GEORGIA · electrician
Electrical Contractor Class II (unrestricted)
Georgia Secretary of State — Division of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board) →SCOPE
Class I Vs Class Ii. Georgia issues two statewide electrical contractor licenses. Class I (Restricted) is limited to single-phase electrical installations that do not exceed 200 amperes at the service drop or service lateral; Class II is unrestricted and covers three-phase work and installations above 200 amperes. The Class I / Class II distinction and the 200-ampere threshold are set in Georgia Administrative Rule 121-3-.01 (Statewide Electrical Contractor License). Source: LII / Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 121-3-.01 (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/georgia/Ga-Comp-R-Regs-R-121-3-.01).
No Statewide Journeyman License
Georgia does not issue a statewide journeyman electrician license. Individual journey-level electricians perform work under the license of a statewide-licensed Class I or Class II Electrical Contractor. This is a structural difference from states like Texas, Washington, and Oregon. A worker gaining hours toward the 4-year experience requirement is typically employed by a licensed contractor; hours must be documented by references, including at least one licensed electrical contractor per Rule 121-3-.01. Source: Georgia Secretary of State, How-To Guide: Electrical Contractors (https://sos.ga.gov/how-to-guide/how-guide-electrical-contractors).
Experience
Applicants must document a minimum of 4 years of Primary experience in the electrical field as covered by the Georgia Electrical Code or the National Electrical Code. Up to one year of the four may be earned through Secondary Experience (credited at 50%) or qualifying education. Applicants for Class II must document experience with installations in excess of single-phase, 200-ampere systems. Statutory authority sits at O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 14 (Electrical Contractors, Plumbers, Conditioned Air Contractors, Low-Voltage Contractors, and Utility Contractors). Sources: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 121-3-.01 (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/georgia/Ga-Comp-R-Regs-R-121-3-.01); O.C.G.A. § 43-14-6 (https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-43/chapter-14/section-43-14-6/).
References and Age
Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and submit three references on the required form attesting to electrical experience; at least one reference must be from a licensed electrical contractor who provides his or her registration number. Source: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 121-3-.01 (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/georgia/Ga-Comp-R-Regs-R-121-3-.01).
Exam
The Class I and Class II exams are administered by PSI Services at Georgia test centers. A minimum score of 70 is required on the appropriate examination per Rule 121-3-.01. The Class II exam covers the National Electrical Code as adopted by Georgia, calculations (conductor sizing, ampacity, overcurrent, motors, services, and feeders), and Georgia business and law. Source: Georgia Secretary of State, Electrical Exam Application (https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/forms/44%20Application%20-%20Electrical%20EXAM.pdf).
FEES
The state exam/application fee as listed on Form 44 is $30 (non-refundable). PSI charges a separate exam-sitting fee. Applicants should verify the current fee schedule on the Secretary of State board page before remitting. Source: Georgia Secretary of State, Electrical Exam Application (https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/forms/44%20Application%20-%20Electrical%20EXAM.pdf).
Insurance and Bond
The Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors does not impose a state-level surety bond requirement for electrical contractor licensure; general liability insurance and bonding thresholds are typically set at the local jurisdiction or project-owner level, and workers' compensation is required under Georgia law for employers with three or more employees. Sources: O.C.G.A. § 34-9-2 (workers' compensation threshold, via Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation https://sbwc.georgia.gov/); Georgia Secretary of State, Board of Electrical Contractors FAQ (https://sos.ga.gov/page/board-electrical-contractors-faq).
Renewal and CE
Electrical contractor licenses renew on a 2-year cycle; the current cycle expires June 30, 2026, with renewal opening April 6, 2026 and a late renewal window of July 1–31, 2026. Licensees must complete 4 hours of approved continuing education each year (8 hours per 2-year cycle). CE providers must be an accredited college or university, a post-secondary institute under the Georgia Board of Technical and Adult Education (or an equivalent agency), a trade or professional organization, a public utility, or an electrical equipment manufacturer; credit is not given for courses conducted by manufacturers specifically to promote their products. Licensees must retain written CE documentation for at least five years. Sources: Georgia Secretary of State, Electrical Contractor Continuing Education (https://sos.ga.gov/page/electrical-contractor-continuing-education); Board of Electrical Contractors FAQ (https://sos.ga.gov/page/board-electrical-contractors-faq).
Reciprocity
The Board publishes Form 44 (Electrical: Reciprocity) for applicants licensed in other states; eligibility is evaluated case-by-case and typically turns on the equivalence of the originating state's licensure and experience standards. Source: Georgia Secretary of State, Electrical Reciprocity Application (https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/forms/44%20Electrical%20-%20Reciprocity.pdf).
Municipal Layer
Permits for electrical work are pulled at the local building department, not the state. The City of Atlanta Office of Buildings, Trade Permits Division, requires the physical state-issued contractor's license card for permit issuance and imposes its own registration and permitting workflow; contact permitissuance-oob@atlantaga.gov or 404-865-8550. Other jurisdictions (e.g., Augusta-Richmond County) set their own general-liability insurance minimums at the permit-pull stage. Workers performing under a licensed contractor's state license must still comply with local permit rules. Sources: City of Atlanta, Online Permitting (https://www.atlantaga.gov/government/departments/city-planning/zoning-development-permitting-services/online-permitting); Atlanta 311, Electrical, HVAC or Plumbing Permits (https://www.atl311.com/en-US/knowledgearticle/?code=KB0012499).
Application Channel
As of the current cycle, the Division does not accept paper applications; all applications are submitted through the GOALS online portal. Source: Georgia Secretary of State, How-To Guide: Electrical Contractors (https://sos.ga.gov/how-to-guide/how-guide-electrical-contractors).