Does Pennsylvania have a state electrician license?

No. Pennsylvania licenses electricians at the local (city/county) level — there is no single statewide license.

How do I get licensed as an electrician in Pennsylvania?

Contact the building or licensing department of the city where you'll work; each sets its own experience requirements, exam, and fees.

Electrician License Requirements in Pennsylvania

Last reviewed July 2026

Pennsylvania has no statewide electrician license — there is no state board for electricians and no state journeyman or master credential. Each of the state's ~2,500 municipalities sets its own licensing, and there is no reciprocity between them.

Separately, contractors doing residential home-improvement work over $5,000/year must hold the state Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration from the PA Attorney General ($50, every 2 years) — that's a consumer-protection registration, not an electrician license.

How licensing works by city

Philadelphia

City of Philadelphia, Dept. of Licenses & Inspections
Licenses Master Electricians and issues electrical contractor licenses.
https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/trade-licenses/get-an-electrical-contractor-license/

Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Scranton & other cities

Each city's electrical examining board / building dept.
Run their own exams and licensing — a separate license is needed in each city you work in.

Studying for the Pennsylvania electrician exam?

The exam is NEC-based — practice with 1,394 questions and worked solutions in the Electrical Exam Prep app.

⚠ Licensing requirements and fees change. This page is a summary, not legal advice — always confirm current requirements directly with the licensing authority for the city where you'll work before applying.

Sources: City of Philadelphia — Electrical Contractor License (official)