# Licensing questions



## pricegarrett (Sep 5, 2017)

So I am currently living in Dallas Texas and am considering doing an apprenticeship. I plan on moving back to Alabama once I become a Master electrician. Will my hours worked transfer to Alabama? Also will I have to retake the test in Alabama?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome aboard @pricegarrett!

I would highly doubt a test from one state would be good for another state, haven't ever heard of that.

Properly recorded and substantiated hours normally transfer for test purposes.


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

Are you talking about a contractors license, or a J-man cert.? I don't think there's any reciprocity between Texas and Alabama for either one. You need to look into that at the state labor department. Why do you want to get licensed in one state if you know you're moving to another?


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Dawn runs this business, I use them for every license work I need. They will be able to tell you. 
Also, very helpful on the phone.

http://www.contractor-state-license.com/state-license/reciprocity/


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

in my opinion, the easiest way to get licensed in multiple states is to have a business in one state with a track record of at least 4 years. sure, you can maybe get your license and then move, but its not as easy to prove you are qualified, and you might have to provide a whole lot of crap like employment records, etc. With the business, you have your balance sheets, etc and your license history, and actually cuts down on all the BS paperwork (for states like FL, for example)

as always, jmo


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## pricegarrett (Sep 5, 2017)

Thanks for all the help. Circumstances have me in Dallas for at least a year and I'm ready to get the ball rolling on a career. Another question... I'm concerned that it will be tough to get into an apprenticeship program, if I go to school will the classroom hours go toward my needed classroom hours to get my journeymans.


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## pricegarrett (Sep 5, 2017)

Long term I want to get my masters electrician so I can go the contractor route.


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## Chris Wendt (Oct 13, 2015)

Now I'm curious about something. Texas reciprocates with Louisiana and I noticed that Louisiana reciprocates with Alabama. So why couldn't you go that route and use the Louisiana license to get the Alabama license?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

pricegarrett said:


> Thanks for all the help. *Circumstances have me in Dallas for at least a year and I'm ready to get the ball rolling on a career. *Another question... I'm concerned that it will be tough to get into an apprenticeship program, if I go to school will the classroom hours go toward my needed classroom hours to get my journeymans.


You aren't even an apprentice and you are worried about transferring your masters license that is years and passing a few tests away.

How about taking one step of a time and not worrying about something 4-5 years in the future?

Hate to be the voice of doom but you could get hit by a truck tomorrow.

It's great to have plans for the future but no need to try and jump past years of building experience.

As for classes you could take that would all depend if you were doing a Union or non-union apprenticeship and the classes that either one will accept. 

I can understand anxious but with in reason.


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## active1 (Dec 29, 2009)

Find the Alabama electrician and contractor licensing requirements.
It's best to get the details right from the licensing agency.
Haven't see a state yet that didn't have the qualification requirements, applications, and laws posted online. Every state I contacted was always helpful answering questions.

There are other web sites that try to give you the details.
The trouble is things change, the info is to generic, etc..
Such as listing the 2 states as reciprocating. 
But what reciprocates, the journeyman, master, or contractor license.
It can depend on the time between the tests or what code cycle the test was on.
Some require a waiting period of a year to reciprocate.
It's not always straight all reciprocate.
Such as the journeyman does but not the master.
Or 1 states master is another states version of a contractor license.

Figure what you need documented. Hours, notarized letters from employers, SS printout, letter from school, etc. There are at least 12 different ways to verify your experience.

If you want to be a EC in another state, I would recommend just learning in that other state. Otherwise you would have a learning curve of a new state. Many things differ by area.


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## matt1124 (Aug 23, 2011)

Chris Wendt said:


> Now I'm curious about something. Texas reciprocates with Louisiana and I noticed that Louisiana reciprocates with Alabama. So why couldn't you go that route and use the Louisiana license to get the Alabama license?


Some states won't let you bounce them like that. Sometimes, your "from" state has to be one you sat for a test in.


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## Hand Wired (Jun 23, 2017)

I'm an apprentice in Alabama, why don't you just start in Texas and then apply for the apprentice program here when you get here?


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