Nevada issues no state journeyman electrician license. Electricians carry a local card where a city or county requires one, and companies need the NSCB C-2 license: 4 years of experience, two PSI exams, a $300 application and a $600 two year license fee.
Nevada does not issue a state journeyman or master electrician license. Individual electricians carry a local electrical card where their city or county requires one, and the state credential is the C-2 Electrical contractor license from the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB), which a company needs before it bids or contracts electrical work. This guide covers both, from the card in your wallet to the license on your company's wall.
New to licensing in Nevada? Start with the Nevada contractor license requirements, and for every other state see how to get a contractor license in each state.
At a glance Who issues it: the Nevada State Contractors Board licenses the company; local card programs cover individual electricians. Experience: 4 years as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor within the last 15 years. Exams: the PSI Business and Law (CMS) exam and the C-2 trade exam, passed within 6 months of filing. Fees: $300 application and $600 for the two year license at the NSCB, and $140 at PSI for both exams. Bond: set by the board at $1,000 to $500,000.
Is There a Nevada Journeyman Electrician License?
Not from the state. The NSCB licenses contracting businesses, not individual tradespeople, so there is no state journeyman or master card to apply for. The individual credential comes from local government.
Reno is the clearest example. The City of Reno says no person or company may install, alter or add electrical wiring or equipment in the city unless the work is done by someone holding a valid journeyman certificate, and apprentices need a card from an approved apprenticeship program. Reno points electricians to the International Code Council (ICC) journeyman or residential electrician exam, then to Electrical Safety Professionals (ESP) for the ID card, which is valid for three years.
Reno lists three exceptions: homeowners, crews working under a written supervision agreement kept on the job site, and contractors holding a reciprocal credential from another city, county, state or country, who must get the Reno certification after 12 months of work in the city.
Southern Nevada runs a card program too. The ICC's Clark County bulletin says the Clark County ID card program moved to administration by ESP, using the ICC master, journeyman and residential electrician exams. ESP names Clark County, the City of Las Vegas and the City of Henderson, along with Reno, as places that require at least a journeyman card to install electrical systems, so check with the building department where you will work before you schedule a test.
How the Nevada Electrical Card Works
ESP issues the Nevada Electrical Qualifications Card for these local programs. Its current notices set the terms below.
| Item | Journeyman or residential card | Master card |
|---|---|---|
| New card (since July 1, 2025) | 4,000 hours plus an ICC pass letter | 4,000 hours plus an ICC pass letter |
| Card fee, three year card | $85 | $100 |
| Continuing education per cycle | 18 hours (1.8 CEUs) | 30 hours (3.0 CEUs) |
Required CE topics: each renewal needs at least 8 hours from a National Electrical Code change class and 4 hours of NFPA 70E electrical safety, from ESP's approved provider list.
Exam edition: since April 1, 2026, only 2020 NEC and 2023 NEC based ICC exams count toward a new card, taken in person at a Pearson VUE center.
Late renewal: ESP charges no late fee for the first 30 days after a card expires, then $75 through day 90 and $100 through day 365. After one year the card goes inactive, and Reno says a card expired more than a year means taking the exam again.
A card lets you do the work. It does not let you bid or contract for it; that takes the C-2 below. For how the two tiers compare nationally, see our journeyman vs. master electrician guide.
What the C-2 Electrical Contractor License Covers
Under NAC 624.200, a C-2 holder may install any electrical wires, fixtures, appliances, apparatuses, raceways and conduits. The same rule lets a C-2 install, modify and maintain wind energy systems for homes and businesses that are not built to sell power commercially. The board also issues narrower subclassifications, each with its own PSI trade exam except C-2b.
| Subclass | Scope under NAC 624.200 |
|---|---|
| C-2a | Electrical wiring on existing structures |
| C-2b | Integrated ceilings |
| C-2c | Fire detection sensors and alarms |
| C-2d | Low voltage (91 volts or less) and fiber optics |
| C-2e | Overhead or underground secondary lines |
| C-2f | Residential wiring, 600 volts or less, three stories |
| C-2g | Photovoltaics, not wiring past the service panel |
The license belongs to the business, not to the person who qualifies it. The board issues it to an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company or joint venture, and every license carries a monetary limit: the largest contract the company may take on a single construction site for a single client (NRS 624.220). Nevada licenses its other trades the same way; see our Nevada HVAC license (C-21) guide, Nevada plumbing license (C-1) guide and Nevada general contractor license guide.
Do You Need a C-2 for a Small Electrical Job?
Yes. Nevada exempts repair or maintenance work under $1,000 in labor and materials, but NRS 624.031 takes that exemption away for any work of a type performed by an electrical contractor, any job that needs a building permit, and any part of a larger project worth $500 or more. NRS 624.220 adds that a licensed contractor in another trade may not do electrical work outside its classification, even under $1,000.
Contracting without a license is a crime. Under NRS 624.700 a bid or contract made without an active license is void, and NRS 624.750 makes a first offense a misdemeanor with a fine of $1,000 to $4,000. A second offense is a gross misdemeanor with a fine of $4,000 to $10,000, and a third is a category E felony with a fine of $10,000 to $20,000.
Experience Requirements for the Qualified Individual
NRS 624.260 requires the person qualifying the license to have, within the 15 years before the application, at least 4 years of experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor in the classification requested. Training in an accredited college or university program, or an equivalent program the board accepts, can count for up to 3 of those years. A person who has qualified a license in the same classification before does not need the experience inside the 15 year window.
The board accepts any of these as proof, per its license requirements page and the new license application (revised 03/2026):
- Four Certification of Work Experience forms that add up to at least 4 full years (1,460 days), one form per company, from employers, contractors or customers.
- A current master certification from a government agency in a similar discipline.
- Proof of transferable military experience and training.
- Licensure by endorsement from an equivalent state, covered below.
Each trade qualifier also completes a Resume of Experience. Relatives may sign a certificate only if they were your employer, and self employed applicants list the customers they worked for with addresses and phone numbers.
The Two PSI Exams
The NSCB contracts with PSI for testing. After you file and the board verifies experience, it mails an Examination Eligibility form with the qualifier's Candidate ID, and only then can you book. PSI's Nevada bulletin (updated 3/25/2026) sets these terms.
| Exam | Questions | Passing score | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business and Law (CMS) | 60 scored | 45 correct (75%) | 120 minutes |
| C-2 Electrical trade | 80 | 56 correct | 4 hours |
Open book: the CMS allows the Construction Business and Law Manual for Nevada, and the C-2 allows the 2017 National Electrical Code (or its handbook) and NFPA 72 (2010 or 2013 edition).
Deadline: NAC 624.600 requires the qualifier to pass within 6 months after the application is filed.
Retakes: you get three attempts at each exam, with a two week wait after a failed try. A third failure voids the application, and you may reapply with a new fee 30 days after the last exam.
Language and sites: PSI lists Spanish versions of the C-2 and CMS exams. The board lists PSI centers in Las Vegas, Reno and Elko, and PSI also offers the Nevada exams at its sites in other states. For booking, ID rules and rescheduling, see our guide to scheduling a contractor exam with PSI, Prov, or Pearson VUE.
Licensure by Endorsement From Another State
If the qualifier has held an equivalent license in an endorsing state for the past 4 years, with the same qualified individual and no discipline, the board can waive the experience certificates and, where its chart shows an equivalent exam, the trade exam. The Business and Law exam is still required. The board's equivalency chart lists these matches for the C-2.
| State | Equivalent license | Nevada C-2 trade exam |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | CR-11 Electrical | Waived with the CR-11 exam |
| California | C-10 Electrical Contractor | Waived with the C-10 exam |
| Connecticut | E-1 Unlimited Electrical | Waived with the E-1 exam |
| Louisiana | Electrical Work (Statewide) | Waived with that exam |
| North Carolina | Unlimited Electrical (U) | Waived with the U exam |
| Tennessee | CE Electrical Contracting | Waived with the CE exam |
| Florida | EC Electrical Contractor | Required |
| West Virginia | A Electrical Contractor | Required |
Send the board's Request for Verification of Licensure, completed by the other state, with your application.
The Licensing Steps in Order
- Register the business. Get a Nevada Business ID from the Secretary of State; the application needs it, and the legal name must match.
- Name the qualified individual who meets the 4 year rule, and gather the four experience certificates and resume, or the endorsement proof.
- Pick a monetary limit and prepare the financial statement that matches it, plus a Bank Verification Form completed by your bank.
- File the application with the $300 nonrefundable fee, plus background disclosure and fingerprint forms and ID copies for every person listed.
- Pass the CMS and C-2 exams at PSI once the eligibility form arrives, within 6 months of filing.
- Complete the approval items. After approval the board asks for the $600 license fee, the bond it sets, proof of workers' compensation or an exemption affidavit, and the Recovery Fund registration or exemption.
- Receive the license. The board says the wall certificate and pocket card arrive about two weeks after issue, and the wall certificate must hang in your main office.
Financial Statement, Monetary Limit and Bond
A financial statement is required at every monetary limit, and the limit you request decides what kind the board wants. Its license requirements page sets these tiers.
| Monetary limit requested | Financial statement accepted |
|---|---|
| $25,000 or less | CPA prepared, board form, or software with affidavit |
| Over $25,000, under $500,000 | CPA compiled (6 months) or reviewed or audited (1 year) |
| $500,000 to under $1,000,000 | CPA compiled with full disclosures, or reviewed or audited |
| $1,000,000 or more | CPA reviewed or audited, current within 1 year |
Ask for too little and you cap the jobs you can legally take; the board can raise a limit later for one project or permanently. If the company is thin on its own, an indemnitor's financial statement can be added on the board's form.
Bond. NRS 624.270 has the board fix each contractor's bond at no less than $1,000 and no more than $500,000, and the board says it weighs the type of license, the monetary limit, financial responsibility, experience and character. You post it as a surety bond from an A rated surety or as a cash deposit, which carries a $200 administrative fee every two years. For the national picture, see contractor bond requirements by state.
Workers' compensation. NRS 624.256 requires proof of industrial insurance before a license is issued or renewed. The exemption affidavit is only for an applicant with no employees who does not work or bid as a subcontractor for a principal contractor, and the board notes that a license qualified by an employee needs coverage because the qualifier is an employee. The board's license requirements list no general liability policy, though project owners often ask for proof; see contractor insurance requirements by state.
What a Nevada C-2 License Costs
| Fee | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Application, nonrefundable | $300 | NSCB |
| License, two years | $600 | NSCB |
| One exam portion | $95 | PSI |
| Trade exam plus CMS | $140 | PSI |
| Recovery Fund, limit $1,000,000 or less | $200 | NSCB |
| Recovery Fund, over $1,000,000 but limited | $500 | NSCB |
| Recovery Fund, unlimited license | $1,000 | NSCB |
Recovery Fund: the assessment applies only to residential contractors doing work on an owner occupied single family home, and it is due before the license issues and with each two year renewal.
Not in the table: the CPA statement, the bond premium and insurance depend on your business, so there is no single all in number.
Renewal, Inactive Status and Changes
A Nevada license expires two years after it is issued (NRS 624.283), and renewal costs $600 under NAC 624.130. A late renewal adds a $150 fee, a license not renewed on time is automatically suspended, and one not reinstated within 6 months may be cancelled, which means applying as a new contractor.
Nevada's contractor law, NRS and NAC Chapter 624, sets no continuing education for renewing the C-2; CE belongs to the local electrical card. A company that stops contracting can move the license to inactive status for $300 per renewal, with no bond, qualifier or workers' compensation on file, and an inactive license expires if it is not reactivated within 8 years.
Who Can Qualify an Electrical Company in Nevada
The qualified individual can be an owner, officer, member, manager or employee, per the board, and NRS 624.260 requires a bona fide member or employee of the company. That person must have the authority to make technical and administrative decisions, to hire, supervise and discipline the crew, and must devote themselves to the company's business without other work that conflicts with those duties. On the application, the qualifier initials that they are responsible for all work performed and for the company's financial decisions while they qualify it.
One person may qualify only one active license unless one person owns at least 25 percent of each licensee, one licensee owns at least 25 percent of the other, or one licensee is a corporation for public benefit. If the qualifier leaves, NRS 624.285 gives the company 10 days to notify the board in writing and 30 days to replace them, or the license can be suspended.
That is where many growing electrical companies stall: the work is there, but no one on staff has the 4 years and the exam scores. The lawful answer is a licensed electrician who joins as a full time W-2 employee and actually supervises the work. Learn how that role works in our guides to what an electrical contractor qualifying agent does, what a qualifying agent is and how to hire one, and see how to get an electrical contractor license for the national view.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Nevada have a state journeyman electrician license? No. The NSCB licenses contracting companies through the C-2. Journeyman and master electrician cards come from local programs such as Reno's and Clark County's, which ESP administers.
How do I get a journeyman electrician card in Las Vegas or Reno? Pass the ICC journeyman exam at a Pearson VUE center and apply to ESP with the pass letter and, for a new card, 4,000 hours of electrical work or apprenticeship. The card lasts three years and renews with 18 hours of CE.
Can I do electrical work under $1,000 without a license? No. NRS 624.031 excludes electrical work from the small job exemption, whatever the price. Work that needs a permit, or that is part of a larger project of $500 or more, is excluded as well.
How long do I have to pass the C-2 exams? Six months from the date you file the application, under NAC 624.600. You get three attempts at each exam, and a third failure voids the application.
Does Nevada accept my license from another state? Arizona, California, Connecticut, Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee holders who passed that state's equivalent exam can have the C-2 trade exam and experience certificates waived after 4 years of clean licensure. Florida and West Virginia holders still take the Nevada trade exam, and everyone takes the Business and Law exam.
What happens if our qualifier quits? Notify the board in writing within 10 days and replace the qualifier within 30 days under NRS 624.285. Missing the 10 day notice means automatic suspension until a new qualifier is approved.
Talk to Us About Your Nevada Electrical Company
If your company has the crews and the customers but no one to qualify the C-2, call The Licensing Company at 615-219-2110 or start at /HireAQualifyingAgent. Our founders, Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, have helped contractors across the country get licensed, and we will walk you through the Nevada steps above. Confirm current fees and forms with the NSCB and PSI before you file.
Sources
- NSCB, License Requirements (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- NSCB, FAQ for General Requirements (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- NSCB, Qualifying Party FAQ (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- NSCB, License Examinations (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- NSCB, Licensure by Endorsement and State Equivalency Chart (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- NSCB, New License Application, revised 03/2026 (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- NSCB, Residential Recovery Fund (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- Nevada Legislature, NRS Chapter 624 (sections 624.031, 624.220, 624.256, 624.260, 624.270, 624.283, 624.285, 624.470, 624.700, 624.750; retrieved 2026-09-29)
- Nevada Legislature, NAC Chapter 624 (sections 624.130, 624.200, 624.600, 624.630, 624.635; retrieved 2026-09-29)
- PSI, Nevada Contractors C Classification Candidate Information Bulletin, updated 3/25/2026 (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- PSI, Nevada Contractors test listing (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- City of Reno, Electrical and Plumbing Journeyman Cards (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- International Code Council, Clark County Contractor and Trades Examination Bulletin (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- Electrical Safety Professionals, card renewal CE requirements (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- Electrical Safety Professionals, 2025 hours notice for new cards (retrieved 2026-09-29)
- Electrical Safety Professionals, testing and card fee notice, January 2026 (retrieved 2026-09-29)
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.