How to get a Journeyman Electrician license in Alabama

Alabama electrician licenses

Alabama issues 3 electrician credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for several of the Alabama electrician licenses on this page, so they are shown once here, with the licenses they apply to. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

1. Every license level (all 3)

Renewal

How often

Every year¹

Renew online

alecb-renew.kalmservices.net⁴

2. Every license level except Provisional Electrical Contractor (closed to new applicants since May 15, 2024)

Fees

How to apply

Application form

Form (PDF, aecb.alabama.gov)⁵

Processing time

Allow 4-8 weeks after Board approval to receive the license.²⁶

Renewal

When it expires

Renew annually, before the last day of the quarter in which the license was issued.¹

3. Every license level except Journeyman Electrician

Renewal

Continuing education

At least 14 hours each renewal period⁷³

Who needs a Journeyman Electrician license

Installs electrical wiring, apparatus and equipment for lighting, heating, power or control, working under a master or state-certified electrical contractor and to plans and specifications.³

Work that does not need this license:

• Owner work on the owner's own building is exempt.¹
• Systems of 25 volts or less are exempt.¹
• A journeyman employed by a state-licensed contractor, or by a county/city licensee where the contract work is done, is exempt from holding the license under 34-36-13(a)(4).³

Requirements for a Journeyman Electrician license

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 2 under Applies to every license level.

Education or training

Optional substitution: one year of accredited electrical curriculum (Alabama community college system) or an industry-recognized apprenticeship counts as 1,000 hours of experience, up to 2,000 of the 8,000 hours. A long certificate from an Alabama public two-year/community college is credited as 2,000 hours.²
Who may teach it: Electrical curriculum accredited by the Alabama Post-Secondary of Community College System, or an industry recognized apprenticeship program, documented to the Board's approval.¹

Experience

At least 8,000 hours of on-the-job training¹
Experience installing electrical wiring, apparatus or equipment for lighting or power and/or controls, in commercial, industrial or residential work, documented by notarized employer affidavits (form JCE-4) plus W-2/1099s, or a JCE-5 work affidavit for USDOL registered apprentices.²
Supervision: Affidavits must show at least four years in the electrical contracting industry within the past eight years.²
Substitute: Military education, training or service may be accepted as experience to sit for the exam.¹

Exam

Alabama Journeyman Electrician examination (Prov) or NASCLA Portable Journeyman exam²
Given by: Prov (Provexam), per the Board forms⁸
When you can take it: After the Board approves the exam application (with experience documentation), the applicant is emailed scheduling information.²
Retakes: Re-test by filing the ERT-5 Request for Re-examination with the $115 journeyman exam fee.⁸
Time limit: An approved journeyman exam application expires two years from approval if the exam is not passed and licensing requirements are not met; a new application is then required.¹

Background check

The Board may refuse, suspend or revoke a license for a conviction for a crime that directly relates to electrical work.³

Residency or citizenship

Must be a U.S. citizen or lawfully present, with proof (Ala. Code 31-13-7 declaration on the application).³

Social Security number

The exam application asks for the applicant's SSN.²

Also required

Applications not complete within 12 months may be treated as abandoned.²

How much a Journeyman Electrician license costs

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

How to apply

1. Build 8,000 hours of electrical installation experience (up to 2,000 can come from accredited electrical schooling or an apprenticeship), documented with notarized employer affidavits plus W-2/1099 forms, or a work affidavit from a USDOL registered apprenticeship.²
2. Apply for the journeyman exam online or on the paper JCE-1 application, with proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence and the $115 exam fee (card, certified check or money order; no personal checks).⁹ alecb-apply.kalmservices.net⁵
3. Once approved, schedule and pass the Alabama (Prov) or NASCLA journeyman exam.²
4. After passing, apply for the license online (log back into the exam application) or file form EC-1 by email to [email protected] with the $35 license fee.⁹ Form (PDF, aecb.alabama.gov)⁵
5. Before working in a city or county, get that local government's permits and business license; some cities (e.g. Mobile) also run their own certification.³

Apply online

alecb-apply.kalmservices.net¹⁰

Renewal and continuing education

Renewal fee

$35¹

If it expires

A license not renewed by 11:59 pm on the expiration date is immediately expired.¹

Provisional Electrical Contractor

Renewal-only credential for those who held it on May 15, 2024. It rests on a valid county or city license or permit, which authorizes work only inside that county or city; the provisional license does not expand that area.³

Requirements

Also required

Renewal requires documentation of a valid local license or permit.³

How to apply

1. New provisional licenses are no longer issued. Holders renew each year with the renewal form, proof of a valid local license or permit, and the $75 fee. New applicants must take the exam for the statewide Electrical Contractor license instead.³

Renewal

Renewal fee

$75¹

If it expires

Not renewed by 11:59 pm on the expiration date = expired.¹

From another state

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 3 under Applies to every license level.

Electrical Contractor

Installation, design, planning, lay-out and direct supervision of commercial, industrial or residential electrical work. The license is unlimited in voltage and bid amount. It is issued to a person (not to a firm), who must be the person in responsible charge of the business.¹

Requirements

Education or training

Optional substitution: each year of accredited electrical curriculum or approved apprenticeship counts as 1,000 hours, up to 2,000 of the 8,000 hours.¹
Alternative: A holder of an Alabama professional electrical engineer license qualifies to sit for the exam.¹

Experience

At least 8,000 hours of on-the-job training¹
Experience in the overall design, planning, lay-out and direct supervision of electrical construction and installing electrical power or control systems, or 8,000 hours as a journeyman electrician in charge of jobs. Must be in a supervisory or managerial position, attested by a licensed electrical contractor, electrical or building inspector, or electrical project manager.¹
Supervision: Statute: four years as a journeyman in charge of jobs, or four years in design and construction of electrical systems; affidavits must cover at least four years within the past eight.³
Substitute: Military education, training or service may be accepted as experience to sit for the exam.¹

Exam

Alabama Electrical Contractor examination (Prov) or NASCLA Portable EC exam⁶
Given by: Prov (Provexam), per the Board forms⁸
Retakes: Re-test by filing form ERT-5 with the $165 contractor exam fee.⁸
Time limit: An approved contractor exam application expires one year from approval if the exam is not passed and licensing requirements are not met.¹
Exam waived: The Board may waive the contractor exam for military/federal personnel and military spouses transferred to Alabama who hold a current electrical contracting license elsewhere.¹

Background check

Felony disclosure on EC-1; the Board may refuse a license for a conviction directly related to electrical contracting.³

Residency or citizenship

Must be a U.S. citizen or lawfully present, with proof.³

Business requirements

Active contractors must submit corporation documents or a Certificate of Foreign Authority and the EC-2 business information form; the license is issued to a person in a firm, who is the person in responsible charge. Qualifying a second business requires a Board appearance and an additional fee.¹

Business requirements

If the licensed contractor leaves the firm, the firm must notify the Board within 5 days and stop contracting until a new licensed contractor is approved.¹

Fees

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

How to apply

1. Send the paper Electrical Contractor Examination Application (ECE-1) with the $165 exam fee by mail to PO Box 301008, Montgomery, AL 36130-1008 or by email to [email protected]. Applications must reach the Board 14 days before a Board meeting.⁹ Form (PDF, aecb.alabama.gov)⁵
2. After approval, pass the Alabama (Prov) or NASCLA contractor exam.¹
3. Apply for the license with forms EC-1 and EC-2 (plus corporation documents or Certificate of Foreign Authority) and the $150 license fee, by email to [email protected].⁹ Form (PDF, aecb.alabama.gov)⁵
4. Get the local building permit and business license in each city/county where you work.³

Temporary or provisional license

Emergency certification (up to 90 days) for a firm whose licensed contractor dies or is incapacitated.¹

Renewal

Renewal fee

$150¹

Required topics

CE is earned in 2-hour increments from Board-approved courses; one hour is at least 50 minutes; up to 7 hours may roll over; courses cannot be repeated in the same period.⁷

Approved courses

Board-approved providers only; since May 2026 providers must report CE through the CE Provider Portal and the Board no longer accepts certificates from contractors for hours taken after May 1, 2026.¹¹

Exemptions

No CE for the first renewal year after initial licensure.⁷

Late renewal

Late renewal fee: $50¹² (renewal received after the last day of the renewal month)
Reinstatement fee: $50¹ (restoring an expired license (within 5 years), per year, plus all accrued renewal fees and CE)

If it expires

Expired licenses can be reinstated within 5 years by paying the reinstatement fee, all accrued renewal fees and completing CE (possibly up to 35 hours). After 5 years, the person must pass the exam again and apply as a new applicant.¹

From another state

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1, group 2 and group 3 under Applies to every license level.

City and county rules

Electrical Contractor (also called "Master Electrician")Alabama licenses electrical contractors and journeyman electricians statewide through the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors. State law also accepts a county or city license for work inside that county or city, and cities may require their own exam; but a state license holder must be allowed to work anywhere once they have the local building permit and business license. Mobile runs a city certificate-of-competency program (Board of Electrical Examiners, city exams and fees, $10,000 bond) and requires a state or city license to bid. Huntsville and Montgomery issue electrical permits only to state-licensed contractors and require a city business license. Birmingham asks master electricians for a copy of their state license when they apply for a business license.³

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire an electrician in Alabama, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Alabama is on the Alabama license lookup page.

File a complaint

aecb.alabama.gov¹⁷

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• Code of Ala. 1975, Title 34, Chapter 36 (Alabama Electrical Contractors Act), §§ 34-36-1 to 34-36-18
• Ala. Admin. Code ch. 303-X-3, effective February 14, 2026
• Ala. Admin. Code ch. 303-X-4 (Continuing Education)
• Code of Ala. 1975 § 34-36-7(d)

Rule changes since January 2024

• October 6, 2026: AECB launched online exam application and licensing for journeyman electricians.¹⁰
• February 14, 2026: Board rules 303-X-3 repealed and replaced (fees effective January 17, 2026).¹
• May 15, 2024: No new provisional electrical contractor licenses after this date; renewals only.³

Common questions

Electrician licenses in other states

• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming