New York City Master Electrician License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 7 min read

In New York City, electrical work must be done by a licensed master electrician or under one's direct and continuing supervision (low voltage work and special electricians are the exceptions), and the license comes from the city's Department of Buildings (DOB). Renew it online in DOB NOW: Licensing 30 to 90 days before the expiration date on your license, with a physical exam form (LIC62) completed within the last 90 days and the certificate for an 8-hour Department-approved course taken in the year before renewal. A renewal sent 30 days or fewer before it expires is late: it pays a late fee and needs a notarized affidavit saying why. DOB's own pages differ on the license term and on some fees, so go by the date on your license and the amounts DOB NOW shows.

At a glance

Who needs it: Anyone performing electrical work in New York City, unless they work under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master electrician. Low voltage work by qualified persons and work by or under a licensed special electrician are the exceptions (NYC Administrative Code §28-429.1). The license and seal are issued by the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB)
Expires: On the expiration date on your license: go by that date. DOB's pages give different license terms (1 year on its Master & Special Electricians page, 3 years in its 2026 DOB NOW: Licensing presentation for electricians)
When to renew: Submit your renewal 30 to 90 days before the expiration date on your license. A renewal submitted within 30 days before the expiration date counts as late and pays the late-renewal fee (§28-401.12), and DOB's DOB NOW: Licensing presentation charges it on renewals filed 30 days or fewer before the expiration date: file more than 30 days ahead
Renew: Online in DOB NOW: Licensing, which needs an NYC.ID account (DOB's step-by-step help is at nyc.gov/dobnowtips). DOB doesn't accept walk-in transactions or paper applications for this renewal. Upload the supporting documents as PDFs
Documents: The LIC62 Physical Exam Form, completed by a physician within 90 days before renewal, and a copy of the original certificate from your 8-hour Department-approved course
Continuing education: A Department-approved course of at least 8 hours covering the New York City Electrical Code, completed during the one year immediately before renewal (1 RCNY §104-06). It's taught live, in person or virtually: on-demand, self-paced courses don't count
Renewal fees: $60 to renew the license, plus the seal renewal fee DOB NOW shows when you pay. DOB's sources differ on the seal's: $30 on its renewal page ($90 in total), $60 in its DOB NOW: Licensing fee list
Late renewal: A late renewal pays a late fee in DOB NOW and adds a notarized affidavit on your letterhead, bearing your DOB-issued seal, saying why you're renewing late. DOB's sources differ on the fee: $400 on its renewal page and in 1 RCNY §101-03, $310 on its Master & Special Electricians page and in its DOB NOW: Licensing fee list
Not renewed?: A license that isn't renewed is cancelled when it expires, and its holder must surrender the seal to DOB at once (§28-401.12)
How late you can renew: DOB's Licensing FAQ says an electrician has 90 days from the expiration date to apply for a late renewal, while §28-401.13 and DOB's DOB NOW: Licensing presentation for electricians allow up to one year. Don't count on more than 90 days: ask DOB if you're past that
More than a year late: DOB says there is currently no license reinstatement process: you reapply and file as an original applicant
Unpaid penalties: DOB won't renew a master or special electrician license while you owe penalties imposed by OATH/ECB or other fines or penalties payable to the City (Local Law 47 of 2016). DOB NOW lists your outstanding OATH violations when you start a renewal
Your business: If your license is used for a corporation or other entity registered with the New York State Department of State, the business must be active in the State's Division of Corporations database, and be the same corporation you had when you last went before the Electrical Board, or the license won't be renewed
Insurance: At renewal, file proof of a commercial general liability policy of $1,000,000 (or another amount DOB requires) and of compliance with the workers' compensation and disability benefits laws, and keep that insurance for the whole license term (§28-401.9). DOB's rule asks for at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, with a licensed broker's sworn statement (1 RCNY §104-02). DOB's insurance guidelines ask for the certificate holder box to name the NYC Department of Buildings, Attn: Licensing & Exams Unit, 280 Broadway, New York, NY 10007, and for insurance updates to be filed in DOB NOW: BIS Options (+License Insurance Updates). With no employees, you may file a CE-200 exemption from workers' compensation and disability insurance instead
After you renew: DOB's renewal page says the license card comes by mail within 30 days of approval. If it hasn't come in 30 days, email licensingdob@buildings.nyc.gov

Special electricians, licensed for electrical work in or on specific buildings, renew on the same DOB page, with the same fees, the LIC62 form and the 8-hour course.

DOB's course requirements say the 8-hour course is also needed to keep a deactivated license current.

Since December 21, 2025, the master electrician license rules are in Article 429 of Title 28 of the Administrative Code (Local Law 128 of 2024), and the 2025 New York City Electrical Code is in effect.

How to renew

Find the expiration date on your license. Your renewal window opens 90 days before it.
Take an 8-hour Department-approved course if you haven't in the year before you'll renew, and get the LIC62 Physical Exam Form completed by a physician (within 90 days before you renew).
Check that your $1,000,000 general liability, workers' compensation and disability insurance (or CE-200 exemption) is current with DOB, that you owe no OATH/ECB or other City penalties (DOB won't renew while you do), and, if your license is used for a corporation, that it's active with the New York State Department of State.
Log in to DOB NOW: Licensing with your NYC.ID, upload the LIC62 form and the course certificate as PDFs, and pay the fees DOB NOW shows more than 30 days before the license expires.
Watch for the new license card by mail within 30 days of approval.

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

90 days outYour renewal window opens: take your 8-hour course if you haven't in the year before you'll renew, and get the LIC62 physical exam form completed.
60 days outConfirm your insurance on file with DOB is current, check you owe no OATH/ECB or other City penalties, and, if your license is used for a corporation, check it's active with the State.
30 days outRenew in DOB NOW before this point: DOB NOW charges the late-renewal fee on renewals filed 30 days or fewer before expiration. Upload both documents and pay the fees DOB NOW shows.
Expiration dateAn unrenewed license is cancelled and the seal must go back to DOB. A late renewal pays a late fee and needs a notarized affidavit.
90 days lateDOB's FAQ gives electricians 90 days from expiration to apply for a late renewal: ask DOB before going past it.

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:

Your master electrician seal (renewed with the license)
General liability insurance policy
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
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

When do you renew an NYC master electrician license?

Submit your renewal in DOB NOW: Licensing 30 to 90 days before the expiration date on your license, and file more than 30 days ahead: DOB NOW charges the late-renewal fee on renewals filed 30 days or fewer before the expiration date. Go by that date: DOB's pages give different license terms (1 year on its Master & Special Electricians page, 3 years in its 2026 DOB NOW: Licensing presentation).

How much does it cost to renew a master electrician license in NYC?

$60 to renew the license, plus the seal renewal fee DOB NOW shows when you pay: DOB's renewal page lists $30 for the seal, its DOB NOW: Licensing fee list $60. A late renewal pays a late fee ($400 on DOB's renewal page, $310 in its fee list) and adds a notarized affidavit saying why you're renewing late.

What continuing education does an NYC master electrician need?

A Department-approved course of at least 8 hours covering the New York City Electrical Code, completed during the one year immediately before renewal. Upload a copy of the original certificate with the renewal, along with the LIC62 Physical Exam Form completed within 90 days before renewal.

What if my NYC master electrician license expired?

It is cancelled when it expires and the seal must be surrendered to DOB. DOB's Licensing FAQ says an electrician has 90 days from the expiration date to apply for a late renewal, while the Administrative Code allows up to one year: ask DOB if you're past 90 days. After a year, DOB says there is currently no license reinstatement process: you reapply and file as an original applicant.

Official sources

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

NYC Department of Buildings, License Renewal: Master & Special Electrician

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other New York guides

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Electrician guides for other states

Compare electrician license renewals across states

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

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New York City Master Electrician License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 7 min read

At a glance

Who needs it: Anyone performing electrical work in New York City, unless they work under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master electrician. Low voltage work by qualified persons and work by or under a licensed special electrician are the exceptions (NYC Administrative Code §28-429.1). The license and seal are issued by the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB)
Expires: On the expiration date on your license: go by that date. DOB's pages give different license terms (1 year on its Master & Special Electricians page, 3 years in its 2026 DOB NOW: Licensing presentation for electricians)
When to renew: Submit your renewal 30 to 90 days before the expiration date on your license. A renewal submitted within 30 days before the expiration date counts as late and pays the late-renewal fee (§28-401.12), and DOB's DOB NOW: Licensing presentation charges it on renewals filed 30 days or fewer before the expiration date: file more than 30 days ahead
Renew: Online in DOB NOW: Licensing, which needs an NYC.ID account (DOB's step-by-step help is at nyc.gov/dobnowtips). DOB doesn't accept walk-in transactions or paper applications for this renewal. Upload the supporting documents as PDFs
Documents: The LIC62 Physical Exam Form, completed by a physician within 90 days before renewal, and a copy of the original certificate from your 8-hour Department-approved course
Continuing education: A Department-approved course of at least 8 hours covering the New York City Electrical Code, completed during the one year immediately before renewal (1 RCNY §104-06). It's taught live, in person or virtually: on-demand, self-paced courses don't count
Renewal fees: $60 to renew the license, plus the seal renewal fee DOB NOW shows when you pay. DOB's sources differ on the seal's: $30 on its renewal page ($90 in total), $60 in its DOB NOW: Licensing fee list
Late renewal: A late renewal pays a late fee in DOB NOW and adds a notarized affidavit on your letterhead, bearing your DOB-issued seal, saying why you're renewing late. DOB's sources differ on the fee: $400 on its renewal page and in 1 RCNY §101-03, $310 on its Master & Special Electricians page and in its DOB NOW: Licensing fee list
Not renewed?: A license that isn't renewed is cancelled when it expires, and its holder must surrender the seal to DOB at once (§28-401.12)
How late you can renew: DOB's Licensing FAQ says an electrician has 90 days from the expiration date to apply for a late renewal, while §28-401.13 and DOB's DOB NOW: Licensing presentation for electricians allow up to one year. Don't count on more than 90 days: ask DOB if you're past that
More than a year late: DOB says there is currently no license reinstatement process: you reapply and file as an original applicant
Unpaid penalties: DOB won't renew a master or special electrician license while you owe penalties imposed by OATH/ECB or other fines or penalties payable to the City (Local Law 47 of 2016). DOB NOW lists your outstanding OATH violations when you start a renewal
Your business: If your license is used for a corporation or other entity registered with the New York State Department of State, the business must be active in the State's Division of Corporations database, and be the same corporation you had when you last went before the Electrical Board, or the license won't be renewed
Insurance: At renewal, file proof of a commercial general liability policy of $1,000,000 (or another amount DOB requires) and of compliance with the workers' compensation and disability benefits laws, and keep that insurance for the whole license term (§28-401.9). DOB's rule asks for at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, with a licensed broker's sworn statement (1 RCNY §104-02). DOB's insurance guidelines ask for the certificate holder box to name the NYC Department of Buildings, Attn: Licensing & Exams Unit, 280 Broadway, New York, NY 10007, and for insurance updates to be filed in DOB NOW: BIS Options (+License Insurance Updates). With no employees, you may file a CE-200 exemption from workers' compensation and disability insurance instead
After you renew: DOB's renewal page says the license card comes by mail within 30 days of approval. If it hasn't come in 30 days, email licensingdob@buildings.nyc.gov

Special electricians, licensed for electrical work in or on specific buildings, renew on the same DOB page, with the same fees, the LIC62 form and the 8-hour course.

DOB's course requirements say the 8-hour course is also needed to keep a deactivated license current.

How to renew

Find the expiration date on your license. Your renewal window opens 90 days before it.
Take an 8-hour Department-approved course if you haven't in the year before you'll renew, and get the LIC62 Physical Exam Form completed by a physician (within 90 days before you renew).
Check that your $1,000,000 general liability, workers' compensation and disability insurance (or CE-200 exemption) is current with DOB, that you owe no OATH/ECB or other City penalties (DOB won't renew while you do), and, if your license is used for a corporation, that it's active with the New York State Department of State.
Log in to DOB NOW: Licensing with your NYC.ID, upload the LIC62 form and the course certificate as PDFs, and pay the fees DOB NOW shows more than 30 days before the license expires.
Watch for the new license card by mail within 30 days of approval.

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

90 days outYour renewal window opens: take your 8-hour course if you haven't in the year before you'll renew, and get the LIC62 physical exam form completed.
60 days outConfirm your insurance on file with DOB is current, check you owe no OATH/ECB or other City penalties, and, if your license is used for a corporation, check it's active with the State.
30 days outRenew in DOB NOW before this point: DOB NOW charges the late-renewal fee on renewals filed 30 days or fewer before expiration. Upload both documents and pay the fees DOB NOW shows.
Expiration dateAn unrenewed license is cancelled and the seal must go back to DOB. A late renewal pays a late fee and needs a notarized affidavit.
90 days lateDOB's FAQ gives electricians 90 days from expiration to apply for a late renewal: ask DOB before going past it.

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:

Your master electrician seal (renewed with the license)
General liability insurance policy
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
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

When do you renew an NYC master electrician license?

How much does it cost to renew a master electrician license in NYC?

What continuing education does an NYC master electrician need?

What if my NYC master electrician license expired?

Official sources

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

NYC Department of Buildings, License Renewal: Master & Special Electrician

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other New York guides

All New York 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