Explore the guide
Steps to Become an Electrician in California
From your first day to certification: hours, classes, the exam and renewal.
Read more Apprenticeship pathsElectrician Apprenticeship in California
Union and non-union programs, the trainee path, and how to apply.
Read more State certificationCalifornia General Electrician Certification
Who needs it, the 5 types, hours, exam, fees and renewal.
Read more C-10 contractor licenseHow to Get a C-10 Electrical Contractor License
Running your own shop: experience, exams, fees, bond and insurance.
Read more Skills, work and toolsWhat Electricians Do: Skills, Tools and the Work
Daily tasks, skills that matter, tools and what the work is like.
Read more Pay and job outlookElectrician Pay and Job Outlook in California
Official wage data for California and the Sacramento area, and the outlook.
Read more Common questionsBecoming an Electrician in California: Common Questions
Age, high school, cost, how long it takes, career changers and more.
Read moreThe path at a glance
- Start learning the trade. Basic math, a willingness to learn the electrical code, and a strong focus on safety go a long way. No college degree is needed.
- Pick a way in. Join a state-approved apprenticeship, or register with the state as an electrician trainee and take approved classes. Either way, you work for a C-10 electrical contractor while you learn. Compare the paths
- Get your hours. The General Electrician certification takes 8,000 hours of work experience, about four years full time, under the supervision of certified electricians.
- Pass the state exam. The certification exam is given by the Labor Commissioner’s Electrician Certification Unit. Pass it and you’re a certified General Electrician. Certification details
- Keep growing. Renew every three years with continuing education. With at least four years of journey-level experience, you can apply for your own C-10 contractor license. The C-10 license
Want more detail? The step-by-step guide walks through each one, including the forms and fees.
Quick facts
| What | The number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Work hours for the General Electrician certification | 8,000 hours | Title 8, §291.1 |
| Classroom hours for a registered trainee (General Electrician) | 720 hours | DIR |
| Trainee registration | $25 | DIR fees |
| Certification application + exam | $75 + $100 | DIR fees |
| Passing score on the certification exam | 70% | DIR exam bulletin |
| Typical apprenticeship length | 4 to 5 years | BLS |
| Experience for a C-10 contractor license | 4 years at journey level or higher, in the last 10 years | CSLB |
| Median pay for electricians in California (May 2025) | $76,160 a year ($36.62 an hour) | BLS OEWS |
Fees and rules change. Please check the linked official pages before you apply.
Two words that get mixed up: certified vs. licensed
In California, the person doing the electrical work and the business doing it are covered by two different agencies:
- Certified electrician: the worker. The Labor Commissioner’s Electrician Certification Unit (part of the Department of Industrial Relations) certifies people who do electrical work for C-10 contractors. DIR Electrician Certification Unit
- C-10 licensed contractor: the business. The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) licenses electrical contractors, who bid on jobs, pull permits and hire electricians. CSLB C-10 classification
Most electricians start on the certification path. Some later go on to get a C-10 license and start their own shop.
Common questions
How long does it take to become an electrician in California?
Usually about four to five years. California’s General Electrician certification takes 8,000 hours of on-the-job experience (about four years of full-time work), plus passing a state exam. Most people get those hours through a 4- to 5-year apprenticeship, or as a registered electrician trainee while taking approved classes.
Do I need a license to work as an electrician in California?
If you do electrical work for a C-10 electrical contractor, you need to be a certified electrician, or be in a state-approved apprenticeship or registered as an electrician trainee while you learn. Running your own electrical business is a separate step: that takes a C-10 contractor license from the Contractors State License Board (CSLB).
Can I get paid while I learn?
Yes. In an apprenticeship you’re hired and paid for your on-the-job hours, and your pay goes up as you learn more. Trainees also work for a contractor while they take their classes.
Thinking about the trade? We’d be glad to talk.
We’re Innovative Electrical Services, a family-run C‑10 electrical contractor in Auburn, working on homes, businesses and industrial sites from the Oregon border down to Southern California, and everywhere in between, including San Francisco and the Bay Area. Part of our mission is to help change how the world thinks about construction, construction workers and the trades.
We’re always interested in hearing from people who take pride in their work and put safety first, including apprentices. Tell us where you are: just curious, in school, an apprentice or trainee, or already certified.
Official sources
- DIR Labor Commissioner: Electrician Certification Unit www.dir.ca.gov
- DIR: Electrician trainee registration www.dir.ca.gov
- DIR: Electrician certification fees www.dir.ca.gov
- DAS: How to become an apprentice www.dir.ca.gov
- DAS: Find apprenticeship programs www.dir.ca.gov
- CSLB: Experience requirements www.cslb.ca.gov
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Electricians www.bls.gov
- BLS OEWS: Electricians (47-2111), May 2025 www.bls.gov
General information, checked against the official sources above in October 2026. Requirements and fees can change; the Labor Commissioner (DIR), the CSLB and each apprenticeship program have the final word.