State license

Virginia Journeyman Electrician License

Written by a licensed IBEW journeyman electrician

Last updated: October 24, 2026

Virginia licenses journeyman electricians at the state level. The Board for Contractors, part of DPOR, issues the license after you pass a PSI exam. You need 49 of 70 items correct. Experience depends on your schooling, from 8 years with no formal training down to 1 year with a related engineering bachelor's degree. The exam fee is $100.

The facts, from the source

Who licenses: Virginia Board for Contractors, Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) (dpor.virginia.gov)
Exam vendor: PSI (test-takers.psiexams.com)
Exam (questions/time): 70 items for the journeyman electrician portion (a small number of unscored experimental items may also be given), 210 minutes, computer-based. The master electrician portion is separate: 90 items, 270 minutes, pass 63. (test-takers.psiexams.com)
Open book / references: All exams are open book. Bring your own references; none are provided. NEC (NFPA 70) 2020 and NFPA 70E; the Virginia Tradesman regulations are the regulatory reference. No study guides, loose papers or unbound references. Downloaded references must be spiral bound, hole-punched in a binder, or stapled. Highlighting, underlining and indexing are allowed, with permanent tabs only. Writing in references is not allowed. (test-takers.psiexams.com)
Passing score: 49 of 70 (test-takers.psiexams.com)
NEC edition: 2020. The exam reference is NFPA 70 NEC 2020 plus NFPA 70E. The bulletin says for Code questions the exam is based only on the edition of the Code book that is listed. (test-takers.psiexams.com)
Experience required: 18VAC50-30 (journeyman electrician): a bachelor's degree in a related engineering field plus 1 year of practical experience; an associate degree or 2-year certificate in a tradesman-related field plus 2 years; 240 hours of formal vocational training plus 4 years; 160 hours plus 5 years; 80 hours plus 6 years; 40 hours plus 7 years; no formal training plus 8 years. Completion of a Commissioner-approved apprenticeship program exempts you from the journeyman exam. (dpor.virginia.gov)
Fees: Exam $100, paid to PSI (18VAC50-30-100 caps the journeyman exam at $100). Original tradesman license by examination $150.00. Renewal $160.00. No separate application fee is listed; the application comes with the $150 original-license fee (18VAC50-30-25). Exchanging a locality-issued card for a state license costs $110. (dpor.virginia.gov)
Reciprocity: No state list. Under 18VAC50-30-70, out-of-state licensees may sit the same-level exam if the Board finds their requirements substantially equivalent and they passed an equivalent written or oral exam. They must supply a copy of a valid journeyman or master license. (dpor.virginia.gov)

What’s on the exam

70 items: Standards of Practice 3; Standards of Conduct 2; Renewal and Reinstatement 2; Definitions 1; Qualification for Licensure 1; Revocation of Licensure 1; General Electrical Knowledge 3; Requirements for Electrical Installations 2; Electrical-Electronic Fundamentals 2; Branch Circuits 4; Service and Feeders 5; Grounding and Bonding 6; Conductors and Cables 7; Raceways and Boxes 7; Special Occupancies 3; Special Equipment 2; Electrical Signs and Outline Lighting 1; Motors and Controls 5; Utilization Equipment 4; Lighting 2; General Low Voltage Requirements 1; Communication Systems 1; Fire Detection and Alarm Systems 1; Safety 4.

Confirm these with the board

Retake rules: not published in the materials we checked
Date Virginia's NEC adoption took effect: confirm with DPOR

Virginia Board for Contractors, Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) ↗

Checked twice against the board and exam bulletin, October 24, 2026

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Facts on this page trace to primary sources or first-hand IBEW Local 134 experience — see sources & methodology.