Electrician License from Illinois to Minnesota: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Minnesota accept an Illinois electrician license?
There is no Illinois state license to carry to Minnesota: Illinois issues no statewide journeyman electrician license. Minnesota does license this work, so ask the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) — Board of Electricity 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 Minnesota to verify, endorse or reciprocate. Minnesota does license electricians, through the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) — Board of Electricity, 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. Minnesota waives its journeyworker exam for a reciprocity applicant who earned a like (or higher) license by state-administered examination in a partner state and held it at least one year; applicants from non-partner states must pass the Minnesota examination.
What's different between Illinois and Minnesota
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Minnesota. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Illinois to Minnesota (this page): No state license to transfer.
Minnesota 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 Minnesota.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (28) and reciprocity agreement (9).
- Reciprocity agreements
Minnesota's reciprocity agreement list names 9 states (Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, 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 Minnesota's.
- Exam rules on record
Minnesota and Illinois carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Minnesota (this move): Minnesota waives its journeyworker exam for a reciprocity applicant who earned a like (or higher) license by state-administered examination in a partner state and held it at least one year; applicants from non-partner states must pass the Minnesota 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 → Minnesota
| Illinois (current) | Minnesota (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | No statewide fee; fees are set by each municipality | $50 ($50 application and examination fee accompanies the reciprocity application even though the Minnesota exam is waived) |
| Processing time | Set by each municipality; there is no statewide process | Minnesota DLI does not publish a processing-time range for reciprocity applications |
| Licensing authority | No statewide board — electrician licensing is municipal (e.g., City of Chicago Department of Buildings) | Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) — Board of Electricity |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Minnesota sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Minnesota's requirements on the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) — Board of Electricity website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) — Board of Electricity 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 Minnesota'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.
- Minnesota DLI — Electrical license reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Minnesota DLI — Experience requirements (electrical license) ↗ (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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