How to Renew a Texas Electrician License (2026)

Renewing a Texas electrician license takes two separate steps. First you complete 4 hours of continuing education (CE) from a provider registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Then you submit your renewal application and fee to TDLR.^[1][2] Finishing a course does not renew your license by itself, and renewing without the CE is not allowed for the license types that require it.

This guide covers who needs CE, what the 4 hours must include, what changed with the 2026 National Electrical Code, renewal deadlines and late renewal, TDLR's fees, and the exact steps to renew online. Every rule here comes from TDLR's own pages, linked in the sources at the bottom.

Who needs continuing education, by license type

TDLR requires 4 hours of continuing education before each renewal for these licenses:^[1]

• Master Electrician
• Journeyman Electrician
• Journeyman Lineman
• Journeyman Industrial Electrician
• Residential Wireman
• Maintenance Electrician
• Master Sign Electrician
• Journeyman Sign Electrician
• Apprentice Electrician
• Apprentice Sign Electrician

Electrical contractors, electrical sign contractors, residential appliance installation contractors and residential appliance installers are not required to complete continuing education.^[1] A contractor license still depends on people who are: an electrical contractor must either employ a licensed master electrician or hold a master electrician license, and that master license has its own 4-hour requirement.^[6]

Apprentices have a second option

Electrical apprentices and electrical sign apprentices can meet the requirement in either of two ways: complete 4 hours of continuing education, or be enrolled in a department-registered electrical apprenticeship training course when they renew.^[1][4]

Holding more than one license

If you hold more than one electrician license, for example both a master and a journeyman license, you need a total of 4 hours, not 4 hours per license. The courses still have to be taken during the term of the license you are renewing.^[1]

The 4 hours and the required topics

The 4 required hours must address all of the following:^[1]

• The National Electrical Code (NEC), as adopted under Texas Occupations Code §1305.101, or the current NEC as approved by the National Fire Protection Association
• Texas Electrician Law (Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1305)
• Texas Electrician Administrative Rules (16 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 73)
• Electrical safety as defined in NFPA 70E

A few rules catch people out:^[1]

• One hour of CE means 50 minutes of actual instruction.
• The course must come from a TDLR-registered provider. Courses that are not approved do not count.
• You cannot get credit for taking the same course more than once.
• TDLR does not accept partial completion, although a provider may let you stop and finish later.
• If your 4 hours covered only the NEC, you must take an additional approved course of at least one hour in the law, the rules, or NFPA 70E safety.

The simplest way to avoid all of these is a single 4-hour course built for Texas renewal. Our TDLR-approved 4-hour electrician course covers the required subjects in one self-paced course (TDLR course #32988, provider #2553).

The 2026 National Electrical Code

Texas has adopted the 2026 edition of the National Electrical Code. The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation amended 16 TAC §73.100 to adopt the 2026 NEC as the state electrical code, effective September 1, 2026, with a limited exception for ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) requirements for certain outdoor outlets.^[7]

For renewal, this matters in one place: the NEC portion of your CE must cover the NEC as adopted in Texas or the current NFPA edition.^[1] For your work, it means installations are now judged against the 2026 code, apart from that limited outdoor GFCI exception. Read the adopted rule itself for the exact wording of the exception before relying on it on a job.^[7]

Deadlines: when to take CE and when to renew

Texas electrician licenses for individuals are valid for one year from the date of issue and must be renewed every year. TDLR sends a reminder email or postcard about 60 days before your license expires, but renewing on time is your responsibility, so keep your contact information current with TDLR.^[3]

Your CE must be completed within the term of the license you are renewing. TDLR's example: if a license expires on January 1, 2021, the courses for that renewal must have been taken between January 1, 2020 and January 1, 2021.^[1] Hours taken before your current term started do not count, and there is no carryover.

Late renewal: what happens if your license expires

TDLR handles expired licenses in three tiers:^[3]

• Expired 18 months or less: you can still renew online, but you pay an increased fee.
• Expired more than 18 months but less than 3 years: you must renew by mail with a Request to Executive Director for Expired License Renewal form and the renewal fee. For most license types, including journeyman and master, TDLR also asks for the first 2 pages of the license application form.^[4][5]
• Expired more than 3 years: the license cannot be renewed. You must apply again as a new applicant.

The late fee depends on how long the license has been expired. The exact amounts for each license are in the fee list below.

TDLR renewal fees

These are TDLR's published, non-refundable renewal fees. The late amounts apply when the license has been expired 90 days or less, and from 91 days to 3 years.^{[3][4][5][6][8][9][10][11][12]}

• Apprentice Electrician and Apprentice Sign Electrician: $20 (late: $30, then $40)
• Residential Wireman: $20 (late: $30, then $40)
• Maintenance Electrician: $20 (late: $30, then $40)
• Journeyman Electrician, Journeyman Industrial Electrician, Journeyman Lineman, Journeyman Sign Electrician: $30 (late: $45, then $60)
• Residential Appliance Installer: $30 (late: $45, then $60)
• Master Electrician and Master Sign Electrician: $45 (late: $67, then $90)
• Electrical Contractor, Electrical Sign Contractor, Residential Appliance Installation Contractor: $110 (late: $165, then $220)

The state fee is paid to TDLR and is separate from what you pay a CE provider for the course. TDLR changes fees from time to time, so confirm the amount on your license type's renewal page before you pay.^[2]

How to renew at tdlr.texas.gov, step by step

1. Check your license type and expiration date, both printed on your license, and make sure TDLR has your current contact information.^[3]
2. Complete your 4 hours of CE from a TDLR-registered provider during the current license term, or confirm your enrollment in a registered apprenticeship training course if you are an apprentice.^[1]
3. Make sure your hours have been reported. Providers report your completion to TDLR, and you can check your hours with TDLR's Continuing Education Courses Look Up.^[1]
4. Open TDLR's electrician renewal page, choose your license type, and complete the online renewal application.^[2]
5. Pay the non-refundable renewal fee for your license type.^[3]
6. If you have a criminal conviction or deferred adjudication other than a minor traffic violation, include TDLR's Criminal History Questionnaire with your renewal.^[3]
7. Keep your course completion certificate for one year after you complete the course. A TDLR inspector may ask to see it.^[1]

How your CE gets reported to TDLR

Reporting your hours is the provider's job, not yours.^[1] When you finish, the provider issues a certificate of completion and reports the course to TDLR. If you do not receive your certificate within 15 days of finishing, TDLR tells you to contact the provider first; if hours still have not been reported, you can call TDLR at (512) 463-6599 or file a complaint against the provider.^[1]

RenewEd CE reports your completion to TDLR within 24 hours of finishing the course and paying, guaranteed. You can start the course for free and pay when you finish, and your certificate is available as soon as you have finished and paid. The course is $22.95, and apprentices pay less. See the course and start now.

Frequently asked questions

How many CE hours does a Texas electrician need to renew?

4 hours before each renewal, for master, journeyman, journeyman lineman, journeyman industrial, residential wireman, maintenance, sign and apprentice licenses. Apprentices may instead be enrolled in a registered apprenticeship training course.^[1]

Do I need 8 hours if I hold a master and a journeyman license?

No. If you hold more than one electrician license you need 4 hours in total, taken during the term of the license being renewed.^[1]

Do electrical contractors need continuing education?

No. Contractors and residential appliance installers are not required to complete CE. The master electrician a contractor depends on does need 4 hours to renew a master license.^[1][6]

What topics must the 4 hours cover?

The National Electrical Code, Texas Electrician Law (Occupations Code Chapter 1305), the Texas electrician rules (16 TAC Chapter 73), and NFPA 70E electrical safety.^[1]

Which NEC edition does Texas use?

The 2026 NEC, effective September 1, 2026, with a limited exception for GFCI requirements for certain outdoor outlets.^[7]

How often do I renew, and what does it cost?

Every year. TDLR's renewal fee is $20 for apprentices, residential wiremen and maintenance electricians, $30 for journeyman licenses, and $45 for master licenses.^{[3][4][5][9][10]}

What if my license already expired?

Within 18 months you can renew online at a higher fee. Between 18 months and 3 years you renew by mail with the expired-license request form. After 3 years you must apply as a new applicant.^[3]

How fast does RenewEd CE report my hours?

Within 24 hours of finishing the course and paying, guaranteed. TDLR's own rule is that the provider reports your hours; you do not file them yourself.^[1]