Becoming an electrician in Virginia

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1 paid apprenticeship and 1 school program are listed here.

Jump to: License · Training · Pay

Licensing
Statewide worker license
Time to qualify
See the steps below experience for each license
Median pay
$62,900 $30.24 an hour
Outlook
2,560 openings a year, projected · 9.2% growth, 2024–2034

Do I need a license?

Yes. Virginia licenses electricians statewide. The journeyman-level credential is the Journeyman Electrical Tradesman License (ELE), issued by the Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR). Source: Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia), checked .

Before you start: No state registration is required before you start electrical work in Virginia. You can start under the supervision of a licensed electrician without registering first. Official source, checked .

Your path, step by step

  1. Journeyman Electrical Tradesman License (ELE)

    Experience
    Not stated
    Classroom
    Not stated
    Exam
    Required

    Source: Code of Virginia § 54.1-1130 (application for licensure; examinations) · Find a paid apprenticeship in Virginia

  2. Master Electrical Tradesman License (ELE)

    Experience
    Not stated
    Classroom
    Not stated
    Exam
    Required
    Holding the previous license
    At least 1 year

    Source: Virginia Administrative Code 18VAC50-30-39 (Board for Contractors, qualifications for examination approval for a tradesman license)

Each step lists what its official source states for that license. Hours aren't added up across steps; a step says whether its hours include earlier steps' only where its source does. "Not stated" means the source doesn't give it. Checked .

Full Virginia licensing requirements · 3 contractor licenses · How licensing works

How do I train?

Apprenticeships pay you while you learn. Schools teach first, then you find work. Which is right for me?

Paid apprenticeships 1

Virginia apprenticeships (1)

School programs 1

Virginia schools (1)

What does it pay?

What the work pays here, and how to decide.

Electricians in Virginia earn a median of $62,900 a year ($30.24 an hour), according to BLS May 2025 OEWS estimates. That is about 0.5% below the national median of $63,190. About one in ten electricians here earns under $40,780 a year and about one in ten over $105,720.

Employment is projected to grow 9.2% over 2024–2034, with about 2,560 openings a year.

Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS · Projections Central · Virginia salary details

Nearby states: District of Columbia · Kentucky 2 · Maryland 3 · North Carolina 4 · Tennessee 2 · West Virginia 1

Listings here last checked