One job, two standards: Idaho’s electrician licensing puzzle

A new policy analysis released today by the Mountain States Policy Center raises questions about Idaho’s licensing requirements for journeyman electricians, finding that the state requires additional classroom hours that are not required in several other states with which Idaho maintains license reciprocity.

Read the full research study here.

The study compares Idaho’s licensing requirements with those of Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas. While Idaho requires aspiring journeyman electricians to complete 8,000 hours of work experience plus 576 hours of classroom training, the other states examined require 8,000 hours of work experience and passage of an exam, without the additional classroom requirement.

The analysis highlights an inconsistency in how Idaho recognizes electricians trained elsewhere.

“If Idaho considers 8,000 hours of work experience sufficient for electricians coming from states like Texas or Montana, it raises an important question,” said Chris Cargill, president of the Mountain States Policy Center. “Why is that same experience considered insufficient for someone who gains it within Idaho unless they also complete hundreds of hours of additional classroom instruction?”

The report notes that Idaho maintains reciprocity agreements with several states that have less stringent requirements. As a result, electricians licensed in those states can often work in Idaho despite not completing the additional classroom hours required of Idaho residents pursuing the same license.

Researchers argue that this discrepancy could create unnecessary barriers for Idaho workers entering the electrical trade, potentially affecting workforce development and access to skilled labor.

“Electrical work does not change dramatically across state lines,” the report notes. “If 8,000 hours of experience is enough to demonstrate competency in one state, policymakers should examine whether additional requirements are truly necessary in another.”

The study encourages policymakers to review Idaho’s licensing framework to ensure it promotes workforce mobility while maintaining safety standards.

The full report and accompanying graphic comparing state requirements are available from the Mountain States Policy Center.

About Mountain States Policy Center

Mountain States Policy Center is an independent research organization based in the Inland Northwest that develops and promotes free-market solutions to public policy issues in Idaho, Montana, Eastern Washington, and Wyoming.

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