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How To Become an Electrical Contractor in Iowa: State License Requirements and Trade Schools

If you’re interested in becoming an electrician, know that doing so is a smart move. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field is expected to grow by 10% throughout the next decade. Further, electricians receive a respectable median pay of $55,190 per year. This can make becoming an electrical contractor a tempting proposition. But how can you become licensed to do such work in Iowa?

Like general contractors and plumbers in the state, electrical contractors in Iowa must become licensed — a process that involves training through an apprenticeship and passing a mandatory exam. This guide will help you understand your path forward to become a fully licensed electrician in Iowa.

A photograph of the Iowa state capitol building.

Iowa Electrical License Reciprocity

If you are already licensed as an electrical contractor in another state, you are probably curious as to whether you can work as an electrician in Iowa. Fortunately, the Hawkeye State has reciprocal journeyman licenses with a dozen states. If you have a license from the following 12 states, it may reciprocate to an Iowa Journeyman Class A license (read more on this distinction in the next section):

Iowa Electrical Journeyman License Requirements

The Iowa Electrical Examining Board (IEEB) handles electrical licensing in the state. An electrical journeyman in Iowa is defined as:

“A person having the necessary qualifications, training, experience, and technical knowledge to wire for or install electrical wiring, apparatus, and equipment and to supervise apprentice electricians and who is licensed by the board.” 

It’s important to note that the IEEB also recognizes the experience gained from attending a trade school. The Board’s website states that it “has also recognized the training programs of some technical schools as equivalent to the Department of Labor requirements and have provided avenues for their graduates to obtain Journeyman electrical licenses.”

The state has two different classes of journeymen licenses:

  • Journeyman Class A License: In addition to meeting the requirements listed for the Class B license, you must pass the electrical journeyman test — see more on this in the section below.
  • Journeyman Class B License: In order to be issued this license you must have completed a state-certified apprenticeship program and have earned 16,000 hours of on-the-job experience as an electrician. A Journeyman Class B license holder cannot install electrical equipment or wiring without supervision.
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Once you’ve met the requirements listed for Journeyman Class B, you can apply online after creating an account. There is a fee of $75 that can be paid with debit or credit card. You can also find the complete instructions to apply to be an electrician in Iowa online. Note that Iowa law requires that electrical contractors provide proof that they have at least $1,000,000 general and complete operations liability coverage. 

Electrical Journeyman Exam

You must acquire a Journeyman Class A license before you can work independently as an electrical contractor, and getting this requires passing the electrical journeyman exam. The exam is facilitated by PSI Services.

You must complete a Testing Sponsorship Request Form to register. You can complete this form online after creating an account or print and mail this form to:

Electrical Examining Board
215 East 7th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319

If you have any questions about this process, you can contact the Iowa Electrical Examining Board at (515) 725-6147.

Once you’ve been sponsored, you can take the exam. To do so, register online at PSIExams.com or call (800) 733-9267. The exam fee will cost $87. You must get a 75% or higher on the exam to qualify for a Journeyman Class A License. You’ll have 3.5 hours to complete the exam. 

You’ll need to go to a testing center to participate in the exam, and you can find the nearest testing center to you on this PSI document (see page 4). Be sure to bring two forms of identification with you to the exam, and testers are advised to arrive 30 minutes early.

Iowa Electrical Insurance Requirements

Iowa requires licensed electricians to maintain liability insurance. All electrical contractors must show proof and maintain general liability insurance of at least $1 million for all work licensed electrical work.

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Electrician Apprenticeship Requirements

As noted above, you can either take part in an apprenticeship or an accepted trade school program to get the necessary hours of experience to qualify to be a journeyman. An apprenticeship will take approximately three to five years, depending on the nature of the specific program. 

You can locate apprentice jobs below. If you have any questions about traditional apprenticeship programs, you can contact IEEB Apprentice Liaison Rich Madden at (515) 284-4690.

Iowa Electrical Apprentice Jobs

When exploring your apprenticeship options, a good starting place is Iowa’s Registered Apprenticeship programs. Here, you’ll find a variety of available apprenticeships, including opportunities for prospective electricians in a variety of subfields. 

You can also conduct your search by directly reaching out to electrical apprenticeship providers. You’ll find plenty of such sponsors in Iowa. Some examples include:

There are some best practices you should follow to make the most of an electrician apprenticeship. You should take this time to get familiar with the basics of electrical work. In addition to being punctual and present each day (and logging your hours accordingly), don’t be afraid to ask questions when something is unclear. Finally, you should strive to form professional connections with others in the field — apprenticeships often lead to job opportunities. 

Electrical Trade Schools in Iowa

Another route to becoming an electrical contractor is to go to trade school. This will give you a comprehensive education and hands-on experience you’ll need to succeed as an electrician. There are several trade schools in Iowa that offer programs for prospective electricians:

Iowa Professional License Search

If you’re interested in finding licensed electricians in Iowa or confirming the status of an individual’s or business’s license, you can perform a search on the Iowa Department of Public Safety website. You can enter the name of the person or entity you’re interested in looking up, select the specific license type you want to search for, search by location, or search by license number. This tool will let you know if a license is active, expired, pending, revoked, suspended, or voluntarily surrendered.

 

 

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 Iowa, click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:

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