Electrical apprenticeship & licensing

Hawaii electrical apprentice requirements.

Hawaii electrician licensing: 10,000-hour journey worker electrician path, required UH coursework, PSI exams, triennial renewal, continuing competency, and no reciprocity.

Official licensing authority

Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs — Board of Electricians and Plumbers

Board → · Requirements → · Exam dates → · Coursework →

Last verified: October 2, 2026 · TRADECAIRN status: Educational summary; official authority controls.

At a glance

Current licensing facts

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Journey Worker Electrician

Five years and at least 10,000 hours in residential or commercial wiring.

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Required coursework

Journey Worker Electrician applicants need 240 hours of approved electrical academic coursework accepted by a University of Hawaii Community College.

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Industrial journeyman

Journey Worker Industrial Electrician requires four years / 8,000 industrial hours plus 200 hours of approved coursework.

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Exam approval

The Board must approve the application before the candidate registers for the PSI examination.

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Renewal

Electrician licenses renew every three years by June 30; the current active renewal fee is $306.

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Reciprocity

Hawaii’s current application states that Hawaii does not reciprocate with any jurisdiction.

Hawaii licenses multiple electrician classifications

The state separately licenses journey worker, supervising, industrial, specialty, and maintenance electrician categories.

Unlicensed helpers may work only under licensed supervision

Hawaii rules permit apprentices, helpers, or other unlicensed workers to perform electrical work only when supervised within the scope of a properly licensed electrician.

Continuing competency is tied to NEC updates

Active electricians other than maintenance electricians must satisfy Hawaii’s continuing-competency requirement related to current NEC updates for renewal, subject to the Board’s published exemptions.

Recommended study references

Match the reference to the exact exam and license class.

Verify the controlling authority’s current NEC edition and permitted-reference list first.

Browse electrical study references →

Affiliate disclosure

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Electrical license reciprocity / portability

Hawaii does not reciprocate with any jurisdiction. Out-of-state applicants must document qualifying experience/training, obtain Board approval, and pass Hawaii’s licensing examination for the applicable classification.

Compare electrical license mobility by state →

Official sources

Board · Requirements · Exam dates · Coursework

Always use the licensing authority above for the latest application, fee, exam, code, and renewal information.

Keep moving

Useful next steps

Prepare for the tradeElectrical Apprentice Pro, practice, NEC navigation, and exam readiness.Add useful credentialsOSHA 10/30, NFPA 70E, CPR/AED, solar, and other career-building training.Build your field kitProfessional apprentice tool guidance with buy-now vs shop-provided recommendations.Study the NEC betterLearn code navigation instead of trying to memorize the book.

Important: This is an educational summary. Verify current state and local requirements before applying, testing, or performing work.

Pay, outlook & career planning

Look beyond licensing requirements.

Licensing is only one part of choosing where and how to build an electrical career. Compare current BLS wage sources, long-term trade outlook, license classifications, and advancement paths alongside the rules above.

PAYElectrician pay by state

Current federal wage sources and state-by-state career context.

Explore pay →OUTLOOK5–20+ year trade outlook

Official near-term projections plus transparent long-range scenarios.

See the outlook →LICENSINGElectrical license types

General, residential, limited-energy, fire alarm, signs, high-voltage, master, contractor and other paths vary by jurisdiction.

Understand the categories →SOURCESHow TRADECAIRN verifies data

See how wage, licensing, apprenticeship, and outlook information is sourced and labeled.

Methodology →