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Katherine Koschnick
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S&B continues process of putting 2013 electrical credentials into place

There is now a Wisconsin statewide requirement for electrical credentials. That change was mandated by 2007 Wisconsin Act 63, which directed S&B to set up the statewide system.

Currently, the Safety and Buildings Division administers a set of electrical credentials that a local municipality may require by ordinance. Whether or not an electrical credential is needed varies according to local decisions by cities, villages, and towns. 

If the locality currently does not require electrical credentials, a person working under the electrical code still must at least have a Wisconsin contractor credential of some sort.

The new electrical credential system, defined in SPS 305, Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations Code, creates six new credentials:
- Residential Master Electrician License;
- Residential Journeyman Electrician License;
- Residential Electrical Apprentice Registration;
- Industrial Journeyman Electrician License;
- Industrial Electrical Apprentice Registration; and
- Electrical Apprentice Registration.
These credentials will not be required until April 1, 2013.

These are the licenses that existed before the August, 2010, publication of the 2013 new system: Electrical Contractor License; Electrical Contractor - Restricted License; Master Electrician License; Journeyman Electrician License; Beginning Electrician Registration. These licenses are currently effective where required by local ordinance and will continue after April 1, 2013, with one exception, the Electrical Contractor - Restricted License. That license will be combined with the Electrical Contractor License.

S&B staff encourage people who wish to take the examinations for electrical credentials to plan ahead. A rush of exams is expected when 2013 approaches. Some people may need to take the exams more than once in order to pass.  Specific electrical credential applications are linked here.

There is a good amount of variability as to what people with the new credentials may do.


The code language describing the new credentials is below. The complete set of rules regarding all electrical credentials is in SPS 305.40. SPS 305 (PDF file) is linked here.  Email questions regarding electrical credentials to DspsSbElectricTech@wi.gov. Because of limited staff availability, those questions may not get an immediate response.

SPS 305.40 Electricians. (1) Except as provided under s. 101.862 (4), Stats., no person as of April 1, 2013 may install, repair or maintain electrical wiring unless the person holds a license or registration issued by the department as one of the following:
(a) A licensed master electrician.
(b) A licensed residential master electrician.
(c) A licensed journeyman electrician.
(d) A licensed industrial journeyman electrician.
(e) A licensed residential journeyman electrician.
(f) A registered beginning electrician.
(g) A registered electrical apprentice.
(h) A registered industrial electrical apprentice.
(i) A registered residential electrical apprentice.

(2) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the electrical wiring activities that may be undertaken by a person who holds a license or registration as a licensed residential master electrician, a licensed residential journeyman electrician or a registered residential electrical apprentice shall be limited to wiring associated with dwellings, dwelling units and detached accessory buildings and structures serving the dwellings or the dwelling units, such as garages, carports, gazebos and swimming pools.
(b) A person who holds a license or registration as a licensed residential master electrician, a licensed residential journeyman electrician or a registered residential electrical apprentice may perform electrical wiring not associated with dwellings and dwelling units, provided the person is under the direct supervision of a licensed master electrician or a licensed journeyman electrician.

(3) (a) The electrical wiring activities that may be undertaken by a person who holds a license or registration as a licensed industrial journeyman electrician or a registered industrial electrical apprentice shall be limited to wiring within the facilities or properties of the business establishment where the person is employed.
(b) A person who holds a license or registration as a licensed industrial journeyman electrician or a registered industrial electrical apprentice may perform electrical wiring not associated with the facilities or properties of the business establishment where the person is employed, provided the person is under the direct supervision of a licensed master electrician or a licensed journeyman electrician.

(4) (a) 1. A person who holds a license as a licensed journeyman electrician or a registration as a registered electrical apprentice shall perform electrical wiring activities under the general supervision of a person who holds a license as a licensed master electrician, except as provided in subd. 2.
2. A person who holds a license as a licensed journeyman electrician or a registration as a registered electrical apprentice may perform electrical wiring activities under the general supervision of a person who holds a license as a licensed residential master electrician provided the wiring is associated with dwellings, dwelling units and detached accessory buildings and structures serving the
dwellings or the dwelling units, such as garages, carports, gazebos and swimming pools.
(b) A person who holds a license as a licensed industrial journeyman electrician or a registration as a registered industrial electrical apprentice shall perform electrical wiring within the facilities or properties of the business establishment where the person is employed under the general supervision of a person who holds a license as a licensed master electrician.
(c) A person who holds a license as a licensed residential journeyman electrician or a registration as a registered residential electrical apprentice shall perform electrical wiring activities associated with dwellings and dwelling units under the general supervision of a person who holds a license either as a licensed master electrician or a licensed residential master electrician.
(d) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., a person who holds a registration as a registered beginning electrician shall perform electrical wiring activities under the direct supervision of a person who holds a license either as a licensed master electrician or a licensed journeyman electrician.
2. A person who holds a registration as a registered beginning electrician may perform electrical wiring activities under the direct supervision of a person who holds a license as a licensed residential master electrician or licensed residential journeyman electrician provided the wiring is associated with dwellings, dwelling units and detached accessory buildings and structures serving the dwellings
or the dwelling units, such as garages, carports, gazebos and swimming pools.
3. A person who holds a registration as a registered beginning electrician may perform electrical wiring activities under the direct supervision of a person who holds a license as a licensed industrial journeyman electrician provided the wiring is within the facilities or properties of the business establishment where the industrial journeyman electrician is employed.

(5) At any time, for any electrical wiring project the total number of registered beginning electricians at an installation site may not exceed twice the total number of licensed master electricians and journeyman electricians at the installation site plus two.

History: Cr. Register, October, 1996, No. 490, eff. 11−1−96; am. Register, April, 2000, No. 532, eff. 5−1−00; CR 05−011: r. (2) Register July 2005 No. 595, eff. 8−1−05; CR 09−028: r. and recr. Register August 2010 No. 656, eff. 4−1−13.
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  The Department of Safety and Professional Services Safety and Buildings Division is an equal opportunity service provider and employer. If you need assistance to access services or need material in an alternate format, please contact us, 608-266-3151, TDD Relay dial 711 in Wisconsin or 800-947-3529.