For those curious about becoming an electrician in Arkansas, there are several options when it comes to licensing. The Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners issues 6 different electrical licenses in the state, as well as registers electrical apprentices. The 6 license types we will discuss here include the:
- Journeyman Electrical License
- Residential Journeyman Electrical License
- Master Electrical License
- Residential Master Electrical License
- Air Conditioning Electrical License
- Industrial Maintenance Electrical License
Do You Need an Electrical License in Arkansas?
Yes, all individuals completing electrical work in the state of Arkansas must be licensed. Electrical work is defined by the Arkansas Code as the installation of electrical conductors or equipment in both public and private structures. Even electrical apprentices are required to register with the state.
Arkansas Journeyman Electrical License
Journeyman electricians in AR can install, maintain, and extend electrical conductors and equipment. They usually work under master electricians.
Requirements
To become a journeyman electrician in Arkansas you must:
- Have 4 years of electrical experience, including
- At least 8,000 hours of training while working and
- At least 4,000 hours of training while working in new commercial/industrial construction
A combination of work and education by a Board-approved entity may be approved by the board. For more details see 6.2B.
Maintenance electrical work experience may be accepted. See 6.2D.
AR Residential Journeyman Electrical License
Residential journeyman electricians in Arkansas install, repair, maintain, and renovate electrical facilities under a residential master or master electrician. They are limited to work in 1- and 2-family residences. If they work under a journeyman or master electrician on a commercial project, they can perform electrical work only as an apprentice would do.
Requirements
To become a residential journeyman electrician, you must:
- Have 2 years of wiring experience in 1- or 2-family residences AND
- A 2-year combination of training and experience, such as through an approved apprenticeship
Arkansas Master Electrical License
An AR master electrician has an unlimited license classification. This allows them to plan, lay out, and supervise all activities around electrical conductors and equipment. This is the top-level electrical license classification.
Requirements
AR master electricians must have:
- A degree in electrical engineering AND 2 years of construction-related work experience OR
- 6 years of experience on both residential and commercial properties as a journeyman electrician OR
- A combination of work experience approved by the Board
AR Residential Master Electrical License
Residential master electricians in AR are defined as electricians with the license to perform electrical work in 1- or 2-family residences, including planning and supervising the installation, maintenance, and extension of electrical facilities.
Like residential journeymen, a residential master electrician can only work on commercial property if under the correct supervision and in the same capacity as an apprentice.
Requirements
All residential master electricians need:
- 3 years of wiring experience in 1- and 2- family residences AND 1+ year of experience as a residential journeyman OR
- Any combination of experience approved by the Board
Air Conditioning Electrical Licenses in AR
Air conditioning electricians can only work on electrical conductors to supply heat and air conditioning, as well as for refrigeration units.
Requirements
To be an air conditioning electrician in Arkansas, you’ll need to have:
- 2+ years of HVACR experience OR any combination of experience approved by the board AND
- An HVACR electrical license issued in Arkansas
Industrial Maintenance Electrical License in AR
Industrial maintenance electricians in AR can repair, alter, maintain, and extend electrical conductors and equipment for power and control systems in industrial settings. You do not need this license if you are an employee of an industrial facility.
Requirements
To become an AR industrial maintenance electrician, you’ll need:
- 4+ years of experience in the maintenance of electrical conductors and equipment supervised by an industrial maintenance technician, master electrical, or journeyman electrician
Obtaining Your Arkansas Electrical License
For each of the license types above, you’ll need to follow a similar process to acquire a license, outlined below.
- Meet the requirements for your license type
- Create an online ID to start the online application to take the appropriate exam
- Complete the application, providing
- Notarized verification of employment on original copies only OR the Affidavit of Employment Experience provided in the application
- Photocopies of any licenses held
- Formal transcripts including dates enrolled
- Once you are approved, schedule your exam through Prov
- Once you pass your exam, you can pay the licensing fee and receive your license
- Journeyman, residential journeyman, air condition, and industrial maintenance electricians will pay a $25 license fee
- Master electricians and residential master electricians will pay a $50 license fee
As of 2022, for additional questions about obtaining your electrical license in Arkansas, you may contact:
Jamecia Robinson, 501-682-4548
Jasmine Wilson, 501-682-4549
David Gray, 501-683-4039
Reciprocal Licenses
Arkansas issues some reciprocal licenses for master and journeyman electricians coming from other states.
You cannot reciprocate a reciprocated license. The only exception for this is a reciprocal Master Electrician License from Oregon.
Reciprocal Master Electrical License
A reciprocal master electrical license is only offered for Oregon licensees.
Reciprocal Journeyman Electrical Licenses
Arkansas offers reciprocal Journeyman Electrical Licenses with:
- Alaska
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Maine
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Do note that Wyoming licenses are only reciprocated if the licensee has completed an approved apprenticeship program.
Renewing an AR Electrical License
If it is your first time renewing your AR electrical license, you must first contact the overseeing office to obtain your account ID. You can do this by emailing either (jamecia.robinson@arkansas.gov) or (jasmine.wilson@arkansas.gov).
Once you have your ID, you will need to click the appropriate link on this site to proceed with your renewal.
Master and journeyman electricians will need to complete 8+ hours of Continuing Education (CE) every National Electrical Code (NEC) cycle, which is every three years. The next cycle will begin in 2023.
Arkansas Electrician Salary
Electrician salaries in Arkansas vary greatly depending on where you’re working, your past work experience, and which license you hold.
The average electrician makes roughly $24.92 per hour starting out, or $55,067 per year. After ten years of working in the field, you can expect to get paid closer to $63,960 per year, plus overtime.
