With the passage of House Bill 2 in the 2023 legislative session of the New Hampshire General Court, New Hampshire has created a new path for veterans and service members with certain military training and experience to obtain professional licensure as electricians.

Under the new legislation, the NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification Electricians’ Board now has the authority to grant credit to individuals who can demonstrate satisfactory completion of electrician training during military service for the purpose of issuing a license to a master or journeyman electrician applicant.

Candidates for licensure must demonstrate completion of 8,000 hours of service as an apprentice electrician and are required to pass an OPLC examination.

While many states accept military experience for occupational licensing, New Hampshire is believed to be one of the first states to formally accept military training and experience alone for licensure as an electrician.

“House Bill 2 creates additional pathways for veterans and service members to leverage skills and experience gained while serving in the Armed Forces,” said New Hampshire Adjutant Gen. David Mikolaities. “The employer, in turn, gains a mature, team-oriented worker with real-world experience. Legislation like this is a win win for New Hampshire’s military and the economic stability of our state. We look forward to supporting similar initiatives in the future.”

Lindsey Courtney, executive director of the OPLC, also mentioned how the bill will help remove barriers to those entering the workforce in high-demand fields.

She said, “OPLC is thrilled to continue to partner with the NH Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services to develop first-of-its-kind pathways to licensure for qualified veterans and service members.”