Montana Electrician License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

Montana electrician and electrical contractor licenses are issued by the State Electrical Board and renew every two years: every license's renewal date is July 15 of an even-numbered year, so the next deadline is July 15, 2028. Renewal opens 60 days before. To renew, you need 16 hours of continuing education in the renewal cycle, at least 8 of them on NEC updates. Miss the date and you pay a late penalty equal to the renewal fee; after 45 days the license expires, and after two years it terminates and you have to get a new license.

At a glance

Renews every: 2 years: master, journeyman and residential electrician and electrical contractor licenses all renew by July 15 of an even-numbered year. Next: July 15, 2028
Renewal opens: 60 days before your expiration date. The board encourages renewing early: the online system is open around the clock, but no staff are there to help after 5:00 p.m.
Fee: The board's fee schedule sets the two-year renewal fee at $210 for an electrical contractor and $140 for a master, journeyman or residential electrician. Renewal fees for the 2026 cycle were cut 50%, so check the board for the current amount. Fees are non-refundable
Continuing education: 16 hours in each renewal cycle, at least 8 of them on NEC updates, from courses the department has approved. Another state's courses count if the department finds them substantially equivalent, with the course approval number, date and credit breakdown on the certificate
CE records: Keep your own certificates of completion (your name, the course title, the date and the NEC or industry hours): Montana can audit CE at random and asks for them on request
New licenses: New graduates of an approved apprenticeship program don't need CE for their first renewal. Moving up from journeyman or residential to a higher license doesn't exempt you
On time: Renewed online before 11:59 p.m. Mountain time on July 15, or mailed with a U.S. Postal Service postmark on or before it, with the fee and everything the renewal asks for
Late renewal: A late penalty fee equal to the renewal fee, on top of it (when the renewal fee was cut, the penalty is the full uncut fee). A lapsed license can be renewed within 45 days of the renewal date, and you can keep working meanwhile
Expired license: Not renewed within 45 days, the license expires: working on it then is practicing without a license. It can still be renewed within two years of the renewal date. After two years it terminates, and you need a new original license, including the licensing exam if it applies
Electrical contractors: Each renewal affirms that the business complies with Montana's workers' compensation and unemployment insurance laws

The board no longer prints and mails hard-card licenses: download the license record to your phone or print it to carry.

How to renew

Check your renewal date: July 15 of the next even-numbered year (the next deadline is July 15, 2028). Renewal opens 60 days before.
Finish 16 hours of CE in the renewal cycle, at least 8 on NEC updates, and keep each certificate of completion in case you're audited.
Electrical contractors: make sure your workers' compensation and unemployment insurance coverage are in order, since the renewal affirms them.
Renew online before 11:59 p.m. Mountain time on July 15 and pay the fee. Renew early: no staff are available after 5:00 p.m.
Missed it? Renew within 45 days with the late penalty fee before the license expires. After two years it terminates and you'd need a new license, with the exam if it applies.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

6 months outCount your CE hours for the renewal cycle: 16 in all, at least 8 on NEC updates, and find your certificates.
60 days outRenewal opens. Renew online early, while staff are around to help.
July 15Renewal deadline: online before 11:59 p.m. Mountain time, or postmarked by today. After this, a late penalty equal to the renewal fee applies.
45 days afterA license not renewed by now expires, and working on it is practicing without a license.

Put this renewal in your calendar

Know your expiration date? Download a free calendar file with reminders before it, no sign-up needed. It's made in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us (your browser keeps it only if you follow the sign-up link, for your new ledger). A Google Calendar button sends just that one event to Google.

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

Electrical contractors: the workers' compensation coverage each renewal affirms
General liability insurance policy
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

How often do you renew a Montana electrician license?

Every 2 years: master, journeyman and residential electrician and electrical contractor licenses all renew by July 15 of an even-numbered year. The next deadline is July 15, 2028.

How many CE hours does a Montana electrician need?

16 hours in each renewal cycle, at least 8 of them on NEC updates, from courses the department has approved.

How much does it cost to renew a Montana electrical license?

The board's fee schedule sets the two-year renewal fee at $210 for an electrical contractor and $140 for a master, journeyman or residential electrician. Renewal fees for the 2026 cycle were cut 50%, so check the board for the current amount.

What happens if I renew my Montana electrician license late?

You pay a late penalty fee equal to the renewal fee, on top of it. Not renewed within 45 days, the license expires, and working on it then is practicing without a license. After two years it terminates, and you need a new original license, including the licensing exam if it applies.

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

Montana State Electrical Board, Renewal Process

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Montana guides

All Montana guides on one page

Electrician guides for other states

Compare electrician license renewals across states

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

Start free

How LicenseLedger works for electricians

Not ready to sign up? Get the free tracking spreadsheet

Montana Electrician License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

At a glance

Renews every: 2 years: master, journeyman and residential electrician and electrical contractor licenses all renew by July 15 of an even-numbered year. Next: July 15, 2028
Renewal opens: 60 days before your expiration date. The board encourages renewing early: the online system is open around the clock, but no staff are there to help after 5:00 p.m.
Fee: The board's fee schedule sets the two-year renewal fee at $210 for an electrical contractor and $140 for a master, journeyman or residential electrician. Renewal fees for the 2026 cycle were cut 50%, so check the board for the current amount. Fees are non-refundable
Continuing education: 16 hours in each renewal cycle, at least 8 of them on NEC updates, from courses the department has approved. Another state's courses count if the department finds them substantially equivalent, with the course approval number, date and credit breakdown on the certificate
CE records: Keep your own certificates of completion (your name, the course title, the date and the NEC or industry hours): Montana can audit CE at random and asks for them on request
New licenses: New graduates of an approved apprenticeship program don't need CE for their first renewal. Moving up from journeyman or residential to a higher license doesn't exempt you
On time: Renewed online before 11:59 p.m. Mountain time on July 15, or mailed with a U.S. Postal Service postmark on or before it, with the fee and everything the renewal asks for
Late renewal: A late penalty fee equal to the renewal fee, on top of it (when the renewal fee was cut, the penalty is the full uncut fee). A lapsed license can be renewed within 45 days of the renewal date, and you can keep working meanwhile
Expired license: Not renewed within 45 days, the license expires: working on it then is practicing without a license. It can still be renewed within two years of the renewal date. After two years it terminates, and you need a new original license, including the licensing exam if it applies
Electrical contractors: Each renewal affirms that the business complies with Montana's workers' compensation and unemployment insurance laws

The board no longer prints and mails hard-card licenses: download the license record to your phone or print it to carry.

How to renew

Check your renewal date: July 15 of the next even-numbered year (the next deadline is July 15, 2028). Renewal opens 60 days before.
Finish 16 hours of CE in the renewal cycle, at least 8 on NEC updates, and keep each certificate of completion in case you're audited.
Electrical contractors: make sure your workers' compensation and unemployment insurance coverage are in order, since the renewal affirms them.
Renew online before 11:59 p.m. Mountain time on July 15 and pay the fee. Renew early: no staff are available after 5:00 p.m.
Missed it? Renew within 45 days with the late penalty fee before the license expires. After two years it terminates and you'd need a new license, with the exam if it applies.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

6 months outCount your CE hours for the renewal cycle: 16 in all, at least 8 on NEC updates, and find your certificates.
60 days outRenewal opens. Renew online early, while staff are around to help.
July 15Renewal deadline: online before 11:59 p.m. Mountain time, or postmarked by today. After this, a late penalty equal to the renewal fee applies.
45 days afterA license not renewed by now expires, and working on it is practicing without a license.

Put this renewal in your calendar

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

Electrical contractors: the workers' compensation coverage each renewal affirms
General liability insurance policy
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

How often do you renew a Montana electrician license?

Every 2 years: master, journeyman and residential electrician and electrical contractor licenses all renew by July 15 of an even-numbered year. The next deadline is July 15, 2028.

How many CE hours does a Montana electrician need?

16 hours in each renewal cycle, at least 8 of them on NEC updates, from courses the department has approved.

How much does it cost to renew a Montana electrical license?

What happens if I renew my Montana electrician license late?

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

Montana State Electrical Board, Renewal Process

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Montana guides

All Montana guides on one page

Electrician guides for other states

Compare electrician license renewals across states

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

Start free

How LicenseLedger works for electricians

Not ready to sign up? Get the free tracking spreadsheet