Journeyman and master electrician license and test requirements in South Carolina — 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.
Journeyman certification (via the Mechanical Trades Certification Program) requires ~4,000 hours of electrical trade experience (or ~2,000 hours plus a 2-year associate degree). Pass the open-book exam (~70 questions, 3 hours, NEC-based) at 70%; ~$100 fee. This certification is recognized by participating SC municipalities.
Master certification requires ~8,000 hours (four years) of experience as a certified journeyman, then passing the open-book master exam (~100 questions, 4 hours) at 70% (~$100 fee). Beyond that, SC LLR issues statewide Electrical Contractor licenses (Residential via the Residential Builders Commission; Mechanical/commercial via the SC Contractor's/Mechanical Board, PSI exam at 70%).
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: South Carolina 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 South Carolina's own amendments for the rest. $200 for 6 months, and a pass guarantee.
See the course & take 15 free sample questions → Get 6-month access — $200South Carolina uses Prov (CAGC Foundation's exam provider for trades certification); PSI for LLR contractor exams as its testing provider. Licensing is handled by Journeyman/Master certifications: Municipal Association of SC (MASC), transitioning to Carolinas AGC (CAGC) in 2026. Electrical Contractor licenses: SC Dept. of Labor, Licensing & Regulation (LLR).
2020 NEC. Both the CAGC/MASC journeyman and master electrical certification exams and the SC LLR electrical contractor exams are based on the 2020 NEC (South Carolina adopts the NEC on a delayed cycle). Confirm the current edition in the Prov/PSI candidate bulletin before testing.
Journeyman certification (Prov): ~70 multiple-choice questions, 3 hours, OPEN-book, 70% to pass. Master certification (Prov): ~100 questions, 4 hours, OPEN-book, 70% to pass. All electrical trades exams are open-book and computer-based. Separately, LLR statewide Electrical Contractor exams are via PSI (an electrical/trade exam plus a Business Management & Law exam), open-book, 70% to pass. Source: examprep.org / masc.sc
$100 examination fee paid directly to Prov (journeyman and master trades certification exams) · License/app: $35 application fee (CAGC trades certification, new or retest); journeyman renewal ~$20/yr, master renewal ~$50/2yr
Journeyman certification (via the Mechanical Trades Certification Program) requires ~4,000 hours of electrical trade experience (or ~2,000 hours plus a 2-year associate degree). Pass the open-book exam (~70 questions, 3 hours, NEC-based) at 70%; ~$100 fee. This certification is recognized by participating SC municipalities.
Master certification requires ~8,000 hours (four years) of experience as a certified journeyman, then passing the open-book master exam (~100 questions, 4 hours) at 70% (~$100 fee). Beyond that, SC LLR issues statewide Electrical Contractor licenses (Residential via the Residential Builders Commission; Mechanical/commercial via the SC Contractor's/Mechanical Board, PSI exam at 70%).
Journeyman: Journeyman certification (via the Mechanical Trades Certification Program) requires ~4,000 hours of electrical trade experience (or ~2,000 hours plus a 2-year associate degree). Pass the open-book exam (~70 questions, 3 hours, NEC-based) at 70%; ~$100 fee. This certification is recognized by participating SC municipalities. Master: Master certification requires ~8,000 hours (four years) of experience as a certified journeyman, then passing the open-book master exam (~100 questions, 4 hours) at 70% (~$100 fee). Beyond that, SC LLR issues statewide Electrical Contractor licenses (Residential via the Residential Builders Commission; Mechanical/commercial via the SC Contractor's/Mechanical Board, PSI exam at 70%).
Master/journeyman certification reciprocity via the MASC/CAGC program is reported with Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania (Reading, PA only) and the Municipal Association of SC. LLR Electrical Contractor reciprocity with North Carolina. Verify current agreements at link and link
Two-tier: SC has no direct STATE journeyman/master license - those are voluntary certifications administered (from Jan 1, 2026) by Carolinas AGC / CAGC Foundation, recognized by member cities, while LLR licenses electrical CONTRACTORS statewide. IMPORTANT: effective Jan 1, 2026 the Mechanical Trades Certification Program transferred from MASC to Carolinas AGC (cagc.org/sctradescert); trades exams administered by Prov (schedule via Examroom). Contractor exams via PSI (test-takers.psiexams.com/sccon).
Everything above is kept current, but South Carolina 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 South Carolina's official pages in a new tab. Nothing on this site replaces what your state board publishes.