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New Jersey Journeyman & Master Electrician License & Exam Guide

Journeyman and master electrician license and test requirements in New Jersey — 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.

New Jersey

Statewide license
New Jersey Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (Division of Consumer Affairs)
Testing provider: PSI(973) 504-6410
📕 Exam code book: 2023 NEC (PSI New Jersey Electrical Contractor candidate bulletin; exam is open book, code book provided at the test center).
💵 Exam: Electrical Contractor (master-equivalent) three-part PSI exam about $180 total. Journeyman registration does not require a separate PSI trade exam.  ·  License/app: Qualified Journeyman Electrician: non-refundable application fee about $40 ($40 or $20 initial registration depending on the year of the triennial cycle). Electrical Contractor license: application fee about $100 plus biennial license fee set by the board.
📋 Exam format: No separate master tier. Electrical Contractor (master-equivalent) PSI exam is open book, 70% to pass, based on 2023 NEC: Electrical Contracting trade 100 Q / 4 hours + NJ Business & Law 50 Q / 2 hours (plus alarm/fire systems part); first-time candidates take all parts the same day. Journeyman is a registration (no separate PSI trade exam).

Journeyman

New Jersey registers Qualified Journeyman Electricians. Applicants need about 8,000 hours of documented experience (with 4,000 hours in the five years before applying) plus roughly 576 hours of classroom training. The journeyman credential is a registration under the board (no separate master tier above it).

Master

New Jersey has NO separate 'master electrician' license. The highest license is the Electrical Contractor's license (a business/permit license), obtained after journeyman experience by passing the PSI-administered exam: a three-part test (electrical contracting trade, NJ business & law, and alarm/fire systems), open-book, 70% to pass.

🔄 Reciprocity: No formal reciprocity. However, the board may waive the exam for an out-of-state journeyman who held a license 2+ years in a state with equal requirements and completed a board-approved 15-hour NEC course, or grant an exam exemption on petition with a license-verification letter. Reciprocity URL: link
Note: Statewide licensing by the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (Division of Consumer Affairs). Important: NJ does not use the 'master' title - the Electrical Contractor license is the master-equivalent top credential and is required to pull permits/run a business. PSI administers the contractor exam (app fee ~$100, exams ~$180). The board licenses electrical contractors and registers journeyman electricians.

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New Jersey Electrician License & Exam — Common Questions

Who gives the New Jersey electrician license exam?

New Jersey uses PSI as its testing provider. Licensing is handled by New Jersey Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (Division of Consumer Affairs).

Which NEC code book is the New Jersey electrician exam written on?

2023 NEC (PSI New Jersey Electrical Contractor candidate bulletin; exam is open book, code book provided at the test center).

How many questions are on the New Jersey electrician exam, and what score do you need to pass?

No separate master tier. Electrical Contractor (master-equivalent) PSI exam is open book, 70% to pass, based on 2023 NEC: Electrical Contracting trade 100 Q / 4 hours + NJ Business & Law 50 Q / 2 hours (plus alarm/fire systems part); first-time candidates take all parts the same day. Journeyman is a registration (no separate PSI trade exam).

How much does the New Jersey electrician license and exam cost?

Electrical Contractor (master-equivalent) three-part PSI exam about $180 total. Journeyman registration does not require a separate PSI trade exam. · License/app: Qualified Journeyman Electrician: non-refundable application fee about $40 ($40 or $20 initial registration depending on the year of the triennial cycle). Electrical Contractor license: application fee about $100 plus biennial license fee set by the board.

How many hours of experience do you need for a New Jersey journeyman electrician license?

New Jersey registers Qualified Journeyman Electricians. Applicants need about 8,000 hours of documented experience (with 4,000 hours in the five years before applying) plus roughly 576 hours of classroom training. The journeyman credential is a registration under the board (no separate master tier above it).

What are the requirements for a New Jersey master electrician license?

New Jersey has NO separate 'master electrician' license. The highest license is the Electrical Contractor's license (a business/permit license), obtained after journeyman experience by passing the PSI-administered exam: a three-part test (electrical contracting trade, NJ business & law, and alarm/fire systems), open-book, 70% to pass.

What is the difference between a journeyman and a master electrician license in New Jersey?

Journeyman: New Jersey registers Qualified Journeyman Electricians. Applicants need about 8,000 hours of documented experience (with 4,000 hours in the five years before applying) plus roughly 576 hours of classroom training. The journeyman credential is a registration under the board (no separate master tier above it). Master: New Jersey has NO separate 'master electrician' license. The highest license is the Electrical Contractor's license (a business/permit license), obtained after journeyman experience by passing the PSI-administered exam: a three-part test (electrical contracting trade, NJ business & law, and alarm/fire systems), open-book, 70% to pass.

Does New Jersey have electrician license reciprocity with other states?

No formal reciprocity. However, the board may waive the exam for an out-of-state journeyman who held a license 2+ years in a state with equal requirements and completed a board-approved 15-hour NEC course, or grant an exam exemption on petition with a license-verification letter.

Anything else worth knowing about the New Jersey electrician license?

Statewide licensing by the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (Division of Consumer Affairs). Important: NJ does not use the 'master' title - the Electrical Contractor license is the master-equivalent top credential and is required to pull permits/run a business. PSI administers the contractor exam (app fee ~$100, exams ~$180). The board licenses electrical contractors and registers journeyman electricians.

Check it straight from New Jersey

Everything above is kept current, but New Jersey 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 New Jersey's official pages in a new tab. Nothing on this site replaces what your state board publishes.

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