There has been a steady increase in residential and commercial projects in Hawaii in recent years. It means there are more skilled-based jobs than before.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted a healthy growth of 14% in the electrical job market for Hawaii. You can join a skilled profession that offers good salaries and career prospects.
Here is our guide on how to become a licensed electrician in Hawaii.
State Requirements
There are different licensing categories for electricians in Hawaii. You can apply for a full journeyman electrician, specialty electrician, or industrial journeyman electrician license in Hawaii.
The Board of Electricians and Plumbers issues electrician licenses in these categories.
The state requirements for different electrician categories in Hawaii are:
- Journey Worker Electrician license – 10,000 hours of full-time work experience with 240 classroom hours of education.
- Journey Worker Specialty Electrician License – 6,000 work hours and 120 classroom hours of education.
- Journey Worker Industrial Electrician license – 8,000 work hours in industrial projects and 200 hours of education.
- Maintenance Electrician License – one year of maintenance work experience and 80 hours of classroom education.
Once you have chosen a preferred category to become a licensed electrician, you can then work to earn a supervisor electrician’s license.
How to Become a Licensed Electrician in Hawaii
Your first step in becoming a licensed electrician in Hawaii will be accumulating the necessary work and education hours.
The requirements for work and classroom hours vary by license type in Hawaii. However, you can choose between a technical college and an apprenticeship program to accumulate the necessary hours.
Technical College Program
You can pursue a certificate of completion in Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology in Hawaii. You can complete the requirement for classroom hours with this certification.
Most technical colleges or affiliated institutes in Hawaii will assist you in finding apprenticeship opportunities. The college advisory programs can also help you find an entry-level job after completing the certificate program.
Apprenticeship Program
There is currently one apprenticeship program in Hawaii. The Hawaii Electricians Training Fund (HEFT) organizes the arrangements for recruiting and training new electricians throughout Hawaii State.
The program can help you accumulate the classroom hours and hands-on experience hours to become eligible for journey worker licenses.
The requirements for the HETF apprenticeship program are:
- 18 years age
- High school certificate or GED
- Physical ability to perform electrical works
- Pass an aptitude test
- Pass an oral interview
Apply for an Electrician’s License
Once you have accumulated the classroom and work experience requirements, you can apply for an exam in a chosen category.
You can choose between four types of electrician licenses in Hawaii.
- Maintenance Electrician enables you to perform only limited and maintenance electrical works.
- Journey Worker Electrician – enables you to undertake limited basic electrical works.
- Journey Worker Specialty Electrician – that allows you to perform maintenance work, installation, and alteration.
- Journey Worker Industrial Electrician– enables you to perform all types of industrial works in existing projects such as electrical and maintenance works in substations, switchgear, and automatic controls.
After completing the education and work hour requirements, you can apply for the relevant category exam. You’ll need to pass the exam with at least 70% marks. Once you pass the exam, you’ll be awarded the license. You’ll need to renew the license after every three years. You’ll also need to fulfill the continuing education requirements for license renewal.
Apply for a Supervising Electrician License
If you have worked for a few years as a journey worker electrician, you can apply for a supervising electrician license. You can earn a supervising electrician license in a relevant journey electrician worker category.
The authorization and requirements for each category of supervising electrician licenses are:
Supervising Electrician License
- Authorizes you to direct, supervise, and perform electrical works.
- Requires four years experience as a journey worker electrician.
Supervising Specialty Electrician
- Allows you to undertake and supervise the installation, repairs, and maintenance of electrical works excluding lighting and power circuits of multiple systems.
- Requires two years of specialty journey worker electrician experience.
Supervising Industrial Electrician
- Authorizes you to work and supervise industrial electrical works on existing buildings and workplaces.
- It requires three years of work experience as an industrial journey worker electrician.
You’ll need to pass the exam for the relevant category to obtain the supervising electrician license.
Become an Independent Electrical Contractor
The contractors licensing board in Hawaii issues independent electrician contractor’s licenses.
The requirements for a contractor’s license are:
- 18 years of age
- Four years experience as supervising electrician
- Pass the exam for a contractor’s license
- General liability insurance for bodily injury is $ 10,000 per person.
- Liability insurance for property damage of $ 50,000 per occurrence.
Once you pass the exam and submit the insurance requirements, you’ll be awarded the license. You’ll need to renew the license every two years.