Vermont Electrician License Guide: Exam Requirements, Fees & NEC Edition (2026)

Vermont's Division of Fire Safety licenses electricians through an unusually granular system — beyond the standard Journeyman and Master exams, there are more than a dozen separate "Type-S" specialty exams covering everything from lightning rod installation to gas pump wiring. All of them are administered by Prov and reference the 2023 NEC. Here's exactly how the system works, straight from Prov's current candidate bulletin.

Quick Answer

Who Regulates Electrical Work in Vermont

The Vermont Division of Fire Safety, together with the Electricians' Licensing Board, licenses electricians under 26 V.S.A., Chapter 15, and the Vermont Electrical Safety Rules (2025 Edition, effective 11/05/2025). The Division contracts exam delivery to Prov, Inc. — the same vendor used in Utah — which is explicit that it isn't authorized to tell candidates which exam to take: "If a candidate is unsure which exam is needed for the license being sought, resolve this question before registering... If candidates take the wrong exam, the exam fee will not be refunded."

Journeyman and Master: The Core Exams

Per Prov's bulletin, a licensed Journeyman "is entitled to perform electrical installations under the direction of a master electrician, and may supervise an apprentice electrician or an electrician's helper." A Master Electrician "is entitled to design, install, repair, maintain, and replace electrical installations including lightning rods, fire alarms, fire detection systems" and may employ others under their direction. The Journeyman exam weights Wiring & Protection (30 of 90 questions) and Wiring Methods & Materials (20 questions) most heavily; the Master exam does the same, with Wiring & Protection worth 34 of 105 questions.

What we could not confirm from a primary source: the exact experience/hours eligibility requirements for each license. The Division's application instructions page returned an access-denied error when we tried to verify it directly. Third-party sources describe roughly 12,000 hours (about 8 years, or a shorter apprenticeship-program path) to qualify for the Journeyman exam, and 2 years holding a Journeyman license before Master eligibility — but confirm your exact eligibility path with the Division (802-479-7564) before applying.

The Type-S Specialty Exams

Beyond core Journeyman/Master licensure, Vermont licenses more than a dozen narrower "Type-S Journeyman" specialties, each requiring its own separate exam: Appliance and Motor Repairs, Automatic Gas and Oil Heating, Commercial Fire Alarm, Electric Lock Installation, Electrical Well Pumps, Elevator Mechanic, Farm Equipment, Gas Pump Installation & Bulk Plant Works, Lift Mechanic, Lightning Rod Installations, Outdoor Advertising, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Electrical, and Solar Photovoltaic Installation. Several (Appliance and Motor Repairs, Electric Lock Installation, Journeyman Electrician) are also offered in Spanish. Per the bulletin, a Type-S candidate qualifies "after completing an accredited training and experience program recognized by the board; or having acceptable training and experience," then must pass the specific specialty exam — these run shorter than the core exams, from 30 questions (Solar PV, 1 hour) up to 80 (Elevator Mechanic, 2 hours).

NEC Edition and Reference Rules

Nearly every Vermont electrical exam references NFPA 70 — National Electrical Code, 2023 edition, confirmed independently on the Division's own site: "Electrical Application and Instructions... If testing, we are now on to the 2023 NEC!" Most exams also allow Ugly's Electrical References — though the bulletin's listed edition is specifically the 2020 printing (ISBN 978-1-284-19453-1), not the newer 2023 edition used in several other states, so don't assume a 2023 Ugly's automatically matches Vermont's official reference list. A number of specialty exams also list a candidate's own hand-written NEC notes as an approved 2023 reference item.

Prov's reference rules for Vermont are strict and specific:

• Only highlighting and attaching permanent tabs are allowed as exam-prep methods.
• Handwritten notes are permitted only in black or blue ink — never pencil.
• Moveable tabs, including Post-it notes, are never permitted and must be removed before testing begins.
• Photocopied documents or photocopied reference books are not allowed.
• Test-prep study guides and practice exams are explicitly barred from the testing room.
• Once testing starts, you cannot highlight, underline, mark, or write anything further in your references — all markup must be done in advance.
• Other documents or stickers — the bulletin specifically names Tom Henry and Kelly Indexes, and Ohm's Law stickers — cannot be glued or taped into a reference book.

Fees, Retesting and Reviews

Every Vermont electrical exam costs $80, whether it's a first attempt or a retake. Unlike many states, Vermont has no mandatory waiting period between attempts — you can schedule a retest for the next available date — but you only get two retakes within your eligibility period, and you cannot retake an exam once you've passed it. All exams are graded against a flat 70% cut-score.

If you fail a given exam category at least twice and score within 10 points of passing, you can request a paid review (same fee as the exam) to see which questions you missed and which answers you chose. A separate $25 hand-score request is available if you want your original scoring reassessed for accuracy.

The Vermont Energy Goals Requirement

Since a 2020 law (S.220) took effect on July 1, 2021, every new or renewing electrician applicant must complete a Vermont Energy Goals Education Module and submit the completion certificate with their application — a requirement layered on top of the exam itself and easy to miss if you're focused only on studying the NEC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who administers the Vermont electrician exam?

Prov, Inc., under contract to the Vermont Division of Fire Safety and its Electricians' Licensing Board.

What NEC edition does Vermont's electrician exam test?

The 2023 NEC, confirmed both by Prov's current candidate bulletin and the Division's own site, which notes candidates are "now on to the 2023 NEC."

Does Vermont only license Journeyman and Master electricians?

No — beyond those two core licenses, Vermont has over a dozen narrower Type-S specialty licenses (fire alarm, lightning rods, solar PV, elevator/lift mechanics, gas pumps, and more), each with its own separate exam.

Can I write in my code book during the Vermont exam?

You can highlight and use permanent tabs before the exam, and handwritten notes in blue or black ink are allowed if already in the book — but you cannot mark, highlight, or write anything further once testing begins. Post-it notes and photocopied materials are never allowed.

Study Materials

Vermont's core exams are confirmed to reference the 2023 NEC. Our 2023 NEC Handbook Bundle with Tabs + free Ugly's Electrical Reference Guide covers the code itself, though note Vermont's bulletin lists the 2020 Ugly's printing specifically — if you want to match the exact edition on file, confirm with Prov or the Division whether a newer Ugly's printing is accepted before relying on it as your only backup reference.

Official Sources

• Prov — Vermont Division of Fire Safety Candidate Information Bulletin
• Vermont Division of Fire Safety — Electricians Licensing

This guide is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Licensing rules, fees, and exam content change — always confirm current requirements directly with the Vermont Division of Fire Safety before applying, testing, or purchasing study materials.