There are four general categories of electrical contractors in Florida:
- Certified Electrician (EC): Certified contractors are able to work anywhere in Florida.
- Certified Electrical Specialty Contractor (ES): Specialty Contractors, as the name implies, specialize in a specific aspect of the field, such as alarm installation and maintenance.
- Registered Electrician (ER): Registered contractors can only work in the county where they are licensed.
- Registered Electrical Specialty Contractor: Likewise, Registered Electrical Specialty Contractors can only work in the county where they are licensed, rather than statewide.
However, as mentioned, only electrical businesses need statewide certification. Individually, electricians do not need to be registered with the state, just in their county. That being said, there are only two types of licenses for individual electricians in Florida: journeyman and master. It is necessary for Florida electricians to work as an apprentice in order to gain journeyman status, but apprentices themselves do not need a license.
Choosing which license is best for you should first and foremost be based on your qualifications and your future career goals. Beyond that, the determining factors should be whether you want to work as a general electrician or a specialized one, and where you intend to work in the state.
The definition of Journeyman and Master electrician in Florida is dependent on the county. Below are links to the relevant definitions for four of the most populous counties in Florida:
Florida Electrical License Reciprocity
Florida does not have reciprocity agreements for electrical licensing with any other state. In fact, electrical licensing is largely done on a local level rather than at the state level, with some exceptions, such as for businesses.
Florida Journeyman Electrician License Requirements
Although specific electrical licensing standards depend on the locality, generally speaking, most areas and counties in Florida adhere to the industry standard. This consists of about four to five years of experience, including about 144 class hours per year. A notable exception is the Miami-Dade county, where three years of experience is sufficient, and experience in the field can substitute for class hours.
Specific requirements and policy for renewal are dependent on the county, as is the submission information for applications. Below are the application links for the state, as well as several large counties:
- General Contractor license for businesses (Florida)
- General Contractor license for individuals (Florida)
- State electrical licenses (Florida)
- Miami-Dade electrical license applications
- Palm Beach electrical license applications
- Orange County electrical license applications
- Hillsborough County electrical license applications
- Broward County electrical license applications
Journeyman Electrician License Test
After the experience requirements are met, many counties require that the candidate sits for an examination. However, standards for examination are, again, dependent on county or locality.
Florida Electrical Insurance Requirements
Once you become a licensed electrician, it is highly recommended to consider business insurance in Florida to protect your work. We recommend the following insurance types for most electricians:
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
The state of Florida requires that all Certified Electrical Contractors carry Florida workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation insurance provides benefits to employees who get injured or sick from a work related incident. It also provides coverage for disability, missed wage replacements and death benefits.
Use the tool below to request a FREE insurance quote from our partner’s:
General Liability Insurance
General liability insurance policies are most known for covering you and your company for claims involving bodily injuries and/or property damage resulting from company products, services or operations.
Tools and Equipment Insurance
Tools and equipment insurance covers the work tools and equipment used daily. It protects against equipment and/or tools that are lost, stolen, or damaged.
Commercial Auto Insurance
Commercial auto insurance provides coverage for liability damages, collision or comprehensive physical damage to your business automobiles. These accident related incidents covered also include related expenses like towing, rental reimbursement and automobile repairs.
Commercial Property Insurance
Commercial property insurance protects your company’s physical assets from unexpected incidents such as fire, storms, theft, and vandalism. This is recommended if you own or rent property for your business.
Electrical Apprenticeship Requirements
A license is not required to be an electrical apprentice in Florida. An apprentice can either independently search for work or join an apprenticeship program through an independent agency or a trade school. Such programs usually require candidates to pass exams and/or other fulfill requirements in order to register. This is a common apprenticeship route since many counties in Florida require electricians to have participated in a certain amount of class hours in order to receive their license.
Florida Electrical Apprenticeship Programs
As stated previously, there are three common career paths for an electrician in Florida to take. Which route a person decides to take will inform what type of apprenticeship they should pursue. If they want to go through a college or trade school, their first step should be to look into schools that offer electrical programs (see “Electrician Trade Schools in Florida”).
Pursuing the trade through a union program provides a perhaps more cut-and-dried list of options. There are eight union-sponsored electrical apprenticeship programs offered in Florida, which each offer a very structured program. The final option, independent work in the field, may not be realistic on its own for an electrical apprentice in any county, because many counties require in-class hours to qualify for a license. However, some counties may not require in-class hours or allow in-field experience to substitute for class hours. Those points of caution aside, however, a great option for finding this type of apprenticeship is to search online job boards.
Electrician Trade Schools in Florida
Several trade schools in Florida offer electrical programs, such as:
Southern Technical College Orlando
Institution: Private
Tuition: Approximately $12,000/year
Contact Info: (407) 438-6000
Address: 1485 Florida Mall Ave, Orlando, FL 32809
Southern Technical College (Auburndale)
Institution: Private
Tuition: Approximately $12,000/year
Contact Info: (863) 551-1112
Address: 450 Havendale Blvd, Auburndale, FL 33823
Southern Technical College (Brandon)
Institution: Private
Tuition: Approximately $12,000/year
Contact Info: (813) 820-0200
Address: 608 E Bloomingdale Ave, Brandon, FL 33511
South Florida State College
Institution: Public
Tuition: Approximately $90.00/credit
Contact Info: (863) 453-6661
Address: 600 W College Dr, Avon Park, FL 33825
Florida Panhandle Technical College
Institution: Private
Tuition: Approximately $4,000
Contact Info: (850) 638-1180
Address: 757 Hoyt St, Chipley, FL 32428
Lake Sumter State College — South Lake Campus
Institution: Public
Tuition: Approximately $3,000
Contact Info: (352) 243-5722
Address: 1250 N Hancock Rd, Clermont, FL 34711
Lake Sumter State College — Leesburg Campus
Institution: Public
Tuition: Approximately $3,000
Contact Info: (352) 787-3747
Address: 9501 US-441, Leesburg, FL 34788
Atlantic Technical College
Institution: Public
Tuition: Approximately $4,000
Contact Info: (754) 321-5100
Address: 4700 Coconut Creek Pkwy, Coconut Creek, FL 33063
Daytona State College
Institution: Public
Tuition: Approximately $3,000
Contact Info: (386) 255-0742
Address: 1200 W International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Atlantic Technical College — Arthur Ashe, Jr. Campus
Institution: Public
Tuition: Approximately $4,000
Contact Info: (754) 322-2800
Address: 1701 NW 23rd Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Florida State College (Jacksonville)
Institution: Public
Tuition: Approximately $3,500
Contact Info: (904) 633-8292
Address: 101 W State St, Jacksonville, FL 32202
Miami Dade College
Institution: Public
Tuition: Approximately $26,500 total
Contact Info: (305) 237-8888
Address: 300 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33132
George Stone Career Center
Institution: Public
Tuition: Approximately $3,500
Contact Info: (850) 941-6200
Address: 2400 Longleaf Dr, Pensacola, FL 32526
Lively Tech School
Institution: Public
Tuition: Approximately $3,000 total
Contact Info: (850) 487-7555
Address: 500 Appleyard Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32304
Tallahassee Community College
Institution: Public
Tuition: Approximately $2,000
Contact Info: (850) 410-6461
Address: 444 Appleyard Dr, Tallahassee, FL 32304
Florida Professional License Search
State governments that issue electrical licenses provide listings and/or databases of licensed contractors as a means for others to verify an electrician’s authenticity. Despite local licensing practices, Florida does have a statewide database.
For More License and Career Guides
To find out how to become an Electrical Contractor in another state, start here.
For information on other trades in Florida, click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:
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