How to get an Electrical contractor license in Ohio

Who needs an Electrical contractor license

License for the individual responsible for the means, method and manner of electrical construction on commercial construction projects (buildings under ORC ch. 3781, not residential buildings); the license is issued to an individual and assigned to one contracting company, which works under it. Local building departments may also require it for residential work.⁶

Work that does not need this license:

• Work limited to systems under 50 volts (fire/burglar alarm, cabling, tele-data, sound, communication, landscape lighting and irrigation) does not need an electrical contractor license.¹

Other rules on who may do this work:

• Residential buildings are outside the state license (local jurisdictions regulate them).⁷
• Workers paid on a 1099 are independent contractors and need their own state license; tradespeople under the license must be W-2 employees of the company (or from a national temporary agency).⁴

Requirements for an Electrical contractor license

Minimum age

18 years old⁴

Experience

At least 5 years²
Five years as a tradesperson in the electrical trade immediately before applying; or an Ohio registered engineer with three years of business experience in the trade; or other experience acceptable to the electrical section (the form also lists five years as an Ohio government inspector in the trade). Proof: last five years of W-2s/Schedule C/K-1 plus one of: a permit for each of the last five years from the licensed employer, an active journeyman card, an Ohio- or USDOL-approved apprenticeship completion certificate, or 40 hours of live/webinar code CE from an OCILB-approved provider.²
Supervision: Experience must be as a tradesperson employed by a contractor; permits shown must be pulled by the licensed contractor the applicant worked under (sewer/water/gas service and drain-cleaning permits do not count).⁶
Substitute: Ohio registered professional engineer with three years of business experience in the electrical construction trade.³
Substitute: Uniformed-services experience substantially similar to the trade for three of the five years before applying.²

Exam

OCILB electrical contractor examination (two sections; computer-based through PSI)³
Given by: PSI³
When you can take it: After the board approves the application (approval valid one year) and BCI and FBI background checks are done.³
Both sections of the exam must be passed (the reciprocity list notes where a Business and Law (B&L) exam is required for partner states).⁴
Retakes: Retake no sooner than 60 days after the last attempt; after five failed attempts, reapply before testing again.²
Time limit: The passing score must be within the 12 months before licensure.⁸

Background check

Background check required⁴
Fingerprints required³
License may be refused for a conviction only under ORC 9.79 (disqualifying-offense list); OCILB publishes a disqualifying offenses PDF.²

Residency or citizenship

U.S. citizen or legal alien with documentation.²

Insurance

Contractor liability insurance of at least $500,000 in one contracting company name, maintained all license year (certificate must list OCILB as holder).⁴

Business requirements

License must be assigned to one contracting company (no DBAs); the license holder must be actively engaged and available to the company; on leaving, reassignment waits 90 days unless a release letter is given.⁴

Business requirements

License number must appear on all advertising showing the company name.⁴

How much an Electrical contractor 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.

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee; check it with the exam provider, PSI³, when you schedule.

How to apply

1. Complete and notarize the OCILB Examination Application (DIC 3524), choosing Electrical, and attach five years of tax documents plus one proof option (permits, journeyman card, apprenticeship certificate or 40 CE hours); send with the $25 fee to OCILB, 6606 Tussing Road, Reynoldsburg (or email [email protected]).⁴ Form (PDF, dam.assets.ohio.gov)³
2. The board reviews eligibility and notifies you by mail; approval is valid for one year.³
3. Get BCI and FBI background checks (WebCheck) sent directly to OCILB.⁴
4. Schedule and pass both exam sections with PSI using the Candidate Information Bulletin.³
5. Send the exam results, the $25 licensing fee and a certificate of liability insurance (at least $500,000, OCILB as certificate holder) for the contracting company the license will be assigned to.⁴

Application form

Form (PDF, dam.assets.ohio.gov)³

Temporary or provisional license

A section may grant a one-year conditional license (criminal-history context).²

Processing time

Renewed licenses are processed and mailed within two business days; exam-qualified applicants must be authorized within 90 days of filing.⁴

Renewal and continuing education

How often

Every year²

When it expires

Expires annually on the original license date; renew up to 90 days before expiry; one-year or three-year renewal options per the board.⁴

Renewal fee

$60⁴ (Annual renewal)

Required topics

Electrical: half of the required hours in code courses.⁴

Approved courses

OCILB-approved training agencies; self-guided online hours limited (4 per year on one-year renewals, 12 over a three-year renewal).⁴

Exemptions

Licenses in escrow (inactive) need no CE or insurance but pay the renewal fee annually; reactivation needs up to 24 CE hours and proof of insurance.⁴

If it expires

Within one year after expiry the section may waive renewal requirements (late fee up to double); expired more than one year: reapply and re-test.⁴

Renew online

elicense4.com.ohio.gov⁴

Moving to Ohio with a license from another state

These are the routes OCILB publishes for the Electrical contractor license.

Military service members, veterans and spouses: Uniformed-services members with substantially similar trade activity for three of the last five years qualify for the exam (approval within 30 days); veterans attach a DD214 and training records.²

City and county rules

Cities may register contractors only if the contractor also holds the state OCILB license, and may separately register or license tradespersons. Columbus and Cleveland require the state license plus city registration; Toledo also registers electrical contractors ($200) and licenses its own journeymen and apprentices.¹²

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

elicense4.com.ohio.gov⁴

File a complaint

com.ohio.gov⁷

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• Ohio Rev. Code 4740.01 (definitions)
• Ohio Rev. Code 4740.02 (board; electrical section)
• Ohio Rev. Code 4740.04 (examinations, licenses, CE rules)
• Ohio Rev. Code 4740.05 (specialty sections; CE limits)
• Ohio Rev. Code 4740.06 (license application, qualifications, renewal)
• Ohio Rev. Code 4740.061 (criminal records check)
• Ohio Rev. Code 4740.07 (assignment to contracting company)
• Ohio Rev. Code 4740.09
• Ohio Rev. Code 4740.10 (discipline)
• Ohio Rev. Code 4740.12 (local regulation preserved)
• Ohio Rev. Code 4740.13 (license required; low-voltage exemption)

Common questions

Electrician licenses in other states

• Alabama
• 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
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• North Carolina
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• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
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