How to Start an Electrical Contracting Business in Georgia: Contractor License, Classes and SB 553

October 29, 2026

Georgia does not license individual electricians. It licenses electrical contractors, and the State Construction Industry Licensing Board does not register electrical contracting companies. The license belongs to a person. A company may perform electrical contracting only through a qualifying licensee who is connected to the business. If you want to run an electrical company in Georgia, you start by earning your own contractor license, then you build the business around it.

This guide covers the license, the two classes, the application and exam path, the fees you need to confirm, and the business setup that follows. It also covers the changes to Chapter 14 made by SB 553 (Act 472), which took effect July 1, 2026.

Informational content only: This article is not legal or tax advice. Licensing rules and fees change, so confirm every figure with the agency named before you file or pay. For complex situations, consult a qualified attorney or CPA.

Electrical contracting is a Chapter 14 license

Electrical contracting is one of the Chapter 14 trades in Georgia. The others are plumbing, conditioned air (HVAC), low voltage and utility contracting. The State Construction Industry Licensing Board, part of the Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards Division, issues these licenses. Residential and commercial general contractors fall under a different board. If your plan is general construction rather than electrical work, read our guide to starting a general contractor business in Georgia instead.

Solar and EV charger installation fall under this electrical contractor license. Beyond that, confirm with the Board whether any other credential applies to your specific scope of work before you bid.

Class I vs. Class II: which one fits your work

Georgia has two electrical contractor classes:

• Class I (restricted): Limited to single-phase installations that do not exceed 200 amperes at the service drop or service lateral under the current rule.
• Class II (unrestricted): Not limited to single-phase work at that level. Class II applicants must show experience on installations above single-phase 200 amperes.

SB 553 rewrote Chapter 14 effective July 1, 2026. It was reported to raise the Class I single-phase limit from 200 to 400 amperes. Confirm the current Class I limit and the experience wording with the Board before you rely on either number. Do not build your application around an older figure from a previous article or form.

Choose your class based on the work you have actually done and the work you plan to bid. A Class I license fits smaller single-phase jobs. A Class II license is the path for larger services and commercial work. Because the experience requirements differ, check which class your records support before you file.

Can a handyman do electrical work in Georgia?

Treat electrical work as licensed work. A handyman who replaces outlets, runs wiring, or works on panels or service equipment is doing electrical contracting, and calling the business a handyman service does not change that. Do not assume a general handyman setup or a general contractor license covers electrical jobs. Before you take on any job that touches wiring, service equipment or panels, confirm the scope with the Board.

Materials and documents you need

• Dated job records documenting at least 4 years of primary experience in the field the National Electrical Code covers
• Secondary experience or education records, if you plan to claim credit toward the experience requirement
• Three references on the Board's form, including at least one from a licensed electrical contractor who provides a registration number
• The Board's application, which must be notarized
• A certified background check from your local law enforcement agency
• A Secure and Verifiable document, as the Board defines it
• An affidavit of citizenship
• The initial application fee (the April 2026 Secretary of State guide shows $110; confirm on the fee page before paying)
• The exam fee, paid to PSI (check with PSI for the current amount)

Step-by-step: from eligibility to a licensed company

1. Confirm you meet the age and experience minimums. You must be at least 21. You need at least 4 years of primary experience in the field the National Electrical Code covers. The application counts 2,000 hours as one year, so keep hour-based records if your job logs are measured that way. Up to 1 year of credit may come from secondary experience or education, and secondary experience is credited at 50 percent.
2. Build your experience file. Pull together pay stubs, job logs, permits you pulled, and letters from former employers. Organize them by year and by type of work.
3. Choose your class. Match your documented experience to Class I or Class II. Class II requires experience on installations above single-phase 200 amperes. Confirm the current Class I limit with the Board first.
4. Line up three references. The references go on the Board's form. At least one must come from a licensed electrical contractor who provides a registration number. Ask early, because a reference who cannot be reached delays the whole file.
5. Complete the notarized application. Sign it in front of a notary. Confirm the application fee on the Secretary of State fee page before you pay. The April 2026 guide lists $110 for an initial application. Do not use the $310 figure, which is the reinstatement fee for a license that lapsed under 3 years.
6. Get your background check and identity documents. Request a certified background check from your local law enforcement agency. Add your Secure and Verifiable document and your affidavit of citizenship.
7. Wait for Board approval. The Board reviews the application before you can test. Approval is valid for one year, so schedule your exam within that window.
8. Schedule the exam with PSI. PSI administers the exam after the Board approves your application. The passing score is 70. Check with PSI for the exam fee and scheduling options.
9. Plan for a retake if needed. If you fail twice, you must complete an approved review course before a third attempt.
10. Set up the company around your license. The business must have a full-time licensed qualifier who is regularly connected to it and actually supervises the work. One person cannot qualify more than one business at a time. Under the 2026 law, lending your license to an unlicensed business is grounds for discipline.
11. Form the entity. An LLC files Articles of Organization, and a corporation files Articles of Incorporation. Both cost $110 in total ($100 fee plus $10 service charge), online or on paper. Confirm current fees on the Secretary of State Corporations Division site. See our guide to starting an LLC in Georgia for the filing steps.
12. Register for taxes. Register with the Georgia Department of Revenue through the Georgia Tax Center if you sell taxable goods or have employees. Georgia levies no franchise tax on a typical single-member or partnership LLC. Corporations, and LLCs taxed as corporations, pay a net worth tax of $0 to $5,000 by net worth. For income tax rates, see our Georgia business taxes guide.
13. Carry workers' compensation at the right headcount. Workers' compensation is required at three or more workers, including part-time workers. Review the details in our Georgia workers' compensation requirements guide.
14. Get the local occupation tax certificate. Many people call this a business license. A city issues it for businesses inside city limits, and the county issues it for unincorporated areas. Each of Georgia's 159 counties and about 537 cities sets its own formula, deadlines and prerequisites, so confirm the issuer and requirements with your local government. A licensed profession needs proof of its state license to get this certificate. Private employers with more than 10 employees must also file an E-Verify affidavit (O.C.G.A. 36-60-6). Read more in our Georgia business license guide.
15. Pull local permits for each job. Electrical permits are handled per project by the local jurisdiction where the work happens. Build permit time and fees into your bids.

Fees and deadlines at a glance

Item	Amount	Notes
Initial license application	$110	April 2026 Secretary of State guide; check the fee page before paying
Reinstatement (license lapsed under 3 years)	$310	Reinstatement only, not the initial application
Renewal	Check current fees	Every two years on June 30 of even years; the 2022 schedule listed $75
Late renewal	Check current fees	Late window in July; the 2022 schedule listed $100
Exam	Check with PSI	PSI sets the fee
Continuing education	4 hours per year	Tracked in CE Broker
LLC Articles of Organization or corporation Articles of Incorporation	$110	$100 fee plus $10 service charge
Annual registration (LLC or corporation)	$60	$50 plus $10; file January 1 to April 1 (confirm the window and late penalty)
Name reservation	$35	Lasts 30 days
Expedited Secretary of State review	$120, $275 or $1,200	2 business days, same day if received by noon, or one hour on business days

Reciprocity and renewal

The Board's FAQ now states that Georgia offers no reciprocity, effective May 2026. An April 2026 guide still lists other states. Confirm with the Board before you assume a license from another state will transfer. Do not plan a move around reciprocity until the Board confirms it.

Renewal occurs every two years on June 30 of even years, with a late window in July. You must complete 4 hours of continuing education per year, tracked in CE Broker. Start logging hours as you go, not in the final month before renewal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Trying to license the company. The Board licenses people. Your company operates under a qualifier's license.
• Using the reinstatement fee as the application fee. The $310 figure applies to reinstating a lapsed license, not to a first application.
• Relying on an old Class I limit. SB 553 changed Chapter 14 effective July 1, 2026. Confirm the current limit with the Board.
• Naming a qualifier who is part-time or does not supervise. The qualifier must be full-time, regularly connected to the business, and actually supervise the work.
• Qualifying two businesses at once. One person cannot qualify more than one business at a time.
• Lending your license. The 2026 law names this as grounds for discipline, even if you never touch the jobs.
• Missing the workers' compensation threshold. Three or more workers, including part-time workers, triggers the requirement.
• Applying for the local certificate without state license proof. A licensed profession cannot get the local occupation tax certificate without proof of the state license.
• Waiting on the exam window. Board approval lasts one year. Let it lapse and you may need to start over.

Expected results

Applicants who organize their experience records early and confirm current fees and class limits before filing often find the process more predictable. Results depend on your documentation, the Board's review timing, and your exam performance, so treat any timeline as an estimate. Once licensed, the typical next steps are setting up the entity, registering with the Georgia Tax Center, arranging workers' compensation once you reach the headcount threshold, and obtaining the local certificate and permits for each job.

Get help and confirm details

For help with the business side, the Georgia Small Business Development Center at the University of Georgia offers free advising. The Georgia Department of Revenue handles tax registration. For licensing questions, contact the State Construction Industry Licensing Board through the Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards Division.

Disclaimer: This article is informational and is not legal or tax advice. Consult a qualified attorney or CPA before making decisions about your license, entity, or taxes.