⚠️ 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: Oregon → Washington

Everything you need to know about transferring your electrician license from Oregon 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	Oregon (OR)	Washington (WA)
Education Requirements●	576 hours of pre-licensing education for General Journeyman (J); 288 hours for Limited Residential (LR). Covers electrical theory, Oregon Electrical Code, NEC, and workplace safety.	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: PSI Services; NEC: 2023 NEC (NFPA 70-2023), adopted as 2023 Oregon Electrical Specialty Code (OESC), effective October 1, 2023; 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: No prior experience required; must work under supervision of a licensed journeyman or supervising electrician; journeyman: 8,000 hours of supervised work experience plus 576 hours of pre-licensing education in electrical theory, Oregon Electrical Code, NEC, and workplace safety; master: Must hold a General Journeyman Electrician (J) license; additional supervising-level exam required. Serves as Responsible Managing Individual (RMI) for electrical contractor businesses.	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	journeyman license fee: $100; master license fee: $100; exam fee: Included in application fee; renewal fee: $100; total initial fees: $100-$200; 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, on October 1. Specific renewal year depends on license type.; CE hours: 24; Fee: $100	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: Oregon requires "576 hours of pre-licensing education for General Journeyman (J); 288 hours for Limited Residential (LR). Covers electrical theory, Oregon Electrical Code, NEC, and workplace safety." 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: Oregon — apprentice: No prior experience required; must work under supervision of a licensed journeyman or supervising electrician; journeyman: 8,000 hours of supervised work experience plus 576 hours of pre-licensing education in electrical theory, Oregon Electrical Code, NEC, and workplace safety; master: Must hold a General Journeyman Electrician (J) license; additional supervising-level exam required. Serves as Responsible Managing Individual (RMI) for electrical contractor businesses.; 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: Oregon — Period: 3 years, on October 1. Specific renewal year depends on license type.; CE hours: 24; Fee: $100; 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 Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, Building Codes Division (BCD) — this often takes 4–8 weeks. Visit Oregon 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	Oregon (OR)	Washington (WA)
Education Requirements●	576 hours of pre-licensing education for General Journeyman (J); 288 hours for Limited Residential (LR). Covers electrical theory, Oregon Electrical Code, NEC, and workplace safety.	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: PSI Services; NEC: 2023 NEC (NFPA 70-2023), adopted as 2023 Oregon Electrical Specialty Code (OESC), effective October 1, 2023; 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: No prior experience required; must work under supervision of a licensed journeyman or supervising electrician; journeyman: 8,000 hours of supervised work experience plus 576 hours of pre-licensing education in electrical theory, Oregon Electrical Code, NEC, and workplace safety; master: Must hold a General Journeyman Electrician (J) license; additional supervising-level exam required. Serves as Responsible Managing Individual (RMI) for electrical contractor businesses.	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	journeyman license fee: $100; master license fee: $100; exam fee: Included in application fee; renewal fee: $100; total initial fees: $100-$200; 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, on October 1. Specific renewal year depends on license type.; CE hours: 24; Fee: $100	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: Oregon requires "576 hours of pre-licensing education for General Journeyman (J); 288 hours for Limited Residential (LR). Covers electrical theory, Oregon Electrical Code, NEC, and workplace safety." 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: Oregon — apprentice: No prior experience required; must work under supervision of a licensed journeyman or supervising electrician; journeyman: 8,000 hours of supervised work experience plus 576 hours of pre-licensing education in electrical theory, Oregon Electrical Code, NEC, and workplace safety; master: Must hold a General Journeyman Electrician (J) license; additional supervising-level exam required. Serves as Responsible Managing Individual (RMI) for electrical contractor businesses.; 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: Oregon — Period: 3 years, on October 1. Specific renewal year depends on license type.; CE hours: 24; Fee: $100; 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 Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, Building Codes Division (BCD) — this often takes 4–8 weeks. Visit Oregon 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: Oregon → Washington

No Reciprocity

Requirements Comparison

Key Differences

Next Steps

Washington Licensing Board

Prepare for Your Licensing Exam

Related Pages

Transfer Your Electrician License: Oregon → Washington

No Reciprocity

Requirements Comparison

Key Differences

Next Steps

Washington Licensing Board

Prepare for Your Licensing Exam

Related Pages