Does an electrician in Michigan need a state license?

Yes. Under the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (2016 PA 407), a business may not do electrical contracting without an electrical contractor license from the state board or the appropriate municipality. Individual electricians are licensed as apprentices, journeymen or master electricians through LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes.

How can I check an electrical contractor's license?

Use LARA's public licensee search on the Accela Citizen Access portal and choose the license type "Electrical Contractor." You can search by business name, person's name or license number and see whether the license is active.

What experience does a licensed electrician have?

A journeyman electrician must document at least 8,000 hours of supervised electrical work over at least 4 years. A master electrician needs at least 12,000 hours over 6 or more years and must have held a journeyman license for at least 2 years.

Do I need a permit for electrical work on my home?

New wiring, new circuits, service changes and additions to an existing system generally need an electrical permit from your local building department, or from the state Bureau of Construction Codes where it is the enforcing agency. Work may not be covered or put into use until an electrical inspector has approved it.

Can I do electrical work on my own house?

Michigan offers a homeowner electrical permit for a person who owns and lives in, or will live in, a single-family home and does the work personally. The work still has to meet the Michigan Electrical Code and pass inspection; landlords and rental units do not qualify.

Which electrical code applies in Michigan?

The 2023 Michigan Electrical Code (Part 8 rules) took effect on March 12, 2024 and adopts the 2023 National Electrical Code with state amendments. One Michigan change requires the emergency disconnect for one- and two-family homes to be in a readily accessible outdoor location on or within sight of the house.