Electrician License from Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio, 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, Ohio → Georgia
| Ohio (current) | Georgia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | No statewide journeyman/master license exists, so there is no state journeyman fee. The OCILB commercial Electrical Contractor reciprocity application (a different, contractor-level credential) is a $25.00 non-refundable fee per trade; annual license fee applies on issuance. Municipal journeyman/master fees vary by city and are not published statewide | $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 | Not applicable at the state level for journeyman/master (municipal); OCILB does not publish a processing time for the contractor reciprocity application | The Board publishes no official processing-time figure for reciprocity |
| Licensing authority | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance (issues the commercial Electrical Contractor license only; no state journeyman/master license) | 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 Ohio electrician license?
A electrical license transfers from Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio-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)
- OCILB — Electrical Reciprocity Verification of Licensure (West Virginia, master + contractor electrician) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- OCILB — Contractors and contracting companies (reciprocity applications by state) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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