Electrician License from Illinois to Massachusetts: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure) ↗
A electrical license transfers from Illinois to Massachusetts by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure), verify your Illinois license, and meet Massachusetts's endorsement requirements. Massachusetts licenses WITHOUT examination (waives its journeyman/master exam) only for a New Hampshire licensee whose NH license was earned by passing the New Hampshire exam; applicants from every other state must pass the Massachusetts journeyman or master examination.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Massachusetts publishes no reciprocity list covering Illinois, but the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure) licenses out-of-state electricians by endorsement, so this move runs on the board's case-by-case judgment rather than an automatic waiver. If you hold a master license this is usually your route regardless — master electricians typically endorse rather than transfer through journeyman reciprocity. Ask the board, in writing, exactly which exam or experience requirement it will waive before you rely on it.
What changes, Illinois → Massachusetts
| Illinois (current) | Massachusetts (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | — | 8,000 |
| Application fee | No statewide fee; fees are set by each municipality | $208–$310 (Journeyman reciprocity application fee is $208; master reciprocity application fee is $310 (non-refundable, per 237 CMR 15.02)) |
| Processing time | Set by each municipality; there is no statewide process | The Board of State Examiners of Electricians does not publish a processing-time range for reciprocity applications |
| Licensing authority | No statewide board — electrician licensing is municipal (e.g., City of Chicago Department of Buildings) | Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Massachusetts sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Massachusetts's current requirements on the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a New Hampshire journeyman or master license that was obtained by PASSING the New Hampshire examination (not by reciprocity).
- Submit a certified license-verification letter from the New Hampshire electrical board.
- Submit a CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) authorization form and a passport-quality photo.
- Apply online through the Division of Occupational Licensure ePLACE portal; reciprocity is limited to New Hampshire under 237 CMR 15.00.
- Pay the fees ($208–$310 (Journeyman reciprocity application fee is $208; master reciprocity application fee is $310 (non-refundable, per 237 CMR 15.02))) and allow The Board of State Examiners of Electricians does not publish a processing-time range for reciprocity applications.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Massachusetts accept a Illinois electrician license?
A electrical license transfers from Illinois to Massachusetts by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure), verify your Illinois license, and meet Massachusetts's endorsement requirements. Massachusetts licenses WITHOUT examination (waives its journeyman/master exam) only for a New Hampshire licensee whose NH license was earned by passing the New Hampshire exam; applicants from every other state must pass the Massachusetts journeyman or master examination.
Which exam will I take moving from Illinois to Massachusetts?
Massachusetts licenses WITHOUT examination (waives its journeyman/master exam) only for a New Hampshire licensee whose NH license was earned by passing the New Hampshire exam; applicants from every other state must pass the Massachusetts journeyman or master examination.
What does the Illinois-to-Massachusetts move cost and how long does it take?
$208–$310 (Journeyman reciprocity application fee is $208; master reciprocity application fee is $310 (non-refundable, per 237 CMR 15.02)); processing The Board of State Examiners of Electricians does not publish a processing-time range for reciprocity applications.
Does this route work for a master electrician?
Usually yes — master electricians typically move by endorsement rather than journeyman reciprocity. Confirm the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure)'s master-level experience and exam requirements, which are separate from the journeyman track this site's grid tracks.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Mass.gov — 237 CMR 15.00: Licensure without examination ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Mass.gov — Apply for reciprocity for an out-of-state electrician's license ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- City of Chicago — Trade Licensing (Department of Buildings) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- City of Chicago — Supervising Electrician License (municipal exam/licensing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- City of Chicago — Electrical Contractor License ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]