Electrician Classes in Maine (Top Schools)

In 2015, the Maine Department of Labor projected 400,000 more jobs available for skilled workers by 2030.

Because of this, many young individuals pursue careers in the electrical industry.

If you’re one of them, here’s how you can be a licensed electrician in Maine.

Potential Salary

Maine electricians have the following salary information as of May 2021 per the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Mean Wage:

• Annually – $58,120
• Hourly – $27.94

Regional Salary

How to Become a Licensed Electrician in Maine

The Maine Electricians’ Examining Board regulates and issues the licenses for these individuals:

• Helper electrician
• Apprentice electrician
• Journeyman-in-training electrician
• Journeyman electrician
• Limited electrician
• Master electrician

Becoming a Helper Electrician

As a helper electrician, you’ll make electrical installations under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman, master, or limited electrician.

Qualifications

To qualify, you must have…

• Been employed by a licensed limited or master electrician or an electrical company
• No plans to enroll in any approved apprenticeship program

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished helper electrician application form
• License fee – $25
• Criminal background check fee – $21

License Renewal

Your license will expire two years from the issuance date.

To renew, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished helper electrician renewal form
• Criminal conviction/disciplinary action documents, if applicable
• Renewal fee – $25

Becoming an Apprentice Electrician

As an apprentice electrician, you’ll undergo 4 to 5 years of apprenticeship, learning the trade under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman, limited, or master electrician.

Qualifications

To qualify, you must have been enrolled in an approved apprenticeship program recognized by the Office of Apprenticeship.

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished apprentice electrician application form
• Copy of the Apprenticeship Agreement
• License fee – $25
• Criminal background check fee – $21

License Renewal

Your license will expire two years from the issuance date.

To renew, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished apprentice electrician renewal form
• Criminal conviction/disciplinary action documents, if applicable
• Renewal fee – $25

Becoming a Journeyman-In-Training Electrician

As a journeyman-in-training electrician, you’ll make electrical installations under the indirect supervision of a licensed journeyman, master, or limited electrician.

Qualifications

To qualify, you must have…

• Graduated from an accredited Maine community college or Department of Corrections’ electrical program
• Successfully passed the journeyman examination
• Completed 2,000 hours of licensed electrical installation experience

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished journeyman electrician application form
• Proof of work experience from the employer(s)
• License fee – $150
• SBI report fee – $21

License Renewal

Your license will expire two years from the issuance date.

To renew, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished journeyman electrician renewal form
• Criminal conviction/disciplinary action documents, if applicable
• Renewal fee – $150

Becoming a Journeyman Electrician

As a journeyman electrician, you’ll make electrical installations under the indirect supervision of a licensed limited or master electrician or an electrical company.

Qualifications

To qualify for the exam, you must have…

• Successfully passed the journeyman examination
• Met one of the experience and/or education requirements:
  • At least 8,000 hours of experience as a licensed helper or apprentice electrician and completed a 576-hour approved program of study
    • Can credit 1,000 hours of experience if you graduated from an approved post-secondary electrical program
  • At least 8,000 hours of experience as a licensed apprentice electrician, completed a 576-hour approved program of study, and completed a 45-hour course on the current NEC
    • Can sit for the exam if you completed at least 4,000 hours of experience and approved apprenticeship program of study
  • Graduated from an accredited high school for completing a 2-year electrical program, have at least 7,000 hours of experience, and completed a 45-hour course on the current NEC
  • Graduated from an accredited Maine community college or Department of Corrections’ electrical program, have at least 4,000 hours of experience, and completed a 45-hour course on the current NEC

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished journeyman electrician application form
• Proof of work experience from the employer(s)
• License fee
  • Journeyman electrician – $150
  • Senior journeyman electrician (ages 70+) – $20
• SBI report fee – $21

Exam Details

The Board has contracted with Prov, Inc. to help administer the Maine electrical licensure exams.

Here are the details for the journeyman electrician exam:

• Exam fee – $90
• No. of questions – 80
• Duration – 3 hours
• Passing score – 70%
• Approved references to bring – NFPA 70 – NEC 2017

License Renewal

Your license will expire two years from the issuance date.

To renew, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished journeyman electrician renewal form
• *Proof of completing 15 hours of approved continuing education courses about the current NEC
• Criminal conviction/disciplinary action documents, if applicable
• Renewal fee
  • Journeyman electrician – $150
  • Senior journeyman electrician – $20

Note (*): The CE hours requirement will be completed on a 3-year cycle.

Becoming a Limited Electrician

As a limited electrician, you’ll make specific electrical installations only as authorized by this license.

Here are its categories:

• Water pumps
• Outdoor signs
• Gasoline dispensing
• Traffic signals
• House wiring
• Refrigeration
• Low energy
• Crane technician

Qualifications

To qualify for the exam, you must have…

• Successfully passed the limited electrician examination
• Met the experience and/or education requirements
  • Water pumps
    • At least 2,000 hours of experience, of which 1,000 hours are in water pump installations
    • 180 hours of electrical education
  • Outdoor signs
    • At least 2,000 hours of experience, of which 1,000 hours are in outdoor signs and sign lighting installations
    • 135 hours of electrical education
  • Gasoline dispensing
    • At least 2,000 hours of experience, of which 1,000 hours are in gasoline dispensing equipment installations
    • 135 hours of electrical education
  • Traffic signals
    • At least 2,000 hours of experience, of which 1,000 hours are in traffic signal installations
    • 180 hours of electrical education
  • House wiring
    • At least 2,000 hours of experience, of which 1,000 hours are in house wiring installations
    • 225 hours of electrical education
  • Refrigeration
    • At least 6,000 hours of experience, of which 3,000 hours are in refrigeration installations
      • Can credit 4,000 hours of experience if you completed an approved electrical program in refrigeration
    • 315 hours of electrical education
  • Low energy
    • At least 4,000 hours of experience, of which 2,000 hours are in low energy installations
    • 270 hours of electrical education
  • Crane technician
    • At least 4,000 hours of experience in crane and hoist installations
    • 135 hours of electrical education

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished limited electrician application form
• Proof of work experience from the employer(s)
• License fee
  • Limited electrician – $150
  • Senior limited electrician – $20
• SBI report fee – $21

Exam Details

Here are the details for the limited electrician exam:

• Exam fee – $60 each
• Questions and duration
  • Water pumps – 50 questions in 3 hours
  • Outdoor signs – 40 questions in 3 hours
  • Gasoline dispensing – 50 questions in 3 hours
  • Traffic signals – 50 questions in 3 hours
  • House wiring – 50 questions in 3 hours
  • Refrigeration – 50 questions in 3 hours
  • Low energy – 50 questions in 3 hours
  • Crane technician – 50 questions in 3 hours
• Passing score – 70%
• Approved references to bring – NFPA 70 – NEC 2017

License Renewal

Your license will expire two years from the issuance date.

To renew, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished limited electrician renewal form
• *Proof of completing 15 CE hours of approved courses about the current NEC
• Criminal conviction/disciplinary action documents, if applicable
• Renewal fee
  • Limited electrician – $150
  • Senior limited electrician – $20

Becoming a Master Electrician

As a master electrician, you’ll engage in the business of installing electrical wires, conduits, apparatus, fixtures, and other electrical equipment.

Qualifications

To qualify for the exam, you must have…

• Successfully passed the master electrician examination
• Completed a 576-hour approved program of study and any one of the following:
  • At least 12,000 hours of experience as a licensed helper or apprentice electrician
  • At least 6,000 hours of experience as a licensed journeyman-in-training electrician
  • At least 4,000 hours of experience as a licensed journeyman electrician

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished master electrician application form
• Proof of work experience from the employer(s)
• License fee
  • Master electrician – $150
  • Senior master electrician – $20
• SBI report fee – $21

Exam Details

Here are the details for the master electrician exam:

• Exam fee – $90
• No. of questions – 100
• Duration – 4 hours
• Passing score – 70%
• Approved references to bring – NFPA 70 – NEC 2017

License Renewal

Your license will expire two years from the issuance date.

To renew, you must submit the following:

• Duly accomplished master electrician renewal form
• *Proof of completing 15 CE hours of approved courses about the current NEC
• Criminal conviction/disciplinary action documents, if applicable
• Renewal fee
  • Master electrician – $150
  • Senior master electrician – $20

How to Start a Registered Electrical Company in Maine

Instead of an independent electrical contractor, Maine calls it an “electrical company” instead.

An electrical company can be a person who or an entity that employs licensed electricians.

The Board gives local-level licensing boards the authority to receive and evaluate their applications.

The process of starting an electrical business in Maine is easy for sole proprietorships.

1. Choose your business name – can be your own name or DBA
2. File a certificate with the clerk of the city or town in which you wish to establish your business
3. Obtain local licenses and permits
4. Obtain an Employer Identification Number

Additional requirements for entities:

• Business registration with the State
• Register for sales, use tax, and income tax withholding

Electrical Training Programs and Schools in Maine

To be an electrician, you must have fundamental knowledge and skills to perform the job.

You can receive this training from technical schools or apprenticeship programs.

Below is a list of the schools and JATCs offering approved electrical training programs in Maine.

This page is also available in Spanish.