Earning an electrician license is the hard part, but keeping it takes attention too. Every state that licenses electricians sets its own renewal cycle, continuing education requirement, fee, and late penalty, and they rarely line up with each other.

This guide compares renewal rules across the 31 states we cover in depth, with a link to the board, rule, or statute behind each figure. Use it to find your cycle and your deadline, then confirm the details with your board before you renew.

How electrician license renewal dates work

States use three different ways to set the date your license expires. Knowing which one yours uses tells you whether to watch the calendar, your license card, or your birthday:

• A fixed date for everyone. Every license in the state expires on the same day. In Connecticut, all electrical licenses expire on September 30 each year. Michigan uses December 31, Delaware June 30 of even years, Florida August 31 of even years, and Hawaii June 30 every third year, with the next one in 2029.
• The anniversary of your license. Your license expires a set time after it was issued. Texas journeyman licenses are valid for one year from the date of issuance, and Virginia tradesman licenses expire three years from the last day of the month they were issued, under 18VAC50-30-120.
• Your birthday. Washington certificates expire on your birthdate, and Kentucky licenses expire on the last day of your birth month. Idaho began moving licenses onto birthday-based dates on October 30, 2026, as it shifts to two-year renewals.

Because of these differences, the date printed on your license is the only one you can rely on. If you hold licenses in more than one state or city, track each date separately; they will not match.

Continuing education: the deadline that often comes first

Most states with a statewide license require continuing education before you can renew, usually on the electrical code plus state law and safety. The hours vary widely, from 3 hours per renewal in Virginia to 34 hours every three years for New Jersey electrical contractors under N.J.A.C. 13:31-1.7. Several states set the education deadline before the renewal itself:

• Connecticut: 4 hours a year, finished by June 30, three months before the September 30 renewal, according to the Department of Consumer Protection.
• North Carolina: renewal applications and fees are due 30 days before the license expires, so your hours need to be done before then.
• Arkansas: 8 hours for each National Electrical Code cycle, completed before the end of the first year of the new cycle, under the Board of Electrical Examiners’ rules.
• California: 32 hours from an approved provider plus at least 2,000 hours of work in the industry during the three-year certification period, according to the state’s renewal application.
• Washington: 24 hours every three years, including 8 hours of code update and 4 hours of state law and rules. The Department of Labor and Industries will not renew you until your provider reports the hours.

Approved courses come from providers your board lists, and most boards will not accept hours from anyone else. Keep your completion certificates, since boards audit a share of renewals.

Electrician license renewal requirements by state

These 22 states issue a statewide electrician or electrical contractor license. Each state name links to our full guide, and the last column links to the board, form, or rule behind the figures. Where we could not confirm a fee from the board or its rules, the table says to check with the board.

State	Renews every	Expires	Continuing education	Renewal fee	Source
Alabama	1 year	Set by the board	Contractors: 14 hours (see note below); journeymen: none	Check board	Rule 303-X-4
Alaska	2 years	Date on certificate	16 hours, at least 8 on code changes	$200	Renewal form
Arkansas	1 year	Last day of the month, 1 year after issue	8 hours per NEC cycle	$25 journeyman, $50 master	17 CAR Part 210
California	3 years	Date on certification	32 hours, plus 2,000 work hours	$100	Renewal form
Colorado	3 years	September 30 (next: 2029)	24 hours	Check board	DORA
Connecticut	1 year	September 30	4 hours, done by June 30	$120 journeyperson, $150 contractor	DCP
Delaware	2 years	June 30, even years	5 hours journeyperson, 10 hours master	Check board	DPR
Florida	2 years	August 31, even years	11 hours (contractors)	$175.50 certified, $88 registered	F.S. 489.517
Georgia	2 years	Date on license	4 hours a year (contractors)	Check board	Rule 121-4-.05
Hawaii	3 years	June 30 (next: 2029)	Code update course; confirm with the board	Check board	Board
Idaho	3 years	Date on license	24 hours	Check board	DOPL
Iowa	3 years	End of the 2026–2028 cycle	18 hours, at least 6 on the NEC	$75 journeyman, $375 master	Iowa Code 103.18
Kentucky	2 years	Last day of your birth month	6 hours a year	Check board	Form L-1
Maryland	2 years	2 years from issue	5 hours journeyperson, 10 hours master	$18.50 journeyperson, $31.50 master	Board
Massachusetts	3 years	July 31	21 hours	$78 journeyman, $117 master	Board
Michigan	1 year	December 31	Code update course after a new code is adopted	Check board	LARA
New Jersey	3 years	Date on license	34 hours contractor, 15 hours journeyman	$225 contractor, $150 journeyman	Board
North Carolina	1 year	1 year from issue; renew 30 days early	8 hours (4 for some limited classes)	Check board	Board
Oregon	3 years	Date on license	24 hours	Check board	BCD
Texas	1 year	1 year from issue	4 hours	$30 journeyman, $45 master	TDLR
Virginia	3 years	Last day of the month issued	3 hours	$160	18VAC50-30-120
Washington	3 years	Your birthdate	24 hours	$106.40 journey level ($92.60 online)	WAC 296-46B-909

Alabama note: the contractor rule is unclear on timing. Rule 303-X-4-.02 sets 14 hours every two years in one part and refers to completing the minimum annually in another. Confirm with the Board through its contact page before you plan your hours.

States where cities and counties license electricians

In nine of the states we cover, cities or counties issue journeyman and master licenses, or the state licenses only contractors. Renewal rules there depend on who issued your license:

• Pennsylvania: no state license. Pittsburgh licenses run 365 days from issuance and require 8 hours of continuing education before each renewal; Philadelphia sets its own rules.
• Illinois: no state license or state continuing education. Chicago and other cities set their own renewal terms.
• Indiana: no state license. Cities and counties, such as Indianapolis and Evansville, set their own renewal terms and continuing education.
• Kansas: no state license. Counties and cities set renewal terms, such as the Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department for Wichita and Sedgwick County.
• New York: no state license. New York City master and special electrician renewals require a Department-approved course of at least 8 hours.
• Arizona: the Registrar of Contractors licenses electrical contractors, and cities handle individual licenses.
• Ohio: the state licenses contractors only. They renew every year and need 10 hours of continuing education a year under Ohio Revised Code 4740.04.
• Missouri: the statewide contractor license renews every third year by September 30 (renewal page), and cities issue journeyman and master licenses.
• Tennessee: the state contractor license and Limited Licensed Electrician license renew through the Board for Licensing Contractors, and large cities issue their own journeyman and master licenses.

If you hold a local license, call the office that issued it. Our state-by-state licensing index links every guide, and each one names the local offices.

What happens if you renew late

Working on an expired license is generally illegal, and the cost of a late renewal rises with time. How far states let it go before you start over varies:

• North Carolina: Under G.S. 87-44, a license not renewed by its expiration date is automatically revoked. Reinstatement costs the license fee, a $25 administrative fee, and all fees for the lapsed period.
• California: a lapsed certification, or a renewal without the required hours, means retaking the exam for a $200 fee, according to the renewal form.
• Washington: renewal fees double after expiration, and after 90 days the only option is to retest.
• Texas: licenses expired up to 18 months can be renewed online for a higher fee; after 3 years you must apply as a new applicant, according to TDLR.
• Virginia: after 30 days, you pay a $210 reinstatement fee, and after 24 months, you must apply again under 18VAC50-30-130.
• Arkansas: you can renew up to 36 months late by paying a year’s renewal fee plus $10 for each month; after that, you must pay a $1,000 penalty and take a new exam.
• Delaware: you can file a late renewal for up to a year, but DPR warns it is illegal to practice until the license is actually renewed.

Will your board remind you?

Many boards send a notice, but a missed notice is never an excuse. Georgia’s Rule 121-4-.02 says so directly. Here is what a few boards send:

• Texas: an email or postcard about 60 days before expiration.
• Maryland: renewal instructions by mail about 60 days before, according to the board’s renewal page.
• Missouri: a notice about 90 days before a statewide contractor license expires.
• Florida: email notices 90 to 120 days ahead, according to the Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board.
• Delaware: an email notice a few months before, sent by email only.
• Virginia: a renewal notice by mail. Individual licenses can’t be renewed online.
• Massachusetts: no mailed notice. Renewal simply opens online 90 days before July 31, according to the state’s renewal page.
• Arkansas: the board has contracted StateReporting.com to track continuing education, and its free account sends email alerts as your due date approaches, according to the Department of Labor and Licensing.

Whatever your state does, keep your email and mailing address current with the board. That is where every notice goes.

Step-by-step checklist: renewing your electrician license on time

A routine that works in any state. Pair it with your board’s own renewal page, such as TDLR’s renewal page in Texas.

1. Find the expiration date on your license and put it on your calendar the day the license is issued.
2. Check whether your continuing education is due earlier than the renewal itself.
3. Take approved courses only, from your board’s provider list, and save every certificate.
4. Confirm your hours were reported where your state uses provider reporting, such as Washington or Texas.
5. Update your contact details with the board so the renewal notice reaches you.
6. Renew as soon as the window opens, often 60 to 90 days before expiration.
7. Track local licenses separately, since city and county licenses run on their own dates.

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

Renewing an electrician license comes down to three dates: when your license expires, when your continuing education is due, and when the late penalties start. Find all three for your state in the table above, set reminders well ahead of each, and confirm the details with your board, such as the Delaware renewal page or your own state’s equivalent, before you pay. Godspeed!

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Renewal cycles, continuing education requirements, fees, and penalties vary by state and locality and are frequently changed. Confirm current requirements with your licensing board before you renew.