Electrician & Electrical Trade Continuing Education

Are you a licensed electrician? If so, you likely need electrical continuing education courses before you can renew your license. But you’ll only receive credit for courses that are offered by a state-approved provider. Check with your state’s electrical licensing committee or board for details about continuing education requirements. After you learn how many hours you need (if any), you can then consider specific course providers.

For example, a licensed electrician in Arkansas would contact the State of Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board. Arkansas requires 8 hours of electrical continuing education for any electrician licensed in the state.

For another example, consider the state of Wyoming. A licensed electrician in Wyoming would contact the Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety Division. Wyoming requires 16 hours of electrical continuing education. And at least 8 of those 16 hours must focus on the National Electrical Code.

Confirm your state’s continuing education requirements. Please do this at least a few months before it’s time to renew your license. If you wait too long, likely, you won’t have time to complete the courses. And your license will not get renewed until the courses are complete.

The next step is to find a state-approved electrical continuing education provider. For example, Mike Holt is a provider of online electrician courses approved in more than 30 states.

Mike Holt – Approved Online Course Provider

Mike Holt (Holt) is a National Electrical Code expert who offers online continuing education courses. These courses are for electricians and those in various electrical professions.

The website has a map that allows you to check if your state is one of the more than 30 states that accept these courses. If your state isn’t listed, that means the state hasn’t approved the Holt courses. Or, the state doesn’t require continuing education.

Find your state on the map, click its name, and you’ll see a list of approved courses for your state. You’ll also see information about the continuing education requirements for your state (if any).

If you click Alabama on the map, you’ll see the state approves of the Holt website courses. You’ll also see Alabama requires 14 continuing education hours over a 2 year period. And at least 7 of those hours must focus on the National Electrical Code. Then there’s a list of all the approved Alabama courses.

Each course description provides the course’s name and states how many continuing education hours it’s worth. And clicking the course details provides in-depth information about the course.

For example, an Alabama electrician could enroll in 2017 Limited Energy and Communication Systems. The course provides 8 hours towards the 14 total required.

Reading the course description reveals the course is about important technical low voltage systems. The course covers National Electrical Code rules as they apply to limited-energy and low-voltage systems. There’s also a focus on general National Electrical Code installations and specific requirements for fiber optics, antennas, telephones, CATV, video, and sound.

By reading the course description, it’s clear that the 8 hours provided by the course count towards Alabama’s 7 hour National Electrical Code course requirement.

Passing the Final Exam

If you’re taking a course for licensing purposes, you will need to pass a final exam or a quiz. This applies to Holt and all continuing education providers. A grade of 75 percent or higher is a passing grade.

You receive two attempts to pass any final exam or quiz. If you fail any course, contact the course provider for information on retaking the course. You must pass all your courses before you can receive credit and renew your license.

Various State Requirements

Some course requirements are state-specific. You’ll learn if any specific requirements apply to your state before you enroll in a course.

Here are some requirements that apply only to certain states:

Length of Time to Complete a Course

All courses offered on the Holt website are completed at your own pace. The website saves your progress, and you can return when you have the time. But you must make sure to complete your courses in time to renew your license.

Some states require a tracker that actually tracks the time you spend working on the course. You have to log a specific number of hours before you can complete the course in this situation.

Facial Recognition

Some states require facial recognition. This is to verify that you’re actually the person taking the course. If you don’t do the facial recognition, then the state won’t accept your continuing education hours.

For facial recognition to work, you must use a computer that has a camera. You also have to grant the Holt website access to your camera. While you’re taking the course, the facial recognition software will randomly take your picture. If your computer doesn’t have a built-in camera, you’ll have to purchase a webcam.

Starting a Course

You must first purchase the course. Prices vary, depending on the course. After you’ve made the purchase, the course requires activation. You can begin the course after activation.

There are two ways to activate a course:
1. Activate your course by clicking the link in your activation email.
2. Go to the Holt course activation website and click New Course Activation. You’ll need your order number and billing zip code as listed on your course receipt. From there, you’ll need to provide your email address, zip code, and name.

Your email address and zip code is also your login information. Once activation is complete, you can access your course at any time.

Course Completion Certificate

You’ll receive a certificate for each course you successfully complete. And the certificate is available for download from your online classroom.

Your state may or may not want you to submit your certificate. Some states require individuals to submit their own certificates, but currently, 22 states require Holt to submit proof of continuing education credits electronically.

These states include Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, Idaho, Montana, and Virginia, to name a few. Additionally, some states require that both you and Holt submit proof of your continuing education credits.

Holt recommends checking with your state for directions on how to submit proof of your continuing education hours.

Continuing Education for a Licensed Electrician

Different states have different continuing education requirements. It’s best to check directly with your state to learn about local requirements.

Jordan Fabel

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