Iowa Electrician License

From installing wiring in the building to connecting and disconnecting the air conditioning systems, repairing the electrical equipment, and much more. If you see the difference between blue and red wires like an expert, then we are sure you are an electrician.

Do you know all this stuff inside out like no one?

Then you are in the right place. This page is a good lookup for those who know all the how-tos of electricity but need a guide in settling the whole process of becoming a licensed electrician in the State of Iowa.

As you know, each state in the USA has its regulatory agencies, so it is important to find out all requirements for the licensure procedure in Iowa. You can follow this step-by-step list to finish the licensure or find which point describes you the best so you will know what comes next. Let’s start.

First of all, why become a licensed electrician in the State of Iowa?

Becoming a licensed electrician is gaining respect as a specialist and being highly competitive, as the licensure usually means you have passed a long way and have been certified as a professional. A licensed electrician earns significantly more in Iowa than a non-licensed specialist. Once licensed, you can lead a team, become a contractor, draw electricity plans, and sign and seal them. You can call yourself an expert and establish a company, too.

It seems like it takes really long to become a licensed electrician in Iowa, but it does not if you know how to organize it.

To begin, let’s divide the electricians by their specialization. There are residential electricians, commercial electricians, industrial electricians, and low voltage electricians. The first category of electricians usually works in places of residence. The second category, commercial electricians, work in commercial buildings, schools, non-residential spaces, which include retail and office buildings. They repair or install electrical systems in places that don’t involve high voltage. Industrial electricians maintain electrical equipment and its components in places of industrial significance. The last group, low voltage electricians, works on low-voltage systems, such as voice and video systems, phone lines, cable installation, etc.

Based on their experience and licensure, electricians can be divided into the following categories:

• Apprentice: this category of electricians works under the supervision of a professional electrician so that they are being trained intensively.
• Journeyman: when electricians finish their apprenticeship and pass an examination approved by the State of Iowa.
• Master: these electricians have a long-standing experience behind as journeymen and have passed an examination approved by the State of Iowa.

How can I become a licensed electrician in the State of Iowa?

The first phase of becoming a licensed electrician in Iowa is the apprenticeship. Apprentice electricians are the ones who “learn by doing”: these are student electricians who usually work under the supervision of licensed professional electricians, and they are paid while they learn. The apprenticeships are regulated and usually consist of four or five years of classroom study. Journeymen or master electricians guide and train them.

Apprentice electricians can even get job offers from their supervisors or sponsors.

To start an electrician apprenticeship in Iowa, you have to be at least 18 years old, you must have a high-school diploma, have a driver’s license. There are also a few examinations you will need to pass: a physical exam and drug screen, a basic aptitude test, and a personal interview in the end. During your apprenticeship, you learn not only by practicing and training but also during classroom lessons.

The courses you will take are mainly about testing equipment, industrial controls, power distribution, high-voltage distribution, electrical theory, and the National Electric Code. The courses of your apprenticeship program include first aid and CPR, appliances, lighting, heating systems, remote control systems, motors, industrial and commercial wiring, blueprint reading fundamentals, maintenance of fire alarm systems, and many more.

After finishing your apprenticeship as an electrician, you can become a Journeyman electrician.

The Journeyman licensing can be considered the second phase in the process of becoming a master electrician. This is a period when you already don’t need any strict supervision while working as you have a long period of studying and practicing at the same time. Now you can work independently and gain greater experience to become a licensed master electrician in the State of Iowa later.

Journeyman electricians usually work on power systems, building automation systems, energy management, backup power generation systems, lighting and metering systems, and many more. Journeyman electricians can implement all types of electrical tasks with only a little supervision. To become a Journeyman in Iowa with a Class A license, you need to complete an apprenticeship that includes a minimum of 500 classroom hours and a minimum of 8000 on-the-job training with supervision.

The Iowa Electrical Examining Board is the responsible body for electrical licensing in the State of Iowa.

Once you got your license as a Journeyman and have worked as a licensed professional in Iowa for at least one year, you can get ready to become a master electrician.

Be aware that after receiving your Journeyman electrician license, you’ll subject to continuing education, which requires about six hours per year. Note that you’ll need to renew your Journeyman license every 3 years. There is also a Journeyman Class B license: to get this type of license you have to complete an apprenticeship program that is certified by the state and you’ll need to earn 16.000 hours of practicing experience as an electrician. An electrician with this type of license is not allowed to install equipment or wiring without the guidance of a supervisor.

The third phase is getting a Master Electrician A Class License.

You are called a Master Electrician when you already have the experience and knowledge needed to install wiring, electrical equipment, etc., correctly without supervision.

The Master Electrician License is issued by the Iowa Department of Public Safety, State Fire Marshal division.

Here is the list of requirements to get licensed as a Master Electrician:

• Hold a residential electrician or a Journeyman electrician license
• Have 2000 hours of experience as a residential or Journeyman electrician
• Have passed a residential master electrician exam that is approved by the Board.

You can also have a special electrician license with residential endorsement, have at least 4000 hours of verified experience as an electrician, and have passed the residential Master electrician exam that is approved by the Board.

To be approved by the Board of Iowa, you’ll need to fill the application and submit it.

Another type is the Master Electrician B Class License.

For this kind of license, you need proof that you have on-job experience of 16,000 hours as an electrician, 8000 hours from which you have worked before 1998, January 1. Then you can fill the application and submit it to the Board to get approved.

If you are already a licensed electrician in Iowa and you want to check the details of your license, or if you hire an electrician and you need to know if his license is up to date, then make sure to enter the necessary credentials in the search tool above to see detailed information about the electrician.