Electrician License from Illinois to Oregon: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Oregon accept an Illinois electrician license?
There is no Illinois state license to carry to Oregon: Illinois issues no statewide journeyman electrician license. Oregon does license this work, so ask the Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) — Department of Consumer and Business Services 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 Oregon to verify, endorse or reciprocate. Oregon does license electricians, through the Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) — Department of Consumer and Business Services, 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. Oregon waives its General Journeyman exam for applicants who hold an equivalent license from a reciprocal state and passed that state's exam with 75 percent or better; applicants from non-reciprocal states must qualify for and pass the Oregon exam.
What's different between Illinois and Oregon
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Oregon. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Illinois to Oregon (this page): No state license to transfer.
Oregon 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 Oregon.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (30) and reciprocity agreement (7).
- Reciprocity agreements
Oregon's reciprocity agreement list names 7 states (Arkansas, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Utah, Washington, 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 Oregon's.
- Experience hours
Oregon'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
Oregon and Illinois carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Oregon (this move): Oregon waives its General Journeyman exam for applicants who hold an equivalent license from a reciprocal state and passed that state's exam with 75 percent or better; applicants from non-reciprocal states must qualify for and pass the Oregon exam
- 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 → Oregon
| Illinois (current) | Oregon (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Experience hours | — | 8,000 |
| Application fee | No statewide fee; fees are set by each municipality | $100 ($100 nonrefundable reciprocal electrical license application fee; same fee for General Journeyman (J) and General Supervising/Master (S)) |
| Processing time | Set by each municipality; there is no statewide process | BCD does not publish a processing time for reciprocal license applications |
| Licensing authority | No statewide board — electrician licensing is municipal (e.g., City of Chicago Department of Buildings) | Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) — Department of Consumer and Business Services |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Oregon sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Oregon's requirements on the Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) — Department of Consumer and Business Services website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) — Department of Consumer and Business Services 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 Oregon'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.
- Oregon BCD — Reciprocal licenses ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Oregon BCD — Reciprocal Electrical License Application (form 440-4794e: states, $100 fee, OAR 918-030-0045 qualifications) ↗ (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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