Do electrician apprentices need a certificate in Washington?

Yes. In Washington, electrical trainees and apprentices must hold a training certificate from the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) and work under a certified electrician. You can get one from age 16, and you renew it every 2 years after 48 hours of approved classes. List the certificate and renewal year near the top of your resume.

What Washington requires

Electrical trainees and apprentices must have an L&I training certificate. Source
Trainees work under the supervision of a certified electrician. Source
The minimum age for a training certificate is 16. Source
The certificate is renewed every 2 years, with 48 hours of approved basic trainee classes. Source

How to list it on your resume

Put these lines under a Certifications and licenses heading near the top, with dates. The employer looks for them first.

Before

Electrical trainee

After

Electrical Training Certificate, Washington L&I (renewed 2025)

Before

Took classes

After

48 hours of L&I-approved trainee classes (2025)

Check your electrician apprentice resume for Washington

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Common questions

Can I start as an electrical helper in Washington without a certificate?

Electrical trainees and apprentices must hold the L&I training certificate, so get it before you start electrical work.

How do I show my hours?

Washington tracks your supervised hours toward your journey level license. Put your total hours and the type of work on your resume.

Do I need to show my renewal classes?

It helps. A line with the year of your 48 hours of classes shows your certificate is current.

I am 16. Can I be an electrical trainee?

Yes. The minimum age for a Washington electrical training certificate is 16.

Pay for electrician apprentices in Washington

See the Washington minimum wage and work out your take-home pay with the Washington paycheck calculator.

The full electrician apprentice checklist

The rules above are only for Washington. For everything else a electrician apprentice resume needs, with a full example, see the electrician apprentice resume checklist.

Sources

Last updated November 15, 2026. Rules change, so check the source before you rely on it.

Washington L&I: Electrical trainee certificate (checked November 15, 2026)