Michigan Electrician License Requirements

Four License Levels, Each With Its Own Gate

Michigan structures electrical licensing through LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes under the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (PA 407 of 2016). There are four distinct credential levels, and each one builds on the previous.

Registered Apprentice

Age: No statutory minimum, though most apprentices are at least 18 since employers require it for jobsite access.

What you need: Employment with a licensed electrical contractor, registration with LARA within 30 days of starting work ($15 fee), and enrollment in a US DOL-approved Related Technical Instruction (RTI) program.

Supervision: You must work under the direct on-site supervision of a licensed journeyman or master electrician at a strict 1:2 ratio -- one supervisor for every two apprentices. This ratio was tightened from 1:3 by PA 172 of 2024, and violations carry fines starting at $5,000.

Duration: Minimum of four calendar years, during which you accumulate 8,000 hours of on-the-job experience and 576 hours of classroom instruction (at least 144 hours per year).

Journeyman Electrician

Age: Minimum 20 years old.

Experience: 8,000 supervised hours over at least four years, documented with notarized employer verification letters on company letterhead. Each letter must include exact employment dates, job descriptions, and the supervising master or journeyman's license number.

Education: 576 hours of RTI, including at least 450 hours of electrical core subjects, through a USDOL-approved provider.

Exam: PSI-administered, 80 multiple-choice questions, 150-minute time limit, open-book. Passing score is 75%. Approved references are the 2023 NEC, Michigan Electrical Code Rules Part 8, and PA 407. Two failures within two years triggers a one-year lockout with mandatory remedial coursework.

Fee: $40 license fee plus $100 exam fee.

Master Electrician

Age: Minimum 22 years old.

Experience: 12,000 total supervised hours over at least six years, with a minimum of 4,000 hours completed as an active licensed journeyman under master supervision. You must hold your journeyman license for at least two years before applying.

Exam: PSI-administered, 76 questions, 180-minute time limit, open-book, 75% passing score. Covers advanced load calculations (NEC Article 220) and administrative rules beyond the journeyman scope.

Fee: $50 license fee plus $100 exam fee.

Electrical Contractor

Experience: No individual trade hours required -- the contractor license attaches to the business entity, not a person. However, the business must be qualified by a full-time Michigan-resident master electrician (the "Master of Record").

Exam: None at the state level as of 2025 -- LARA eliminated the contractor exam through their Cutting Red Tape initiative. Note that Detroit still requires its own local contractor exam through BSEED.

Fee: $300 for a three-year license cycle.

Additional requirements: General liability insurance, workers' compensation insurance (if you employ three or more workers), and registration with local building departments before pulling permits in municipalities like Detroit or Grand Rapids.

Requirements at a Glance

Where Documentation Trips People Up

The requirements themselves are clear enough. What catches applicants is the documentation standard. LARA requires notarized letters from every employer, and the hours must align with your W-2 records and your active apprentice registration periods. Independent contractor (1099) hours are generally rejected because apprentices cannot legally operate independently.

If a former employer has gone out of business, you can sometimes get your supervising master to sign an individual affidavit -- but if that person is unreachable, you may need to request a Social Security Certified Detailed Earnings Report and petition the Electrical Administrative Board for a formal review.

The Michigan Electrician License Guide provides a structured approach to assembling your documentation, with templates for employer verification letters and a step-by-step process for reconstructing hours when your paper trail has gaps.

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