Journeyman and master electrician license and test requirements in Illinois — 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.
There is no statewide Illinois journeyman electrician license. Individual journeyman licensing is handled entirely at the city/county level, so requirements (experience, exam, fees) vary by municipality; for example Chicago licenses through the Chicago Department of Buildings.
There is no statewide master (often called 'Supervising Electrician' in Illinois) license. Master/Supervising licensing is issued by individual municipalities, each setting its own experience thresholds (commonly ~4-8 years) and exam. Many Illinois cities practice inter-city reciprocity.
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 Illinois 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 — $200Illinois uses N/A — local (varies by municipality; Chicago runs its own exams via Continental Testing Services) as its testing provider. Licensing is handled by Local/municipal only (no state agency licenses individual electricians; the Illinois Electrical License Law 225 ILCS 320 governs some contractor matters).
Varies by city (commonly 2020 or 2023 NEC)
There is no statewide Illinois journeyman electrician license. Individual journeyman licensing is handled entirely at the city/county level, so requirements (experience, exam, fees) vary by municipality; for example Chicago licenses through the Chicago Department of Buildings.
There is no statewide master (often called 'Supervising Electrician' in Illinois) license. Master/Supervising licensing is issued by individual municipalities, each setting its own experience thresholds (commonly ~4-8 years) and exam. Many Illinois cities practice inter-city reciprocity.
Journeyman: There is no statewide Illinois journeyman electrician license. Individual journeyman licensing is handled entirely at the city/county level, so requirements (experience, exam, fees) vary by municipality; for example Chicago licenses through the Chicago Department of Buildings. Master: There is no statewide master (often called 'Supervising Electrician' in Illinois) license. Master/Supervising licensing is issued by individual municipalities, each setting its own experience thresholds (commonly ~4-8 years) and exam. Many Illinois cities practice inter-city reciprocity.
Varies by city (no statewide license). Some Illinois municipalities honor each other's licenses via local inter-city agreements; confirm with the specific city/county building department where you plan to work.
VERIFIED: Illinois licenses individual electricians at the CITY/county level, not statewide. The only statewide state-issued construction credentials are the IDPH Plumbing License and IDFPR Roofing Contractor License; electricians are municipal. Apply through the local building/controller's office where you plan to work (e.g., Chicago Dept. of Buildings). Fees, exam costs, and forms are set per-municipality, so state-level values are not applicable. Example: Chicago Supervising Electrician exam applications run through Continental Testing Services (continentaltesting.net).
Everything above is kept current, but Illinois 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 Illinois's official pages in a new tab. Nothing on this site replaces what your state board publishes.