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Division of
Professional Regulation

Journeyperson Electrician



General Information

To perform electrical services in Delaware, you are required to hold a Delaware professional license as an electrician.  The Board defines “electrical services” or “electrical work” 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.

Types of electrician licensure include Master, Master Special, Limited, Limited Special, Journeyperson, Residential and Apprentice (24 Del. C. 1408 (a)).

A Journeyperson Electrician license allows you to perform electrical services under supervision while you gain more experience and master the skills that you will need to pass the examinations for Master, Limited, Master Special or Limited Special Electrician licensure.


Application Types

There are several ways that you can apply for your Journeyman Electrician license. The way you apply determines what documentation you are required to submit with your application. The information below should help you determine which way to apply in DELPROS, our online portal, and what documents to submit. DELPROS asks you to answer a few questions in order to determine your pathway to licensure and then it leads you to the correct online application based on your answers. The choices of ways to apply are: examination, reciprocity, or certification.

  • Apply for licensure by certificate if you hold a certificate of completion issued by the Department of Labor or approved apprentice program in Delaware or other state, a U.S. territory or the District of Columbia. If you qualify for licensure by certificate, you do not have to pass a journeyperson examination.
  • Apply by examination if you:
      • do not hold a current journeyperson license issued by another state, U.S. territory or District of Columbia, AND
      • do not have a certificate of completion issued by a Department of Labor or approved apprentice program in another state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia.

    If you apply by examination, you must pass the journeyperson examination.  Click to view the new FAQ Electrician Licensure Flyer.

  • Apply by Reciprocity if you:
    • hold a current journeyperson license issued by another state, U.S. territory or District of Columbia.
      Note: In Pennsylvania, electrical licenses are not issued by a state board. If the only current license(s) you hold was issued by a Pennsylvania municipality or other jurisdiction, you must apply by examination.

    The Board will determine whether the licensure requirements in any jurisdiction where you hold a current license are substantially similar to those of Delaware. To make this determination, the Board reviews and compares the law and regulations of the other jurisdiction(s) to Delaware’s law and regulations.

    • If at least one jurisdiction where you hold a current license has substantially similar licensure requirements to Delaware, you qualify for a reciprocity and you do not need to have five years of full-time experience.
    • If none of the jurisdictions where you hold a current license has substantially similar licensure requirements to Delaware, and if you have five years of full-time, supervised experience, you qualify for reciprocity and do not have to pass an exam.
    • If none of the jurisdictions where you hold a current license has substantially similar licensure requirements to Delaware, and if you do not have five years full-time, supervised experience, you do not qualify for reciprocity and must pass the journeyperson exam.

    Note: The determination of substantial equivalence may change based, for example, on changes in the other jurisdiction’s law.


    Information on How to Apply for a License in DELPROS

    All applications are submitted our online system DELPROS. We no longer accept paper applications.


    PRIOR TO APPLYING

    In order to apply for a license or submit a service request, you must first have a DELPROS user account. To LOG IN or CREATE a DELPROS (Delaware Professional Regulation Online Services) user account:

    1. Go to: https://delpros.delaware.gov/OH_HomePage.
    2. Click GO on the Apply/Manage a License and Service Requests tile.
    3. If you do not have a DELPROS user account, click the REGISTER button on the left side of page for NEW USERS.
    4. If you already have a DELPROS user account, enter your email address and password on the right side for EXISTING USERS and click the LOGIN button.

    DELPROS allows you to save your incomplete application and return to it later to finish the process. You only have six (6) months to submit your application once you begin.

    • If you do not submit your application within six months of starting it, you will be required to restart the entire online application again.

    You may check the status of your application online throughout the entire application process by using the “View Application Status” feature in DELPROS on your e-License dashboard.


    KNOW YOUR REQUIREMENTS AND COLLECT YOUR DOCUMENTS

    1. Know the requirements for the license you are pursuing.
    2. Request and gather all documents required to upload on the Attachments page. All information and forms are located on your profession’s webpages.


    ATTACHING AND ACKNOWLEDGING DOCUMENTS

    On the ATTACHMENTS page of your application, you may be instructed to:

    • either “attach” or “upload” the required document(s) directly to your application. This means you will find the document(s) saved on your computer or device and upload it to your application.
    • click “acknowledge” . This means you will either have to mail the documents yourself or request the “third-party” mail the document(s) directly to the Board office.
      • Examples of “third-party forms” are transcripts from schools, employment verifications from a supervisor, and license verifications from another state.
    • Forms requiring a supervisor signature, seal, or notary may have to be MAILED to the Board office directly UNLESS the document specifically indicates to UPLOAD the document.

    The requirements for this license type are provided in the following section(s).


    Requirements for All Applicants

    In addition to submitting the application and fee in DELPROS, you must submit:

    • State/Jurisdiction Licensure Verification sent directly to the Board office from each state or jurisdiction in which you currently hold or have ever held a license.


    Additional Requirement for Certificate Applicants

    In addition to submitting the application, fee, and supporting documentation required in the previous section, in DELPROS, you must also submit:

    • A certificate of completion of apprenticeship from a state-approved, bona fide, registered apprenticeship program such as a program approved by the Department of Labor or a Board-approved program.


    Additional Requirement for Examination Applicants

    In addition to submitting the application, fee, and supporting documentation in DELPROS as requested in the Requirements for All Applicants above, you must also submit:

    • A Verification of Employment form(s) showing at least 8,000 hours of full-time experience performing electrical work under the supervision of a licensed master electrician, master electrician special, limited electrician, or limited electrician special.
      • If you cannot obtain a Verification of Employment form for one or more periods of employment (e.g., your 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 and a detailed outline of your experience.


    Additional Requirement for Reciprocity Applicants

    In addition to submitting the application, fee, and supporting documentation in DELPROS as requested in the Requirements for All Applicants above, you must also submit:

    • A copy of or links to the law and rules and regulations from each state, U.S. territory or the District of Columbia where you hold a current journeyperson electrician license.
      • You do not need to provide licensure law and regulations related to licenses issued by jurisdictions that are not states, U.S. territories or the District of Columbia (e.g., cities or counties).
    • A Verification of Employment form(s) showing five years of licensed, full-time experience as a journeyperson in your reciprocating jurisdiction, under the supervision of a licensed master electrician, master electrician special, limited electrician, or limited electrician special.
      • If you cannot obtain a Verification of Employment form for one or more periods of employment (e.g., your 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 and an detailed outline of your experience.

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