New Jersey Electrician Schools

What You Need to Learn

In order to succeed as an electrician, you must learn how to:

• Interpret technical drawings, blueprints, and schematics
• Work with systems of differing voltages
• Install and repair electrical components such as wiring, circuit breakers, outlets, switches, and panel boards
• Inspect systems and identify problems
• Work safely and methodically
• Use tools like harmonic testers, ohmmeters, and voltmeters
• Follow the National Electrical Code

Training Options

Most electricians get their training through an apprenticeship. However, landing an apprenticeship can be a competitive process. Completing an electrical program at a trade school first can give you valuable skills that could make you stand out from other candidates.

Trade and technical schools offer certificate, diploma, or associate degree programs in electrical technology. Certificate programs might be only six months long, while diploma or associate degree programs can take anywhere from one to two years to complete. Most programs include a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on practice.

Electrician apprenticeships are generally four or five years long. Each year, apprentices complete a few weeks of technical lessons as well as 2,000 hours of on-the-job training (for which they are paid).

You can find apprenticeship opportunities through online job boards. You could also try:

• A local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
• New Jersey Independent Electrical Contractors
• The U.S. Department of Labor

Licensing

The Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors regulates the electrical trade in New Jersey. In order to be able to work unsupervised, you need to register as a journeyman electrician. If you want to run your own business and be able to pull permits, you need to become a licensed contractor.

To become a qualified journeyman electrician in New Jersey, you must:

• Have 8,000 documented hours of hands-on electrical experience under a registered journeyman or licensed contractor (at least half of which must occur in the five years immediately before registration)
• Complete a minimum of 576 hours of classroom lessons

No exam is required. Journeymen must renew their registration every three years and complete 10 hours of continuing education.

To become a licensed electrical contractor in New Jersey, you must:

• Be at least 21 years old
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Complete a four-year apprenticeship and one year of experience as a journeyman
• Pass an exam

Contractor licenses must be renewed every three years. In order to renew, you must submit proof of having completed at least 34 hours of continuing education.

FAQs About New Jersey Electrician Training

How much does it cost to get an electrician's license in New Jersey?

It costs $90 to register as a qualified journeyman electrician. Getting a contractor's license requires paying a non-refundable application fee of $100. And if your application is approved, you must pay a license fee of $225.

If I'm a licensed electrician in another state, am I eligible for an electrical contractor license in New Jersey?

No. New Jersey does not have reciprocity agreements with other states.

Can I become an electrician in New Jersey without doing an apprenticeship?

You don't necessarily need to complete a formal apprenticeship to become a qualified journeyman electrician. You do need to get the required number of hours of classroom training (such as through a trade school program). Once you graduate, if you can find a contractor willing to hire you, you can start to accumulate the necessary hours of work experience.

However, under changes to state law that came into effect in December 2018, anyone who wishes to become a licensed electrical contractor must complete a registered apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. So if your end goal is to bid on projects, advertise your services, and run your own firm, you will have to complete an apprenticeship.

Career Information

Properly functioning electrical systems are crucial for maintaining the lifestyle and economic benefits that many of us take for granted. As an electrician in New Jersey, you can provide an essential service while enjoying decent wages and strong demand for your expertise.