Electrician License from Rhode Island to Georgia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State) ↗
A electrical license transfers from Rhode Island to Georgia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State), verify your Rhode Island license, and meet Georgia's endorsement requirements. Georgia issues no journeyman electrician license; for its statewide electrical CONTRACTOR license the Board waives the exam only for applicants who hold a Non-Restricted (Class II) license obtained by examination in Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee, with no violations — every other applicant must pass the Georgia electrical contractor examination.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Georgia publishes no reciprocity list covering Rhode Island, but the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State) 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, Rhode Island → Georgia
| Rhode Island (current) | Georgia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 8,000 | — |
| Application fee | $72 (Rhode Island offers no reciprocity; $72 is the officially published 24-month journeyperson (Certificate B) license fee (ri.gov) plus a $6 service charge. A separate examination fee applies through the board's exam process and is not published as a flat state fee) | $40 ($30 application + $10 processing (non-refundable) for the electrical contractor reciprocity application; see the Board fee schedule for the license-issuance fee) |
| Processing time | RI DLT does not publish a processing time for electrician applications | The Board publishes no official processing-time figure for reciprocity |
| Licensing authority | Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, Board of Examiners of Electricians | Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Georgia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Georgia's current requirements on the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Georgia does not license individual journeyman electricians — the transferable statewide credential is the electrical CONTRACTOR license (Class I Restricted / Class II Non-Restricted).
- For contractor reciprocity, hold a current Non-Restricted license obtained by examination in AL, LA, NC, SC, or TN, in good standing with no violations.
- Grandfathered, endorsement, conversion, or reciprocity licenses are NOT eligible for reciprocity — apply by examination instead.
- Submit three notarized reference forms (at least one from a licensed electrical contractor).
- Pay the fees ($40 ($30 application + $10 processing (non-refundable) for the electrical contractor reciprocity application; see the Board fee schedule for the license-issuance fee)) and allow The Board publishes no official processing-time figure for reciprocity.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Georgia accept a Rhode Island electrician license?
A electrical license transfers from Rhode Island to Georgia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State), verify your Rhode Island license, and meet Georgia's endorsement requirements. Georgia issues no journeyman electrician license; for its statewide electrical CONTRACTOR license the Board waives the exam only for applicants who hold a Non-Restricted (Class II) license obtained by examination in Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee, with no violations — every other applicant must pass the Georgia electrical contractor examination.
Which exam will I take moving from Rhode Island to Georgia?
Georgia issues no journeyman electrician license; for its statewide electrical CONTRACTOR license the Board waives the exam only for applicants who hold a Non-Restricted (Class II) license obtained by examination in Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee, with no violations — every other applicant must pass the Georgia electrical contractor examination.
What does the Rhode Island-to-Georgia move cost and how long does it take?
$40 ($30 application + $10 processing (non-refundable) for the electrical contractor reciprocity application; see the Board fee schedule for the license-issuance fee); processing The Board publishes no official processing-time figure for reciprocity.
Does this route work for a master electrician?
Usually yes — master electricians typically move by endorsement rather than journeyman reciprocity. Confirm the Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (Construction Industry Licensing Board, Office of the Secretary of State)'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.
- Georgia SOS — Board of Electrical Contractors FAQ (reciprocity states, exam waiver, grandfather exclusion) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Electrical Reciprocity Application (Form 44) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Georgia State Board of Electrical Contractors (board home) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- RI Board of Examiners of Electricians regulation (260-RICR-30-15-7): out-of-state applicants must sit the RI exam; Certificate B requires 8,000 hours ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- RI DLT — Board of Examiners for Electricians ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- RI.gov — Electrician license fees (Certificate B journeyperson $72; Certificate A master $240; +$6 service) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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