Wisconsin runs one of the country’s more straightforward licensing systems. A single state agency, the Department of Safety and Professional Services, issues every electrician credential, from the first-year registered electrician to the master electrician. Cities and villages lost the power to license electricians in 2014, so the license you earn in Green Bay is the same one you use in Milwaukee, Madison, or Eau Claire.

What does change from place to place is the training program you join and the office that issues your permits and inspects your work. This guide walks through the whole process: who regulates what, how to get started, every union and open-shop apprenticeship program in the state, the journeyman and master exams, the contractor license, what the largest cities handle locally, reciprocity, renewal, and pay. Each requirement links to the statute, rule, or office behind it, so you can check the source yourself.

Who licenses electricians in Wisconsin?

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) licenses electricians, apprentices, and electrical contractors. The legal framework sits in two places: Wis. Stat. 101.862 and the surrounding sections of chapter 101, which set the basic license requirements, and the administrative rule Wis. Admin. Code ch. SPS 305, which spells out each credential, its fees, its term, and its continuing education.

Three rules from the statute shape everything else in this guide:

• A license or registration to do the work. Under Wis. Stat. 101.862(2), no one may install, repair, or maintain electrical wiring unless they are licensed as an electrician by DSPS or enrolled as a registered electrician.
• A contractor license to run the business. Under 101.862(1), no one may engage in the business of electrical work without an electrical contractor license.
• A master is always responsible. Under 101.862(3), anyone who is not a master electrician may do electrical work only if a master electrician is at all times responsible for that work.
• No local licenses. Under Wis. Stat. 101.861, municipal licensing of electricians ended on April 1, 2014, and municipalities may no longer impose any licensing, registration, or certification requirements on electricians, contractors, or electrical inspectors.

The statute also lists exemptions. Among them: a homeowner working on wiring in a home they own and occupy (unless a local ordinance requires a state credential), work on systems that operate at 100 volts or less, utility work, elevator wiring, and replacing an existing switch or outlet rated 20 amperes or less. The full list is in 101.862(4). DSPS applications, renewals, and license look-ups all run through its online system, LicensE.

Wisconsin electrician license types

Wisconsin has more electrical credentials than most states, because it splits the trade into general, residential, and industrial tracks. SPS 305.40 lists them all:

• Registered electrician: the entry-level enrollment for someone who is not in a formal apprenticeship. You work under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman or master.
• Electrical apprentice (plus industrial and residential apprentice): for people under an apprentice contract recognized by the state under chapter 106.
• Journeyman electrician: the full license for general electrical work, under the general supervision of a master.
• Residential journeyman electrician: limited to dwellings and their detached garages, sheds, pools, and similar accessory structures.
• Industrial journeyman electrician: limited to wiring inside the facilities of the business that employs you.
• Master electrician: the top individual license and the person responsible for all electrical work.
• Residential master electrician: the master-level license for dwellings only.
• Registered master electrician: a permanent credential for electricians born on or before January 1, 1956, with at least 15 years of experience. No new entrants qualify.
• Electrical contractor: a business license held by the owner, a partner, or the chief executive of a contracting company.

Residential and industrial license holders can work outside their scope only under the direct supervision of a licensed master or journeyman electrician. Each credential has its own DSPS page, starting with the journeyman electrician page and the master electrician page.

Step one: start as a registered electrician or an apprentice

Because Wisconsin requires a credential for anyone doing electrical wiring, even a first-week helper needs one. There are two ways in, and which one you use depends on whether you have an apprenticeship contract.

Registered electrician (no apprenticeship yet)

• Who it is for: people working for an electrical contractor without a state apprenticeship contract.
• Supervision: direct supervision by a licensed master or journeyman electrician, under SPS 305.40(4)(d).
• Term and fees: a one-year enrollment with a $15 application fee and a $20 enrollment fee, according to DSPS credential fees.
• Continuing education: at least 24 hours of approved continuing education before each yearly renewal, under SPS 305.45. Youth apprentices are exempt.
• Job-site limit: the number of registered beginning electricians on an installation may not exceed twice the number of masters and journeymen on that site, plus two, under SPS 305.40(5).

You apply on the DSPS registered electrician page through LicensE. Hours you work while enrolled can count toward the 8,000-hour experience route to the journeyman exam, as long as you can document them.

Electrical apprentice (in a state apprenticeship)

• Who it is for: anyone who has signed an electrical apprentice contract recognized under chapter 106 of the Wisconsin statutes.
• Term and fees: a one-year registration with a $15 application fee and a $15 registration fee.
• Continuing education: none. Renewal requires only proof that you are still under an apprentice contract.
• Three versions: electrical apprentice, industrial electrical apprentice, and residential electrical apprentice, matching the three license tracks.

Apply on the DSPS electrical apprentice page once your program signs you up. The apprenticeship itself is a separate contract between you, your sponsor, and the state, managed by the Department of Workforce Development’s Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards.

Wisconsin electrical apprenticeship programs

An apprenticeship is the most common route to a journeyman license, and in Wisconsin it is also the most structured. The Department of Workforce Development notes that construction apprenticeships are sponsored by local apprenticeship committees, not by individual employers, so you apply directly to the committee for your area and trade. One feature is unusual: Wisconsin requires employers to pay apprentices their hourly wage for part of their classroom time.

Union programs (NECA-IBEW)

Outside Milwaukee, the union programs are run by Wisconsin NECA-IBEW Electrical Apprenticeship and Training, a nonprofit sponsored by the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association and IBEW Locals 14, 127, 158, 159, 388, 430, 577, and 890. According to its program page, the construction (inside) electrician apprenticeship lasts five years and requires at least 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, plus classroom instruction. It also runs a three-year voice-data-video apprenticeship. Each area has its own training committee:

• Milwaukee Electrical Training Institute (METI) (Milwaukee area). The training center for IBEW Local 494 and the NECA Milwaukee chapter, based in Greenfield. It offers an Inside Construction program with two paths: a five-year apprenticeship, or a self-paced construction wireman and construction electrician track for people who prefer learning on the job. It also offers residential construction and sound and communication programs.
• Madison Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 159). Based on Fen Oak Drive in Madison and serving the Madison area.
• South Central Wisconsin Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 890). Based in Janesville.
• Kenosha Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 127). Based in Kenosha.
• Racine Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 430). Based in Racine.
• Appleton/Oshkosh Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 577). Based on South Lawe Street in Appleton.
• Northeast Wisconsin Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 158). Based in Green Bay.
• Wisconsin River Valley Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 388). Based in Stevens Point and serving central Wisconsin.
• Eau Claire Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 14). Based in Brackett, south of Eau Claire.
• La Crosse Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 14). Based in La Crosse.

The statewide program’s FAQ lists the minimum requirements: you must be 18 at placement (you may apply at 17 with a high school diploma), have a high school diploma or GED, have passed one full year of high school algebra or an approved college math course with a C or better, and pass the Electrical Training Alliance aptitude test. Qualified applicants then interview with a committee of union and contractor representatives. Use the training locator to find the committee nearest you.

Open-shop programs (ABC of Wisconsin)

For non-union contractors, the main sponsor is Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin. ABC places apprentices with its member contractors and delivers classroom training through its own Center for Apprenticeship Excellence and through the state’s technical colleges. Examples:

• Waukesha County Technical College, Electrician (ABC). Classroom instruction that pairs with ABC on-the-job training in southeastern Wisconsin.
• Mid-State Technical College, Construction Electrician (ABC). Includes 576 hours of paid related instruction, currently one full day every two weeks during the school year in Marshfield.
• Moraine Park Technical College, ABC Construction Electrician Apprenticeship. Offered at the Fond du Lac and West Bend campuses.
• ABC Center for Apprenticeship Excellence. ABC’s own training center, which offers unpaid related instruction and is approved for the GI Bill.

With ABC, you generally find an employer to sponsor you, and you apply through ABC rather than the college. Program names differ from one sponsor to the next, but every registered construction electrician apprenticeship of at least three years counts toward the same journeyman exam.

Technical colleges

The Wisconsin Technical College System has 16 colleges, and many teach the classroom portion of electrical apprenticeships. Some also offer stand-alone electrical programs. Madison College’s Electricity technical diploma is a 27-credit, one-year program, and the college lists its apprenticeship and degree options on its electrical programs page. Milwaukee Area Technical College serves the Milwaukee area.

A school program does not replace an apprenticeship or work hours, but it can shorten them. The journeyman rule credits a two-year electrical program as 12 months and 2,000 hours of experience, and the residential and industrial rules credit each full-time semester as 500 hours, up to a cap. Confirm with DSPS how a specific program will be counted before you enroll.

How to become a journeyman electrician in Wisconsin

The journeyman electrician license is the goal of most apprenticeships, and the requirements are set in both Wis. Stat. 101.87 and SPS 305.44. To qualify for the exam, you need one of two things:

• An apprenticeship: completion of a construction electrician apprenticeship lasting at least three years and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor or the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
• Experience: at least 8,000 hours of experience installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical wiring, spread over at least 48 months. A degree or diploma from a two-year electrical program counts as 12 months and 2,000 hours.

According to the DSPS journeyman licensure by examination page, you document your route with different paperwork:

• Apprenticeship route: a letter from the Wisconsin Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards stating that you have completed an electrical construction apprenticeship.
• Experience route: the Trades Experience Form, which you complete and then send to your witnesses to sign. If you have more than five witnesses, you need more than one form. DSPS forms are hosted in the AccessGov forms directory.
• Education credit: transcripts, if you are counting a two-year program toward your hours.
• Convictions: Form 225X and the related legal documents, if they apply to you.

After you submit the application in LicensE and pay, DSPS assigns a reference number and reviews it in about 10 days. Once you are approved, exam scheduling instructions appear in your account. After you pass, you pay the $100 license fee to receive the license. The application fee is $35, and the exam fee is $30.

Residential and industrial journeyman licenses

If your work is limited to homes or to one employer’s plant, Wisconsin offers narrower journeyman licenses with shorter experience requirements. The rules are SPS 305.443 and 305.447:

• Residential journeyman: pass the exam after at least 1,000 hours a year for at least three years of residential wiring work, or complete a state-recognized residential electrical apprenticeship, which qualifies you without the exam. You can earn up to 2,000 hours through school. Details are on the DSPS residential journeyman page.
• Industrial journeyman: pass the exam after at least 1,000 hours a year for at least five years of industrial wiring work, or complete a recognized industrial electrical apprenticeship. Up to 2,000 hours can come from school. See the DSPS industrial journeyman page.
• Fees: the same as the journeyman license: a $35 application fee, a $30 exam fee, and a $100 license fee.

If you earned a residential or industrial license through an apprenticeship and later fail to complete the continuing education to renew it, you must pass the exam to get it back.

The Wisconsin electrician exam

DSPS writes and administers the electrician exams itself. The exam is open book, and the passing score is 70 percent, according to the DSPS exam information. You may bring only three kinds of reference material:

• One binder holding Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305, SPS 316, and your printed notes. Notes must be hole-punched and placed in the binder. Practice or previous exams are not allowed.
• The 2023 National Electrical Code or its Handbook.
• Up to two printed, bound reference books. Loose paper, removable tabs, sticky notes, and paper clips are not permitted.

You choose where to test when you apply. Details are on the DSPS trades exam page:

• Pearson VUE computer-based testing at test centers across Wisconsin, with faster results and easier rescheduling. For the journeyman, master, residential, and industrial exams, the seat time is four hours, and the candidate fee is $95 to Pearson on top of $30 to DSPS. Read the Pearson Trades Program Candidate Handbook before test day. Once you choose Pearson, you cannot switch back to a DSPS session.
• DSPS exam sessions are held in person on set dates. In 2026, sessions ran in Pewaukee, Appleton, DeForest, Eau Claire, and Weston, with morning sessions at 8:00 a.m. and afternoon sessions at 1:00 p.m. Results arrive by mail or email within 21 days. DSPS says it will publish 2027 dates by the end of November 2026.
• Spanish-language exams are available if you check the box on your application, and you can request accommodations with your application.

A practice routine helps with an open-book exam, because speed in finding the right article matters as much as knowing the answer. Our free NEC practice test is one way to build that speed before test day.

How to become a master electrician in Wisconsin

A master electrician license lets you take responsibility for electrical work, which every Wisconsin installation needs. Under Wis. Stat. 101.868 and SPS 305.43, you qualify for the master exam with any one of these:

• Journeyman experience: 12 months of experience installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical wiring while licensed as a journeyman electrician.
• An engineering degree: a bachelor’s or master’s degree in electrical engineering.
• Long experience: at least 10,000 hours of experience over at least 60 months.

The master exam follows the same open-book format and 70 percent passing score. Fees are a $35 application fee, a $30 exam fee, and a $200 license fee. Apply through the DSPS master electrician page.

• Residential master electrician: at least 1,000 hours a year for at least five years of electrical wiring work, with up to 3,000 hours and three years credited from full-time school at 500 hours a semester. The fees match the master license. See the DSPS residential master page.
• Trading down and back: a master may exchange the license for a journeyman license, and later exchange back by showing the former master license and paying the master fee.
• Responsibility: a master who takes on a job must use properly licensed or registered people for the work and may not start work that needs a Uniform Dwelling Code permit until the permit is issued.

The Wisconsin electrical contractor license

Any person or company that is in the business of electrical work needs an electrical contractor license under SPS 305.41. It is a business license, not a skills test, and DSPS confirms that no exam is required for it. What it requires:

• The right applicant: the business owner, a partner applying for a partnership, or the board chair or chief executive applying for a corporation.
• Insurance statements: a statement certifying compliance with Wisconsin’s workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance laws.
• Fees: a $35 application fee and a $200 license fee for a four-year term.
• A licensed workforce: the contractor must use properly licensed or registered people for every job, and every installation must have a master electrician responsible for it.
• License number on paperwork: the license number must appear on all construction bids and contracts.

The contractor license requires an organization account in LicensE, separate from your individual account. Contractor licenses have no continuing education requirement.

City by city: permits and inspections in Wisconsin

Because cities cannot license electricians, the local layer in Wisconsin is about permits and inspections. Two systems apply. For commercial work, the DSPS electrical program delegates permits and inspections to qualifying municipalities and counties and handles the rest through eSLA. For one- and two-family homes, the municipality or a UDC inspection agency issues the Uniform Dwelling Code permit.

The DSPS Commercial Electrical Delegated Agents list, dated October 19, 2026, includes every large city below; in each of them, the city handles commercial electrical permits and inspections. Where a community is not delegated, the eSLA inspector lookup names the state-appointed inspector for the county.

Milwaukee

• Permits: The Department of Neighborhood Services Permit and Development Center at 809 N. Broadway issues permits, with plan reviews by appointment and online filing through the city’s Land Management System.
• Training: METI and IBEW Local 494 for union apprenticeships; ABC of Wisconsin and Waukesha County Technical College for open-shop training.
• Local license: none. The DSPS license is the only one you need to work in Milwaukee.

Madison

• Permits: the Building Inspection Division of the Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development, at 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., sees the public by appointment.
• Training: the Madison Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 159), ABC’s Center for Apprenticeship Excellence, and Madison College.

Green Bay

• Permits: the city’s permit rules say an electrical permit is needed when electrical work is done with a building permit, or when more than three outlets, lights, or switches are added without one. The permit and fee must reach the Inspection Division before work starts, and an inspection is required when the work is done.
• Contractor rule: the city requires electrical contractors to be licensed by the State of Wisconsin.
• Training: the Northeast Wisconsin Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 158).

Kenosha and Racine

• Kenosha: on the DSPS delegated list for commercial electrical inspection. Union training is through the Kenosha Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 127). Contact the city’s building inspection office for permits.
• Racine: permits and inspections run through the city’s Building Inspection department. Union training is through the Racine Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 430).

Appleton, Oshkosh, and the Fox Valley

• Permits: Appleton and Oshkosh are both on the DSPS delegated list, so contact each city’s inspections office for commercial and residential permits.
• Training: the Appleton/Oshkosh Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 577) and ABC programs at Moraine Park Technical College.

Eau Claire and La Crosse

• Eau Claire: the city’s Inspections division reviews plans, issues permits, and inspects new construction and remodeling. Union training is through the Eau Claire Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 14).
• La Crosse: on the DSPS delegated list. Union training is through the La Crosse Area Electrical JATC, also under IBEW Local 14.

Waukesha, Janesville, Wausau, and the rest of the state

• Waukesha, Janesville, and Wausau all appear on the DSPS delegated list, so their own inspectors handle commercial electrical work.
• Central Wisconsin is served by the Wisconsin River Valley Area Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 388) and Mid-State Technical College.
• Smaller communities: check the delegated list first. If your town or village is not on it, look for your county; if neither is listed, DSPS issues the commercial permit and assigns the inspector.

Which electrical code applies in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin’s electrical code is Wis. Admin. Code ch. SPS 316, which adopts the National Electrical Code by reference with Wisconsin-specific changes. Under SPS 316.007, the state now uses the 2023 edition of the NEC, which took effect on September 1, 2026. That is also the edition DSPS allows in the exam room.

• Know both documents. Wisconsin changes to the NEC live in SPS 316, which is why the exam binder rule names SPS 316 alongside the code book.
• Code changes mean new training. Continuing education courses often focus on the newest code edition and the state’s amendments.
• Inspectors enforce the state code. Delegated cities and DSPS inspectors apply SPS 316 statewide.

Wisconsin electrician reciprocity

Wisconsin law lets DSPS sign reciprocity agreements, but only with states whose education, experience, and exam requirements are at least equivalent, under Wis. Stat. 101.874. In practice, DSPS lists two routes:

• Journeyman: a valid, unexpired journeyman license earned by state exam in Iowa or New Hampshire, held continuously for at least one year before you apply. See the DSPS journeyman reciprocity page.
• Master: a valid, unexpired master license earned by state exam in Iowa, held continuously for at least one year. See the DSPS master reciprocity page.
• Everyone else: electricians from other states apply for the Wisconsin exam and use their documented hours and training to qualify.

Renewal and continuing education

Most Wisconsin electrical licenses run on a four-year term that expires on June 30, under the term table in SPS 305.06. Registered electrician and apprentice registrations last one year from the date of issue. DSPS emails a renewal notice to the address on file about four weeks before expiration, and you renew online in LicensE.

• Journeyman and master: at least 24 hours of approved continuing education per renewal.
• Residential journeyman, industrial journeyman, and residential master: at least 18 hours of continuing education per renewal.
• Registered electrician: at least 24 hours before each yearly renewal.
• Apprentices and contractors: no continuing education.
• Renewal fees: $100 for journeyman, residential journeyman, and industrial journeyman licenses; $200 for master, residential master, and contractor licenses.

Only DSPS-approved courses count, and the course provider must enter your hours before LicensE will let you submit the renewal. DSPS keeps an approved course provider list and answers common questions on its trades FAQ page. A few rules worth knowing:

• Missing a notice is no excuse. SPS 305.07 says failing to receive a renewal notice does not excuse a late renewal.
• Late renewal: you can still renew within one term after expiration by paying the application fee, and you can file completed continuing education after expiration on a form with a $25 processing fee.
• Long lapses: after more than one term, reinstatement costs a $200 administrative fee plus the regular fees, and DSPS may require you to retake the exam.
• Check your status: anyone can confirm a license with the LicensE credential look-up.

How much do electricians make in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin electricians earn well above the national median. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ state Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (select Wisconsin) show these figures for electricians as of May 2025:

• Median annual wage: $76,540 ($36.80 an hour).
• Mean annual wage: $73,810 ($35.49 an hour).
• Lowest-paid 10 percent: $44,830 or less.
• Highest-paid 10 percent: $101,770 or more.
• Employment: about 14,310 electricians statewide.

For comparison, the national median for electricians was $63,190 in May 2025, with the top 10 percent earning more than $108,510, according to BLS national data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 9 percent employment growth for electricians nationally from 2024 to 2034.

Apprentices earn less while they train, with raises as they complete hours and classes. Each program sets its own wage steps, so ask for the scale when you apply. For a sense of how long the full path usually takes, see our guide on how long it takes to become an electrician.

Wisconsin electrical licensing at a glance

The main Wisconsin credentials side by side, from SPS 305 and the DSPS fee schedule. Fees change, so confirm them with DSPS before you apply.

Credential	Experience to qualify	Exam	Fees (application / exam / license)	Term and CE	Where to apply
Registered electrician	None; work under direct supervision	None	$15 / none / $20	1 year; 24 hours	DSPS registered electrician
Electrical apprentice	State apprentice contract	None	$15 / none / $15	1 year; none	DSPS electrical apprentice
Journeyman electrician	Apprenticeship of 3+ years, or 8,000 hours over 48+ months	Open book, 70%	$35 / $30 / $100	4 years, June 30; 24 hours	DSPS journeyman exam
Residential journeyman	1,000 hours a year for 3 years, or residential apprenticeship	Open book, 70% (not after apprenticeship)	$35 / $30 / $100	4 years, June 30; 18 hours	DSPS residential journeyman
Industrial journeyman	1,000 hours a year for 5 years, or industrial apprenticeship	Open book, 70% (not after apprenticeship)	$35 / $30 / $100	4 years, June 30; 18 hours	DSPS industrial journeyman
Master electrician	12 months as a journeyman, an EE degree, or 10,000 hours over 60+ months	Open book, 70%	$35 / $30 / $200	4 years, June 30; 24 hours	DSPS master electrician
Residential master	1,000 hours a year for 5 years	Open book, 70%	$35 / $30 / $200	4 years, June 30; 18 hours	DSPS residential master
Electrical contractor	Business owner, partner, or CEO	None	$35 / none / $200	4 years, June 30; none	DSPS electrical contractor

Pearson computer-based exams add a $95 fee paid to Pearson. Initial license fees are prorated by month when a license is issued partway through a term.

Step-by-step checklist: becoming an electrician in Wisconsin

The full path, from your first job to running your own contracting business. Keep the LicensE portal and the DSPS fee list handy as you go.

1. Finish high school or an equivalent. Union programs require a diploma or GED and a full year of algebra with a C or better.
2. Choose your route. Apply to a NECA-IBEW committee, METI in Milwaukee, or ABC of Wisconsin, or get hired by a licensed contractor.
3. Get your first state credential. Register as an electrical apprentice if you have an apprentice contract, or enroll as a registered electrician if you do not.
4. Keep your credential current. Renew the apprentice or registered electrician credential every year, with 24 hours of continuing education if you are a registered electrician.
5. Document every hour. Keep pay records and the names of the licensed electricians who supervised you, because the experience route uses signed witness forms.
6. Apply for the journeyman exam. Submit your Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards completion letter or your Trades Experience Form through LicensE.
7. Pass the open-book exam. Score at least 70 percent at a DSPS session or a Pearson VUE center, then pay the $100 license fee.
8. Work 12 months as a journeyman. Then apply for the master exam, pass it, and pay the $200 license fee.
9. Get a contractor license if you start a business. The owner applies with workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance statements, and the business must have a responsible master electrician.
10. Renew every four years by June 30. Complete your continuing education before your license expires.

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

Becoming an electrician in Wisconsin follows one statewide path. Start as a registered electrician or an apprentice, finish an apprenticeship or log 8,000 documented hours, pass the open-book journeyman exam, and move up to master after a year as a journeyman. Your license works in every Wisconsin community, while your city or county handles permits and inspections. For current forms, fees, and exam dates, start with the DSPS electrician pages and your local apprenticeship committee. Godspeed!

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. Licensing requirements, fees, exam details, and code editions change, and they differ by license type. Confirm current requirements with the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, your local permit office, and your apprenticeship program before making decisions about training or employment.