STATE LICENSE
RequiredVermont Electricians' Licensing Board — D…
Under 26 V.S.A. chapter 15, the Electricians' Licensing Board within the Department of Public Safety licenses master electricians (two years as a licensed journeyman, or equivalent, plus an exam), journeyman electricians (a Vermont Apprenticeship Council apprenticeship, or equivalent, plus an exam), and type-S journeymen limited to a specialty such as gas or oil heating, refrigeration and air conditioning, well pumps, fire alarms, or solar. Only a master may design installations and run an electrical business employing other electricians (§ 902(c)); Vermont issues no separate business license. Licenses run three years at $150 (master) or $115 (journeyman and each type-S field), and renewal requires 15 hours of National Electrical Code instruction (8 for type-S) plus the Vermont Energy Goals module.
Section 910 lists where no license is needed, including any electrical work in a building used for dwelling purposes that contains no more than two dwelling units, and an owner's work in the owner's own freestanding single-unit home. Work in 'complex structures' — public buildings such as commercial space and rentals — cannot start until a work notice is validated by the Division of Fire Safety ($40 base fee plus per-item fees) and must be inspected before it is covered. Unlicensed work is fined up to $500 per offense (§ 911); rule violations carry administrative penalties up to $1,000 (§ 897).
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Electrical licenses are issued only by the state Electricians' Licensing Board. Work notices and inspections for complex structures come from the Division of Fire Safety unless the Commissioner has assigned inspections to a town (26 V.S.A. § 898); an assigned town may charge its own inspection fees in place of the state fees and issues work notices and certificates of completion the same way.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Vermont 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.
Vermont licenses electricians, not electrical companies; a master electrician may run the business and employ other licensees (§ 902(c)).
No license is required for electrical work in a building used for dwelling purposes with no more than two dwelling units (§ 910(6)).
The 2025 rules note reciprocal agreements with New Hampshire and Maine and Vermont's membership in the National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance (one year in good standing).
A practical sequence for a new electrical contractor in Vermont. 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.
Installing, replacing, or repairing an electrical installation without an appropriate license, or employing an unlicensed person to do it.
Violating Board rules or an order issued under the work-notice subchapter.
Fraudulently obtained license, violations of the chapter or rules, or lack of qualification.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chittenden County Burlington (consolidated gov.) | City of Burlington Department of Permitting & Inspections ↗ | Burlington OpenGov Permitting Portal ↗ |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Whether a single-family or two-family rental — a 'public building' under 20 V.S.A. § 2730(a)(1)(D) — still falls under the § 910(6) license exception: the 2025 Electrical Safety Rules apply their code requirements to rentals but state that licensing excludes residential buildings of two or fewer dwelling units · Apprenticeship hour requirements for the journeyman exam (set by the Vermont Apprenticeship Council program, not retrieved) · Work-notice fees for towns with assigned municipal inspection programs · 26 V.S.A. § 881(3) defines 'complex structure' by reference to 20 V.S.A. § 2900(8), which was not retrieved; this record assumes it tracks the 'public building' definition in 20 V.S.A. § 2730 (commercial space, rentals, and similar)
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.