Texas Journeyman Electrician License: Requirements, Cost, and How to Apply

Texas Journeyman Electrician License: Requirements, Cost, and How to Apply

The Texas Journeyman Electrician license lets you do electrical work under the supervision of a Texas Master Electrician. It is issued by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), and the exam is delivered by PSI.

Here is what it takes to get it, what it costs, and the details that hold applications up.

The experience requirement: 7,000 hours

TDLR requires at least 7,000 hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of a Master Electrician licensed in Texas.

Two things trip people up:

• The hours must be documented. Each supervisor signs an Experience Verification Form for the hours worked under them. If you have worked for several contractors, you need a form from each, so collect them as you go rather than chasing former employers later.
• You must be licensed while you earn them. TDLR's rule is that anyone performing electrical work needs a license first, with no grace period. For most people that means an Apprentice Electrician license. Apprentices who register online and report no criminal convictions are issued a temporary license automatically.

You may see 8,000 hours quoted elsewhere. That figure applies to applicants coming in through reciprocity (below), not to the Texas route.

Costs

Item	Cost
TDLR application (non-refundable)	$30
PSI exam, both portions	$78
PSI retake, one or both portions	$78

The initial application goes to TDLR by mail. Once it is received and verified, TDLR notifies you that you are approved to test, and PSI sends scheduling instructions.

Budget for the code book too. The exam is open book, and you bring your own soft-bound copy of the 2026 NEC — see what you can and cannot bring.

The exam

The exam has two portions, each scored on its own:

Portion	Items (scored)	Time	Pass mark
NEC Knowledge	59 (56)	130 min	70%
Calculations	26 (24)	110 min	70%

You need 70% on each portion. A strong NEC score does not make up for a weak calculations score, and a failed portion is retaken on its own. Since September 1, 2026, both portions are written to the 2026 NEC.

The pass rates show why this matters. In TDLR's FY2025 statistics, 24.5% of NEC Knowledge attempts and 20.6% of Calculations attempts passed. Most candidates need more than one try, and calculations are the harder portion. What is on each portion breaks down the content outline.

Keeping the license

Texas electrician licenses are valid for one year and must be renewed annually. Each renewal requires 4 hours of continuing education covering:

• the National Electrical Code
• Texas Electrician Law (Occupations Code Chapter 1305)
• TDLR's electrician rules (16 TAC Chapter 73)
• electrical safety under NFPA 70E

The hours must be completed within the term of the license you are renewing.

Licensed in another state? Reciprocity

Texas has journeyman reciprocity agreements with Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming. To use one you must have:

• passed that state's journeyman examination,
• held its journeyman license for at least one year, and
• at least 8,000 hours under the supervision of a master electrician.

TDLR confirms the license and exam with your home state's licensing authority. There is no reciprocity route from states outside that list — you would apply and test like any other candidate.

Getting ready

Most of the work is the exam itself. Try our free 10-question practice test — 7 NEC questions and 3 calculations, scored per portion like the real thing — or see the full Texas Journeyman exam prep.