STATE LICENSE
RequiredMichigan LARA — Bureau of Construction Co…
Michigan licenses electrical work under Article 7 of the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (2016 PA 407), administered by LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes. The business needs an Electrical Contractor license; there is no contractor exam, but the license must be associated with a Master Electrician, who is responsible for code compliance. A Master Electrician can associate with only one contractor at a time, and without one the contractor license goes on hold.
Unlike Michigan's builder license, this one has no residential/commercial split. The exemptions are narrow: minor repair work valued at $100 or less, and a homeowner wiring their own owner-occupied single-family home. A licensed electrical contractor also does not need a builder license for the electrical portion of a residential job (MCL 339.2403(g)).
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 issued by the state board or, under MCL 339.5737(1), by the appropriate municipality; a municipality that runs its own electrical standards and inspection may require contractors in its jurisdiction to be licensed (MCL 339.5735). Permits and inspections come from the enforcing agency for the jurisdiction.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Michigan 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 October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
The Electrical Contractor license is application-only; the exam burden sits with the Master Electrician the license is tied to.
If you live outside Michigan and hire a Master Electrician to qualify your contractor license, the Master Electrician must live in Michigan.
'Minor repair work' means electrical wiring with a value of $100 or less — anything above needs a licensee.
A practical sequence for a new electrical contractor in Michigan. 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.
Practicing a skilled trade without the required license: first offense misdemeanor (up to $500 or 90 days); second offense misdemeanor (up to $1,000 or 1 year); third or subsequent offense a felony.
The department may limit, suspend, deny, or revoke a license, order restitution, or fine a licensee.
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 October 2026.
Pending verification: Journey electrician experience hours and exam fee amounts (not captured from the LARA pages reviewed) · Electrical license renewal cycle, renewal fees, and continuing-education hours · Whether low-voltage-only work (e.g., landscape lighting) falls within the electrical license requirement
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.