How to Get an Electrical Contractor License in Georgia
Georgia requires an electrical contractor license if you want to take on electrical contracting work under your own name or business. You’ll need qualifying experience, references, Board approval and a passing exam score.
First, you have to choose between two licenses: Class I (Restricted) and Class II (Unrestricted). That choice determines which jobs you can legally accept.
Georgia Electrical Contractor License Requirements at a Glance
Georgia’s State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Electrical Contractors, issues both license classifications.
| Requirement | Georgia rules |
|---|---|
| License types | Class I (Restricted) and Class II (Unrestricted) |
| Minimum age | 21 |
| Standard experience | Four years of qualifying electrical experience |
| References | Three, including one licensed electrical contractor |
| Application fee | $110 |
| Exam passing score | 70 |
| Next renewal deadline | June 30, 2028 |
| Continuing education | 8 hours per 2-year cycle (less for new licensees) |
| Application system | Georgia Online Application Licensing System (GOALS) |
Sources: Georgia Rule 121-3-.01 and Georgia Electrical Contractor Licensing Guide.
Class I vs. Class II: Which Georgia Electrical License Do You Need?
Class I Electrical Contractor License (Restricted)
Class I covers single-phase electrical installations that don’t exceed 200 amperes at the service drop or service lateral. A typical house with a 200-amp single-phase service falls within that limit.
Now say a homeowner wants a 400-amp service upgrade. You might be doing the same type of residential work you’ve done for years, but that service exceeds the Class I limit.
You need Class II authority to take the job.
Class II Electrical Contractor License (Unrestricted)
Class II is unrestricted. It covers electrical contracting beyond the Class I limits, including larger residential services and three-phase commercial installations.
The experience requirements are tougher, too. Class II applicants must document qualifying work across all eight categories in Georgia’s licensing rule, including experience on installations exceeding the Class I limits.
| Example job | Required license classification |
|---|---|
| 200A single-phase residential installation | Class I or Class II |
| 320A single-phase residential service | Class II |
| 400A single-phase residential service | Class II |
| Three-phase commercial installation | Class II |
Source: Georgia Rule 121-3-.01.
Who Qualifies for a Georgia Electrical Contractor License?
The Four-Year Experience Requirement
Georgia’s standard licensing pathway requires four years of qualifying electrical experience.
Primary experience is hands-on work installing electrical systems and performing related electrical work under the National Electrical Code.
Your years on the job matter, but so does the work you’ve actually done. The Board requires experience across specific electrical installation categories.
Class I applicants need experience in at least five of categories (a) through (g) under Rule 121-3-.01(7), plus category (h), which covers load and circuit calculations.
Class II applicants need experience in all eight.
The categories are:
- Raceways and enclosures
- Conductors and cables
- Service entrances
- Motors and generators
- Switches and controls
- Special occupancies
- Grounding and bonding
- Load and circuit calculations
Four years installing residential branch circuits may give you plenty of hands-on experience. But if you’ve never worked with certain equipment or installation types, you may still be short of the experience required for Class II.
Can Education Count Toward Experience?
Georgia allows some education and related electrical work to count toward the four-year requirement.
Under Rule 121-3-.01(5), qualifying secondary experience receives 50% credit, up to one year. Three years of primary experience plus two years of qualifying secondary experience can satisfy the standard four-year requirement.
Secondary experience can include electrical instruction, inspections, engineering design and specified management work.
Subsection (5) sets a one-year cap for secondary experience or education credit, while its separate education provisions say certain two-year diploma or certificate programs count as two years of experience.
The rule contradicts itself here. Ask the Board how your specific program counts before relying on education credit in your application.
The Alternative Six-Year Experience Pathway
Georgia has another route for applicants with six years of qualifying electrical contracting experience.
This pathway allows applicants to demonstrate sufficient electrical contracting knowledge without meeting the standard requirement for direct installation experience.
Education counts at 50%, up to two years.
For example, four years of qualifying electrical contracting experience plus four years of qualifying education could meet the six-year calculation.
You’ll also need at least one professional reference from a licensed architect, professional engineer or electrical engineer. That person must provide their license number.
The Board decides whether your experience qualifies. You’ll still have to pass the licensing exam.
Professional References
Every applicant needs three references, including at least one from a licensed electrical contractor.
Your references should know what kind of electrical work you’ve done and what responsibilities you’ve handled.
A former supervisor who can describe the panels, services and electrical systems you’ve worked on is more useful than someone who only knows your employment dates.
Source: Georgia Rule 121-3-.01.
How to Apply for a Georgia Electrical Contractor License
Georgia handles applications through the Georgia Online Application Licensing System (GOALS).
Step 1: Choose Class I or Class II
Start with the type of electrical work you intend to perform.
If you’re applying for Class II, make sure your experience covers all eight required categories and includes work beyond the Class I limits.
Step 2: Gather Your Experience Records and References
Prepare a work history showing where you’ve worked, what electrical systems you’ve installed and which responsibilities you’ve handled.
Get the three required reference forms completed. At least one must come from a licensed electrical contractor.
If you’re using education credit or the six-year pathway, gather those records now.
Step 3: Prepare Your Application Documents
Georgia’s application checklist includes:
- Completed application
- Three professional references
- Electrical work experience documentation
- Background check from local law enforcement
- Secure and verifiable identification
- Citizenship affidavit
- Immigration documentation, if applicable
- Disciplinary explanations and court records, if applicable
Your application must be signed and notarized. Missing that step can hold up the entire review.
Step 4: Submit Your Application and Pay the Fee
Go to the GOALS licensing portal, create an account and select the appropriate electrical contractor application.
Upload your documents and pay the $110 application fee.
Save copies of everything you submit, especially your experience records and reference forms.
Step 5: Wait for Board Review
Georgia generally processes applications within 20 business days, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be licensed in 20 days.
The Board meets on a schedule, and your application must be complete at least 15 days before a meeting to make that meeting’s agenda.
Miss the cutoff and you wait for the next meeting.
Incomplete paperwork can push the process back further. If Georgia sends a deficiency letter, the 20-business-day processing clock starts again when the corrected application is received.
You have 60 days to resolve the deficiencies. After that, the application may be withdrawn, leaving you to submit a new application and pay the required fees again.
Step 6: Take the Electrical Contractor Exam
Once the Board approves your application, you’ll receive an examination approval letter with instructions for scheduling through PSI.
The letter is valid for one year, and you need a score of at least 70 to pass.
Fail the exam twice and you’re taking a Board-approved review course before attempt three.
Georgia offers exam point credits and/or expedited application processing for eligible veterans, service members, transitioning service members and military spouses. Applicants claiming the DD-214-based veterans’ preference must provide documentation showing at least 90 days of service during a period of conflict or war.
Step 7: Verify Your Active License
After passing the exam and completing the licensing process, verify that Georgia has issued your active electrical contractor license through GOALS.
You can’t legally perform electrical contracting services until you hold an active license.
An approved application or passing exam score isn’t permission to start contracting.
Source: Georgia Electrical Contractor Licensing Guide.
Georgia Electrical Contractor License Fees
Georgia’s published licensing guide lists the following amounts:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial application (Class I or II) | $110 |
| Class II reinstatement, lapsed under three years | $310 |
Exam and renewal fees are listed separately in the state’s current fee schedule, available through the Georgia Electrical Contractor Licensing Guide.
You may also have expenses for background checks, exam preparation and supporting documentation.
Renewing a Georgia Electrical Contractor License
Georgia electrical contractor licenses renew every two years.
The next regular renewal deadline is June 30, 2028.
The renewal window opens in April of even-numbered years. You renew through GOALS, and late renewal is available from July 1 through July 31 with an additional fee.
Continuing Education Requirements
Most contractors need four hours of continuing education per year, or eight hours over the standard two-year renewal cycle.
Georgia reduces the requirement for some newly licensed contractors.
| Time licensed before initial renewal | Required CE |
|---|---|
| One year or less | 0 hours |
| More than one year but less than two years | 4 hours |
| Standard two-year cycle | 8 hours |
Continuing education must meet the Board’s requirements.
Manufacturers can provide educational courses, but courses specifically designed to promote their products don’t count.
Keep your CE records for at least five years. Georgia requires the provider’s name, course title, location, date, course outline or topics, instructional hours and evidence of satisfactory completion.
For the 2026 renewal cycle, the Board used CE Broker for CE reporting. Check the renewal instructions in 2028.
Contractors facing documented hardship, disability or illness may request a continuing education waiver. The Division decides whether to grant it.
What Happens if Your License Expires?
Georgia has separate procedures for late renewal and reinstatement.
If your license has been lapsed for less than three years, you’ll need to complete the applicable reinstatement requirements.
For a lapse of three years or more, Georgia requires applicants to pass the appropriate examination before reinstatement.
Don’t keep taking electrical contracting jobs on an expired license.
Sources: Georgia Rule 121-4-.05 and Georgia Electrical Contractor Licensing Guide.
Does Georgia Have Electrical Contractor License Reciprocity?
No. Georgia’s Electrical Contractors Board says reciprocity has not been available since May 2026.
The state’s older application instructions still mention reciprocity for electrical contractors licensed by examination in Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina or Tennessee.
Those instructions conflict with the Board’s current FAQ, which says reciprocal licensing is no longer offered.
A license from one of those states won’t get you licensed in Georgia through reciprocity.
If you’re moving your electrical contracting business across state lines, use the current Georgia application requirements rather than the older reciprocity forms.
Source: Georgia Electrical Contractors Board FAQ.
Business Registration, Insurance and Local Permits
Georgia’s Electrical Contractors Board licenses individuals, not electrical contracting companies.
If you’re starting a business, you may also need business registration, local business licensing, electrical permits and inspections.
Georgia’s electrical contractor application checklist doesn’t include insurance or a surety bond. Local requirements and customer contracts may still require coverage or bonding.
Managing Jobs After You Get Licensed
Getting licensed lets you take on electrical contracting work. Running the jobs brings its own paperwork.
Take a panel replacement. You’ll need to prepare the estimate, schedule the installation, keep track of the work and send the invoice when it’s finished.
If you need a customer-ready document, the free contractor estimate generator lets you itemize the work and download the estimate.
Cinderblock keeps those job records together, so you’re not digging through texts and paperwork every time a customer calls.
Official Georgia Electrical Contractor Licensing Resources
Use these state resources for applications, licensing rules and renewals:
- Georgia Electrical Contractor Licensing Guide: Applications, fees, renewals and reinstatement.
- Georgia Rule 121-3-.01: License classifications, experience requirements and examinations.
- Georgia Rule 121-4-.05: Continuing education requirements.
- Georgia Electrical Contractors Board FAQ: Current Board guidance, exam procedures and reciprocity.
- GOALS Licensing Portal: Applications, renewals and license verification.
If your work history or education doesn’t fit the standard requirements, contact the Georgia Electrical Contractors Board before submitting your application.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Licensing requirements can change. Consult the relevant licensing authority or a qualified attorney for guidance specific to your situation.
Andrew Booth
Andrew is a construction industry writer focused on contractor operations, scheduling, estimating, and field workflows.
