Electrician License from New Jersey to Georgia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State) ↗
A electrical license transfers from New Jersey to Georgia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State), verify your New Jersey license, and meet Georgia's endorsement requirements. 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.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Georgia publishes no reciprocity list covering New Jersey, but the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State) licenses out-of-state electricians by endorsement, so this move runs on the board's case-by-case judgment rather than an automatic waiver. If you hold a master license this is usually your route regardless — master electricians typically endorse rather than transfer through journeyman reciprocity. Ask the board, in writing, exactly which exam or experience requirement it will waive before you rely on it.
What changes, New Jersey → Georgia
| New Jersey (current) | Georgia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 8,000 | — |
| Application fee | $150 (Class A journeyman initial license fee $150 in the first year of a triennial (prorated thereafter) per N.J.A.C. 13:31-1.6 eff. 6/2/2025, billed after approval; the Electrical Contractor business license is $225. Reciprocity applicants must also complete a 15-hour NEC course.) | $40 ($30 application + $10 processing (non-refundable) for the electrical contractor reciprocity application; see the Board fee schedule for the license-issuance fee) |
| Processing time | Board does not publish a processing time; the registration fee is billed only after the application is approved. | The Board publishes no official processing-time figure for reciprocity |
| Licensing authority | New Jersey Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (Division of Consumer Affairs) | Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Georgia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Georgia's current requirements on the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Georgia does not license individual journeyman electricians — the transferable statewide credential is the electrical CONTRACTOR license (Class I Restricted / Class II Non-Restricted).
- For contractor reciprocity, hold a current Non-Restricted license obtained by examination in AL, LA, NC, SC, or TN, in good standing with no violations.
- Grandfathered, endorsement, conversion, or reciprocity licenses are NOT eligible for reciprocity — apply by examination instead.
- Submit three notarized reference forms (at least one from a licensed electrical contractor).
- Pay the fees ($40 ($30 application + $10 processing (non-refundable) for the electrical contractor reciprocity application; see the Board fee schedule for the license-issuance fee)) and allow The Board publishes no official processing-time figure for reciprocity.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Georgia accept a New Jersey electrician license?
A electrical license transfers from New Jersey to Georgia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State), verify your New Jersey license, and meet Georgia's endorsement requirements. 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.
Which exam will I take moving from New Jersey to Georgia?
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 does the New Jersey-to-Georgia move cost and how long does it take?
$40 ($30 application + $10 processing (non-refundable) for the electrical contractor reciprocity application; see the Board fee schedule for the license-issuance fee); processing The Board publishes no official processing-time figure for reciprocity.
Does this route work for a master electrician?
Usually yes — master electricians typically move by endorsement rather than journeyman reciprocity. Confirm the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State)'s master-level experience and exam requirements, which are separate from the journeyman track this site's grid tracks.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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)
- NJ Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors — FAQ (no reciprocity with any state) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- N.J.A.C. 13:31-5.8 — Reciprocity for Class A journeyman electricians (equal-reciprocity condition; 2 of last 5 years; 15-hr NEC course) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- N.J.A.C. 13:31-1.6 — Fee schedule (Class A journeyman $150; electrical contractor $225) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NJ Application for Certificate of Registration as Qualified Journeyman Electrician (8,000 hours + 576 classroom hours) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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