How to Become a Licensed Electrician in Nevada: License Requirements and Guide

Becoming an electrician in Nevada, like in other parts of the world, is no day’s job. It requires consistent efforts and hard work. If possible to attain certain positions in life simply by making a wish, then everyone would probably have attained the highest positions in their career without any effort. But, since it is not, anyone who intends to take on a profession as an electrician must be ready to put in some work.

In Nevada, it is great to know that electricians continue to be in high demand. According to a 2015 report released by the US Department of Labor, there would be a 47.1% increase in job opportunities for electricians in the state between 2014 and 2024.

The regulations in Nevada are not the same for each jurisdiction. Instead, they vary by city and county, with each jurisdiction with its licensing authority. Thus, electricians in Nevada would have to follow the licensing requirements for the jurisdiction in which they intend to work.

However, all electrical contractors in Nevada receive their licenses through the minimum. Only those who have worked as journeymen for at least four years are awarded the electrical contracting license.

How to Get an Electrician License in Nevada? Steps to Becoming a Licensed Electrician

The steps that must be followed to become an electrician in Nevada are:

  • Step 1: Obtain technical training to be eligible to become a licensed journeyman electrician
  • Step 2: Get yourself a general journeyman certificate 
  • Step 3: Acquire the electrical contractor license.

Step 1 –  Obtain Technical Training to be Eligible to Become a Licensed Journeyman Electrician

As mentioned earlier, the licensing of individual electricians in Nevada takes place at the city or county level. This means that before an electrician can be awarded a journeyman certificate, he or she must have met the county or city requirements. 

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The requirements for becoming a residential or general journeyman in Nevada vary.

  1. To become a residential Journeyman, you will be required to have a minimum of three years of experience in the electrical trade. With this license, you will be qualified to work on residential wiring installation, maintenance, and repairs.
  2. Becoming a general Journeyman requires a minimum of four years of experience in the electrical trade. With this license, you will be qualified to work on all commercial, residential, and industrial wiring installation, maintenance, and repairs.

If the county you intend to work in Nevada is Clark County, then you need to know that:

  1. The state-licensed contractors are required by the county to employ only qualified journeymen and master electricians to perform duties and supervise apprentices on job sites.
  2. As long as they are qualified by examination, they are free to start work.
  3. There is no requirement for any documented experience or training.
  4. The belief is that the electricians have received proper training in trade schools and apprenticeship programs as this is a major requirement to get employed by a licensed contractor. 

If you decide to go to a trade school to get your training in Nevada, you will have to choose from these three:

  1. College of Southern Nevada—Las Vegas
  2. Great Basis College—Elko
  3. Truckee Meadows Community College—Reno

There might be slight variations in the programs offered by these schools. But this is certain: To gain entry, you would have to be a resident of the state of Nevada and have a valid driver’s license, be no less than 18 years and possess a high school diploma or GED.

Once you have gotten accepted into a program, you can now work towards getting an apprenticeship with an independent electrical contractor, an electrical company, or a construction company that is in partnership with the school.

It is a requirement for all apprentice electricians to work as an employee of a licensed electrical contractor in Nevada. You must be supervised directly by a licensed electrical contractor or a certified journeyman or master electrician.

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Some of the courses you would be required to study include:

  1. Getting Started as a Residential Electrician
  2. Electrical Equipment 
  3. Math for the Trades 
  4. Electrical Heating and Air Conditioning 
  5. The Nature of Electricity 
  6. Working Safely with Electricity
  7. Electricians’ Tools
  8. Working with Conduit
  9. Wiring Electrical Components
  10. Additional Unit Materials 
  11. Circuit Analysis and Ohm’s Law
  12. Troubleshooting Electrical Systems
  13. Electrical Estimating

Through your trade school program, you will get an apprentice certificate. If you would prefer to have an independent apprenticeship without the help of the school, you can also do that but you will have to be certain that your employer is a licensed electrical contractor in Nevada and he does not mind taking on an apprentice.

If it is an apprenticeship program you would rather go for instead of a trade school, then you have two options. You could opt for a union-affiliated apprenticeship or one without any union affiliations. 

Both have the same entry requirements:

  • You must be at least 18 years
  • You must have completed your high school education.
  • You must have studied algebra for at least a year or be capable of passing an algebra test.
  • You must not fail a drug test
  • You must have gotten a valid driver’s license

Step 2 – Get Your General Journeyman Certificate 

After completing an electrical apprenticeship, the next thing to consider is getting certified as a journeyman where you reside.

Before you can get the journeyman license in all of Nevada, you must apply for a Journeyman Electrical Certificate and take the examination. 

You would be examined on your knowledge of the most current edition of the National Electrical Code.

Some of the questions you would find in this examination would cover topics like:

  • Grounding and bonding
  • Wiring methods and installation
  • Services and equipment
  • Motors
  • Over-current protection 
  • Load calculations
  • Lighting
  • Appliances
  • Box and raceway fill
  • Boxes and fittings 
  • Hazardous location
  • Special occupancies 
  • Trade knowledge
  • Electrical theory

If you pass this examination, you would be issued your journeyman certificate by the International Code Council. 

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Step 3 – Obtain the Electrical Contractor License

You don’t have to stop at your journeyman certification. You can go a step further by acquiring the electrical contractor license. This license is important as the state of Nevada requires all businesses to be licensed by the Nevada State Contractors Board.

Before you are qualified to apply for this, you must have at least four years of experience as a journeyman. 

You will have to submit the following documents:

  • The application form which you must have filled. 
  • You should have at least four notarized reference certificates completed by people that physically supervised your work. They could be your employers, building inspectors, or even your co-workers.
  • You should provide a resume with detailed documentation of your work experience. This should include employers’ contact information, dates of employment, and the type of projects you have completed.
  • You should provide a current financial statement stating in detail your financial situation.

If it is your first time applying, you’d have to sit for an examination. You would be examined on business, law, trade, and the electrical code.

You would be permitted to take the exam two more times if you fail the first attempt. Failing three times would mean a waiting period of thirty days before another opportunity to reapply is given.

You earn your electrical contractor’s license once you pass the examination. 

Electrician License Renewal in Nevada 

  • Apprentice Certificates: In Nevada, most apprentice certificates have to be renewed yearly.
  • Journeyman Certificate: This has to be renewed every three years. 
  • Electrical Contractor License: This has to be renewed every two years. 

Electrician License Reciprocity in Nevada 

At the moment, Nevada has no electrical license reciprocity with any state.

Conclusion 

If you are resident in Nevada and are looking to become an electrician in the state, just go for it. You’d be surprised at how much joy you’d derive from doing what you’ve always wanted to do.

References

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