MONTANA · electrician
Journeyman Electrician
Montana Department of Labor & Industry — Board of Electrical →Scope
Montana licenses electricians at the state level through the Board of Electrical in the Business Standards Division at the Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) under Montana Code Annotated (MCA) Title 37 Chapter 68. The board issues Apprentice, Residential Journeyman, Journeyman, and Master Electrician licenses, and licenses electrical contractors as firms. Source: Montana Board of Electrical (https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/electrical/index) and MCA 37-68 (https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0370/chapter_0680/parts_index.html).
Experience
A Journeyman Electrician applicant must document a minimum of 8,000 hours (approximately four years) of practical electrical experience as a registered apprentice under the supervision of a Montana Master or Journeyman Electrician. Hours must be earned through the Montana Apprenticeship and Training Program or an equivalent registered apprenticeship. Source: MCA 37-68-303 and Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) 24.141.
Education
Applicants must complete the classroom instruction in electrical theory, code, and safety required by the Montana Apprenticeship and Training Program, typically 576 hours of related instruction over the four-year apprenticeship, per ARM.
Exam
Administered by ICC (International Code Council) or the board's current contracted vendor listed on the Board of Electrical site. The exam is based on the National Electrical Code edition currently adopted by Montana, plus Montana-specific law and rule. Verify current passing score and exam fees on the Montana Board of Electrical forms page.
Reciprocity
Montana has reciprocity agreements with several neighboring states for electrician licensing under MCA 37-68-310 and ARM rule. Historically, Montana has had reciprocal arrangements with states including North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington for journeyman-level licenses, subject to current board rule. Verify the current reciprocity list and any additional exam requirement on the Board of Electrical reciprocity page before relying.
Renewal and CE
Montana electrician licenses renew annually. Licensees must complete 16 hours of board-approved continuing education every two years, including a National Electrical Code update course, per ARM. Verify the current CE cycle, hour breakdown, and approved providers on the Board of Electrical CE page (https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/electrical/continuing-education) before each renewal.
Background Check
MCA 37-1-307 authorizes DLI to require criminal-history checks for licensees.
Scope Limits
A Journeyman Electrician performs installation, maintenance, and repair under the supervision of a Master Electrician. The journeyman cannot pull permits in the journeyman's own name; permits are pulled by a licensed electrical contractor. Residential Journeyman work is limited to one- and two-family dwellings per board rule.
Reciprocity
Accepts from: north-dakota, south-dakota, wyoming, idaho, minnesota, oregon, washington