• Change your address, pay renewal or reinstatement fee online
• Change your address
• Get a duplicate license

About Becoming an Electrical Trainee

To learn to be an electrician, you need to begin as a trainee. An electrical trainee must have a trainee certificate and work under the supervision of a certified electrician.

An Electrical Trainee must renew their certificate every two (2) years until they pass the exam to become a journeyman or master or specialty electrician.

Here's the process:

1. Make sure you meet the basic age and other requirements.
2. Apply to become an Electrical Trainee.
3. Work as an Electrical Trainee under the supervision of a journeyman or master or specialty electrician while you are gaining the required hours of experience to become certified as a journeyman or specialty electrician.
4. While you're working, you must take 16 hours of approved basic classroom instruction per year to renew — that's a total of at least 32 hours completed by the time your certificate expires.
   • NOTE: The number of hours required for renewal will be changing in 2011 and 2013. (41 KB PDF)
   • More information regarding the changes that take effect July 1, 2011 (52 KB PDF)

More information

• List of accepted RCW 49.04 APPRENTICESHIPS IN THE ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION TRADE (260 KB PDF)
• List of APPROVED ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION TRADE TRAINING SCHOOLS (269 KB PDF)
• Find out more about the Electrical Program.
• Read the Electrical law Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 19.28.
• Read the Electrical rules Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 296-46B.
• Join the Electrical Listserv to receive e-mails with the Electrical Currents Newsletter and other important information.

Apply for an Electrical Trainees' Certificate

What you have to do

1. Make sure you meet the minimum age requirements for working on a construction site. You must be sixteen years or older. (Contact Employment Standards for more information regarding minors working on construction sites).
2. Register with the Apprenticeship program if you are enrolled in a formal apprenticeship program. You can contact them at Apprenticeship.
3. Contact the Electrical program before submitting a new application if you have ever had a trainee certificate before.
4. Be prepared to pay the application fee ($36.40 if applying online or $40.60 if applying in person or by mail).
   Note: Fees are nonrefundable after certificate has been issued. Refund requests must be made in writing to L&I before the certificate is issued. Mail to L&I Electrical Program, PO Box 44460, Olympia, WA 98504-4460.
5. Submit your application and fee one of the following 3 ways:

• Save Money! Pay and apply online via L&I’s licensing/certification system (QuickCards).
  

  Before you apply online, you will need the following handy:

  • Your Social Security number.
  • E-mail address and phone number.
  • Your credit card (VISA or MasterCard only).

— OR —

• Mail your $40.60 fee and your application form to L&I's Electrical Program at the address indicated on the application form. You can pay by check or money order.
  — OR —
• Go to one of L&I's service locations where you can pay your $40.60 fee and submit your application form. You can pay by cash, check, money order, or credit card.

What L&I will do

• Mail your certificate in 1-2 weeks.

Classes Required for Electrical Trainees

An Electrical Trainee's certificate must be renewed every two (2) years.

Courses are good for three years from initial approval, Check all the lists and verify the course will not expire before you complete it. Available basic classroom instruction classes include:

• 2012 Basic Classroom Education Courses. (31 KB PDF)
• 2011 Basic Classroom Education Courses. (134 KB PDF)
• 2010 Basic Classroom Education Courses. (122 KB PDF)
• 2009 Basic Classroom Education Courses. (119 KB PDF) Check carefully, these 2009 classes start to expire January 1, 2012.

Classroom instruction hours required for renewal

Electrical trainees must complete basic classroom instruction to renew. Effective July 1, 2011 the required hours of basic classroom education for trainees was increased in RCW 19.28.161(2) to 16 hours for each year of the prior two-year certification period for a total of 32 hours. See: The number of hours required for renewal will be changing in 2011 and 2013. (41 KB PDF)

See more information regarding the changes for educational requirements for electrical trainees (57 KB PDF)

What type of courses?

The courses approved for electrical trainee renewal are different from the courses approved for electricians, electrical administrators and master electricians for renewal. Make sure the courses you take for your electrical trainee renewal are identified as “Basic Classroom Instruction.” No internet or correspondence-based courses will be approved.

Note: Courses approved for electrician, electrical administrator and master electrician renewal requirements will not be credited to an electrical trainee certificate.

Avoid late renewal

Even if you have not completed the required basic classroom instruction 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 that results from being late.

You cannot, however, work on any electrical job as your certificate is inactive until you complete your basic classroom instruction and L&I is informed.

More information

Basic Classroom Electrical Training and course or instructor applications:

• Electrical Education Course Application. (185 KB PDF)
• Electrical-Continuing Education Instructor Application. (95 KB PDF)
• Washington Administrative Code 296-46B-970 rule regarding Electrical Continuing Education.

 Get Help Downloading Files (files open in a new window).

RENEW online here

Renew your Electrical Trainee's certificate

An Electrical Trainee's certificate must be renewed every two (2) years. Currently 16 hours of approved Basic Classroom Instruction is required for renewal. The number of hours required for renewal will be changing in 2011 and 2013. (41 KB PDF). Get answers to questions regarding the number of hours required to renew your training certificate and the changes that take effect July 1, 2011.

What you need to renew

1. Renew before your card expires so you don't get caught on the job without a current card. If you are found on the job without a current card, you will be subject to a citation. If you don’t renew on or before your expiration date, a late renewal fee will be charged.
2. Contact the Electrical program directly before attempting to renew online:
   • If your trainee certificate has been expired more than 90 days.
   • If you have ever had a trainee certificate before.
   • If your certificate has been suspended for any reason.
3. Make sure you don't have any outstanding, unpaid citations with L&I.
4. Make sure that the educational credits required for renewal are on record with L&I.
   
   • If you’ve completed courses that are not on your record, contact your course provider. Course providers are required to notify the department of course completion information within 7 days.
   • If you do not meet the educational renewal requirements, you will be classified as inactive and cannot work as an electrical trainee until your course completion information is submitted to the department.
5. Be prepared to submit documentation of your work experience, if you have it, when you apply for renewal. If you apply in person or by mail, submit any Affidavits of Experience with your application. Mail them within 30 days if you apply online. Send them to the L&I Electrical Program, PO Box 44460, Olympia, WA 98504-4460.
   Note: Any Affidavits of Experience received after 30 days will require an additional processing fee of $49.10.
6. Be prepared to pay the renewal fee:
   • $44.70 if renewing online.
   • $49.10 if renewing in person or by mail.
7. If you do not renew on or before your expiration date you will be charged a late renewal fee:
• $62.50 if renewing online.
• $68.90 if renewing in person or by mail.
8. Submit your renewal application, fee, and experience documentation one of the following 3 ways:

• Save Money! Pay and apply 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.
  • E-mail address and phone number.
  • An active license (not suspended or expired for more than 90 days).
  • Your credit card (VISA or MasterCard only).
• Then mail your Affidavits of Experience to L&I's Electrical Program at the address indicated on the form.
  — OR —
• Mail your fee, your application/renewal form and any Affidavits of Experience 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 application/renewal form and any Affidavits of Experience. You can pay by cash, check, money order, credit card or debit. (Visa or Master Card only)

Note: Fees are nonrefundable after certificate has been issued. Refund requests must be made in writing to L&I before that time. Mail to L&I Electrical Program, PO Box 44460, Olympia, WA 98504-4460.

What L&I will do

• Mail your certificate in 1-2 weeks.