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Pennsylvania Journeyman & Master Electrician License & Exam Guide

Journeyman and master electrician license and test requirements in Pennsylvania — 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.

Pennsylvania

Local / city license
Licensed at the city/municipal level (no statewide license); e.g., Philadelphia Dept. of Licenses & Inspections (L&I), Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Electrical Trades Examining Board
Testing provider: N/A - local (each municipality runs its own exam)Philadelphia L&I via City of Philadelphia 311 (215-686-8686)
📕 Exam code book: Varies by city (Pennsylvania has no statewide electrician license or exam). Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code references the 2020 NEC, but each licensing municipality (e.g., Philadelphia L&I, Pittsburgh/Allegheny County board) sets its own exam edition and local amendments. Check the specific municipality.

Journeyman

Pennsylvania has NO statewide journeyman license and no state electrician board. Journeyman requirements (where a local license exists) are set by individual cities/townships, typically requiring several years of documented experience under a master and passing a local exam.

Master

No statewide master license. Philadelphia L&I issues a Master Electrician license (~7 years practical experience, or 4 years plus an accredited electrical degree, plus a written exam on the NEC and Philadelphia amendments). Pittsburgh uses the Allegheny County Electrical Trades Examining Board (~4 years journey-level experience plus a master exam). Other cities (Allentown, Erie, Scranton, etc.) have their own boards.

🔄 Reciprocity: No statewide license, so no statewide reciprocity; there is no reciprocity between PA municipalities and an electrician working statewide may need multiple local licenses. Varies by city - check with the specific municipality (Philadelphia L&I, Pittsburgh/Allegheny County board, etc.).
Note: License electricians at the CITY level - no PA statewide journeyman/master license and no PA Dept. of State electrician board. Point applicants to the specific municipality (Philadelphia L&I, Pittsburgh/Allegheny County board, etc.). No reciprocity between PA municipalities; an electrician working statewide may need multiple local licenses. Fees/forms are city-specific.

Studying for the Pennsylvania exam?

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. Note: Pennsylvania currently tests on the NEC 2020. This course teaches the 2023 and 2026 editions, so use it for the code that does not change between editions — theory, math, and how to read the book — and check Pennsylvania's own amendments for the rest. $200 for 6 months, and a pass guarantee.

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Pennsylvania Electrician License & Exam — Common Questions

Who gives the Pennsylvania electrician license exam?

Pennsylvania uses N/A - local (each municipality runs its own exam) as its testing provider. Licensing is handled by Licensed at the city/municipal level (no statewide license); e.g., Philadelphia Dept. of Licenses & Inspections (L&I), Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Electrical Trades Examining Board.

Which NEC code book is the Pennsylvania electrician exam written on?

Varies by city (Pennsylvania has no statewide electrician license or exam). Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code references the 2020 NEC, but each licensing municipality (e.g., Philadelphia L&I, Pittsburgh/Allegheny County board) sets its own exam edition and local amendments. Check the specific municipality.

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

Pennsylvania has NO statewide journeyman license and no state electrician board. Journeyman requirements (where a local license exists) are set by individual cities/townships, typically requiring several years of documented experience under a master and passing a local exam.

What are the requirements for a Pennsylvania master electrician license?

No statewide master license. Philadelphia L&I issues a Master Electrician license (~7 years practical experience, or 4 years plus an accredited electrical degree, plus a written exam on the NEC and Philadelphia amendments). Pittsburgh uses the Allegheny County Electrical Trades Examining Board (~4 years journey-level experience plus a master exam). Other cities (Allentown, Erie, Scranton, etc.) have their own boards.

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

Journeyman: Pennsylvania has NO statewide journeyman license and no state electrician board. Journeyman requirements (where a local license exists) are set by individual cities/townships, typically requiring several years of documented experience under a master and passing a local exam. Master: No statewide master license. Philadelphia L&I issues a Master Electrician license (~7 years practical experience, or 4 years plus an accredited electrical degree, plus a written exam on the NEC and Philadelphia amendments). Pittsburgh uses the Allegheny County Electrical Trades Examining Board (~4 years journey-level experience plus a master exam). Other cities (Allentown, Erie, Scranton, etc.) have their own boards.

Does Pennsylvania have electrician license reciprocity with other states?

No statewide license, so no statewide reciprocity; there is no reciprocity between PA municipalities and an electrician working statewide may need multiple local licenses. Varies by city - check with the specific municipality (Philadelphia L&I, Pittsburgh/Allegheny County board, etc.).

Anything else worth knowing about the Pennsylvania electrician license?

License electricians at the CITY level - no PA statewide journeyman/master license and no PA Dept. of State electrician board. Point applicants to the specific municipality (Philadelphia L&I, Pittsburgh/Allegheny County board, etc.). No reciprocity between PA municipalities; an electrician working statewide may need multiple local licenses. Fees/forms are city-specific.

Check it straight from Pennsylvania

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

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