Electricians: certification application, examination, and renewal

The law changes which state entity administers electrician certification, trainee registration, fees, testing, and enforcement. The transfer depends on legislative funding and preserves current credentials during the transition.

What the law does ​

• Allows applicants who fail an electrician certification exam to immediately apply and pay for a retest, which may occur at least 21 days after approval.
• Transfers electrician certification and trainee-registration duties from the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to the Contractors State License Board after a legislative appropriation, with full board succession beginning July 1, 2029.
• Requires the board to maintain certification standards, issue cards, set and collect fees, administer exams, and oversee trainee registration and supervision.
• Keeps existing certifications and trainee registrations valid until their stated expiration dates.
• Requires Spanish testing and, where practicable, testing and certification information in other commonly spoken non-English languages.
• Establishes a curriculum committee to set classroom-training standards and approve or withdraw approval of provider curricula.

Who it affects ​

• Electricians seeking certification, including applicants who fail an examination and electrician trainees.
• Class C-10 electrical contractors and certified electricians supervising trainees or other uncertified workers.
• Apprentices, training providers, and providers of electrician classroom instruction.
• The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement and the Contractors State License Board.

Context ​

The new board-administered chapter generally takes effect on the later of July 1, 2028, or one year after the Legislature provides funding.