Journeyman and master electrician license and test requirements in California — what the state requires, who gives the exam, which NEC edition it is written on, the fees, and how to sign up. Free — no account needed.
California certifies a 'General Electrician' (the journeyman-equivalent), requiring 8,000 hours of experience working for a licensed C-10 electrical contractor (or a state-approved apprenticeship completion certificate). Candidates pass a 100-question, 4.5-hour exam (70% to pass).
California has no state 'master electrician' certification. The senior/business credential is the C-10 Electrical Contractor license issued by the CSLB (requires ~4 years of journey-level experience plus passing CSLB trade and law/business exams).
Kevin's Electrical Prep Course is built by a licensed master electrician, instructor and electrical inspector: 630+ practice questions with every math problem worked out step by step, timed practice exams, video lessons and drive-along audio. Both code books included — NEC 2023 and NEC 2026. So you study the edition California actually tests on — the NEC 2023. $200 for 6 months, and a pass guarantee.
See the course & take 15 free sample questions → Get 6-month access — $200California uses Pearson VUE (via CPS HR Consulting) as of June 1, 2026 (previously PSI through May 2026) as its testing provider. Licensing is handled by California Dept. of Industrial Relations (DIR), Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) - Electrician Certification Unit; contractor licensing via Contractors State License Board (CSLB).
2023 NEC
General Electrician (journeyman-equivalent) certification: 100 Q, 4 hr 30 min, 70% to pass. Reference materials (NEC) are provided at the test center - you may not bring your own. No state 'master' exam; the C-10 contractor license (CSLB) is a separate trade + law/business exam track.
$100 per examination (General Electrician certification), paid to DIR · License/app: $75 non-refundable application fee (DIR Electrician Certification); C-10 contractor license via CSLB is a separate fee track
California certifies a 'General Electrician' (the journeyman-equivalent), requiring 8,000 hours of experience working for a licensed C-10 electrical contractor (or a state-approved apprenticeship completion certificate). Candidates pass a 100-question, 4.5-hour exam (70% to pass).
California has no state 'master electrician' certification. The senior/business credential is the C-10 Electrical Contractor license issued by the CSLB (requires ~4 years of journey-level experience plus passing CSLB trade and law/business exams).
Journeyman: California certifies a 'General Electrician' (the journeyman-equivalent), requiring 8,000 hours of experience working for a licensed C-10 electrical contractor (or a state-approved apprenticeship completion certificate). Candidates pass a 100-question, 4.5-hour exam (70% to pass). Master: California has no state 'master electrician' certification. The senior/business credential is the C-10 Electrical Contractor license issued by the CSLB (requires ~4 years of journey-level experience plus passing CSLB trade and law/business exams).
No reciprocity for the DIR General Electrician certification - out-of-state electricians must qualify and test in California. (Separately, the CSLB C-10 contractor license has its own limited reciprocity with Arizona, Louisiana, Nevada, and Utah - a different track.) See link
Individual certification (General Electrician) is by DIR/DLSE; contractor licensing is a separate CSLB C-10 track. Key timing quirk: the certification exam vendor changed from PSI to Pearson VUE (through CPS HR Consulting) effective June 1, 2026.
Everything above is kept current, but California can change a fee, a form or an exam provider at any time — and the state's own site is always the live answer. Before you register, click through and confirm:
These open California's official pages in a new tab. Nothing on this site replaces what your state board publishes.