Apply for a New Journeyman Lineman License
A Journeyman Lineman is licensed to engage in electrical work involving the maintenance and operation of equipment associated with the transmission and distribution of electricity from the electricity’s original source to a substation for further distribution.
The Journeyman Lineman license is a limited license and NOT the equivalent of a Journeyman Electrician license.
Who Must be Licensed?
With the exception of certain allowed exemptions, anyone who performs electrical work in the state of Texas must be licensed.
Electrical work is defined as:
- Any labor or material used in installing, maintaining or extending an electrical wiring system and the appurtenances, apparatus or equipment used in connection with the use of electrical energy in, on, outside, or attached to a building, residence, structure, property, or premises
- Service entrance conductors, as defined by the National Electrical Code.
Experience Qualifications
To apply for a Journeyman Lineman license, you must have completed 7,000 hours of training in an apprenticeship program approved by the United States Department of Labor.
Alternatively, you may apply with 3.5 years of experience as a Journeyman Lineman for an electric utility, electric cooperative, municipality owned utility, or electrical contractor in Texas.
This experience must be documented and signed by the supervising electrician on the experience verification portion of the license application form (see below). TDLR may contact this individual to verify the experience.
Application and Fee
You must apply by mail for the initial license application.
Submit a completed Journeyman Lineman License Application Form (PDF) with the non-refundable $30 application fee to:
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
PO Box 12157
Austin TX, 78711-2157
Lineman licenses are valid for one year from the date of issuance and must be renewed annually. Renewals may be completed online.
Examination
After your completed application has been received and verified, you will receive notification that you are approved to take the licensing exam. Please see the examinations page for detailed information, including required fees.
Applicants with Criminal Convictions
If you have ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor (other than a minor traffic violation) or pleaded guilty or no contest (resulting in a deferred adjudication) to any in-state, out-of-state or federal criminal offense, you must provide a completed Criminal History Questionnaire (PDF) along with your application materials.
The department will conduct a criminal history background check on all persons who apply for or renew a license. Criminal convictions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Licenses may be denied based on the nature of the conviction and how long prior to the application the conviction occurred. Depending on your criminal history, a review can take from one to six weeks to complete.
Individuals may request TDLR review their criminal background before actually applying for a license. TDLR uses the same process for this pre-application evaluation as the process described below. See the Criminal History Evaluation Letter page for more information.
Please see the Guidelines for License Applicants with Criminal Convictions, which describe the process that TDLR uses to determine whether a criminal conviction renders an applicant an unsuitable candidate for the license, or whether a conviction warrants revocation or suspension of a license previously granted.
