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Electrical apprenticeship & licensing

Rhode Island electrical apprentice requirements.

Rhode Island electrician licensing: registered apprentice experience, 8,000-hour journeyperson path, 576 related-instruction hours, 70% passing score, and contractor progression.

Official licensing authority

Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training — Professional Regulation

Professional Regulation → · Electrician rules → · Exam information →

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

At a glance

Current licensing facts

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Journeyperson experience
8,000 hours / four years as a registered apprentice.
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Related instruction
576 hours of DLT-approved related instruction for journeyperson testing.
✓
Passing score
70% or greater under the current electrician application.
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Journeyperson fees
$75 application fee plus $72 two-year license fee under the current application.
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Contractor progression
12,000 hours / six years total experience and a Rhode Island Journeyperson license held for two years before the contractor exam.
✓
Apprentice administration
Registered apprentices must document employment, work descriptions, and company ratio information.

Rhode Island ties journeyperson eligibility directly to registered apprenticeship experience

The current rules require 8,000 hours over four years as a registered apprentice for Certificate B journeyperson applicants.

Contractor licensure comes after journeyperson experience

The contractor route requires the Rhode Island journeyperson credential plus additional total experience before the contractor examination.

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

Rhode Island allows out-of-state licensed electricians to apply for examination, but its published rules do not operate as a simple blanket reciprocity list. Out-of-state applicants must submit official license verification and satisfy Rhode Island experience/exam requirements for the credential sought.

Compare electrical license mobility by state →

Official sources

Professional Regulation · Electrician rules · Exam information

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 →