Electrician License from New Hampshire to Iowa: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Iowa Electrical Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing) ↗
Yes — Iowa has a reciprocity arrangement covering New Hampshire license holders. Apply to the Iowa Electrical Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing) under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.
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Verdict
Reciprocity agreement
New Hampshire is on Iowa's journeyman reciprocity list, which puts this move on the fast track: Iowa waives its journeyman exam for electricians who earned a qualifying New Hampshire license by examination, held it at least a year, and meet the experience hours. Two conditions decide whether you actually qualify — your New Hampshire license must have come from an exam, not a grandfather clause, and it must be current. The list is also revocable; the verification date on this page is when we last confirmed New Hampshire on it, and the Iowa Electrical Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing) is the live source.
What changes, New Hampshire → Iowa
| New Hampshire (current) | Iowa (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 8,000 | — |
| Application fee | OPLC application/license fees are published only on the board's fee page (the application states 'SEE WEBSITE FOR FEES'); the official fee schedule was access-restricted and could not be retrieved as of 2026-07-21 - see https://www.oplc.nh.gov/find-board/electricians-board/electricians-license-fees | $75 (Journeyman Class A license fee is $75 for the 3-year term (Iowa Admin Code 661-502.3); Master Class A is $375. The fee is prorated within the 3-year cycle; the board publishes no separate reciprocal-application fee.) |
| Processing time | OPLC does not publish a processing time for endorsement/reciprocal applications | The Electrical Examining Board/DIAL does not publish a processing time; reciprocal applicants are not required to sit the Iowa exam. Applications are filed through the iowaelectrical.gov portal. |
| Licensing authority | New Hampshire Electricians' Board (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification) | Iowa Electrical Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Iowa sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Iowa's current requirements on the Iowa Electrical Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity application to the Iowa Electrical Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Passed an approved state-sponsored journeyman exam with a score of 70% or greater.
- Held the qualifying out-of-state license for at least 1 year, not expired, suspended, or revoked.
- Cannot have previously taken and failed the Iowa examination.
- Meet all additional Iowa Journeyman Class A licensure requirements.
- Pay the fees ($75 (Journeyman Class A license fee is $75 for the 3-year term (Iowa Admin Code 661-502.3); Master Class A is $375. The fee is prorated within the 3-year cycle; the board publishes no separate reciprocal-application fee.)) and allow The Electrical Examining Board/DIAL does not publish a processing time; reciprocal applicants are not required to sit the Iowa exam. Applications are filed through the iowaelectrical.gov portal..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Iowa accept a New Hampshire electrician license?
Yes — Iowa has a reciprocity arrangement covering New Hampshire license holders. Apply to the Iowa Electrical Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing) under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.
Which exam will I take moving from New Hampshire to Iowa?
No Iowa exam is required for a journeyman from a reciprocal state who passed an approved state-sponsored exam with a score of 70% or greater and has held the license for 1 year; applicants from non-reciprocal states must pass the Iowa Journeyman Class A exam.
What does the New Hampshire-to-Iowa move cost and how long does it take?
$75 (Journeyman Class A license fee is $75 for the 3-year term (Iowa Admin Code 661-502.3); Master Class A is $375. The fee is prorated within the 3-year cycle; the board publishes no separate reciprocal-application fee.); processing The Electrical Examining Board/DIAL does not publish a processing time; reciprocal applicants are not required to sit the Iowa exam. Applications are filed through the iowaelectrical.gov portal..
What could disqualify me even though New Hampshire is on Iowa's list?
A New Hampshire license you were grandfathered into rather than earning by exam, a license held less than a year, or falling short of the experience-hour minimum — Iowa's reciprocity is conditional, not automatic.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Iowa Electrical Examining Board — Reciprocal Licensing Agreements with Other States (rev. 1/29/2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Iowa Admin. Code r. 661-502.3 — License terms and fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- DIAL — Electrical Licensing ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NH OPLC - New Changes for Reciprocity (Plc 313.24 Electricians' Board qualifying jurisdictions) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NH OPLC Electricians' Board - Journeyman/Master/Reciprocal Application (8,000-hour journeyman requirement; reciprocity section) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]