⚠️ Important: This comparison is based on published state licensing requirements and may not reflect recent changes. Reciprocity and transfer rules change frequently and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis by state licensing boards. This tool is for research purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Always contact Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Electrical Program directly to confirm current transfer requirements before submitting any applications or fees.

Transfer Your Electrician License: Idaho → Washington

Everything you need to know about transferring your electrician license from Idaho to Washington

No Reciprocity

Reciprocity with Oregon only, for 01 General Journey Level Electricians. Oregon General Journeyman (J) or General Supervising (S) holders who obtained license through exam and 8,000-hour apprenticeship may apply for WA 01 certificate without examination. Application fee: $107.60 ($41.40 nonrefundable). No reciprocity for any specialty categories.

Requirements Comparison

Requirement	Idaho (ID)	Washington (WA)
Education Requirements●	576 hours of classroom instruction required as part of apprenticeship; 4 years of approved electrical apprentice school for standard pathway	Must be enrolled in a state-approved apprenticeship program (effective July 2023); 48 hours of basic classroom instruction required every 2 years for trainees
Exam Requirements●	Provider: NASCLA examination, administered through PSI/Pearson VUE; NEC: 2020 NEC (current exam basis); transitioning to 2023 NEC as NASCLA updates its exam; Journeyman exam: required; Master exam: required	Provider: PSI; NEC: 2023 NEC, effective April 1, 2024 (confirmed via LNI laws/rules page context; current exams use 2023 NEC); Journeyman exam: required; Master exam: required
Experience Requirements●	apprentice: Level 1: 0–2,000 hrs; Level 2: 2,000–4,000 hrs; Level 3: 4,000–6,000 hrs; Level 4: 6,000–8,000 hrs. Must be at least 16 years old. All work under supervision of an Idaho-licensed journeyman.; journeyman: Option A: 4 years of approved electrical apprentice school + 8,000 hours of supervised work experience. Option B: 16,000+ hours of supervised work experience as apprentice. Option C (in-state): 4 years school + 6,000 hours (must work additional 2,000 hours after passing exam before licensure). All options require 576 hours of classroom instruction.; master: Must have held an active Journeyman license for 4 years and pass the NASCLA examination before submitting an application to DOPL.	apprentice: No prior experience required; must be enrolled in a state-approved apprenticeship program (effective July 2023); journeyman: 8,000 hours, no more than 4,000 of which can be worked in 4,000-hour specialties (i.e., at least 4,000 hours must be in new industrial or commercial installations); master: Must hold a valid 01 General Journey Level Electrician certificate; additional master-level exam required
Fees	apprentice registration fee: $15; journeyman license fee: $130; master license fee: $65; exam fee: $75; renewal fee: $45; total initial fees: $130; confidence: high	journeyman license fee: $107.60; master license fee: $192.10 ($41.40 nonrefundable); exam fee: Included in application fee; renewal fee: $137.90; total initial fees: $268.20; confidence: high
Renewal / CE Requirements●	Period: 3 years (triennial) for Journeyman and Master; annual for Apprentice and Contractor; CE hours: 0; Fee: $45	Period: 3 years, expires on licensee's birthdate; CE hours: 24; Fee: $137.90

Data verified as of 2026-04-03. Requirements may have changed since verification.

Key Differences

Washington does not offer reciprocity for electrician licenses.
Education differs: Idaho requires "576 hours of classroom instruction required as part of apprenticeship; 4 years of approved electrical apprentice school for standard pathway" while Washington requires "Must be enrolled in a state-approved apprenticeship program (effective July 2023); 48 hours of basic classroom instruction required every 2 years for trainees".
Experience differs: Idaho — apprentice: Level 1: 0–2,000 hrs; Level 2: 2,000–4,000 hrs; Level 3: 4,000–6,000 hrs; Level 4: 6,000–8,000 hrs. Must be at least 16 years old. All work under supervision of an Idaho-licensed journeyman.; journeyman: Option A: 4 years of approved electrical apprentice school + 8,000 hours of supervised work experience. Option B: 16,000+ hours of supervised work experience as apprentice. Option C (in-state): 4 years school + 6,000 hours (must work additional 2,000 hours after passing exam before licensure). All options require 576 hours of classroom instruction.; master: Must have held an active Journeyman license for 4 years and pass the NASCLA examination before submitting an application to DOPL.; Washington — apprentice: No prior experience required; must be enrolled in a state-approved apprenticeship program (effective July 2023); journeyman: 8,000 hours, no more than 4,000 of which can be worked in 4,000-hour specialties (i.e., at least 4,000 hours must be in new industrial or commercial installations); master: Must hold a valid 01 General Journey Level Electrician certificate; additional master-level exam required.
Renewal differs: Idaho — Period: 3 years (triennial) for Journeyman and Master; annual for Apprentice and Contractor; CE hours: 0; Fee: $45; Washington — Period: 3 years, expires on licensee's birthdate; CE hours: 24; Fee: $137.90.

Next Steps

1
Contact the destination state board to confirm current transfer/reciprocity requirements. Visit Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Electrical Program →
2
Request credential verification from Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) – Electrical Program / Idaho Electrical Board — this often takes 4–8 weeks. Visit Idaho board →
3
Gather required documentation (education transcripts, experience logs, exam scores).
4
Submit your application to Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Electrical Program.

These steps are general guidance based on common transfer processes. Your state may have a different process. Always follow the instructions provided by your state licensing board.

Washington Licensing Board

Board: Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Electrical Program
Website: https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/electrical/
Phone: 360-902-5269

Contact Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Electrical Program to confirm current transfer requirements →

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GetLicenseMap is a research tool and does not provide legal, financial, or professional licensing advice. Licensing requirements vary by state and change frequently. Verify all information directly with your state licensing board before making licensing decisions.

No Reciprocity

Requirements Comparison

Requirement	Idaho (ID)	Washington (WA)
Education Requirements●	576 hours of classroom instruction required as part of apprenticeship; 4 years of approved electrical apprentice school for standard pathway	Must be enrolled in a state-approved apprenticeship program (effective July 2023); 48 hours of basic classroom instruction required every 2 years for trainees
Exam Requirements●	Provider: NASCLA examination, administered through PSI/Pearson VUE; NEC: 2020 NEC (current exam basis); transitioning to 2023 NEC as NASCLA updates its exam; Journeyman exam: required; Master exam: required	Provider: PSI; NEC: 2023 NEC, effective April 1, 2024 (confirmed via LNI laws/rules page context; current exams use 2023 NEC); Journeyman exam: required; Master exam: required
Experience Requirements●	apprentice: Level 1: 0–2,000 hrs; Level 2: 2,000–4,000 hrs; Level 3: 4,000–6,000 hrs; Level 4: 6,000–8,000 hrs. Must be at least 16 years old. All work under supervision of an Idaho-licensed journeyman.; journeyman: Option A: 4 years of approved electrical apprentice school + 8,000 hours of supervised work experience. Option B: 16,000+ hours of supervised work experience as apprentice. Option C (in-state): 4 years school + 6,000 hours (must work additional 2,000 hours after passing exam before licensure). All options require 576 hours of classroom instruction.; master: Must have held an active Journeyman license for 4 years and pass the NASCLA examination before submitting an application to DOPL.	apprentice: No prior experience required; must be enrolled in a state-approved apprenticeship program (effective July 2023); journeyman: 8,000 hours, no more than 4,000 of which can be worked in 4,000-hour specialties (i.e., at least 4,000 hours must be in new industrial or commercial installations); master: Must hold a valid 01 General Journey Level Electrician certificate; additional master-level exam required
Fees	apprentice registration fee: $15; journeyman license fee: $130; master license fee: $65; exam fee: $75; renewal fee: $45; total initial fees: $130; confidence: high	journeyman license fee: $107.60; master license fee: $192.10 ($41.40 nonrefundable); exam fee: Included in application fee; renewal fee: $137.90; total initial fees: $268.20; confidence: high
Renewal / CE Requirements●	Period: 3 years (triennial) for Journeyman and Master; annual for Apprentice and Contractor; CE hours: 0; Fee: $45	Period: 3 years, expires on licensee's birthdate; CE hours: 24; Fee: $137.90

Data verified as of 2026-04-03. Requirements may have changed since verification.

Key Differences

Washington does not offer reciprocity for electrician licenses.

Education differs: Idaho requires "576 hours of classroom instruction required as part of apprenticeship; 4 years of approved electrical apprentice school for standard pathway" while Washington requires "Must be enrolled in a state-approved apprenticeship program (effective July 2023); 48 hours of basic classroom instruction required every 2 years for trainees".

Experience differs: Idaho — apprentice: Level 1: 0–2,000 hrs; Level 2: 2,000–4,000 hrs; Level 3: 4,000–6,000 hrs; Level 4: 6,000–8,000 hrs. Must be at least 16 years old. All work under supervision of an Idaho-licensed journeyman.; journeyman: Option A: 4 years of approved electrical apprentice school + 8,000 hours of supervised work experience. Option B: 16,000+ hours of supervised work experience as apprentice. Option C (in-state): 4 years school + 6,000 hours (must work additional 2,000 hours after passing exam before licensure). All options require 576 hours of classroom instruction.; master: Must have held an active Journeyman license for 4 years and pass the NASCLA examination before submitting an application to DOPL.; Washington — apprentice: No prior experience required; must be enrolled in a state-approved apprenticeship program (effective July 2023); journeyman: 8,000 hours, no more than 4,000 of which can be worked in 4,000-hour specialties (i.e., at least 4,000 hours must be in new industrial or commercial installations); master: Must hold a valid 01 General Journey Level Electrician certificate; additional master-level exam required.

Renewal differs: Idaho — Period: 3 years (triennial) for Journeyman and Master; annual for Apprentice and Contractor; CE hours: 0; Fee: $45; Washington — Period: 3 years, expires on licensee's birthdate; CE hours: 24; Fee: $137.90.

Next Steps

Contact the destination state board to confirm current transfer/reciprocity requirements. Visit Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Electrical Program →

Request credential verification from Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) – Electrical Program / Idaho Electrical Board — this often takes 4–8 weeks. Visit Idaho board →

Gather required documentation (education transcripts, experience logs, exam scores).

Submit your application to Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Electrical Program.

These steps are general guidance based on common transfer processes. Your state may have a different process. Always follow the instructions provided by your state licensing board.

Transfer Your Electrician License: Idaho → Washington

No Reciprocity

Requirements Comparison

Key Differences

Next Steps

Washington Licensing Board

Prepare for Your Licensing Exam

Related Pages

Transfer Your Electrician License: Idaho → Washington

No Reciprocity

Requirements Comparison

Key Differences

Next Steps

Washington Licensing Board

Prepare for Your Licensing Exam

Related Pages