How to Become an Electrician in Georgia

Georgia's licensing board puts it plainly: the Board licenses Electrical Contractors, not electricians. The license is what you need to engage in electrical contracting as a business, not to work as an employee for someone who holds one. So you can start in this trade in Georgia without a state license. The contractor license comes later, and it needs four years of documented primary experience plus an exam.

Every figure below is sourced to the agency that issues it.Updated October 9, 2026

The short version

Who licenses contractors
Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board
To work as an electrician
No state license required (The Board licenses contractors, not electricians)
Class I
Restricted (Single-phase, not over 200 amperes at the service)
Class II
Unrestricted
Minimum age
21
Experience required
4 years primary (Direct installation of electrical systems)
Exam application fee
$40 ($30 application + $10 processing)
Passing score
70

The steps, in order

  1. Understand what Georgia actually licenses

    The State Construction Industry Licensing Board states that it licenses Electrical Contractors, not electricians. Georgia law requires a license to engage in electrical contracting; it does not require every person doing electrical work for a licensed contractor to hold their own license.

    For someone starting out, that is the whole point: the thing standing between you and this trade in Georgia is a job, not a credential. The license matters when you want to contract for yourself.

  2. Get hired, and get your experience documented from day one

    Everything the Board asks for later is measured in documented primary experience, which it defines as working experience gained through the direct installation of electrical systems and directly related activities of a type covered by the National Electrical Code.

    So the discipline starts now: keep a record of what kind of work you did, not just where you worked. The Board later asks you to document experience across specific categories, and a vague employment history will not satisfy it.

    You will also eventually need three references from people who can attest to your electrical experience, at least one of whom is a licensed electrical contractor. Keep those relationships in good repair.

  3. Decide between Class I and Class II

    A statewide Class I Electrical Contractor license is restricted to electrical contracting involving single-phase installations not exceeding 200 amperes at the service drop or service lateral. A Class II license is unrestricted.

    The practical difference shows up in the experience you need to document. Class I applicants document experience in at least five of the Board's listed areas, plus one mandatory item. Class II applicants must document work experience in all of them, and must additionally document installations in excess of single-phase, 200-ampere systems.

    If Class II is where you want to end up, you need to deliberately get three-phase and larger-service work on your record. That is a choice you make when picking employers, years before you apply.

  4. Meet the four-year experience bar

    Applicants for a statewide electrical contractor license must document a minimum of 4 years of primary experience in the electrical field as covered by the Georgia Electrical Code or the National Electrical Code.

    There is some flexibility at the margin: you may be credited up to one year of experience based on secondary experience or education, with secondary experience time credited at 50 percent. That is a cap, not a shortcut, so schooling shortens the path by at most a year.

    You must also be at least 21 years old.

  5. Apply and sit the exam

    Cost: $40 application, plus PSI's exam fee

    The exam application fee is $40, made up of a $30 application fee and a $10 processing fee, for both Class I and Class II applying by examination.

    PSI/AMP is the testing vendor. Once the Board approves your application it notifies PSI, and PSI contacts you by email about registration, exam payment and choosing a date. You need a minimum score of 70 on the appropriate examination.

    Note that the exam payment goes to PSI separately from the $40 you pay the Board, and the Board does not publish PSI's fee.

    The Board does not publish PSI's exam fee, and the license fee itself is on a separate fee schedule. Get both current amounts from the Board or PSI before you budget.

  6. Set up the business side when you are ready to contract

    Once licensed, the business is its own project: registering the entity with the Georgia Secretary of State, tax registration with the Department of Revenue, insurance and bonding.

    The Georgia SBDC offers no-cost business consulting, which is worth using before you quote your first job rather than after.

What it costs

ItemAmount
Getting started as an electricianNo state license needed to work for a licensed contractor$0 in state fees
Exam application to the Board$30 application + $10 processing$40
PSI exam feePaid separately to PSINot published by the Board
License feeSeparate from the exam applicationSee the Board's fee schedule
Trade schoolCan credit up to 1 year of the 4-year requirementOptional
Tools and personal protective equipmentMany employers supply some. Ask before you buy.Varies

Starting costs nothing in state fees in Georgia. The $40 and the exam come four years later, when you decide to contract for yourself.

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Common questions

Do I need a license to work as an electrician in Georgia?

Not from the state. The Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board licenses Electrical Contractors, not electricians. A license is required to engage in electrical contracting as a business; employees working for a licensed contractor do not need their own contractor license.

What is the difference between a Class I and Class II electrical contractor in Georgia?

Class I is restricted to single-phase installations not exceeding 200 amperes at the service drop or service lateral. Class II is unrestricted. Class II applicants must document experience in all the Board's listed areas plus installations in excess of single-phase, 200-ampere systems.

How much experience do I need for a Georgia electrical contractor license?

A minimum of four years of primary experience, meaning direct installation of electrical systems covered by the Georgia Electrical Code or the National Electrical Code. Up to one year can be credited from secondary experience or education, with secondary experience counted at 50 percent.

How much does the Georgia electrical contractor exam cost?

The exam application fee to the Board is $40 ($30 application plus $10 processing). PSI/AMP administers the exam and charges its own fee, which the Board does not publish. You need a minimum score of 70 to pass.

How old do I have to be to get an electrical contractor license in Georgia?

At least 21 years old. There is no state age bar on working as an electrician for a licensed contractor, since that does not require a state license.

Does Georgia have a journeyman electrician license?

Not at state level. The Board licenses electrical contractors. Some Georgia cities and counties have their own requirements for electrical work, so check locally if you plan to work in one jurisdiction.

What to confirm yourself

We would rather tell you what we don’t know than make it up. These are the parts that are local, that change, or that the agency does not publish.

  • The Board does not publish PSI's exam fee. Get it from PSI, and get the license fee from the Board's own fee schedule, before you budget.
  • Some Georgia cities and counties impose their own permitting or registration requirements for electrical work. Check with the jurisdiction where you intend to work.
  • The Board's experience categories are specific. Before you apply, confirm that your documented work maps onto the categories for the class you want, especially for Class II.
  • References are part of the application: three people who can attest to your experience, at least one a licensed electrical contractor. Line them up early.

Sources

Related guides

Offramp is not a law firm, an accountant or a government agency, and nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice. Fees and requirements change. Confirm with the agency before you file or pay. See all guides.