West Virginia Journeyman Electrician License: Requirements and the State Fire Marshal Exam
How to get a West Virginia journeyman electrician license: the 1-year experience requirement and its apprenticeship and vocational alternatives, the State Fire Marshal's 50-question exam on the 2023 NEC, fees, renewal and reciprocity.
Contents
West Virginia Journeyman Electrician License: Requirements and the Exam
In West Virginia, the State Fire Marshal's Office (Regulatory and Licensing Division) licenses electricians under W. Va. Code 29-3B and its rule, 103CSR5. To earn a Journeyman Electrician license you pass the State Fire Marshal's own exam. Everything below comes from the State Fire Marshal's published notices and 103CSR5.
Who can sit the exam
You must be at least 18 and meet one of these:
| Route | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Work experience | 1 year (12 months) or 2,000 hours of hands-on electrical work |
| Apprenticeship | A completed U.S. Department of Labor registered electrical apprenticeship |
| Vocational program | A completed West Virginia Department of Education 1,080-hour electrical vocational program |
Helpers and apprentices do not need a license to do supervised work, as long as a journeyman or master electrician supervises them at all times. Students in an approved West Virginia electrical vocational program can test before 18, but the license is issued only once they turn 18.
Temporary license. If you finished a registered apprenticeship or the 1,080-hour vocational program, you can get a one-time, 90-day temporary journeyman license for $50 while you wait for an exam date.
The exam in brief
| Item | West Virginia Journeyman Electrician |
|---|---|
| Given by | West Virginia State Fire Marshal, on paper |
| Questions | 50 multiple choice, 2 points each |
| Time | 4 hours |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code | 2023 NEC (since January 1, 2026) |
| Format | Open book; calculations are built into the multiple choice |
| Fee | $25, non-refundable |
There is no law or business section: the rules say every exam is derived from the NEC.
Fees and renewal
- Exam application review fee: $25.
- License: $50 a year. Every license expires June 30, and you can renew for one to three years at a time.
- Late renewal in the same license year: $50 plus a $50 penalty. A lapsed license can be renewed without retesting within five years of the last renewal, at double the fee.
Licensed in another state?
The State Fire Marshal has recognized electrician licenses from other states and from local jurisdictions with a letter of good standing from your licensing agency, as long as you meet West Virginia's minimum experience (1 year or 2,000 hours). 103CSR5 also gives universal license recognition to new West Virginia residents who have held a comparable license for at least a year.
Contractors are licensed separately
Your journeyman license lets you do electrical work. A business that contracts electrical work needs a separate license from the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board (Division of Labor), with its own exams given by Prov.
Practice for the exam
Our West Virginia Journeyman Electrician practice test is on the 2023 NEC, and every question cites its section. See what is on the exam and what to expect on exam day.
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