OREGON · electrician
General Journeyman Electrician (J)
Oregon Building Codes Division — Electrical Program →Scope of Work
A General Journeyman Electrician (J) is authorized to install, alter, repair, and maintain electrical systems across residential, commercial, and industrial occupancies in Oregon. The J holder works unsupervised and may be employed by an electrical contractor that holds the appropriate Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license with a General Supervising Electrician (S) of record. Source: Oregon BCD Electrical Individual License (https://www.oregon.gov/bcd/licensing/Pages/electrical-apply.aspx).
Experience and Training
Completion of a BCD-approved apprenticeship program in Oregon, OR 576 hours of classroom training plus 8,000 hours of on-the-job experience documented outside Oregon (16,000 OJT hours if no classroom training is documented). BCD requires a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial work; verify current category minimums at the BCD license detail page. Experience is verified on the Electrical Experience Verification form (440-2570A) signed by each employer. Source: Electrical License Application Information (https://www.oregon.gov/bcd/Formslibrary/2570.pdf).
Military Crosswalk
BCD credits verified military electrical experience under ORS 670.280 and related rules. Relevant ratings include Navy Construction Electrician (CE), Army Interior Electrician (12R), and Air Force Electrical Systems (3E0X1). Applicants submit DD-214 and military training transcripts with the BCD individual license application.
Exam
Administered by Oregon BCD. The General Journeyman exam is 52 questions, 3 hours, open book, based on the NEC edition currently adopted in Oregon, Oregon Electrical Specialty Code amendments, and Oregon electrical law (ORS 479, OAR 918). Core topics include services and feeders, branch circuits, grounding and bonding, overcurrent protection, motor installation and control, special occupancies, hazardous locations, and calculations. The application fee is $100. Source: General Journeyman Electrician (J) Business Xpress directory (https://apps.oregon.gov/SOS/LicenseDirectory/LicenseDetail/626).
Reciprocity
Oregon has written reciprocal agreements for the J license with Arkansas, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. An out-of-state journeyman with an equivalent or higher license that is current, active, and without violations or conditions in the past 3 years, and who qualified for the reciprocal state's exam through documented work experience, may apply on the Reciprocal Electrical License Application (440-4794). A reciprocal Oregon J is then issued without retaking the Oregon trade exam. Source: Oregon BCD Reciprocal Licenses (https://www.oregon.gov/bcd/licensing/pages/reciprocal.aspx).
Renewal and CE
3-year renewal cycle. 24 hours of continuing education per cycle, including 8 hours of NEC code change, 4 hours of Oregon rule and law, and 12 hours of general electrical content approved by BCD. CE must be completed before renewal is processed. Source: Oregon BCD Electrical CE (https://www.oregon.gov/bcd/ce/pages/electrical.aspx).
Scope Limitations
The J authorizes an individual to perform journey-level electrical work but does not authorize permit signature or design authority. Signing electrical permits, designing or laying out installations, and directing or supervising electrical work require a General Supervising Electrician (S) license. Contracting for electrical work in one's own name requires the firm to hold an Oregon CCB contractor license with an S of record.
Reciprocity
Accepts from: AR, ID, ME, MT, UT, WA, WY