STATE LICENSE
RequiredNew Hampshire Electricians' Board — Offic…
RSA 319-C:1 bars any electrical installation for compensation unless made by an electrician or other person licensed by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Master and journeyman licenses both require 8,000 hours as an apprentice, at least 600 hours of board-approved education, and an exam (RSA 319-C:7, II); the board's rules add 2,000 hours of field experience as a journeyman before the master exam (Elec rules). A journeyman must be employed by a licensed master or a licensed corporation, and a corporation or partnership can be licensed only with a licensed master directly in charge of its business affairs (RSA 319-C:2, IV; 319-C:10).
OPLC fees under Plc 1002.13 (effective July 1, 2025) are $198 for a two-year master license, $110 for a journeyman, $137 for a corporation or partnership license, and $33 for a 12-month apprentice registration, plus a $90 exam fee (Plc 1004.07). Licensees must complete 15 hours of instruction on each new edition of the National Electrical Code (RSA 319-C:6-c). A homeowner may wire the single-family home they own and occupy (RSA 319-C:15, II).
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Electrician licensing is exclusively state (OPLC). Electrical permits and inspections follow the state building code, which adopts the 2023 NEC (RSA 155-A:1, IV); local building officials who perform electrical inspections may check the license or ID card (RSA 319-C:5, V), and state inspectors under the fire marshal may order violations corrected and disconnection until fixed (RSA 319-C:5, III). Third-party electrical inspectors must be OPLC-approved (RSA 319-C:5-a).
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every New Hampshire 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.
RSA 319-C:7, II sets one statutory path — 8,000 apprentice hours, 600 education hours, exam — for master and journeyman; the board's rules add 2,000 journeyman hours before the master exam.
A journeyman may supervise one apprentice in the first licensed year, then two; site caps apply (RSA 319-C:2-a).
OPLC's Plc 1002.13 fee table was readopted effective July 1, 2025; fees cover the full two-year license.
A practical sequence for a new electrical contractor in New Hampshire. 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.
Making installations without a license, employing unlicensed non-apprentices, fraudulently obtaining a license, or posing as licensed.
OPLC boards may fine anyone who practices or holds out without a license, after notice and hearing.
Licensees face reprimand, suspension, revocation, or probation for misconduct.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
| County · City | Permit office | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough County Manchester (consolidated gov.) | City of Manchester Planning and Community Development Department — Building Regulations ↗ | — |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: OPLC agency pages (oplc.nh.gov) returned HTTP 403 to automated retrieval; license facts were taken from the RSA and the Plc/Elec/Mec rule text instead, and current application forms and processing times were not reviewed · CE cadence: RSA 319-C:6-c ties the 15 hours to each new NFPA 70 edition, while a search summary of the OPLC board page described the 15 hours as yearly — the statute is followed here · Whether a sole-proprietor master electrician also needs the $137 entity license (RSA 319-C:10 addresses corporations and partnerships only) · Exam vendor and any separate vendor sitting fee beyond OPLC's $90 exam fee · Whether New Hampshire's master/journeyman reciprocity with Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts is current (Massachusetts paused reciprocity for NH candidates in 2023 per board minutes)
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.