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United States · Licensing exam

How to become an electrician apprentice

An electrician apprentice works on real jobs under licensed electricians and takes classes alongside, and gets paid for the work. BLS says most electricians learn the trade in a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training each year. You need a high school diploma or equivalent to start.

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How do you become an electrician apprentice?

  1. Finish high school or get a GED. IEC also asks applicants to be at least 18, and union programs set the same minimum age.
  2. Choose a sponsor. BLS says unions and contractor associations both run apprenticeship programs. Some contractors run their own training, which isn't a recognized apprenticeship.
  3. Apply. Union programs take applications through a local training center. IEC has an interest form, and a chapter contacts you. Apprenticeship.gov lists open apprenticeship jobs by location.
  4. Register with your state if it asks you to. Texas and Washington both do, before you work.
Union electrician apprenticeship →Apprenticeship.gov: Apprenticeship Finder ↗

What apprentices learn

BLS lists the classroom side as electrical theory, blueprint reading, mathematics, electrical code requirements, and safety and first aid. The rest is on the job. IEC's program, for example, is about four years with at least 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and 576 hours in class.

People with electrical experience from the military or construction may qualify for a shorter apprenticeship. If you've been to a technical school, check how much credit a program gives for it.

School or apprenticeship first →

Apprentice pay

BLS says apprentices earn less than fully trained electricians and their pay goes up as they learn to do more. IEC says its apprentices typically start at about 50% of a journeyman's rate. Neither publishes a national starting wage, so ask each program for its pay scale.

Apprenticeships are built around full-time work, about 2,000 paid hours a year in BLS's description. Neither BLS nor IEC describes part-time programs, so ask a sponsor directly if you need one.

Apprentice and trainee rules in three states

Other states set their own rules, so check your state's electrical board before you start.

StateWhat you need before you work
TexasAn apprentice electrician license from TDLR. No experience and no exam are needed, you apply online, and it's renewed every year.
WashingtonAn electrical trainee certificate from L&I. You must be 16 or older, and on journey-level work you can be 1 trainee to 1 journey level electrician. It's renewed every 2 years after 48 hours of basic classroom instruction.
CaliforniaTo work for a C-10 contractor before you qualify for the certification exam, register as an electrician trainee. You must be enrolled in a state-approved school and work under a certified electrician who supervises only you. Apprentices in a state-approved program are a separate category. Trainee registration is by mail until DLSE's online version opens.
Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics · IEC · electrical training ALLIANCE and 6 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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