Electrician License from Illinois to Idaho: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Idaho accept an Illinois electrician license?
There is no Illinois state license to carry to Idaho: Illinois issues no statewide journeyman electrician license. Idaho does license this work, so ask the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), Idaho Electrical Board whether it credits a local license or your documented experience; otherwise you qualify as a new applicant.
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Verdict
No state license to transfer
The issue on this move is the starting point: Illinois issues no statewide journeyman or master electrician license, so there is no Illinois state license for Idaho to verify, endorse or reciprocate. Idaho does license electricians, through the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), Idaho Electrical Board, and it licenses out-of-state electricians by endorsement — but that route starts from a state license. Ask the board, in writing, whether it credits a local Illinois license or your documented hours; otherwise plan for its new-applicant route and exam. Idaho waives its journeyman electrician examination for applicants who hold a current license earned by a state-administered exam in a reciprocal state and have held it continuously for at least one year; applicants from non-reciprocal states must pass the Idaho journeyman electrician examination.
What's different between Illinois and Idaho
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Idaho. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Illinois to Idaho (this page): No state license to transfer.
Idaho to Illinois (the reverse move): No state license to transfer.
Illinois issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so neither direction is a state-license transfer.
- Does coming from Illinois matter?
Coming from Illinois matters here: only 13 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Idaho.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (28) and reciprocity agreement (9).
- Reciprocity agreements
Idaho's reciprocity agreement list names 9 states (Colorado, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming), not including Illinois.
- Fee and processing
Illinois issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is no Illinois state license application fee or processing time to compare with Idaho's.
- Experience hours
Idaho's first-time-applicant standard is 8,000 hours of documented experience for the journeyman license; Illinois sets none at state level because it issues no statewide journeyman electrician license.
- Exam rules on record
Idaho and Illinois carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Idaho (this move): Idaho waives its journeyman electrician examination for applicants who hold a current license earned by a state-administered exam in a reciprocal state and have held it continuously for at least one year; applicants from non-reciprocal states must pass the Idaho journeyman electrician examination
- Illinois (the reverse move): Illinois has no statewide electrician license, so there is no state exam to waive or transfer; each municipality sets its own exam and licensing rules (for example, the City of Chicago administers its own Supervising Electrician examination through Continental Testing Services)
What changes, Illinois → Idaho
| Illinois (current) | Idaho (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Experience hours | — | 8,000 |
| Application fee | No statewide fee; fees are set by each municipality | $70 ($70 processing fee for an initial, reciprocal, or reopen-closed license application (per DOPL); exam fee is statutorily capped at $75 for non-reciprocal applicants who must test) |
| Processing time | Set by each municipality; there is no statewide process | DOPL publishes no processing-time figure for reciprocal applications |
| Licensing authority | No statewide board — electrician licensing is municipal (e.g., City of Chicago Department of Buildings) | Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), Idaho Electrical Board |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Idaho sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Idaho's requirements on the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), Idaho Electrical Board website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), Idaho Electrical Board whether it credits a local Illinois license or your documented experience: Illinois issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is no state license to verify.
- Otherwise apply as a new applicant: meet Idaho's education/experience requirements and pass the exams it requires.
- Submit the application with fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Idaho DOPL — Idaho Electrical Board (board home) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Idaho DOPL — 'Licenses That Idaho Will Reciprocate: Electrical' reciprocal-info (partner states, eligibility) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Idaho DOPL — Apply for or Renew a License (fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NERA — National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance (About) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- City of Chicago — Trade Licensing (Department of Buildings) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- City of Chicago — Supervising Electrician License (municipal exam/licensing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- City of Chicago — Electrical Contractor License ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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