# How to Get a Journeyman Electrician License in Texas (2026): 8,000 Hours and the Exam

> Source: PermitPulled, https://permitpulled.com/get-licensed/journeyman-electrician-license-texas
> Compiled from the public TDLR license file. Published under CC BY 4.0; attribution to PermitPulled required.
> For an individual license record, use the official TDLR search: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/LicenseSearch/

[Texas license lookup](</>) / [Get licensed](</get-licensed>) / Journeyman electrician

# How to get a journeyman electrician license in Texas

The journeyman license is where an apprentice becomes an electrician who can work on their own under a master's general supervision. It takes 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, but you can sit the exam at 7,000.

Reviewed 8 October 2026 against TDLR's application page

## At a glance

Experience| 8,000 hours of on-the-job training under a Texas master electrician  
---|---  
Exam eligibility| From 7,000 hours; license issued at 8,000  
Application| By mail, form ELC-LIC-005, $30 non-refundable  
Exam| PSI, open book, 70% to pass  
License term| 1 year  
  
[Official TDLR application page](<https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/apply/individuals/journeyman-electrician.htm>) [Exam guide and pass rates](</exams/journeyman-electrician-exam-texas>)

## Step by step

  1. **Collect experience verification forms.** Every master electrician who supervised you signs a separate Experience Verification Form (ELC017). If you cannot reach one, contact the electrical contractor they worked for, or find them in the TDLR license search.
  2. **Mail the application.** Send form ELC-LIC-005 with the $30 fee to TDLR at PO Box 12157, Austin, TX 78711-2157. The initial license cannot be applied for online.
  3. **Wait for exam approval.** TDLR verifies your application and may contact your supervisors. It then notifies you that you can test.
  4. **Pass the exam.** The exam is run by PSI and is open book: bring your own soft-bound copy of the code. 70% passes, and you can retake it, paying the exam fee each time.
  5. **Finish within a year.** You have one year from the date TDLR received your application to meet every requirement, including the exam and the full 8,000 hours.

## Which code edition to study

The state adopted the [2026 NEC as the Texas electrical code on 1 September 2026](</whats-new#2026-09-01-nec-2026>), and PSI's candidate bulletin, updated 15 September 2026, references the electrician exams to the **2026 NEC**. Study from the 2026 edition and bring a soft-bound copy: spiral-bound, ring-bound and loose-leaf copies and the NEC Handbook are not allowed in the exam room. Question counts, topics and pass rates are in the [journeyman exam guide](</exams/journeyman-electrician-exam-texas>).

## How many people hold this license

The public TDLR license file dated 20 September 2026 shows **40,120 active journeyman electrician licenses** , of which 39,102 come up for renewal in the next twelve months.

Where they are: Harris County (5,432), Dallas County (3,098), Bexar County (3,059), Tarrant County (2,450), El Paso County (1,147).

[See the full county breakdown and renewal calendar](</trade/journeyman-electrician>)

## After you are licensed

  * **Renewal:** every year, judging by the expiration dates in the license file.
  * **Continuing education:** 4 hours a year: NEC, Texas law and rules, electrical safety. [TDLR CE rules](<https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecce.htm>)
  * [Full renewal guide for this trade](</guides/electrician-license-renewal-texas>)

## Before you apply

  * **Criminal history.** TDLR runs a background check on every applicant. With any conviction other than a minor traffic offence, or a guilty or no-contest plea with deferred adjudication, include the Criminal History Questionnaire. Reviews take one to six weeks. You can ask TDLR in advance whether a conviction would bar you, through a [criminal history evaluation letter](<https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/crimHistoryEval.htm>).
  * **Lawful presence.** TDLR may ask for proof of lawful presence in the United States. Send documents only if it asks. [What TDLR accepts](<https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/lawful-presence.htm>).
  * **Military.** Service members, veterans and spouses may qualify for [fee waivers and other provisions](<https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/military/>).

## Questions

### How many hours do you need to be a journeyman electrician in Texas?

8,000 hours of on-the-job training under a Texas master electrician. You may take the exam at 7,000 hours.

### Is the Texas journeyman exam open book?

Yes. You bring your own soft-bound copy of the National Electrical Code; spiral or ring-bound copies are not allowed.

### What score do you need on the Texas electrician exam?

70% or better.

### How many people hold this license in Texas?

The public TDLR license file dated 20 September 2026 shows 40,120 active journeyman electrician licenses.

## Related licenses

  * [How to get an apprentice electrician license in Texas](</get-licensed/apprentice-electrician-license-texas>)
  * [How to get a master electrician license in Texas](</get-licensed/master-electrician-license-texas>)
  * [How to get a maintenance electrician license in Texas](</get-licensed/maintenance-electrician-license-texas>)
  * [How to get an electrical contractor license in Texas](</get-licensed/electrical-contractor-license-texas>)
  * [All license guides](</get-licensed>)

## Sources

[TDLR: Apply for a Journeyman Electrician license](<https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/apply/individuals/journeyman-electrician.htm>); [TDLR: Electrician examinations](<https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecexam.htm>). License counts compiled from the public [TDLR license file](<https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/licensesearch/licfile.asp>) dated 20 September 2026.

Reviewed 8 October 2026. Written by an independent site; not an official TDLR publication and not legal advice. Fees and requirements change: confirm them on the TDLR page before you apply.

**Cite this page**

PermitPulled (2026). _How to get a journeyman electrician license in Texas._ Retrieved from `https://permitpulled.com/get-licensed/journeyman-electrician-license-texas`

Figures compiled from the public TDLR license file and published under [CC BY 4.0](<https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/>). Attribution required.