Electrician License from Pennsylvania to Virginia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Virginia accept a Pennsylvania electrician license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to Virginia: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman electrician license. Virginia does license this work, so ask the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) - Board for Contractors 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: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman or master electrician license, so there is no Pennsylvania state license for Virginia to verify, endorse or reciprocate. Virginia does license electricians, through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) - Board for Contractors, 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 Pennsylvania license or your documented hours; otherwise plan for its new-applicant route and exam. Virginia waives its journeyman tradesman exam under an examination-reciprocity agreement only for applicants holding the corresponding license in the District of Columbia, Kentucky, or West Virginia; an applicant licensed in any other state may instead qualify to sit - but must pass - the Virginia journeyman tradesman exam by submitting a current out-of-state license and letter of good standing.
What's different between Pennsylvania and Virginia
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Virginia. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Virginia (this page): No state license to transfer.
Virginia to Pennsylvania (the reverse move): No state license to transfer.
Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so neither direction is a state-license transfer.
- Does coming from Pennsylvania matter?
Coming from Pennsylvania matters here: only 13 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Virginia.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (34) and reciprocity agreement (3).
- Reciprocity agreements
Virginia's reciprocity agreement list names 3 states (District of Columbia, Kentucky, and West Virginia), not including Pennsylvania.
- Fee and processing
Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is no Pennsylvania state license application fee or processing time to compare with Virginia's.
- Exam rules on record
Virginia and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Virginia (this move): Virginia waives its journeyman tradesman exam under an examination-reciprocity agreement only for applicants holding the corresponding license in the District of Columbia, Kentucky, or West Virginia; an applicant licensed in any other state may instead qualify to sit - but must pass - the Virginia journeyman tradesman exam by submitting a current out-of-state license and letter of good standing
- Pennsylvania (the reverse move): Not applicable — Pennsylvania issues no statewide electrician license, so there is no state journeyman exam to waive or transfer; each municipality that licenses electricians sets its own exam and standards, and local licenses generally do not transfer between Pennsylvania municipalities
What changes, Pennsylvania → Virginia
| Pennsylvania (current) | Virginia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | No statewide license, so no state fee; municipal license and exam fees vary by city and are not published statewide | $171.75 (Reciprocity or examination method fee is $171.75 (includes the 2026 HB 30 $7.25/year technology fee); card exchange is $131.75; if the exam is not waived the PSI exam sitting fee is charged separately) |
| Processing time | No statewide license; processing depends on the individual municipality | DPOR does not publish a processing timeframe on the tradesman application |
| Licensing authority | None — no statewide electrician licensing board (licensing is municipal). State building-code oversight: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Bureau of Occupational and Industrial Safety (Uniform Construction Code) | Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) - Board for Contractors |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Virginia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Virginia's requirements on the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) - Board for Contractors website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) - Board for Contractors whether it credits a local Pennsylvania license or your documented experience: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman electrician license, so there is no state license to verify.
- Otherwise apply as a new applicant: meet Virginia'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.
- VA DPOR Board for Contractors - Reciprocal Licensing/Examination Agreements with Other Jurisdictions ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- VA DPOR - Tradesman Exam & License Application (A501-2710EXLIC) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PA Dept. of Labor & Industry — Contractor Licensing (Commonwealth has no licensure for most construction trades; keeps no records of municipal licenses) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PA Dept. of Labor & Industry — Uniform Construction Code (home) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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