How to get a Electrical license in Georgia

Step-by-step: how to get your Georgia electrical contractor license

Plan on 60–150 days depending on how fast your experience verification comes back and how soon you can get a PSI seat.

• Choose your class: Class I (Restricted/Non-Restricted low-voltage and small-service work) or Class II (Unrestricted — no limits on amperage, voltage, or project size).
• Document experience: Georgia requires 4 years of primary, hands-on electrical experience under a licensed electrical contractor, verified by affidavit. Related technical education can substitute for a portion of that time at the Board's discretion.
• Submit the application to the Division of Electrical Contractors with the affidavits of experience, references, and fee.
• Once approved to test, register with PSI and pass both the Business & Law exam and the Electrical Trade exam for your class.
• Provide proof of general liability insurance (commonly $500,000 minimum for Class II) before the license is issued.
• Register your business with the Georgia Secretary of State and check local jurisdiction requirements — many Georgia cities and counties require a separate business/occupational permit on top of the state license.

Class I vs. Class II — which Georgia electrical license do I need?

The class you hold sets a hard ceiling on the jobs you can legally contract in Georgia. Most contractors who want commercial or three-phase work go straight for Class II.

• Class I (Non-Restricted) — electrical work limited by size; typically residential and light commercial single-phase work at or under 200 amps per service.
• Class II (Unrestricted) — no limitation on amperage, voltage, or scope. Required for commercial, industrial, and larger three-phase installations.
• Both classes require the same 4-year experience baseline; Class II's trade exam is longer and heavier on calculations, motors, and three-phase.
• You can upgrade from Class I to Class II later by passing the Class II trade exam — your experience does not restart.

Georgia electrical exam: what's on it (PSI)

Both required exams are delivered by PSI at Georgia test centers (Atlanta, Macon, Savannah, Augusta, Columbus) and are open-book with a published reference list. Bring your own tabbed, unmarked-margin NEC.

Business & Law: covers Georgia licensing rules for electrical contractors, contracts, liens, tax and payroll basics, business organization, insurance, and OSHA safety obligations.

Electrical Trade (Class I or Class II): built on the NEC edition adopted by Georgia at the time of your exam, plus Georgia amendments. Expect service and feeder sizing, conductor ampacity and derating, grounding and bonding, overcurrent protection, boxes and raceway fill, and — heavily on Class II — motors, transformers, and three-phase calculations.

Check the current PSI Georgia Electrical Contractor candidate information bulletin before you schedule: it lists the exact NEC edition, question counts, time limits, passing score, and the approved reference books you're allowed to bring in.

What it costs and how long the license lasts

Exact dollar figures change, so confirm each one against the Division of Electrical Contractors fee schedule and the current PSI bulletin before you budget. Expect four cost buckets: the state application fee, PSI exam fees for both the Business & Law and trade exams, your NEC and reference books, and insurance premiums.

Georgia electrical contractor licenses renew on a two-year cycle with continuing education required each renewal period. Missing the renewal window means late fees and, if you lapse long enough, reinstatement or re-examination.

• State application fee — set by the Division of Electrical Contractors; paid at application, not at exam time.
• PSI exam fees — charged per exam, so budget for two (Business & Law plus trade), and again for any retake.
• Reference set — current NEC plus the other titles named in the PSI bulletin; this is usually the largest book expense.
• General liability insurance — required before issuance; Class II carries the higher minimum.
• Renewal every two years with continuing education hours, plus any local business/occupational permits in the cities you work in.

How Fieldora helps you pass the trade exam

Our Journeyman Electrician and Master Electrician prep tracks are built around exactly what the Georgia trade exam tests: NEC navigation speed, service and feeder calculations, ampacity derating, grounding and bonding, and motor and transformer sizing. Every lesson cites the code article it comes from, the practice exams are timed like the real thing, and the AI instructor will walk you through a missed calculation step by step until the method sticks.