If you want to work as an electrician in the state of Colorado, then you will need an electrical contractor license. In Colorado, it’s possible to be licensed as a residential wireman, a journeyman electrician, a master electrician, or an electrical contractor. However, unlike general contractors licenses in Colorado, which are determined at the municipal level, electricians and plumbers in Colorado are certified by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).
Each license comes with its own set of requirements, and affords the holder new responsibilities in accordance with their level of certification. Finding the right certification for you is a matter of understanding the requirements for each electrical contractor license, along with your own abilities and goals.
Colorado Electrical License Reciprocity
If you already have a journeyman electrical license from one of the following states, then you are automatically eligible for an electrical license in Colorado under the National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance (NERA):
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Maine
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Utah
- Wyoming
In order to receive your Colorado journeyman license through reciprocal arrangement, you must:
- Hold a journeyman or master license that is in good standing from a qualifying state, as listed above.
- Have held that license in good standing for at least one year before requesting your Colorado license.
- Have earned your license through the proper state-administered examination process in the original licensing state.
- Provide proof of having met the original licensing state’s requirements for your journeyman or master electrical license.
- Provide proof of completion of a four-year apprenticeship program or four years of equivalent experience as an electrician.
- Submit an application through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) and pay any associated fees.
Colorado Residential Wireman License Requirements
According to the Colorado Electricians Practice Act, a residential wireman is “a person having the necessary qualifications, training, experience, and technical knowledge to wire for, and install, electrical apparatus and equipment for wiring one-, two-, three-, and four family dwellings.”
- Residential Wireman: In order to apply for a residential wireman license in Colorado, you must verify 4,000 hours earned in at least two years worth of experience in electrical construction.
- Application Fee: There is a $100 application processing fee for all residential wireman applications.
- Submit Application: Your application can be submitted either online or by mail to:
Division of Professions and Occupations
Office of Licensing—Electrical
1560 Broadway, Suite 1350 Denver, CO 80202
Residential Wireman Exam
After submitting your application to become a residential wireman to DORA, you will be required to take an exam administered by PSI Exams, which costs $75. If you pass this exam, will be awarded a residential wireman license. If you fail, there is an additional $70 retest fee.
Colorado Electrical Insurance Requirements
The state of Colorado and the Department of Regulatory Agencies requires licensed electricians to meet the state minimum for workers’ compensation and unemployment compensation insurance.
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Colorado Journeyman Electrician License Requirements
According to the Colorado Electricians Practice Act, a journeyman electrician is “a person having the necessary qualifications, training, experience, and technical knowledge to wire for, install, and repair electrical apparatus and equipment for electric light, heat, and power, and for other purposes, in accordance with standard rules governing such work.”
- Journeyman Electrician: In order to apply for a journeyman electrician license in Colorado, you must verify 8,000 hours earned in at least four years worth of experience in electrical construction. At least 4,000 of these hours over at least two years must be spent in commercial or industrial work.
- Application Fee: There is a $100 application processing fee for all journeyman electrician applications.
- Submit Application: Your application can be submitted either online or by mail to:
Division of Professions and Occupations
Office of Licensing—Electrical
1560 Broadway, Suite 1350 Denver, CO 80202
Journeyman Electrician Exam
After submitting your application to become a residential wireman to DORA, you will be required to take an exam administered by PSI exams, which costs $75. If you pass this exam, will be awarded a residential wireman license. If you fail, there is an additional $70 retest fee.
Colorado Master Electrician License Requirements
According to the Colorado Electricians Practice Act, a master electrician is “a person having the necessary qualifications, training, experience, and technical knowledge to properly plan, lay out, and supervise the installation and repair of wiring apparatus and equipment for electric light, heat, and power, and for other purposes, in accordance with standard rules governing such work, such as the national electrical code.”
- Master Electrician: In order to apply for a master electrician license in Colorado, you must verify 2,000 hours earned in at least one year of planning, laying out, and supervising the installation of electrical equipment for light, heat, and power. This is in addition to the requirements for a journeyman electrician’s license.
- Application Fee: There is a $140 application processing fee for all master electrician applications.
- Submit Application: Your application can be submitted either online or by mail to:
Division of Professions and Occupations
Office of Licensing—Electrical
1560 Broadway, Suite 1350 Denver, CO 80202
Master Electrician Exam
After submitting your application to become a master electrician to DORA, you will be required to take an exam administered by PSI exams, which costs $75. If you pass this exam, will be awarded a residential wireman license. If you fail, there is an additional $70 retest fee.
Colorado Electrical Contractor License Requirements
According to the Colorado Electricians Practice Act, an electrical contractor is “any person, firm, copartnership, corporation, association, or combination thereof who undertakes or offers to undertake for another the planning, laying out, supervising, and installing or the making of additions, alterations, and repairs in the installation of wiring apparatus and equipment for electric light, heat, and power.” In addition, it stipulates that “[a] licensed professional engineer who plans or designs electrical installation shall not be classed as an electrical contractor.”
- Electrical Contractor: In order to apply to be an electrical contractor in Colorado, you must either employ or be a Colorado licensed master electrician who is responsible for all electrical work done by a given company. You must also submit evidence of your compliance with Workers’ Compensation and Unemployment Compensation laws.
- Application Fee: There is a $210 application processing fee for all electrical contractor applications.
- Submit Application: Your application can be submitted either online or by mail to:
Division of Professions and Occupations
Office of Licensing—Electrical
1560 Broadway, Suite 1350 Denver, CO 80202
Electrician Apprenticeship Requirements
In order to become an apprentice electrician in Colorado, both the apprentice and the contractor that they work for must register. Apprentices must follow the following steps:
- Create an account with DORA.
- Provide identifying information, including your name, address, and social security number.
- Apply for an apprenticeship through the DORA portal. Apprentices are not required to pay an application fee.
Contractors must also fill out an application for any apprentice who they take on. This includes the following steps:
- Log in to your contractor account with DORA.
- Search for your newly hired apprentice by their name or apprentice number.
- Add them as your own apprentice and pay the $30 application fee.
Electrical Trade Schools in Colorado
If you’re interested in pursuing a career as an electrician in Colorado, then the following trade schools can help you get started and teach you about the electrical trade:
- Emily Griffith Technical College
- Independent Electrical Contractors Rocky Mountain
- Red Rocks Community College
Colorado Professional License Search
If you’d like to find a particular Colorado electrician and electrical contractor to verify their credentials, then you can search for them through the Colorado license lookup database. This database allows you to search depending on license type, license number, personal or business name, along with location.
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To find out how to become an Electrical Contractor in another state, start here.
For information on other trades in Colorado, click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:
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