What to know about the California journeyman electrician exam, licensing board, and NEC edition requirements.
California doesn't issue a "journeyman license" — it issues Electrician Certification through the Department of Industrial Relations. Functionally it is the journeyman credential: it certifies electricians performing work for C-10 electrical contractors. The naming trips people up constantly, including on job applications.
Candidates who don’t yet have qualifying hours typically register as an Electrician Trainee (ET) to work legally while accumulating them in an approved program — generally 8,000 hours of qualifying work as a general electrician. Once your hours qualify, you apply to DIR for the certification exam.
The certification exam is based on the 2023 NEC — the edition the 2025 California Electrical Code (effective January 1, 2026) adopts, and the reference the current candidate bulletin names. California amends the national code in Title 24, and exam questions can live in the differences. Build your base on the NEC — our free practice sets cover it by article — then layer the California amendments on top before test day.
The C-10 electrical contractor license (from the CSLB) is a business license for contracting; Electrician Certification (from DIR) is the worker credential. You need certification to work as a general electrician for a C-10 shop — the C-10 itself only enters the picture if you start contracting.
Licensing rules change. Verify current requirements, fees, and exam details with DIR before applying — the source below is the primary reference this guide is built from.
Verify before relying Licensing requirements change. Always confirm current requirements directly with Dept. of Industrial Relations (DIR / DLSE) before scheduling your exam or submitting an application.
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