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Statewide license

Oregon electrician license requirements

Oregon licenses general journeyman electricians. The main route is an approved Oregon apprenticeship; out-of-state applicants need 8,000 hours and 576 classroom hours, or 16,000 hours.

Go to the official site Electrician jobs in Oregon

At a glance

Journeyman credential
General Journeyman Electrician (J)
Apprentice credential
General Journeyman Apprentice (BOLI)
Journeyman experience
8,000 hours (16,000 without school)
Classroom
576 hours
Exam
State (BCD paper exam)
Renewal
Every 3 years (October 1), 24 hours of continuing education

Apprentice or trainee

  • Apprenticeships run through the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Apprenticeship and Training Division. No fee.
  • Apply at 17, start at 18. You need a high school diploma or GED and a year of algebra.

Journeyman

  • Route 1: complete an approved Oregon apprenticeship.
  • Route 2: 576 classroom hours plus 8,000 hours outside Oregon, with at least 1,000 each in residential, commercial and industrial work.
  • Route 3: 16,000 hours outside Oregon, with at least 2,000 in each of those categories.

Exam and application

  1. Submit the electrical license application to BCD and pick a test location.

  2. The exam is a paper test graded by BCD: 52 questions, 3 hours, open book, 75% to pass. Results take about two weeks.

  3. Schedule within 60 days of your authorization letter. Retake after 30 days.

Fees

Item Amount
General journeyman license (application equals license fee) $100
Renewal, every 3 years $100
Exam Not stated by the state

Exam vendors often charge their own testing fee on top of state fees.

Reciprocity

No exam for licensees from Arkansas, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. You need to have passed that state's exam at 75%, worked 1,000 hours under the license and have no violations in 3 years. Fee: $100.

Official sources

Checked October 29, 2026. Rules and fees change by regulation; confirm with the board before you apply or pay.