Electrician License from Georgia to New York: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does New York accept a Georgia electrician license?
There is no New York state license to transfer into: New York issues no statewide journeyman electrician license. Any licensing for this work is handled below the state level (a city, county or contractor-level authority), so check with the authority where you will work.
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Verdict
No state license to transfer
There is nothing to transfer into New York, and it has nothing to do with Georgia: New York issues no statewide journeyman or master electrician license. New York issues no statewide electrician license, so there is no state exam to transfer or waive; licensing is municipal. In New York City the Department of Buildings requires its own written and practical Master/Special Electrician exams and grants no interstate reciprocity; other municipalities set their own exams. Identify the authority that governs electrical work at your New York jobsite and apply there; your Georgia license and documented hours may count with that authority, but no state agreement applies.
What's different between Georgia and New York
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into New York. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Georgia to New York (this page): No state license to transfer.
New York to Georgia (the reverse move): No state license to transfer.
New York issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so neither direction is a state-license transfer.
- Does coming from Georgia matter?
Coming from Georgia does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into New York.
- Fee and processing
New York issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is no New York state license application fee or processing time to compare with Georgia's.
- Exam rules on record
New York and Georgia carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- New York (this move): New York issues no statewide electrician license, so there is no state exam to transfer or waive; licensing is municipal. In New York City the Department of Buildings requires its own written and practical Master/Special Electrician exams and grants no interstate reciprocity; other municipalities set their own exams.
- Georgia (the reverse move): Georgia issues no journeyman electrician license; for its statewide electrical CONTRACTOR license the Board waives the exam only for applicants who hold a Non-Restricted (Class II) license obtained by examination in Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee, with no violations — every other applicant must pass the Georgia electrical contractor examination
What changes, Georgia → New York
| Georgia (current) | New York (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $40 ($30 application + $10 processing (non-refundable) for the electrical contractor reciprocity application; see the Board fee schedule for the license-issuance fee) | No statewide license; municipal fees vary and are not published on a single state page. NYC Master/Special Electrician fees set by the Department of Buildings were not captured from an official page here |
| Processing time | The Board publishes no official processing-time figure for reciprocity | No statewide process; timelines are set by each municipality |
| Licensing authority | Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State) | No statewide electrician board — municipal licensing (e.g., New York City Department of Buildings) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — New York sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- New York issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is no state license to transfer: confirm with the authority linked on this page who licenses the work where you will practice.
- Contact that city, county or contractor-level authority for its own requirements, exams and fees.
- Keep records of your current license, exams and documented experience — a local authority may credit them, but nothing transfers at state level.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Who do I apply to if New York has no state journeyman license?
The authority covering your jobsite: the city or county office that licenses individual electricians, where that jurisdiction licenses them at all. New York sets no statewide journeyman requirement, so whether that authority credits your Georgia license and documented experience is its decision — confirm it with the specific New York jurisdiction where you will work.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- NYC Department of Buildings — Master Electricians & Special Electricians (license types; no journeyman) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYC Department of Buildings — Obtain a Master & Special Electrician License (experience and exam requirements) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Board of Electrical Contractors FAQ (reciprocity states, exam waiver, grandfather exclusion) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Electrical Reciprocity Application (Form 44) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (board home) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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