A practical walkthrough of how to get a Georgia electrical contractor license: Class I versus Class II, the experience and apprenticeship routes, the PSI exam, application steps, state fees and renewal.
Georgia issues two electrical contractor licenses, Class I and Class II, through the Division of Electrical Contractors. This guide walks through who needs one, the experience and exam path, the application steps, state fees, and what changes once you are ready to license a company.
At a glance
- License types: Class I (restricted) and Class II (unrestricted) electrical contractor. Georgia has no separate statewide journeyman or master electrician credential.
- Experience: Class I needs 3 years full time; Class II needs 4 years full time including 2 years on three phase systems.
- Exam: A PSI class specific exam, 140 scored questions, minimum final scaled score of 70.
- Application fee: $110 for the initial Electrical Contractor application. State, exam and background check fees are separate.
- Renewal: Every two years, due June 30 of even numbered years, with continuing education.
Who needs an electrical license in Georgia
Georgia's State Construction Industry Licensing Board licenses electrical contractors through its Division of Electrical Contractors. No person may engage in electrical contracting, defined as the installation, maintenance, alteration or repair of electrical equipment, apparatus, control systems or wiring attached to a building or structure, without a valid Class I or Class II license. An unlicensed person is also barred from advertising as being in the electrical contracting business.
A handful of situations fall outside this requirement: regular full time employees working on their own employer's premises, an individual working on a residential dwelling they own or occupy, and farm or ranch wiring more than 30 feet from a dwelling, among others. These exceptions are narrow and do not cover paid contracting work for the public.
If your company also plans other licensed trades, keep electrical qualification separate from that planning. Our Georgia contractor license guide covers the state's broader contractor licensing picture, and our national contractor license guide explains how licensing works trade by trade across states.
Class I and Class II: scope and the triggers that decide your class
The class you need depends on the structures and electrical service you intend to work on, not on how large your company plans to become.
| Item | Class I (Restricted) | Class II (Unrestricted) |
|---|---|---|
| Structures | Multifamily up to 2 levels, single family up to 3 levels | No structure limit |
| Electrical service | Single phase only, 400A max at service drop or lateral | No amperage or phase limit |
| Typical trigger | Residential and light multifamily work | Commercial, industrial or three phase work |
A project that looks small is not automatically Class I work. If the service exceeds 400 amperes or involves three phase power, or the structure exceeds the level limits above, it falls under Class II regardless of the building's residential appearance. Describe the actual jobs you plan to perform, including building type, levels and service characteristics, before choosing a class.
Experience, education and apprenticeship routes
One year of qualifying full time experience means 2,000 documented work hours. Each class offers three ways to qualify.
| Class and route | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Class I direct experience | 3 years full time, 5 of 7 areas plus calculations |
| Class I academic | 2 year diploma plus 2 years experience |
| Class I apprenticeship | Completed US DOL approved apprenticeship |
| Class II direct experience | 4 years full time, 2 years three phase |
| Class II academic | 2 year diploma plus 4 years experience |
| Class II apprenticeship | Apprenticeship plus 1 year three phase |
Notes on the table:
- Class I direct experience also requires separate competency in load calculations beyond the 5 of 7 installation areas.
- Class II academic experience is 4 years total, and 2 of those years must be on three phase systems, same as the direct experience route.
- The academic and apprenticeship routes are not a blanket credit you subtract from every application; each one carries its own full requirement rather than replacing it.
Each applicant's supervising licensed contractor, or in the alternative a licensed architect, professional engineer or electrical engineer, must sign a sworn affidavit confirming the experience. If more than one person supervised different periods of your work, each supervisor submits a separate affidavit for the period they personally oversaw.
The PSI electrical contractor exam
PSI administers a separate, class specific examination for Class I and Class II through the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board's Division of Electrical Contractors.
| Exam | Scored questions | Pretest questions | Passing standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class I, Restricted | 140 | 15 | Minimum final scaled score of 70 |
| Class II, Unrestricted | 140 | 22 | Minimum final scaled score of 70 |
Pretest questions do not count toward your score. Each class exam allows up to four hours; a candidate sitting both exams in one appointment is allotted eight hours total, split into two four hour sessions with a break between them. The exam blends technical electrical content with business topics such as workers' compensation, the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board's own rules, OSHA Title 29 Part 1926, bonding basics and job cost estimating, so study the business content alongside the wiring content.
The candidate handbook lists the full reference list you may bring, including the American Electricians' Handbook, the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, the current year's IRS Circular E, OSHA Title 29 Part 1926, the 2023 National Electrical Code or Handbook, and Ugly's Electrical References. If you fail the exam twice, Board Rule 121-2-.06 requires a board approved review course before a third attempt.
How to apply: the application steps
- Choose your class by comparing your intended work against the Class I and Class II scope definitions, not by which application looks shorter.
- Choose your qualifying route, matching direct experience, academic plus experience, or apprenticeship to your actual work history.
- Create a GOALS account at the Secretary of State's licensing portal and complete the Electrical Contractor application for your class.
- Consent to a criminal background check, including fingerprinting, which Georgia law requires of every applicant and which the applicant pays for directly.
- Assemble your supporting documents: a secure identity document, an affidavit of lawful presence, the supervising licensee's signed experience affidavit (a separate affidavit from each supervisor if more than one oversaw your experience), and three reference forms on the board's required form, with at least one reference from a licensed electrical contractor.
- Pay the $110 application fee and submit through GOALS.
- Wait for board review, which the Board's How-To Guide states takes about 20 business days, then receive your exam approval notice.
- Schedule and pass the PSI exam for your class, then wait for PSI to report your score to the board before your license issues.
Want the application done for you?
Once you know your class and have your experience documented, the application itself is still a state form that has to be filled out correctly, backed by the right affidavits, and resubmitted correctly if the board has questions. The Licensing Company's License Application Processing service prepares and submits your Georgia contractor license application: an eligibility audit before anything is filed, a document checklist so you know exactly what to gather, every state form prepared and reviewed line by line, submission the way the board requires, and the board's follow up questions answered and resubmitted until the board decides.
It is a flat $999 per state application, paid up front. State fees, exam fees, background checks and fingerprinting are paid to the state, not to us. This service does not promise approval, does not promise a timeline, and does not take the PSI exam for you. Call 615-219-2110 to discuss your application.
Bond, insurance and background check requirements
Unlike Georgia's general contractors, electrical contractors carry no state mandated surety bond requirement under Chapter 14. The only bond mechanism in the chapter is an optional local code compliance bond that licensed conditioned air contractors and licensed plumbers may post with a county probate court, and it does not apply to electrical contractors. Insurance decisions, including general liability coverage, are a business matter the exam's business and law content touches on rather than a fixed state minimum tied to your license.
The background check and fingerprinting consent you give during the GOALS application is mandatory, and you are responsible for its fee. Build that step and its turnaround time into your application timeline.
Timeline: how long licensing takes
Three stages drive your timeline: gathering and documenting experience, board review of your application, and the exam itself. The Board's How-To Guide states that initial review of a completed application runs about 20 business days before exam approval. After you sit the exam, the candidate handbook states PSI can take up to six weeks to deliver your official score report to the board, after which board staff communicates your result. Add time for assembling supervisor affidavits and identity documents before you ever submit, since incomplete applications restart the review clock.
Renewal and continuing education
Electrical contractor licenses run on a two year cycle, due for renewal by June 30 of even numbered years. A late renewal is available for up to 31 days after expiration before the license lapses. A lapsed license can still be reinstated, with lighter requirements inside three years of expiration and additional requirements, potentially including reexamination, after three years have passed.
Each year you hold the license you need 4 hours of continuing education, totaling 8 hours across the two year renewal cycle. Licensees record completed coursework in the state's CE Broker system. If you fail the PSI exam twice, complete the board approved review course required by Board Rule 121-2-.06 before your next attempt.
Georgia law allows the board to extend reciprocity by rule to applicants already licensed in a state with substantially equal requirements, but the Board of Electrical Contractors has stated that no reciprocity pathway is currently being offered. An out of state electrician should plan to apply under Georgia's standard experience and exam requirements rather than relying on an earlier reciprocal arrangement.
What changes when you form a company
A partnership, LLC or corporation cannot lawfully engage in electrical contracting unless a validly licensed individual is actively and regularly connected to the business on a full time basis. That connection has to reflect a real working role, not a name on paper.
If your qualifying licensee dies, the company's partners, officers and employees may keep operating under that license for 90 days, and the division may grant one additional 90 day grace period at its discretion, for up to 180 days total. Georgia law does not provide an equivalent grace period for a qualifier who resigns or is let go while still living. A company must notify the division within seven days whenever its qualifying connection is severed, and it needs a validly licensed individual connected to it continuously to keep operating lawfully.
If you are not ready to qualify on your own
If you cannot yet meet Class I or Class II experience requirements under your own name, a licensed electrical contractor can still qualify your company while you build toward your own license. A qualifying agent qualifies the company as an owner or full time W-2 employee who actively supervises the work, not as a name borrowed for the paperwork. Learn how a qualifying agent can qualify your company and read what a qualifying agent actually is and is not before you structure that relationship.
If your company also performs plumbing work, our separate Georgia plumbing license guide covers that trade's own licensing path. Qualifying for electrical work does not establish authority for another trade.
Georgia electrical license frequently asked questions
How do I get a Georgia electrical license?
Choose Class I or Class II based on the work you intend to perform, meet that class's experience or training route, submit your GOALS application with the required affidavits and background check consent, pass the board's review, then pass the corresponding PSI exam.
Does Georgia license individual electricians or journeymen?
No. Georgia licenses electrical contractors, not individual journeyman or master electricians. Workers building toward a license gain experience within a licensed contractor's structure, then apply for Class I or Class II once they meet the requirements.
What is the real difference between Class I and Class II?
Class I covers single phase residential and light multifamily work up to the statutory level and amperage limits. Class II has no structure or amperage limit and specifically requires documented three phase experience. The difference is about scope of work, not about seniority.
How much does a Georgia electrical license cost?
The board's published initial application fee is $110, separate from the PSI exam fee and any background check cost. Confirm current exam pricing with PSI and current renewal pricing through the GOALS portal when you apply, since those figures are set outside the statute and can change.
How long does it take to get an electrical license in Georgia?
Expect roughly 20 business days for the board's initial application review, plus PSI exam scheduling and up to six weeks for PSI to deliver your score to the board after you test. Gathering supervisor affidavits and documentation beforehand is usually the step that most affects your actual timeline.
Is there an "electrical business license" separate from the contractor license?
Searches for an electrical business license usually mean one of two things: the Electrical Contractor license itself, or a local city or county business license and tax registration layered on top of it. Georgia's contractor license is a state credential; check with your local jurisdiction separately about any business license or occupational tax certificate it requires.
Does Georgia offer electrical license reciprocity?
Georgia law allows the board to grant reciprocity by rule to applicants from states with substantially equal requirements, but the board has stated that no reciprocity pathway is currently being offered. Apply under the standard Georgia requirements rather than assuming an older reciprocal agreement still applies.
Sources
S1. Senate Bill 553 (2026), enacted Chapter 14. Retrieved October 5, 2026.
S2. Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Electrical Contractors, Candidate Information Handbook. Retrieved October 5, 2026.
S3. Board How-To Guide for Electrical Contractors. Retrieved October 5, 2026.
S4. Board of Electrical Contractors FAQ. Retrieved October 5, 2026 (page blocked automated access today; CE Broker and reciprocity facts carried from this source's prior verified retrieval of September 22, 2026).
S5. Georgia professional license verification service. Retrieved October 5, 2026.
S6. GOALS fee schedule portal. Retrieved October 5, 2026, for current exam, renewal and reinstatement pricing.
Plan your Georgia electrical company
Bring your intended class of work, existing credentials and supervision needs to the conversation. Call 615-219-2110, ask about License Application Processing for the application itself, or request help with a qualifying agent to plan the licensed role that fits your Georgia electrical operations.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.