How to Become a Licensed Electrician in Virginia: Getting Started Guide

Virginia's construction and data center boom keeps demand for skilled electricians high, and the pay reflects it. Electricians in the Richmond metro earn an average of about $60,820 a year, and those in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk area average $60,850, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2024 data. If you want to turn that demand into a licensed career, this guide walks you through how to become an electrician in Virginia, from your first apprenticeship hour to passing the state exam.

Who Regulates Electricians in Virginia

Electricians in Virginia are licensed by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) through the Board for Contractors Tradesmen Program. State certification is mandatory, not optional, so you cannot work as a journeyman or master electrician in Virginia without holding the license. DPOR issues two electrician tradesman licenses.

• Journeyman Electrician: Performs electrical work under the general direction of a master electrician or contractor.
• Master Electrician: Holds the highest tradesman credential and can supervise journeymen and apprentices.

A separate contractor license from the Board for Contractors is required if you want to run your own electrical business and bid jobs, which is different from the individual tradesman license covered here.

Steps to Become a Licensed Electrician in Virginia

1. Meet the Basic Entry Requirements

You must be at least 18 years old to hold a tradesman license. Most apprenticeships also ask for a high school diploma or GED, a passing grade in high school algebra, a valid driver's license, and the ability to pass an aptitude test and physical.

2. Enter an Apprenticeship or Training Program

The most common path combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Apprenticeships in Virginia generally run four to five years and are sponsored by union Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committees (JATCs), such as the IBEW programs in Richmond and Hampton Roads, or by non-union groups like Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC). You can also build the required vocational training hours through an accredited trade school program.

3. Document Your Experience and Vocational Training

To qualify for the journeyman exam, you select one of several experience and training combinations that DPOR accepts. The standard tradesman routes are below.

Completing a DPOR-recognized apprenticeship program satisfies the experience and training requirement on its own. Out-of-state journeymen and masters in good standing may also qualify to test or transfer.

4. Get Board Approval to Sit for the Exam

Pre-approval from the Board is required before you can schedule the exam. You submit the Tradesman Exam and License Application along with your Individual Experience Verification form, transcripts or certificates of completion, a copy of your government-issued ID, and the application fee. Once the Board approves your eligibility, you are cleared to register with the exam vendor.

5. Pass the Licensing Exam

Virginia contracts with PSI to administer the electrician exams. The journeyman exam runs about 70 questions, and the master exam runs about 90 questions. Both are open-book, allowing approved references such as the National Electrical Code, and both require a score of 70% to pass. Test sites include Richmond, Roanoke, Virginia Beach, Vienna, and Charlottesville. After you pass, DPOR issues your license.

6. Upgrade to Master Electrician (Optional)

Once you have held a Virginia journeyman license and worked at least one year as a licensed journeyman, you can apply to take the master electrician exam. Ten years of verifiable practical experience is an alternate qualifying route. Master status lets you supervise other electricians and is a prerequisite for many leadership and contracting roles.

What It Costs to Get Licensed in Virginia

Costs fall into three buckets: the exam fee paid to PSI, the application and license fees paid to DPOR, and the cost of your training program. Approximate fees are below.

Exam fees are set by DPOR and paid directly to PSI on the day of testing. Apprenticeship wages mean you earn while you train, which offsets program costs over time.

How Much Electricians Earn in Virginia

Pay varies by region and experience, with northern Virginia and the urban corridors paying the most. The table below shows BLS May 2024 averages across Virginia metros.

Master electricians and those who move into supervisory or contracting roles can earn well above these averages. For a fuller picture of how a career starts, see our guide on how to become an electrician straight out of high school.

Continuing Education and License Renewal

Virginia tradesman licenses are valid for two years. To renew, journeyman and master electricians must complete a three-hour board-approved continuing education course covering updates to the current National Electrical Code, then submit the renewal fee. The course must come from a DPOR-approved provider to count, so confirm the provider is on the Board's list before you register. There is a 30-day grace period after the expiration date to renew with payment and proof of CE, but you cannot legally work during that window. Miss the requirements for a full year and you must reapply under the rules in effect at that time.

Working in Virginia With an Out-of-State License

If you already hold a journeyman or master electrician license from another state, you may qualify through Virginia's Universal License Recognition pathway or an exam reciprocity agreement. You will need a certification or letter of good standing from your home state's board that lists your license number, original licensure date, and disciplinary history. Reviewing the North Carolina licensing guide is helpful if you work near the state line and want to hold credentials in both.

Becoming a licensed electrician in Virginia takes years of focused work, but the payoff is a stable, well-paid trade with strong demand across the state. Stack your experience and vocational hours, get your application approved, and pass the PSI exam, and you will be set up for a long career. Studying early pays off, so review how to prepare for the licensing exam well before your test date.