Georgia does not issue a master electrician licence, and that single fact explains why so many searches for one come back with nothing useful. Georgia licenses electrical contractors, in two classes, through the State Board of Electrical Contractors under the Secretary of State.
This page is what the board actually issues, what renewal costs you in hours and when, and how to check a licence — including the deadline that only falls in even-numbered years and catches people every other cycle.
Key facts
- Electrical contractors in Georgia are licensed by the State Board of Electrical Contractors, under the Secretary of State, in two classes: Class I (Restricted) and Class II (Non-Restricted).
- Georgia issues no licence called "master electrician". The nearest equivalent to a master licence elsewhere is the Class II Non-Restricted contractor licence.
- Licences renew every two years, by 30 June of even-numbered years, with a late renewal window of 1 to 31 July of the same year (Georgia Secretary of State, read 23 September 2026).
- Continuing education is 4 hours each year, which is 8 hours across the two-year renewal period.
- From 1 January 2026, licensees must record all continuing education in a CE Broker account, which the Board and its designees can access.
- Licensees must keep written documentation of continuing education activities for a minimum of five years.
- Reciprocity exists with five states only: Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Class I and Class II, which is the question behind most searches
Class I (Restricted) limits the electrical work you may contract for by size — it is the smaller-scope licence.
Class II (Non-Restricted) carries no such limit. It is the licence somebody holding a master licence in another state is actually aiming at, and it is the class the reciprocity route runs through.
If you have been searching for "Georgia master electrician licence" and finding nothing, this is why. The title does not exist here. Ask for Class II Non-Restricted and the answers start making sense.
Renewal: the even-year deadline
Georgia's cycle is unusual enough to be worth spelling out. Renewal is due by 30 June of even-numbered years — not two years from whenever you were licensed. Everybody renews on the same date.
There is a late window from 1 July to 31 July of that same even year. After that you are into reinstatement rather than renewal.
The continuing education behind it is 4 hours a year, 8 hours per cycle. Doing 8 hours in the final year does not satisfy 4-hours-each-year, and since January 2026 the record lives in CE Broker where the Board can see the dates. Keep your own documentation too: the rule requires five years of it.
How to check a Georgia electrical licence
The Secretary of State runs a public licence search covering the professional boards, electrical contractors among them. It returns the licence, the class and the status.
Check the class, not just that a licence exists. A Class I Restricted contractor holding themselves out for work beyond the restriction is working outside their licence. On a licence card that distinction is invisible; in the search it is not.
Coming from another state
Five states reciprocate, and the licence you hold must have been obtained by examination — not through that state's own reciprocity and not under a grandfather clause. That condition disqualifies more applicants than the state list does. It has its own page: Georgia electrical reciprocity covers five states.
Common questions
Does Georgia have a master electrician licence?
No. Georgia licenses electrical contractors in two classes, Class I Restricted and Class II Non-Restricted, through the State Board of Electrical Contractors. There is no licence titled master electrician, which is why searches for one return so little.
What is the difference between Class I and Class II in Georgia?
Class I is Restricted and limits the scope of electrical work you may contract for. Class II is Non-Restricted and carries no such limit. Class II is the class the reciprocity route runs through.
When do Georgia electrical contractor licences renew?
By 30 June of even-numbered years, with a late renewal window from 1 to 31 July of the same year. Everybody renews on the same date rather than on their own anniversary.
How many continuing education hours does Georgia require?
4 hours each year, so 8 hours across the two-year renewal period. Since 1 January 2026 the hours must be recorded in a CE Broker account, and licensees must keep their own documentation for at least five years.
Which states does Georgia have electrical reciprocity with?
Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The licence must be current and obtained by examination, and Louisiana licences must have been held for at least three years.
How do I check a Georgia electrical contractor licence?
Use the Secretary of State's public licence search. Check the class as well as the status — a Class I Restricted licence is a valid licence, but only for work within the restriction.
Where to go from here
If the exam is what stands between you and the licence, the technical paper is the half worth measuring today. The free exam is 20 questions weighted the way the real one is, with the code section cited on every answer. Twenty minutes, no account, no card.