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How to become an electrician in Arkansas
16,000 hours of supervised work, then the state exam.2 Arkansas licenses electricians through the Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners, Department of Labor and Licensing.1
Pick your way in
Every route ends at the same place: 16,000 logged hours and the state exam.
Earn while you learn
A program hires you, pays you on the job and runs your classes.
- Pay
- From day one
- In AR
- 85 registered programs
Classroom first
Learn the basics, then find work to log your hours.
- Pay
- You pay tuition
- In AR
- 5 schools with programs
Start on a crew
Get hired as a helper by a licensed electrical contractor and log hours on the job.
- Pay
- Paid on the job
- Start
- No experience needed
The license steps
Journeyman license from the Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners, Department of Labor and Licensing.
Start as an apprentice or trainee$10 registration
Join a registered apprenticeship, take a trade school program, or work as a helper for a licensed contractor.
- Issued by
- Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners, Department of Labor and Licensing
- Cost
- $10 registration
Log 16,000 hours16,000 hrs
About 8 years of full-time work under a licensed electrician. Keep your own log of hours and pay stubs.
- Issued by
- Your employer signs off
- Time
- 16,000 hrs
Pass the journeyman exam$80 exam
Apply to the Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners, Department of Labor and Licensing with your hours, then book the exam.
- Issued by
- Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners, Department of Labor and Licensing
- Cost
- $80 exam
Keep it currentEvery year
Renew every year. At least 8 hours of Board-approved National Electrical Code instruction for each NEC cycle before renewing a journeyman or master license
- Issued by
- Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners, Department of Labor and Licensing
- Time
- Every year
Run your own shop
To bid and contract on your own you need a electrical contractor license or registration.
- Issued by
- Contractors Licensing Board (Dept of Labor and Licensing)
$49,070
a year is the median for electricians in Arkansas ($23.59 an hour, May 2025).5
Pay by city and percentile- Fort Smith$25.24
- Fayetteville–Springdale$23.67
- Jonesboro$23.43
- Little Rock–North Little Rock$23.17
- Hot Springs$22.43
Questions
How long does it take to become an electrician in Arkansas?
About 8 years of full-time work: the journeyman license requires 16,000 hours of supervised experience.2
How much does an electrician license cost in Arkansas?
State fees to get licensed: $90, not counting school or tools.2
Do you need a license to work on your own as an electrician in Arkansas?
Check the Contractors Licensing Board (Dept of Labor and Licensing) before you bid work on your own.3
Are electricians in demand in Arkansas?
Projections Central expects about 1,010 electrician openings a year in Arkansas through 2034, counting new jobs and people leaving the trade.4
Find an apprenticeship near you
85 registered programs in Arkansas. Enter your ZIP to see the closest ones and what they ask for.
Find a programMore for electricians in Arkansas
Sources
- Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners, Department of Labor and Licensing (labor.arkansas.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners, Department of Labor and Licensing: experience requirements (labor.arkansas.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Contractors Licensing Board (Dept of Labor and Licensing) (labor.arkansas.gov)
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2024-2034 (projectionscentral.org, 2024-2034)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Arkansas, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)