Electrician License from New York to Idaho: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Idaho accept a New York electrician license?
There is no New York state license to carry to Idaho: New York 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: New York issues no statewide journeyman or master electrician license, so there is no New York 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 New York 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 New York 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
New York to Idaho (this page): No state license to transfer.
Idaho to New York (the reverse move): No state license to transfer.
New York issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so neither direction is a state-license transfer.
- Does coming from New York matter?
Coming from New York 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 New York.
- Fee and processing
New York issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is no New York 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; New York sets none at state level because it issues no statewide journeyman electrician license.
- Exam rules on record
Idaho and New York 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
- New York (the reverse move): New York issues no statewide electrician license, so there is no state exam to transfer or waive; licensing is municipal. In New York City the Department of Buildings requires its own written and practical Master/Special Electrician exams and grants no interstate reciprocity; other municipalities set their own exams.
What changes, New York → Idaho
| New York (current) | Idaho (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Experience hours | — | 8,000 |
| Application fee | No statewide license; municipal fees vary and are not published on a single state page. NYC Master/Special Electrician fees set by the Department of Buildings were not captured from an official page here | $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 | No statewide process; timelines are set by each municipality | DOPL publishes no processing-time figure for reciprocal applications |
| Licensing authority | No statewide electrician board — municipal licensing (e.g., New York City 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 New York license or your documented experience: New York 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)
- NYC Department of Buildings — Master Electricians & Special Electricians (license types; no journeyman) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYC Department of Buildings — Obtain a Master & Special Electrician License (experience and exam requirements) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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