- Change your address, pay renewal or reinstatement fee online
- Change your address form
- Get a duplicate license
About Becoming an Electrical Administrator
All Electrical Contractors must designate a person with a current Washington State Administrator or Master Electrician certificate to be the Electrical Administrator for their company. The Electrical Administrator's job is to ensure that the Electrical Contractor's work complies with all the appropriate electrical laws and rules.
Note: Electrical Administrator certification does not enable the holder to do electrical installations.
What is required to become an Electrical Administrator?
These are the steps you must follow to become an Electrical Administrator:
- Take and pass the administrator exam. There are no prerequisites for taking this exam. You must pass all sections of the exam.
- Be prepared to pay the fee for an electrical administrator certificate.
- Submit your application and fee and accompanying forms to L&I, either online, by mail or in one of L&I's local offices.
- If you wish to be assigned to an electrical contractor, you must also complete the appropriate form and pay the fee.
What is required to renew your Electrical Administrator certificate?
- Electrical administrators must take 8 hours per year (24 hours total) of continuing education course work in the 3 years before your certificate comes up for renewal. Find out more here...
- You should apply to renew your certificate before your card expires, even if you don't have all your continuing education credits finished.
More information
- Find out more about the Electrical Program.
- Read the Electrical law Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 19.28.
- Join the Electrical Listserv to receive e-mails with the Electrical Currents Newsletter and other important information.
How to prepare for and take the Administrator exam
L&I Electrical exams are administered by PSI, an independent testing center. Contact PSI on the Web or at 1-800-733-9267 to schedule your exam.
You don't need L&I's approval to take an electrical administrator exam.
How to prepare for your exam
Exam Content outlines and other examination information is avaialbe in the Candidate Bulletin of Information located at www.psiexams.com. For more helpful information, see Preparing for Your Electrical Exam to find out what to expect and how to prepare.
What comes next after taking the exam?
How to apply for an Electrical Administrators' certificate
What you need to do
Take the Administrator exam.
Contact PSI on the Web or at 1-800-733-9267 to schedule your exam. You don't need L&I's approval to take the electrical administrator exam. Get more information about the exam here.- When you have passed all sections of the exam you must apply for your certificate within 90 days.
Mail a copy of each passing score report to L&I's Electrical Program, PO Box 44460, Olympia, WA 98504-4460.
Note:If you have not completed all sections of the exam, you cannot submit an application for a certificate. - If you wish to be assigned to an electrical contractor, you must,
- Complete the Assignment/Unassignment of Administrator/ Master Certificate form.
- Be prepared to pay the $38.30 fee.
- Send both to L&I as outlined below.
- Be prepared to pay the fee for the Electrical Administrator certificate
Electrical Administrator fee is $115.40, this includes original certificate and application processing fee.
You must not have any outstanding, unpaid citations with L&I.
Note regarding refunds:
All fees are nonrefundable after the certificate has been issued. Refund requests must be made in writing to the L&I Electrical Program, PO Box 44460, Olympia, WA 98504-4460. - Submit your application, fee, and accompanying forms one of the following 3 ways:
- Pay and apply online via L&I’s Get or Renew a License system (QuickCards).
Before you apply online, you will need the following handy:
- Your name and address.
- Your Social Security number (required by federal law).
- Your e-mail address and phone number.
- Your credit card (VISA/MC).
- Then mail your passing exam score results and a copy of the online receipt from QuickCards
to L&I's Electrical Program at the address indicated on the score result report provided by LaserGrade (serves as an application).
— OR — - Mail your passing exam score results and your certification fee to L&I's Electrical Program at the address indicated on the on the score result report provided by LaserGrade (serves as an application).
- You can pay by check or money order.
- Be sure to include your completed Assignment/Unassignment
of Administrator/ Master Certificate form and the applicable fee if you want to be assigned to an electrical contractor.
- Go to one of L&I's service locations where you can submit your passing exam score results (serves as an application) and pay your certification fee by check, money order, or credit card.
Be sure to include your completed Assignment/Unassignment of Administrator/ Master Certificate form and the applicable fee if you want to be assigned to an Electrical Contractor.
- Pay and apply online via L&I’s Get or Renew a License system (QuickCards).
- Verify that the following information is on file with the department:
Passing scores for all sections of the examination.
- Within 5 days after we receive the information listed above, L&I will do one of the following:
- Send your certificate.
— OR — - Notify you of the action taken on your application.
- Send your certificate.
What L&I will do
Continuing Education for Electrical Administrators
Get approved Continuing Education course (CEUs) lists below.
Continuing education requirements for renewal
If you are an Electrical Administrator, Electrician or Master Electrician, you are required to take 24 hours of continuing education course work in the three (3) years between your certification renewals:
- 8 hours of your CEUs must be on currently adopted National Electrical Code changes.
- 4 hours must be on currently adopted Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 19.28 and related Washington Administrative Codes (WAC).
- The remaining 12 hours of continuing education credit can be your choice from the list of approved courses below.
Avoid late renewal
Even if you have not completed the required CEUs as your renewal date approaches, you can submit your renewal application and fee to L&I.
Your certificate will become inactive. Inactive status allows you to avoid the late penalty and re-exam that result from being late.
You cannot work as an Electrician, Master Electrician or as an Electrical Administrator as your certificate is inactive until you complete your CEUs and L&I is informed.
Check your continuing education and certificate status
If you are unsure what continuing education has been reported, or the status of your certificate, check your record in L&I's Look up a Contractor or tradesperson to see what courses have been reported and may be considered for renewal will be listed.
Approved Continuing Education Courses (CEUs)
Courses listed below are for Electrician certification renewal only and cannot be used to qualify for a Trainee certificate renewal. (Find Basic Classroom Education for Trainees here.)
For course schedules, contact the course sponsor named in the lists below. Courses are good for three years from initial approval. Check all the lists and verify the course will not expire before you complete it.
2012 Continuing Education Courses. (45 KB PDF)- 2011 Continuing Education Courses. (334 KB PDF)
- 2010 Continuing Education Courses. (305 KB PDF)
- 2009 Continuing Education Courses. (303 KB PDF) Check carefully, these 2009 classes start to expire January 1, 2012.
Courses specifically for combination 03 or 03A specialty plumber-electricians in the pumping industry:
(Trainees in the pumping industry must take standard Basic Classroom Education for Trainees to renew their training certificate.)
Washington Administrative Code 296-46B-970 rule regarding Electrical Continuing Education.
Information for Electrical Continuing Education/Basic Classroom Course Providers
How to renew your Electrical Administrator's certificate
An Electrical Administrator's certificate must be renewed every three (3) years.24 hours of continuing education are required for renewal.
What you need to do
- Make sure you have completed 24 hours of continuing education courses or units (CEUs).
Eight (8) of those hours must be code update and four (4) hours must be RCW/WAC review.
- Your continuing education credits are recorded by your course provider.
- Electrical Administrators who renew without the required CEUs completed will be renewed to an inactive status, which means you cannot work as an Administrator.
- Make sure you don't have any outstanding, unpaid citations with L&I.
If you're not sure, go online toLook Up Electrical Violations or call L&I's Electrical Program at 360-902-5269.
- Download and complete the application.
Fill out the certificate renewal application and follow its instructions carefully.
- Be prepared to pay the renewal fee. See the consequences of late renewal here.
Renew before your card expires so you don't have to pay a late renewal fee.
- If you pay before your expiration date, the online renewal fee is $132.20 or if paying in person or by mail the renewal fee is $145.90 for a 3-year certificate. (You are responsible to ensure that the department receives your renewal application materials before your expiration date.)
- If you are renewing after your expiration date and your renewal is not more than 90 days late, the online renewal fee is $264.50 or if paying in person or by mail the renewal fee is $291.80.
- If your renewal is more than 90 days late, you cannot renew and must take the exam. Find out how to schedule your exam here. (L&I approval is not required to take an Administrator exam.)
Note: Fees are nonrefundable after certificate has been issued.
Refund requests before the certificate has been issued must be made in writing to the department. Mail to the L&I Electrical Program, PO Box 44460, Olympia, WA 98504-4460.
- If you wish to be assigned to an Electrical Contractor or change your assignment status,
You must also complete the Change Assignment of Administrator/Master Certificate form and be prepared to pay the $38.30 fee. You must notify the department of any change in your assignment status within 10 days.
- Submit your renewal request and fee one of the following 3 ways:
- Save Money! Pay and submit your renewal request online via L&I’s Renew a License system (QuickCards).
Before you apply online, you will need to have the following:
- Your 12-digit license number.
- Your credit card (VISA or MasterCard only).
- An active license (not suspended or not expired for more than 90 days).
- Your email address and phone number.
- Then mail your Change Assignment
of Administrator/Master Certificate form and fee, if appropriate, to L&I's Electrical Program at the address indicated on the form.
— OR — - Mail your fee, your renewal application, and the Change Assignment of Administrator/Master Certificate form and fee, if appropriate, to L&I's Electrical Program at the address indicated on the form. Payment can by made by check or money order.
— OR — - Go to one of L&I's service locations where you can pay your fee and submit your renewal application and the Change Assignment of Administrator/Master Certificate form and fee, if appropriate. You can pay by check, money order, or credit card.
- Save Money! Pay and submit your renewal request online via L&I’s Renew a License system (QuickCards).
- Verify that the following information is on file with the department:
- All necessary application information.
- Sufficient continuing education credits to meet the requirement.
- Within 5 days after we receive the information listed above, L&I will do one of the following:
- Send your certificate.
— OR — - Notify you of the action taken on your renewal application.
- Send your certificate.
