Apprentice Electrician:
A person engaged in learning about and assisting in the installation or alteration of electrical wiring and equipment. An apprentice electrician must be under the direct personal supervision of a licensed journey or master electrician. A person employed as an apprentice electrician must register as an apprentice within 30 days of employment. The applicant for registration as an apprentice must show proof of participation in an approved apprenticeship training program meeting the requirements of the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (B.A.T.) There must be at least one licensed electrician on the job site for each apprentice electrician except for single-family dwelling and multi-family dwellings with up to 8 living units. In this latter case, it is permitted to have 2 apprentices for each licensed electrician.
Journey Electrician:
A person engaged in the practical installation or alteration of electric wiring. A journey electrician is only eligible to perform work for a licensed electrical contractor. A journey electrician is permitted to work on a job site without direct supervision at the job site. A journey electrician is permitted to supervise the work of other electricians and apprentices. To obtain a Michigan journey electrician license, a person must meet the requirements and pass the journey electrician license examination. To apply to take the examination a person must be 20 years of age, and have 8,000 hours of electrical wiring experience obtained over a period of not less than 4 years under the direct supervision of a journey or master electrician licensed in Michigan. Letters verifying hours of experience must be on employer letter head, and must be notarized.
Master Electrician:
A person having the qualifications, training, experience, and technical knowledge to supervise the installation of electrical wiring and equipment. A master electrician is expected to have a working knowledge of the current edition of the National Electrical Code, the Part 8 rules of the Construction Code Act No. 230 of 1972, and of the act itself. Also the master electrician must have an understanding of the Electrical Administrative Act No. 217 of 1956 and the current general rules to the Act. A person holding a master electrician license in Michigan is eligible to apply for a Michigan electrical contractor license. To obtain a Michigan master electrician license, a person must meet the requirements and pass the master electrician license examination. To apply to take the examination a person must be 22 years of age, and have 12,000 hours of electrical wiring experience obtained over a period of not less than 6 years under the supervision of a master electrician. The person must have held a journey electricians license for not less than 2 years. Letters verifying hours of experience must be on employer letter head, and must be notarized.
Electrical Contractor:
A person or company engaged in the business of erecting, installing, altering, repairing, servicing, or maintaining electrical wiring, electrical devices, equipment, or equipment. Except for farm wiring in some locations, a person or company acting as an electrical contractor in Michigan must be licensed by the State or in some cases the governmental jurisdiction in which the business is located or the person resides. An electrical contracting firm must have a master electrician in full-time employment. The master electrician is not permitted to serve as the require master electrician for more than one company. An electrical contractor is permitted to apply for a permit from the local governmental jurisdiction to engage in electrical wiring at a specific job site. The electrical installation will be subject of inspection by the local governmental jurisdiction.
Applications for Apprenticeship or Examinations:
The above descriptions are not official descriptions. For complete requirements and fee assessments, please obtain a copy of the Michigan Electrical Administrative Act of 1956 as amended. License applications can be obtained from the Electrical Administrative Office of the Bureau of Construction Codes, 2501 Woodlake Circle, Okemos, MI 48864-5955. Mailing address P.O. Box 30254, Lansing, MI 48909, telephone 517.241.9320 and fax 517.241.9308.
Examinations:
If the applicant has an impediment such as reading difficulty that may prevent the applicant from completing the examination in the allotted time, the applicant may ask for assistance by writing to the Electrical Administrative Board and providing proof of such impediment. If a person fails an examination two times within a period of two years, the person must wait a period of not less than one year before retaking the examination. The person must also show proof of having completed an approved course in electrical code, electrical fundamentals, or electrical theory. Direct other questions about licensing and examinations directly to the Electrical Administrative Office of the Bureau of Construction Codes.
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