Becoming a licensed electrician is not an easy process in any state, and New Hampshire is no exception. When you have an electrician working on the wiring of your home or business, you want to know that they know what they’re doing. The best way to achieve that peace of mind is to hire a licensed electrician. At Chamberlin Electric, we have been serving Hudson, NH, and the surrounding area since 1989. We have earned our reputation as a trusted electrician. What training do our electricians undergo before they are licensed to work in the state of New Hampshire? Here’s an overview.
Put in the hours.
The first tier of electrical licensing is a journeyman license. To acquire a journeyman license, an electrician must have 600 hours of schooling and 8,000 hours of field experience while apprenticed under a licensed electrician. In addition to schooling and field experience, an apprentice must also hold a valid driver’s license and pass a background check. There is also a test on the National Electric Code (NEC), on which they must score 70% or higher. Once an electrician has acquired a journeyman license, it doesn’t end there. Journeyman electricians have to renew their licenses every three years.
Take it to the next level.
After successfully becoming a journeyman, an electrician can choose to apply for a master electrician’s license. Master electricians have their own licensing exam, which they can take after completing 2,000 hours of journeyman experience. Just like journeyman electricians, master electricians must also renew their licenses every three years.
Increase the voltage.
There is a separate license for high/medium voltage electricians. An electrician must hold this license to work on anything over 600 volts. To acquire this license, an electrician must complete an approved training course and pass the high/medium voltage exam. As with other electricians’ licenses, the high/medium voltage license needs to be renewed every three years.
Licensed electricians work across state lines.
If you live in Massachusetts and need a licensed electrician, you can still call Chamberlin Electric! New Hampshire has a long-standing reciprocity agreement with Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine, meaning that all these states accept each other’s licensing credentials.
