Effective July 1, 2023, a new law changes Washington’s approach to journey level (01) electrician certification to an apprenticeship-only model. This change effects trainees who perform 01 work and their employers.
There is an opportunity for trainees with 3,000 hours of experience to finish their training until July 1, 2026 without joining an apprenticeship program. Check out the TRAINEE tab to learn more.
For military and out of state applicants, see the EXCEPTIONS tab.
Important note:
These changes do not apply to specialty electrical contractors or the trainees they employ.
Starting July 1, 2023, trainees who do not have 3,000 hours of experience must be registered apprentices to perform work limited to (01) electricians. To employ apprentices, you must do one of the following:
- Become a training agent:
Becoming a training agent for an apprenticeship program usually takes just a few weeks.
View the “(01) Programs” tab to learn about programs serving your area. - Sponsor your own apprenticeship program:
A sponsor of a registered apprenticeship program oversees every aspect of training, from development to administration. For approval, programs must meet Minimum Guideline Standards.
It typically takes a minimum of six months or longer to get a new program approved. You pay no fees to L&I to register a program.
Learn more:
See “Offer a Registered Apprenticeship” tab at www.Lni.wa.gov/Apprenticeship.
Exception:
Until July 1, 2026, requirements above do not apply to contractors that only employ trainees that have before July 1, 2023: 3000 hours of experience working in the electrical construction trade or completed approved two-year training school programs.
Important note:
Employers that are training agents for (01) programs can only employ registered apprentices to perform work limited to (01) electricians. They cannot employ trainees that are not registered apprentices to do work limited to (01) electricians.
Contact ElectricalApprenticeship@Lni.wa.gov with questions.
Learning the (01) trade.
To perform work limited to (01) electricians, trainees must meet one of the following requirements:
- Trainees who have worked 3,000 hours in the electrical construction trade or completed an approved two-year training school program before July 1, 2023 may until July 1, 2026 continue working to accrue (01) experience to qualify for the (01) electrician exam without joining an apprenticeship program if they are working for an employer that is not a training agent for an (01) apprenticeship program. Employers that are training agents for (01) programs can only employ registered apprentices to perform work limited to (01) electricians.
- Trainees with fewer than 3000 hours worked before July 1, 2023 must be registered apprentices if performing work limited to (01) electricians.
Electrical trainees are often referred to as “apprentices.” However, an apprentice is a trainee who is enrolled in a registered apprenticeship program. Apprentices can only be employed by employers that are apprenticeship training agents or sponsor their own programs.
Individuals learning the electrical construction trade are required to obtain and carry an active training certificate and government issued photo ID. They are also required to carry an apprenticeship ID card if they are a registered apprentice.
Joining an apprenticeship program:
- When applying to an apprenticeship program, or directly entering one when your employer becomes a training agent, you may receive credit for previous experience if you have hours approved by L&I’s Electrical Program.
- Apprenticeship programs must grant 4,000 hours of credit toward apprenticeship completion to (02), (03), (04), (06), (06A), and (07) specialty electricians.
- If you are not one of the electricians above, hours worked in those specialties may be evaluated as credit for previous experience.
- Programs may also evaluate (01) industrial/commercial experience for credit towards advanced standing.
- Find apprenticeship programs serving your area under the “(01) Programs” tab.
- Use our Verify tool to view your approved hours.
Qualifying for the (01) exam.
To qualify for the (01) exam after July 1, 2023, an individual must meet one of the following requirements:
- Completion of work experience and education requirements of a Washington RCW 49.04 registered apprenticeship program.
- Until July 1, 2026: Washington trainees who have 3,000 hours in the electrical construction trade before July 1, 2023 and acquired 8,000 total hours of experience (4,000 of which must be new commercial or industrial installations) and 96 hours of basic classroom instruction.
- To qualify for an (01) journey level examination under this allowance, the department must receive candidate examination applications and supporting documentation before July 1, 2026.
- Completion of an equivalent out of state apprenticeship program.
- Find other ways to qualify with out of state or military experience: See the EXCEPTIONS tab.
Learn more about qualifying for the (01) exam from this flowchart.
Details for the requirements are found in RCWs 19.28.161, 191 & 195.
Questions? Contact ElectricalApprenticeship@Lni.wa.gov
The following is a list of registered apprenticeship programs that train journey level (01) electricians and Washington counties they cover.
| Apprenticeship Program Name | Occupation | Territory in WA |
| Area 1 Inside Electrical JATC - Regulated by Oregon | --- | Clark, Klickitat, Skamania, Cowlitz, and Pacific |
| Electrical Management Group of Washington | Inside Electrician | Clark, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, Pacific, Lewis, Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Garfield, Kittitas, Walla Walla |
| Construction Industry Training Council of Washington - Construction Electrician | Construction Electrician | All counties in Washington |
| Frontier Apprenticeship & Training (Frontier Electric of Washington FRONTEW115M5 employees only) |
Inside Electrician | Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania |
| IBEW 48 NECA-IBEW Electrical JATC - Regulated by Oregon | --- | Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania, Wahkiakum |
| Inland Empire Electrical Training Trust | Inside Electrician | Adams, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Whitman |
| LU 112 - NECA Electrical Apprenticeship Committee | Inside Wireman | Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Garfield, Walla Walla, Yakima, Kittitas |
| Northwest Washington Electrical Industry Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee | Inside Wireman | Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Island, Okanogan, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom |
| Performance Electrical Apprenticeship Committee Employees of Interlock Performance Group DBA Boone Electric and Linx Integrated only. |
Inside Electrician | Pierce, King, Thurston, Lewis, Snohomish, Spokane, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Lincoln, Whitman |
| Puget Sound Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee | Inside Wireman | Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Clallam |
| Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories 01 Electrician (Schweitzer employees working at facilities owned by Schweitzer) |
General Electrician (01) | Whitman, Spokane |
| Southwest Washington Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee | Inside Wireman | Pacific, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Mason, Pierce, Thurston |
| Titan Electrical Apprenticeship & Training (Titan Electrical LLC TITANEL877RD employees only) |
Inside Wireman | Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Yakima, Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, Adams, Lincoln, Snohomish, King, Pierce |
| Tradesmen Apprenticeship & Comprehensive Training (Tradesman Electric Inc. TRADEEI954R9 employees only) |
Inside Electrician | Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania |
| Rob's Electric Inc. Apprenticeship & Training (Employees of Rob's Electric Inc. only) |
General Electrician (01) | King, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish |
| Rockwell Electric, Inc. Apprenticeship & Training (Employees of Rockwell Electric Inc. only) |
General Electrician (01) | Island, Skagit, Whatcom |
| Greater Spokane Electrical Training Apprenticeship | General Electrician (01) | WA - Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Whitman ID - Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez, Perce, Shoshone |
Beginning July 1, 2023, the new law allows electricians to qualify for a journey level (01) electrician examination without completing a registered apprenticeship program if they have:
- An out-of-state journey level electrician certificate obtained through examination by a state licensing jurisdiction requiring at least 8,000 hours of supervised experience in the electrical construction trade installing and maintaining electrical wiring and equipment for installations of a type regulated under RCW 19.28. Four thousand of the hours must be new industrial or commercial electrical installations.
All experience applied toward qualifying for examination must be experience gained in the state that issued the certificate or military experience not exceeding that allowed under RCW 19.28 or WAC 296-46B; or - At least 16,000 hours of out-of-state experience in the electrical construction trade installing and maintaining electrical wiring and equipment for installations of a type regulated under RCW 19.28. Four thousand of the hours must be new industrial or commercial electrical installations; or
- Eight thousand hours of experience in the electrical construction trade installing and maintaining electrical wiring and equipment for installations of a type regulated under RCW 19.28 while serving in a construction battalion in the armed forces of the United States.
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