Washington general journeyman electrician requirements
Washington general journeyman (01) candidates need 8,000 hours of supervised experience with at least 4,000 industrial or commercial, plus 96 hours of classroom instruction, then a passing score on both exam sections. The exam fee is $107.60 to L&I plus a $75 PSI sitting fee.
Experience and classroom hours
8,000 hours of supervised electrical experience, at least 4,000 of it industrial or commercial, plus 96 hours of basic classroom instruction. A 16,000-hour experience pathway and out-of-state, military, and Canadian Red Seal allowances also exist. You log those hours under a licensed electrical contractor, and L&I has to approve your experience before PSI Services will seat you.
The exam
PSI Services delivers the (01) exam in two scored sections you pass separately. First is NEC & Theory: 60 questions in 3 hours. Second is Washington Laws & Rules (RCW 19.28 + WAC 296-46B): 17 questions in 1 hour. That is 77 questions across 4 hours, and you need 70% on each section. It is open book on the 2020 NEC, not the 2023 edition. See the laws & rules section for what that second test actually covers.
Fees
$107.60 application fee to L&I ($41.40 nonrefundable), plus a PSI sitting fee of $75 for the 4-hour exam. The L&I application fee covers your eligibility review, and the PSI fee is what you pay to sit each time.
If you do not pass a section
Wait 14 days to retest. After a third failed attempt, wait 3 months between attempts. You retest only the section you failed, and you have one year from approval to pass both sections. The recovery plan walks through how to use that window on the one section you missed.
Renewal and continuing education
Every 3 years (on your birthdate). 24 hours of continuing education per 3-year renewal, including 8 hours of NEC code update and 4 hours of RCW/WAC update.
Eligible to test? Find your weak spots first.
Start with the free 15-minute diagnostic. It shows your projected score across both sections and the areas costing you the most points. Then the full platform drills your weak areas with 170+ questions across both sections, 4 calculators, a 30-day plan, and study guides, all on the 2020 NEC, before you pay the $107.60 to L&I and book it.
- L&I Electrical Examination Information. Confirms PSI administration, the 70%-per-section pass mark, open-book rules, and that the exam uses the 2020 NEC.
- L&I Electrician Licensing & Requirements. The 8,000-hour (4,000 industrial/commercial) + 96-hour classroom requirement, 3-year renewal, and 24-hour CE rule.
- WAC 296-46B (Washington electrical code adoption). Washington's electrical administrative code. Adopts the NEC with state amendments; the Laws & Rules exam section tests RCW 19.28 + WAC 296-46B.