Electrical administrators are responsible for making sure electrical contractors abide by the state electrical laws, rules, and regulations. They are certified professionals who have taken and passed the state examination. They are a required role for all electrical contracting companies, unless that company has a designated master electrician to fulfill this role.

Electrical administrators are not certified to work with the tools of the trade or perform any electrical installations or work unless they are also certified as an electrician working for an electrical contractor.

Becoming an electrical administrator

To become an administrator you must take and pass the administrator exam for the specialty you would like to be certified in. There are no prerequisites to take the administrator exam. Anyone can take an administrator exam by contacting PSI, the testing center responsible for administration of electrical exams for L&I.

There are 2 levels of electrical administrator certificates: general (AD01) and 14 specialties.

General electrical administrator

General electrical administrator (AD01) certification allows a person to be assigned to a single general electrical contractor or any specialty electrical contractor.

Specialty electrical administrators

There are 14 specialty categories in the electrical construction trade, each with a specific scope of work. Administrators certified in a specialty can only be assign to an electrical contractor with the same specialty.

Learn more: Scope of work descriptions are found in WAC 296-46B-920.

Examination

To become an administrator, you must take and pass the administrator exam for the specialty you would like to be certified in. There are no prerequisites to take the administrator exam. The PSI Exam Bulletin provides information about exam content, scheduling, and fees.

Electrical exams are administered by PSI at their local testing centers. Exams can be scheduled at a time convenient to you – there are no fixed dates or times for exams. You must pass all sections of the exam within 1 year.

After passing all the required sections of the exam, you must submit copies of your passing score reports and the required fee to us to be certified as an administrator. This must be done within 90 days of the last passing score date.

Apply

After you have taken and passed all sections of the electrical administrator exam, you must apply for your certificate. You can be designated as an administrator for an electrical contractor when you apply.

Depending on the date your application is approved and your birthdate, your initial certification will be good for a minimum of 25 months up to a maximum of 36 months for general or specialty administrators.

Apply

Passing score reports you receive from exam provider PSI serve as your application. Include payment for the fee stated on your latest score report in the form of a check or money order payable to the Department of Labor & Industries. L&I must receive (not postmarked) all score reports and fee within 90 days of the last passing score date.

To be assigned to an electrical contractor, you must also complete and mail your Change Assignment of Administrator/Master Certificate (F503-009-000) form to the address stated on the form. Include a check or money order payable to the Department of Labor & Industries for the fee stated on the form.

What we will do

Verify all required documents information are provided, including:

  • Payment.
  • Passing scores for all sections of the examination.
  • All information completed on the score report.

Within 8-10 weeks after we receive the information listed above, we will:

  • Notify you if we need additional information to complete your application.
  • Send your certificate.
Assignment of administrator

As an electrical administrator, you must notify us within 10 days of any change in your assignment status.

When you assign as the designated administrator to an electrical contracting company, you are accepting the responsibility to ensure the electrical contractor complies with all appropriate Washington State electrical laws and rules.

To assign yourself as the designated administrator to an electrical contractor or unassign yourself, you must send us a completed Change Assignment of Administrator/Master Certificate form (F503-009-000) by mail. The mailing address and required fee are stated on the form. There are no electronic payment options.

Renew

Electrical administrator certificates are renewed every 3 years. Your certificate expires on your birthdate. To renew, you must complete 24 hours of L&I approved continuing education, including a minimum of 8 hours of code update and 4 hours of RCW/WAC review.

Renewal requirements

Before you renew your administrator certificate online, make sure you’re eligible:

  • Use our Verify tool, which will tell you if you have:
    • Met the education requirements.
    • Any outstanding, unpaid citations.
    • An expired or suspended certificate.

Renew Online

To renew online, you will need the following:

  • Your 12-digit certificate number. Use our Verify tool to look it up if you need to.
  • Last 4 digits of your Social Security number.
  • Birthdate.
  • Email address and phone number.
  • Your renewal fee payable by credit/debit card or electronic check.

In person

By mail

Mail to:
Department of Labor & Industries
Electrical Program
P.O. Box 44460
Olympia, WA 98504-4460

Late renewal or missing education requirements

If you do not renew by your expiration date or complete your continuing education requirements, your administrator certificate will automatically become separated from the electrical contractor. You will also have to pay a late renewal fee. If you have been separated, you must reassign with your electrical contractor after you have met all renewal requirements.

To reassign to the electrical contractor after you have met all renewal requirements, you must complete a Change Assignment of Administrator/Master Certificate (F503-009-000) form and pay the fee stated on the form.

If your certificate is more than 90 days past the expiration date, you must take and pass the administrator examination and reapply to reinstate your certificate. If you have any issues with your certificate, contact us at 360-902-5269 for assistance. If an education course is not appearing on your record, contact your course provider.

What we will do

We will verify that you have:

  • Completed the required continuing education.
  • Paid the appropriate renewal fee.
  • No outstanding fines or penalties.

Within 5 days after we receive your renewal, we will:

  • Send your certificate.
  • Notify you if there are any outstanding issues that need to be resolved.

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