Texas does not issue a single statewide “general contractor” license, but it does regulate electrical work closely through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). If you want to run your own electrical contracting business in Texas rather than work as an employee, the path runs through the Journeyman Electrician license, then the Master Electrician license, and finally the Electrical Contractor license that lets you operate and advertise as a business. Here is what TDLR actually requires at each step, verified directly against TDLR’s own published requirements.
Step 1: Journeyman Electrician License
Before you can test for your Journeyman Electrician license, TDLR requires at least 7,000 hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of a Texas-licensed Master Electrician to sit for the exam, and 8,000 total hours to actually be issued the license. In practice, this means you can take the exam a little before you finish your hours, but TDLR will not issue the license until the full 8,000 hours are documented and verified. The application fee is $30, and you will need an Experience Verification Form or supervisor letter matching your submitted employment history.
The exam itself is administered by PSI, TDLR’s third-party testing vendor, at locations across the state including Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. As of a March 2025 format change, the Journeyman exam has two parts: a knowledge portion and a calculations portion. It is open-book against the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), but only a soft-bound copy of the code book is allowed in the test room; spiral-bound, loose-leaf, or ring-bound versions are not permitted. A passing score is 70% or better.
Step 2: Master Electrician License
You cannot apply for Master Electrician status the moment you pass the Journeyman exam. Texas Occupations Code Section 1305.153 requires you to hold an active Journeyman Electrician license for at least two years first. On top of that waiting period, TDLR requires 12,000 hours of on-the-job training, again under the supervision of a licensed Master Electrician, and you must complete all requirements within 12 months of your application’s filing date or the application is terminated. The application fee is $45, and like the Journeyman exam, the Master Electrician exam is administered by PSI.
Step 3: Electrical Contractor License (the business license)
This is the step that actually lets you own and operate an electrical contracting business in Texas, and it works differently from the two license levels above it: TDLR’s own FAQ is explicit that “contractor licenses do not require examinations.” Instead, the requirements are structural:
- Your business must employ a licensed Master Electrician (or you must hold that license yourself) who is responsible for supervising all electrical work performed.
- A single Master Electrician’s license can only be attached to one contractor license at a time, unless that person owns more than 50% of the business.
- You must carry commercial general liability insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate for property damage and bodily injury combined, plus $300,000 aggregate for products and completed operations.
- You must provide proof of workers’ compensation coverage, a certificate of self-insurance, or file a formal election of no coverage with the Texas Department of Insurance.
- The application fee is $110, submitted with a completed Electrical Contractor License Application to TDLR’s Austin office.
If your Master Electrician leaves the company, TDLR gives you 30 business days to designate a replacement before the contractor license is affected.
Renewal and Continuing Education
Electrician licenses (Journeyman and Master) are valid for one year and must be renewed annually, and individual electricians do have continuing education requirements to renew. Electrical Contractor licenses also renew annually at the $110 standard rate, with late fees of $165 if you renew within 90 days of expiration and $220 if you renew between 91 days and 36 months late; after 36 months, you must reapply as a new applicant. Notably, TDLR’s FAQ states that contractor and residential appliance installer licenses are “not required to complete continuing education,” which is a meaningful difference from the individual electrician licenses underneath the contractor license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I skip straight to an Electrical Contractor license without becoming a Journeyman or Master Electrician first?
No, not on your own. Since the Electrical Contractor license requires the business to employ (or be owned by) a licensed Master Electrician, you either need to become a Master Electrician yourself through the Journeyman-then-Master path, or hire/partner with someone who already holds that license.
Does the Electrical Contractor license have its own exam?
No. TDLR’s FAQ is explicit that contractor licenses do not require examinations; the qualifying requirement is the Master Electrician on staff, not a separate contractor exam.
What code edition should I study for the Journeyman or Master exam?
The current PSI-administered exams are open-book against the 2023 National Electrical Code. Bring a soft-bound copy; other bindings are not allowed in the test room.
How long does the whole path take, realistically?
Between the 8,000 hours to become a Journeyman, the mandatory two-year wait plus 12,000 additional hours to become a Master Electrician, and then applying for the Electrical Contractor license, most people are looking at several years from a standing start, not months.
Contractor Pathway’s Texas exam prep course covers the Journeyman and Master Electrician exam content in detail, aligned to the current PSI test format and the 2023 NEC, so candidates walk into test day already familiar with how TDLR structures the knowledge and calculations portions.
Sources: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, tdlr.texas.gov (Journeyman Electrician application requirements, Master Electrician application requirements, Electrical/Electrical Sign Contractor license requirements, electrician exam information page, and electrician licensing FAQ), accessed 2026-07-27.