Journeyperson or Apprentice Electrician
Background
As a result of enactment of House Bill 180, anyone performing electrical services in Delaware must hold a Delaware professional license as an electrician starting June 30, 2012. After that date, it will be illegal for unlicensed persons to perform electrical services. To read the new law, click 24 Del. C. §§1407-1409 and scroll to the sections marked "effective June 30, 2012."
Performing "electrical services" or "electrical work" is defined by the Board to mean any activity that is covered by the National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted by the Delaware State Fire Commission. Examples are provided in Section 1.0 of the Board's Rules and Regulations.
General Information
If you are applying for licensure as a Journeyperson Electrician, the application asks whether you are filing for original or reciprocal licensure.
- If you do not hold a current electrical license in another jurisdiction (state, U.S. territory or District of Columbia), apply for original licensure.
- If you hold a current license in another jurisdiction, apply for reciprocal licensure.
If you are applying for licensure as an Apprentice Electrician, you must meet the requirements for Delaware Apprentice Electrician original licensure by enrolling in a program approved by the Delaware Board even if you hold an Apprentice Electrician license in another jurisdiction. The Delaware apprenticeship program may credit experience you gained while a licensed apprentice in another jurisdiction toward completion of your Delaware program.
Requirements for All Applications
- Submit completed, signed and notarized Application for Licensure as a Journeyperson or Apprentice Electrician.
- Enclose processing fee by check or money order made payable to “State of Delaware.” See Fee Schedule.
- If you have ever held an electrical license in another jurisdiction, arrange for the Board office to receive license verification from each jurisdiction, sent directly from the jurisdiction to the Board office.
- If you have never been issued a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN), submit a Request for Exemption from Social Security Number Requirement.
Additional Requirement for Applications for Original Licensure
When applying for original licensure as an apprentice or journeyperson electrician, you must submit proof of experience in addition to the requirements above. The proof of experience depends on which kind of license you are applying for. Use this table to decide what to submit.
IF you are applying for… |
THEN submit… |
Journeyperson Electrician |
or
|
Apprentice Electrician |
Documentation verifying that you are enrolled in or have completed a Board-approved apprentice program, such as a program approved by the Delaware Department of Labor. |
Additional Requirements for Reciprocal Licensure as a Journeyperson Electrician
To be licensed as a Journeyperson Electrician by reciprocity, you must hold a current license to perform electrical work in a jurisdiction (state, U.S. territory or District of Columbia) where the requirements for licensure are substantially similar to those of Delaware. To make a decision whether the requirements are substantially similar, the Board must review and compare the law and regulations of the other jurisdiction(s) to Delaware’s law and regulations.
- If the Board determines that the requirements in at least one jurisdiction where you hold a current license are substantially similar to Delaware’s requirements, you do not need to submit any proof of experience.
- If the Board determines that the requirements in none of jurisdictions where you hold a current license are substantially similar to Delaware’s requirements, you must submit proof of five years of experience.
Note: The determination of substantial equivalence may change based, for example, on changes in the other jurisdiction’s law.
- Submit a copy of the law and rules and regulations from each jurisdiction where you hold a current journeyperson electrician license.
- If the Board determines that no jurisdiction where you hold a current license has requirements substantially similar to those of Delaware, submit Verification of Employment form(s) showing that you have practiced for a minimum of five years after you were licensed.
- If you cannot obtain a Verification of Employment form for one or more periods of employment (e.g., a former employer has gone out of business), you may substitute tax form W-2s for those periods. However, you must include a letter explaining why you cannot obtain the form.
- If no jurisdiction where you hold a current license has substantially similar requirements and you have not practiced a minimum of five years, you cannot be licensed by reciprocity. You must apply for original licensure.
