STATE LICENSE
RequiredGeorgia State Board of Electrical Contrac…
Georgia's electrical license is a contractor credential from the Division of Electrical Contractors of the State Construction Industry Licensing Board: there is no state journeyman electrician card. Class I is restricted to single-phase installations of 200 amperes or less; Class II is unrestricted.
Both classes require four years of primary experience and a PSI exam (70 to pass). Note for anyone relying on older guides: Georgia ended electrical licensure by reciprocity effective May 2026.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
The license is expressly statewide; local governments issue the per-job electrical permits and inspections and require the state license to pull them. Statutory exemptions in § 43-14-13(i) cover irrigation wiring and low-voltage lighting (separate low-voltage licensing).
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Georgia county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of September 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
Georgia licenses the electrical contractor, not journeyman electricians — crews work under the licensed contractor.
Licensure by reciprocity (formerly AL, LA, NC, SC, TN) is no longer offered as of May 2026 — everyone takes the Georgia exam.
The board imposes no insurance or bond for licensure; local offices and customers still expect coverage.
A practical sequence for a new electrical contractor in Georgia. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Services may not legally be performed without an active license; the board publishes cease-and-desist orders against unlicensed practice.
Electrical work without local permits draws local enforcement regardless of licensure.
Unlicensed contracting undermines payment claims and invites board discipline on top of local enforcement.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on September 2026.
Pending verification: PSI exam fee (set at registration, not published officially) · Exact statutory penalty text and § 43-14-13 full text — official O.C.G.A. portal unreachable on the research date · Application-fee discrepancy: current GOALS guide says $110; the 2022 fee schedule PDF says $40
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.