Texas Apprentice Electrician CE

Yes. This is one of the most common points of confusion in the Texas electrical industry. Many apprentices assume CE is only for Journeymen and Masters, but Apprentices carry the requirement too: 4 hours of TDLR-approved CE each year.

One alternative: if you are enrolled in a TDLR-registered apprenticeship training program, that enrollment satisfies the renewal condition instead of the 4 CE hours. If you are not in a registered program, you complete the 4 hours. (The same alternative is available to Sign Electrician apprentices. Electrical contractors, electrical sign contractors, and residential appliance installers have no CE requirement at all.)

In fact, Apprentice Electrician is the largest electrical license category in Texas — roughly 158,000 of about 228,000 individual electrical licenses (about 70%, TDLR May 2026 staff report). There is no experience requirement to obtain an Apprentice license — it is the entry-level license for anyone who wants to perform electrical work in Texas. But once you have it, you must renew it every year — completing your CE, or staying enrolled in a registered apprenticeship program — to keep it active.

Every year, you need 4 hours of continuing education covering these mandatory topics:

• National Electrical Code (NEC) — the 2023 edition (NFPA 70) through August 31, 2026; the 2026 edition takes effect September 1, 2026
• Texas Electrical Law (Occupations Code Chapter 1305), Administrative Rules (16 TAC Chapter 73), and NFPA 70E Electrical Safety

Important: Your 4 hours cannot be all NEC content. Our course covers all required topics in a single package, so you do not need to take multiple courses.

The same course that Journeymen and Masters take satisfies your Apprentice CE requirement. If you hold multiple license types, you only need 4 total hours — not 4 per license. One CE hour equals 50 minutes of instruction time. If you are enrolled in a TDLR-registered apprenticeship training program, that enrollment satisfies the condition in place of these 4 hours.

Texas adopted the 2023 NEC (NFPA 70, 2023 Edition) on September 1, 2023. All non-exempt electrical work started after that date must comply with the 2023 code. Key changes include updated GFCI and AFCI requirements, expanded surge protection, new rules for energy storage systems, and standards for electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).

Texas applies the 2023 NEC through August 31, 2026. On July 28, 2026 the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation adopted the 2026 NEC, effective September 1, 2026, keeping Texas's amendment to 210.8(F) (no GFCI required for outlets supplying listed outdoor dwelling-unit HVAC equipment). Learning current code through your annual CE helps you build the knowledge you will need when you sit for the Journeyman exam — in FY2025, only 23.5% of Texas electrical exam attempts passed.

Your Apprentice Electrician license renews annually on the anniversary of your issuance date. TDLR sends an email reminder about 60 days before expiration. Follow these steps:

1. Complete your 4 hours of CE — we report your completion to TDLR automatically
2. Log in to the TDLR portal at tdlr.texas.gov
3. Pay the $20 renewal fee online
4. Keep your CE certificate for at least 1 year — we report your completion directly to TDLR, which keeps general authority to inspect licensee records

Complete your CE at least 30 days before expiration. If your license lapses, late fees apply: $30 within 90 days, $40 from 91 days to 18 months, and still $40 from 18 months to less than 3 years — though that window requires TDLR executive director approval via a written request submitted by mail. After 3 years expired, you must reapply as a new applicant.

Your Apprentice license is the first step in the Texas electrical career ladder. To advance to Journeyman, you need:

• 8,000 hours of on-the-job training under a licensed Master Electrician
• Pass the Journeyman Electrician exam (~23.5% of Texas electrical exam attempts passed in FY2025)

At approximately 40 hours per week, 8,000 hours translates to roughly 4 years of full-time work. Your annual CE keeps your code knowledge sharp and builds a foundation for passing the licensing exam. From Journeyman, you can then work toward a Master Electrician license with 12,000 total hours and 2 years as a Journeyman.