Electrician Classes in Delaware (Top Schools)

In the next 6 years, the Delaware Department of Labor projects an 18.3% increase in electrician jobs in the state.

The reason for this lies in the increase in residential and commercial construction projects, which led to the demand for qualified electricians.

So if you want to enter the trade, the information below will help you become a licensed electrician in Delaware.

Potential Salary

Because of the high demand, electricians in Delaware now enjoy higher pay rates than before.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they will have the following salary information as of May 2021:

Mean Wage:

• Annually – $55,390
• Hourly – $26.63

How to Become a Licensed Electrician in Delaware

The DE Board of Electrical Examiners regulates and issues electrician licenses for the following types:

• Apprentice electrician
• Residential electrician
• Journeyperson electrician
• Master electrician
• Limited electrician
• Master electrician special
• Limited electrician special

Becoming an Apprentice Electrician

Qualification

To qualify for the apprentice electrician license, you must meet these requirements:

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must have enrolled in or successfully completed either of the following:
  • A Board-approved apprenticeship program
  • A U.S. Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship program of any jurisdiction

License Application

The Board now requires you to apply online through the DE Professional Regulation Online Services (DELPROS).

There, you’ll submit the following:

• Proof of enrollment at an approved apprenticeship program, either:
  • Official letter from the school official or program director of your current enrollment
  • Apprenticeship enrollment form from the Department of Labor
• If you’re from out-of-state, State/Jurisdiction Licensure Verification from each state/jurisdiction you currently or have held a license to be sent directly to the Board
• Application fee – $79

License Renewal

Your apprentice electrician license will expire on June 30 every even year.

To renew, you must apply online through DELPROS, along with the following:

• Complete five hours of approved continuing education courses
  • Can credit apprentice training for the required CE hours if you present proof of enrollment in an approved apprenticeship program
  • Exceptions:
    • If licensed for less than one year – no CE hours required at the first renewal
    • If licensed for one year but less than two years – complete two CE hours at the first renewal
• Renewal fee

Becoming a Residential Electrician

Qualification

To qualify, you must meet these requirements:

• Either of the following:
  • At least 4,000 hours of experience under the supervision of a licensed master electrician
  • Completed an approved residential apprenticeship program
• Successfully pass the residential electrician exam

License Application

To apply, you must submit an application through DELPROS, along with the following:

• Verification of Employment form as proof of completing the required experience hours
• Certificate of completion of an approved residential apprenticeship program
• If you’re from out-of-state:
  • State/Jurisdiction Licensure Verification from each state/jurisdiction you currently or have held a license
  • Copy or links to the law and rules and regulations from each state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia where you currently hold a residential electrician license
• Application fee – $99

Exam Details

The Board has contracted with Prov, Inc. to help administer the electrician licensure exams.

For the residential electrician licensure exam, you’ll need to pay $100 for the exam fee.

It will be a three-hour open-book exam, using only authorized reference materials at the testing site.

The 60-item exam will cover the following topics:

• General electrical knowledge
• Wiring and protection
• Wiring methods and materials
• Equipment for general use
• Special equipment
• Special conditions
• Communication systems
• Plan reading
• Motors and controls

You need to score at least 75% to pass the exam successfully.

License Renewal

Your residential electrician license will expire on June 30 every even year.

To renew, you must apply online through DELPROS, along with the following:

• Complete five hours of approved CE courses
  • Exceptions:
    • If licensed for less than one year – no CE hours required at the first renewal
    • If licensed for one year but less than two years – complete two CE hours at the first renewal
• Renewal fee

Becoming a Journeyperson Electrician

Qualification

To qualify, you must meet these requirements:

• Must be at least 20 years old
• Either of the following:
  • Completed an approved apprenticeship program
  • At least 8,000 hours of experience under the supervision of a licensed master electrician

License Application

The Board gives you three ways to apply for the journeyperson electrician license.

• Licensure by certificate
  • No need to take the journeyperson electrician licensure exam if you either…
    • Hold a certificate of completion issued by the Department of Labor
    • Completed an approved apprenticeship program in Delaware, other states, a U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia
• Licensure by examination
  • Need to successfully pass the journeyperson electrician licensure exam if you…
    • Don’t currently hold a journeyperson license in another state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia
    • Don’t have a certificate of completion or completed an approved apprenticeship program
• Licensure by reciprocity
  • Holds a current journeyperson electrician license in another state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia
  • Whether you’ll need to submit proof of experience and/or take the exam depends on the substantial similarity of your jurisdiction’s laws and regulations to those of Delaware’s
  • Please check the Board’s current licensure requirements for the complete details
  • License holders from Pennsylvania will have to apply for licensure by examination

To apply, you must submit an application through DELPROS, along with the following:

• State/Jurisdiction Licensure Verification from each state/jurisdiction you currently or have held a license
• Additional requirements:
  • For licensure by certificate applicants
    • Certificate of completion of an approved apprenticeship program
  • For licensure by examination applicants
    • Verification of Employment form as proof of completing the required experience hours
  • For licensure by reciprocity applicants
    • Copy or links to the law and rules and regulations from each state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia where you currently hold a journeyperson electrician license
    • Verification of Employment form showing five years of journeyperson experience in the reciprocating jurisdiction
• Application fee – $99

Exam Details

To take the journeyperson licensure exam, you’ll need to pay a $100 exam fee.

The exam will be an open book, with 70 questions to be completed within three hours.

You will be tested in the following topics:

• General electrical theory and principles
• Plan reading
• Equipment for general use
• Motors and controls
• Wiring and protection
• Wiring methods and materials
• Communication systems
• Special conditions
• Special equipment
• Special occupancies

License Renewal

Your journeyperson electrician license will expire on June 30 every even year.

To renew, you must apply online through DELPROS, along with the following:

• Complete five hours of approved CE courses
  • Exceptions:
    • If licensed for less than one year – no CE hours required at the first renewal
    • If licensed for one year but less than two years – complete two CE hours at the first renewal
• Renewal fee

Becoming a Master-level Electrician

A master electrician can perform electrical services or work defined in the National Electrical Code (NEC).

You can apply for a master electrician special license if you have expertise in the following areas:

• Electric signs
• Elevators
• HVAC
• Primary distribution systems
• Pools
• Refrigeration

You may also apply for a limited electrician special license if you have expertise in these areas:

• HVAC
• Pools

Qualification

To qualify, you must meet these requirements:

• For master electrician
  • Have electrical knowledge in residential, commercial, and industrial areas
  • Either of the following:
    • Six years of experience under the supervision of a licensed master electrician
    • 8,000 hours of experience plus 576 hours of approved related instruction or training
    • Four years of experience under the supervision of a licensed master electrician and two years of technical training
• For limited electrician
  • Have electrical knowledge in the residential area
  • Either of the following:
    • Three years of supervised experience
    • 4,000 hours of supervised experience plus 288 hours of approved related instruction or training
• For master electrician special
  • Have electrical knowledge of the area of specialty
  • Either of the following:
    • Six years of supervised experience in the chosen specialty
    • 8,000 hours of supervised experience plus 576 hours of approved related instruction or training in the chosen specialty
• For limited electrician special
  • Have electrical knowledge of the area of specialty
  • Either of the following:
    • Three years of supervised experience in the chosen specialty
    • 4,000 hours of supervised experience plus 288 hours of approved related instruction in the chosen specialty

License Application

The Board provides two ways to apply for the master-level electrician license.

• Licensure by examination
  • Don’t hold a current master-level license in another state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia
• Licensure by reciprocity
  • Hold a current master-level license in another state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia
  • License holders from Pennsylvania will have to apply for licensure by examination

To apply, you must submit an application through DELPROS, along with the following:

• Proof of general liability insurance – at least $300,000
• State/Jurisdiction Licensure Verification from each state/jurisdiction you currently or have held a license
• Additional requirements:
  • For licensure by examination applicants
    • Proof of experience
      • If you have completed the approved apprenticeship program, submit a copy of the certificate of completion
      • If not, submit a Verification of Employment form (and an official transcript for the technical training for master electrician applicants)
  • For licensure by reciprocity applicants
    • Whether you’ll need to submit proof of experience and/or take the exam depends on the substantial similarity of your jurisdiction’s laws and regulations to those of Delaware’s
    • Please check the Board’s current licensure requirements for the complete details
• Application fee
  • Master electrician – $197
  • Limited electrician – $124
  • Master electrician special – $200
  • Limited electrician special – $119

Exam Details

You’ll have to pay a $100 exam fee for each master-level licensure exam you plan to take.

It will be an open-book exam, with the following coverage:

• Master electrician – 80 questions in 3 hours
  • General electrical knowledge
  • Plan reading
  • Equipment for general use
  • Wiring and protection
  • Wiring methods and materials
  • Motors and controls
  • Special conditions
  • Special equipment
  • Special occupancies
  • Communication systems
• Limited electrician – 70 questions in 3 hours
  • General electrical knowledge
  • Equipment for general use
  • Wiring and protection
  • Wiring methods and materials
  • Special occupancies
  • Special equipment
  • Special conditions
  • Motors and controls
  • Communication systems
• Master electrician special – elevators – 50 questions in 2 hours
  • Commercial elevators and lifts
  • Construction elevators
  • Dumbwaiters
  • Emergency service and signaling devices
  • Escalators
  • General electrical knowledge
  • Moving walks
  • Residential elevators and lifts
  • Safety

License Renewal

Your master-level electrician license will expire on June 30 of every even year.

To renew, you must apply online through DELPROS, along with the following:

• Complete 10 hours of approved CE courses, with five of those hours related to the NEC
• Exceptions:
  • If licensed for less than one year – no CE hours required at the first renewal
  • If licensed for one year but less than two years – complete five CE hours at the first renewal
• Renewal fee

Do note that the Board performs random audits of active license holders to ensure accuracy.

If you’re selected for audit, submit these requirements as well:

• Certificate of attendance for each CE course
• Proof of holding a $300,000 general liability insurance

How to Become an Independent Electrical Contractor in Delaware

In Delaware, electrical contractors must choose to be residential or non-residential contractors.

Registering as a residential contractor allows you to conduct businesses within Delaware only.

Meanwhile, being a non-residential contractor allows you to work out of state.

The DE Division of Revenue will regulate and issue the contractor license.

To apply, you must submit these minimum requirements:

• Application form
• Worker’s compensation insurance
• Unemployment insurance

Upon their approval, you will need to renew your license annually at a fee of $75.

Electrical Training Programs and Schools in Delaware

To become an entry-level electrician, you must first receive training from an approved program.

You can get this from a technical-vocational school or a sponsored apprenticeship program.

Both will provide you with the technical knowledge and hands-on training to become a highly qualified electrician.

Going for Sponsored Apprenticeship

In Delaware, you can apply for an apprenticeship through a union or non-union sponsor.

If you want a union sponsor, you can enroll at Local 313 IBEW Union, provided that you meet these requirements:

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Holds a high school diploma or GED equivalent
• Have passing grade in Algebra 1
• Able to transport yourself to and from the classroom and job site
• Physically fit
• Pass the general aptitude test

For non-union ones, you can go for training at the Independent Electrical Contractors, Chesapeake Area Chapter.

Electrician Schools by City

• Wilmington