Electrician License from New York to Oregon: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Oregon accept a New York electrician license?
There is no New York state license to carry to Oregon: New York 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: New York issues no statewide journeyman or master electrician license, so there is no New York 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 New York 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 New York 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
New York to Oregon (this page): No state license to transfer.
Oregon 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 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 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 Oregon's.
- Experience hours
Oregon'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
Oregon and New York 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
- 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 → Oregon
| New York (current) | Oregon (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 | $100 ($100 nonrefundable reciprocal electrical license application fee; same fee for General Journeyman (J) and General Supervising/Master (S)) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; timelines are set by each municipality | BCD does not publish a processing time for reciprocal license applications |
| Licensing authority | No statewide electrician board — municipal licensing (e.g., New York City 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 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 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)
- 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
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com