Electrician Classes in Michigan (Top Schools)

In Michigan, O*Net projected a 13% employment growth from 2020 to 2030, with 2,660 average annual job openings.

This growth means that city residents need highly-skilled electricians to deliver electrical services.

So if you want to become one, here’s how you can be a licensed electrician in Michigan.

Potential Salary

Michigan electricians have the following salary information as of May 2021 per the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Mean Wage:

• Annually – $62,810
• Hourly – $30.20

How to Become a Licensed Electrician in Michigan

The MI Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes, Electrical Section regulates and issues the licenses of the following electricians:

• Apprentice electrician
• Fire alarm specialty technician apprentice
• Journeyman electrician
• Master electrician
• Electrical contractor
• Fire alarm specialty technician
• Fire alarm contractor
• Sign specialist
• Sign specialty contractor

However, the Electrical Section doesn’t oversee the licensing of electricians in the City of Detroit.

In Detroit, the local licensing board has the power to license its electricians.

So if you reside there, you should contact the local licensing board for the licensing requirements and process.

In this article, we’ll focus on the state-wide licensing procedures issued by the Electrical Section.

Becoming an Apprentice

Qualifications

To qualify for registration as an apprentice electrician or fire alarm specialty technician apprentice, you must meet the following:

• Enrolled in an approved training program
• Working under a sponsoring employer

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

• Completed apprentice application form
• Certification from the approved training program provider
• Certification from the sponsoring employer
• Copy of current contractor’s license of the sponsoring employer
• License fee – $15

License Renewal

Your license will require annual renewal.

To renew, you must complete the renewal application and pay the renewal fee of $15.

Becoming a Professional Electrician

Qualifications

To qualify for a professional electrician license, you must meet the following:

Journeyman Electrician

• Must be at least 20 years old
• At least 4 years with 8,000 hours of experience
• Successfully pass the licensure exam

Master Electrician

• Must be at least 22 old
• Holds a current journeyman electrician license for at least 2 years
• At least 6 years with 12,000 hours of experience
• Successfully pass the licensure exam

Fire Alarm Specialty Technician

• Must be at least 20 old
• Must be a NICET-certified associate engineering technician level II or equivalent
• Successfully pass the licensure exam

Sign Specialist

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Completed an approved sign specialist training program
• At least 2 years with 4,000 hours of experience
• Successfully pass the licensure exam

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

• Completed journeyman/master/fire alarm specialty technician/sign specialist application form
• For journeyman/master/sign specialist – notarized letter from employer(s) verifying your experience
• For fire alarm specialty technician – NICET certificate
• Application/licensing fee
  • Journeyman/sign specialist – $40
  • Master/fire alarm specialty technician – $50

Exam Details

The Electrical Section has contracted with PSI to help administer the electrician exams.

Here are the exam details for each licensure:

• Eligibility period – 1 year
• Exam fee – $100 each
• Exam type – open book with only authorized reference allowed to bring to the testing center
• No. of questions and duration
  • Journeyman – 80 questions in 150 minutes
  • Master – 76 questions in 180 minutes
  • Fire alarm specialty technician – 36 questions in 90 minutes
  • Sign specialist – 32 questions in 60 minutes
• Passing rate – 75%
• No. of exam attempts
  • Journeyman/master/sign specialist – 2 attempts within the eligibility period
  • Fire alarm specialty technician – unlimited

License Renewal

Your license will require annual renewal.

To renew, you must submit the following:

• Completed renewal application
• Proof of completing 15 hours of approved continuing education on the updated NEC
• Renewal fee
  • Journeyman/sign specialist – $40
  • Master/fire alarm specialty technician – $50

Becoming an Independent Electrical Contractor

Qualifications

To qualify for a contractor license, you must meet the following:

Electrical Contractor

• Holds a current master electrician license
• If you’re an out-of-state entity, you must employ an MI licensed master electrician
• Successfully pass the licensure exam

Fire Alarm Contractor

• Holds a current fire alarm specialty technician license
• If you’re an out-of-state entity, you must employ an MI licensed fire alarm specialty technician
• Successfully pass the licensure exam

Sign Specialty Contractor

• Holds a current sign specialist license
• If you’re an out-of-state entity, you must employ an MI licensed sign specialist
• Proof of public liability insurance
• Successfully pass the licensure exam

License Application

To apply, you must submit the following:

• Completed electrician/fire alarm/sign specialty contractor application form
• Copy of your current license
• For sign specialty contractor – certificate of insurance
• Application/licensing fee
  • Electrical/fire alarm contractor – $300
  • Sign specialty contractor – $200

Exam Details

Here are the exam details for the licensure:

• Eligibility period – 1 year
• Exam fee – $100 each
• Exam type – open book with only authorized reference allowed to bring to the testing center
• No. of questions – 40 questions each
• Duration – 90 minutes
• Passing rate – 75%
• No. of exam attempts – unlimited within the eligibility period

License Renewal

• Completed renewal application
• Renewal fee
• Electrical/fire alarm contractor – $300
• Sign specialty contractor – $200

Electrical Training Programs and Schools in Michigan

You have two options to receive electrician education and training:

• Enroll at an accredited technical school
• Apply at an approved apprenticeship program

Both will provide you with classroom instruction, practical training, and on-the-job experience in the trade.

The table below lists some of the schools and associations offering electrician programs that you can check out.

Electrician Schools by City

• Ann Arbor
• Detroit
• Grand Rapids