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Home / Electricians / District of Columbia
How to become an electrician in District of Columbia
8,000 hours of supervised work, then the state exam.2 District of Columbia licenses electricians through DLCP.1
Pick your way in
Every route ends at the same place: 8,000 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 DC
- 4 registered programs
Classroom first
Learn the basics, then find work to log your hours.
- Pay
- You pay tuition
- In DC
- Community colleges nearby
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 DLCP.
Start as an apprentice or trainee$110 registration
Join a registered apprenticeship, take a trade school program, or work as a helper for a licensed contractor.
- Issued by
- District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Board of Industrial Trades
- Cost
- $110 registration
Log 8,000 hours8,000 hrs
About 4 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
- 8,000 hrs
Pass the journeyman exam$65 application
Apply to DLCP with your hours, then book the exam with PSI.
- Issued by
- District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Board of Industrial Trades
- Cost
- $65 application
Keep it currentEvery 2 years$110 renewal
Renew every 2 years.
- Issued by
- District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Board of Industrial Trades
- Time
- Every 2 years
- Cost
- $110 renewal
Run your own shop
To bid and contract on your own you need a electrical contractor license or registration.
- Issued by
- DLCP - Board of Industrial Trades (electricians, plumbers, HVAC)
$78,970
a year is the median for electricians in District of Columbia ($37.97 an hour, May 2025).4
Pay by city and percentileQuestions
How long does it take to become an electrician in District of Columbia?
About 4 years of full-time work: the journeyman license requires 8,000 hours of supervised experience.2
How much does an electrician license cost in District of Columbia?
State fees to get licensed: $175, not counting school or tools.1
Do you need a license to work on your own as an electrician in District of Columbia?
Yes. District of Columbia licenses electrical contractors through DLCP.1
Are electricians in demand in District of Columbia?
Projections Central expects about 220 electrician openings a year in District of Columbia through 2034, counting new jobs and people leaving the trade.3
Find an apprenticeship near you
4 registered programs in District of Columbia. Enter your ZIP to see the closest ones and what they ask for.
Find a programMore for electricians in District of Columbia
Sources
- District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Board of Industrial Trades (dlcp.dc.gov, 2026-10-27)
- District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Board of Industrial Trades: experience requirements (dlcp.dc.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2024-2034 (projectionscentral.org, 2024-2034)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, District of Columbia, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)