’s Master Electrician examination.

The test consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, and you’ll have five hours to complete it. A passing score is 75%.

Electrical Contractor

If you own a business that offers electrical contracting services or you work in a business with a supervisory capacity, you must hold an Electrical Contractor license. If you’re not a Master Electrician, your business must employ at least one full-time Master Electrician.

The exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions, and you’ll be given two hours to complete it. The questions will focus on contractors’ business law. A passing score is 70%. Before you receive your license, you must show proof of liability insurance and worker’s compensation.

Specialty Licenses

Specialty licenses are limited licenses that allow the licensee to perform specialized work under the supervision of an electrical contractor licensed in that specialty. Trainees, who work as the equivalent of apprentices do not have to be licensed but do have to register with the Idaho Division of Building Safety.

Limited Electrical Installers, who are the equivalent of journeymen, must pass an examination in their field. To qualify to sit for the examination, they must have 4,000 hours of work experience in that field. Linemen who apply for a Limited Electrical Installer license do not have to take the test; they only have to show that they have graduated from an Electrical Lineman apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Limited Electrical Contractors must pass an examination before they will be granted a license. To qualify to sit for this exam, they must either be or employ a Limited Electrical Installer in the same category. Once you pass the exam, you must show proof of liability insurance and workers’ compensation.

Optional certifications for Idaho electricians

Idaho requires licenses for all electricians, including journeymen. However, you can secure multiple professional certifications to demonstrate your ability to perform certain niche work, demonstrate your skills and expertise, or show employers your familiarity with critical systems like the National Electrical Code. You may also be able to command a higher wage with multiple certifications than you could without them. Since Idaho requires electricians to provide proof of completing continuing education hours, you can benefit from the continuing education resources of these three agencies.

National Fire Protection Association certification

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) certifies electricians who work on building security systems, fire suppression and alarm systems, and similar wiring installations. It also issues several other types of certifications, specifically those related to the National Electric Code (which it is responsible for codifying and updating), and offers continuing education opportunities online.

NECA certifications

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) is the country’s largest and most well-respected association of professional electricians. You can join at the apprentice level and gain access to continuing education opportunities, practice exams, and other valuable training materials. As a member, you also have valuable professional networking opportunities that can help you in your job search or secure skilled workers for your business.

Independent Electrical Contractors Certified Professional Electrician

The Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Certified Professional Electrician (CPE) certification indicates you possess superior electrical skills and knowledge. The IEC also issues other types of certifications to indicate your ability to perform specialty work. It also offers continuing education opportunities so you can keep your skills sharp and learn about trends in the electrical industry and apprenticeship opportunities.

How much does an electrician make in Idaho?

Electrician jobs pay fairly competitive wages in Idaho, especially for those working in remote areas or electricians with specialty skills. Your wages as an electrician in Idaho depend on your niche skills, education, and experience. The state average wages for some of the most commonly advertised electrician positions in Idaho:

• Apprentice electrician: $22.40 per hour
• Electrical technician: $28.35 per hour
• General electrician: $61,056 per year
• Journeyman electrician: $35.87 per hour
• Electrical foreman: $68,288 per year
• Electrical Project Manager: $112,605 per year

Idaho electrician salaries are slightly lower than the national average. For example, a general electrician can expect to earn about $61,056 in Idaho, a few thousand dollars less than the national average of $63,370 per year. However, people working in higher-cost-of-living areas tend to make more, whether they are hourly or salaried. If you own your own contractor business, you can easily make more than you could working for someone else.

Should I join an electricians’ union in Idaho?

Union electricians in Idaho belong to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW.) Dues are based on a percentage of gross wages and are deducted from workers’ paychecks. There are a few local chapters of the IBEW in Idaho, including IBEW Local 291, Boise, and IBEW Local 449 in Pocatello and Twin Falls. Unions offer state-approved apprenticeships, which can be a valuable source of employment opportunities after you complete your apprenticeship.

Idaho’s union members only accounted for 4.7 percent of its workforce in 2018. However, there are advantages to joining the union. Wages at union shops are significantly higher, and union jobs offer far better benefits. IBEW members are eligible to receive pensions when they retire, and health care coverage for IBEW members usually covers a higher percentage of medical costs. Unions are also more proactive when it comes to safeguarding workers against hazards on the job.

How to use your electrician license to get a job

Affiliations with the electricians’ union and professional organizations like the National Electrical Contractors Association and the Independent Electrical Contractors Association provide excellent networking opportunities that can lead to employment opportunities.

Employment-oriented services like LinkedIn can also be a source of job leads. Referrals from satisfied customers will generate word-of-mouth inquiries. Pre-employment interviews are likely to focus on your project resume.

You can also look online for electrician jobs on popular job board sites like Indeed, GlassDoor, and Career Builder.

Electrician insurance in Idaho

Electrical Contractors and Limited Electrical Contractors are required by Idaho law to carry liability insurance and workers’ compensation. If you run your own business, you may want to carry commercial property insurance to protect valuable business property, like vehicles and equipment, against theft. If you work for an Electrical Contractor or a Limited Electrical Contractor, you’ll be covered by their insurance.

Electrician industry trends

Property owners are looking for ways to reduce costly utility bills. Therefore, energy-efficient construction focusing on high-performance lighting systems is popular in Idaho. Skilled electrical workers are in demand in the northern part of the state, so if you’re looking for a career boost with higher pay, you may have success there.

Idaho also has several wind farms, such as the Goshen Wind Farm, so if you’re pursuing specialty electrical work, you may find career success installing and maintaining wind turbines or transferring the harvested energy to the local electrical grids.

FAQs

Is my license only valid in Idaho?

Idaho has reciprocity agreements for journeyman Electrician Licensing with Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. Utah and Wyoming also have reciprocity agreements with Idaho for the master electrician license.

How often do I need to renew my electrician license in Idaho?

An Idaho electrical license must be renewed every three years. The fee for renewing a Journeyman Electrical License is $55, and the fee for renewing a Master Electrician License is $65. The fee for renewing an Electrical Contractor License is $100.

There’s a continuing education requirement, too. Journeymen electricians and master electricians must take 16 hours of code updates and eight hours of other industry-related classes.