How to Become an Electrician in Florida

Electrician jobs are growing nationwide, and Florida is no exception. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 19% increase in electrician positions in the state by 2033. With this growth, becoming an electrician offers a stable and reliable career path. [En Español]

To become an electrician in Florida, you must first gain on-the-job experience as an apprentice or electrician’s helper. Local licensing boards generally require 8,000 hours (about four years) of work experience to qualify for a journeyman license, though some counties require only three years. Completing an electrical training program at a technical school can reduce the required work experience hours.

The first license available is a journeyman certificate. After working as a certified journeyman for a few years, you can qualify as a master electrician. The highest level of licensing is becoming an independent electrical contractor.

Requirements for Becoming an Electrician in Florida

In Florida, electrician licensing differs from other states. Journeyman and master electrician licenses are issued at the local level, while electrical contractor licenses are regulated by the Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board, part of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). The DBPR also oversees registered electrical specialty contractor licensing through examination.

Florida offers four main types of electrician licenses: Certified Electrician (EC), Registered Electrician (ER), Certified Electrical Specialty Contractor (ES), and Registered Electrical Specialty Contractor (ET). Certified contractors can work anywhere in Florida, while registered contractors are limited to the counties or municipalities where they hold a license.

In Florida, most cities and counties handle journeyman and master electrician licensing through a local Construction Trades Qualifying Board. The standard requirement is 8,000 hours (about four years) of work experience and 144 education hours per year worked. However, Miami-Dade County has different requirements. In Miami-Dade, electricians only need three years as an apprentice or helper to qualify for the journeyman exam. Additionally, one and a half years of education hours can count toward the required work experience.

The requirements to take the journeyman exam and obtain a journeyman license in Florida vary by city and county. Each local Construction Trades Qualifying Board provides specific guidelines for applicants. In some areas, the exam is only offered at certain times of the year and cannot be taken at any time. Most cities and counties require electricians to renew their license every two years, and some areas mandate continuing education for renewal.

The process for becoming a master electrician in Florida is similar to obtaining a journeyman license, but requirements vary by city and county. Most areas require two to four years of experience as a journeyman before applying. In some locations, the master electrician exam is only offered at specific times, so applicants must check with their local Construction Trades Qualifying Board. Master electrician licenses typically require renewal every two years, and some areas mandate proof of continuing education for renewal.

After gaining experience as a journeyman and master electrician, some may choose to become an independent contractor in Florida. Electricians can apply for either a registered contractor or certified contractor license. Registered contractors can only work in specific local areas, while certified contractors are authorized to work anywhere in the state.

Contractor licenses in Florida are issued by the Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board (ECLB). To become a registered contractor, applicants must apply for a competency card through the ECLB in the county where they plan to work.

To become a certified contractor, electricians must have at least four years of work experience, pass the state exam, and carry liability, property damage, and workers’ compensation insurance. This license requires renewal every two years, with a requirement of at least 14 hours of continuing education during that period.

Apprenticeship Programs in Florida

In Florida, as in most states, electricians must first work as an apprentice before becoming licensed. Apprentices train under a licensed electrician, gaining skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience while earning a wage. To qualify for the journeyman license exam, apprentices must complete 8,000 hours of work experience and 576 hours of classroom education.

There are union and non-union apprenticeship programs. Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committees (JATCs) provide apprenticeships through contracting companies that are unionized in Florida. There are seven JATCs in the state. They are:

• Tampa Area Electrical JATC
• Daytona Beach Electrical JATC
• Florida East Coast Electrical JATC
• Gainesville Electrical JATC
• Miami Electrical JATC

To join a Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees, you must be at least 18 years old, graduated from high school or have a GED, have a driver’s license and reliable transportation, pass an aptitude test and complete an interview.

Joining a non-union apprenticeship simply means that you would complete your apprenticeship under an independent contractor instead of a unionized contractor. There are several organizations that offer non-union apprenticeships in Florida. They are the Independent Electrical Contractors Florida West Coast Chapter, ABC- Florida Gulf and East Coast Chapters, Florida Electrical Apprenticeship and Training and Florida Electrical Apprenticeship Association. These organizations help pair apprentices with an independent contractor and help them find a training center or technical school locally to complete their education hours.

Electrician Programs in Florida

Since classroom training is a requirement for licensing, a lot of future electricians choose to enroll in a certificate or degree program at a local technical or community college. There are several electrician trade schools and colleges in Florida that offer electrical training programs.

• Southern Technical College. Southern Technical College has an Associate degree program in Electrical Trades Technology that can be taken at their Brandon and Orlando campuses. The program is designed to teach students the skills they would need to get started in their electrical careers through hands-on learning and classroom instruction. The program is generally completed in 72 weeks.
• Lake Sumter State College. The South Lake campus located in Clermont has two certificate programs and one associate degree program for those interested in electrical technology. There is a basic certificate and an advanced certificate. The basic certificate teaches students the basic skills needed to work as an electrical line worker. The advanced certificate continues to hone those skills. The basic program consists of nine courses, and the advanced program consists of eight. The associate degree in Electrical Distribution Technology is an in-depth program that supplies students with the knowledge and expertise needed to pursue a career in the electric utility field. This program consists of 22 courses and 65 credit hours.
• Florida Electrical Apprenticeship and Training. The Florida Electrical Apprenticeship and Training program (FEAT) teams up with contractors to provide students hands-on training as well as classroom instruction during their apprenticeships. The classes are held two nights a week, for eight semesters (two a year for four years). There are four FEAT locations: Mid Florida Campus in South Orlando, the Sanford Campus of Seminole State College, the Westside Campus in Winter Farden, and the Winter Park Campus in North Orlando. The employers of the students are responsible for paying tuition. Students learn construction basics, direct current fundamentals, alternating current theory, structured cabling, residential, commercial and industrial wiring and motor control.
• Northwest Lineman College. For those looking for a lineman school in Florida, The Florida Campus of NLC offers an Electrical Lineworker Program on which students acquire the skills to construct, operate and maintain the electric power grid, working with heavy equipment, power lines, and bucket trucks.

Outlook and Salary Expectations

In 2023, the BLS reported that there were 46,150 electricians employed in Florida. The state ranks fourth in the United States in the employment of electricians. Furthermore, the number of electricians working in the state is expected to see a 19-percent increase in the decade to 2033, with more than 6,000 more jobs opening in the field.

BLS May 2025 OEWS data shows electricians in the state averaging $57,660 a year. The top 10% of electricians in Florida earn $77,180 or more (BLS May 2025 OEWS data). The highest concentration of residential electricians can be found in the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Miami also has the highest paid electricians, along with Miami Beach and Kendall.

Salaries in Florida by Occupation 2019

Occupation	Total Employment	Mean Hourly Wage	Mean Annual Wage	Annual Salary 10th Percentile	Annual Salary 25th Percentile	Annual Salary 75th Percentile	Annual Salary 90th Percentile
Electricians	46,150	$24.10	$50,120	$37,490	$45,300	$59,180	$64,660
Helpers--Electricians	8,750	$17.64	$36,700	$29,920	$33,550	$38,740	$45,750
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment	340	$26.67	$67,740	$44,700	$55,470	$71,980	$75,080
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment	2,590	$28.13	$58,510	$38,100	$45,910	$69,990	$79,350
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay	770	$31.98	$66,510	$44,160	$52,140	$102,050	$104,100
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers	6,550	$38.80	$80,710	$43,870	$57,660	$100,720	$104,310

Electrician Salaries in Florida by Region 2019

Area	Total Employment	Mean Hourly Wage	Mean Annual Salary	Hourly Wage 10th Percentile	Hourly Wage 25th Percentile	Hourly Wage 75th Percentile	Hourly Wage 90th Percentile
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	1,320	$23.50	$48,870	$17.71	$21.37	$28.18	$30.06
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL	540	$24.93	$51,850	$18.09	$22.23	$29.07	$35.00
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	1,430	$22.44	$46,680	$17.18	$18.09	$24.44	$28.16
Gainesville, FL	450	$23.24	$48,340	$17.82	$22.09	$27.12	$29.51
Homosassa Springs, FL	**	$22.47	$46,740	$17.26	$18.29	$26.33	$28.37
Jacksonville, FL	3,530	$24.61	$51,190	$17.99	$22.78	$28.97	$30.95
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	820	$23.34	$48,540	$17.65	$19.23	$26.89	$29.58
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	12,180	$24.84	$51,660	$18.75	$22.32	$29.30	$34.31
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL	800	$24.71	$51,400	$18.53	$22.03	$29.11	$31.55
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL	1,320	$23.50	$48,890	$17.79	$19.89	$27.20	$29.17
Ocala, FL	630	$22.56	$46,930	$17.06	$19.25	$25.45	$28.08
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	5,620	$23.99	$49,900	$18.23	$22.10	$28.25	$31.07
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	1,390	$24.16	$50,260	$18.13	$22.26	$28.82	$35.93
Panama City, FL	540	$22.80	$47,430	$17.89	$21.17	$26.98	$29.00
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	790	$22.47	$46,750	$17.13	$17.97	$26.95	$30.28
Port St. Lucie, FL	830	$23.58	$49,040	$17.95	$21.62	$28.09	$29.95
Punta Gorda, FL	260	$23.15	$48,150	$17.69	$20.00	$28.35	$30.49
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL	240	$23.47	$48,820	$18.01	$21.92	$28.10	$28.81
Sebring, FL	60	$22.10	$45,960	$17.00	$17.55	$26.15	$27.46
Tallahassee, FL	630	$22.47	$46,740	$16.60	$19.09	$23.83	$28.22
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	6,350	$24.38	$50,720	$18.19	$21.93	$28.10	$30.15
The Villages, FL	180	$23.61	$49,110	$15.63	$17.98	$26.82	$29.99

Working as an Electrician in Florida

In Florida, electricians can expect to work both indoors and out, in businesses, factories and residential areas, and on construction sites. Some of the larger cities, like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville and Orlando, are good places to begin looking for work, but electricians will likely be needed throughout the state. Future electricians should also be prepared to work in both large and confined spaces, know proper safety precautions as this job could potentially be dangerous, and be prepared to sometimes travel for work.

With a current high employment growth rate, if you are interested in a steady job that involves both logic and working with your hands, now is the time to consider becoming an electrician in Florida.

Organizations You Should Know

• Department of Business and Professional Regulation
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Florida Chapter
• IEC Florida West Coast Chapter
• IEC Florida East Coast Chapter

College Listings

Neighbor States

Residents of Florida may also wish to review their options in Georgia and Alabama.

More Electrician Training in Florida

• Electrical Apprenticeships in Tampa
• Where Can I Get Electrician Training in Orlando?
• The Five Best Places for Electrician Training in Miami