How do you check an electrical license in Alabama?

In Alabama, the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors' consumer page links to a public search for electrical contractors and journeymen. Its search form lists three license types and suggests searching by license number or last name only.

Source: Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors, consumer page, read 1 November 2026.
Source: Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors, licensee search form, read 1 November 2026.

The license lookup is yours to run on the state's site.

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By InstaBids editorial team with AI research agents. Sources last read: 1 November 2026

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Key facts

The board's search form lists Electrical Contractor, Journeyman and Provisional as license types.
Source: Licence type choices, read 1 November 2026.
The search form says you may search by license number or last name only.
Source: Search help, read 1 November 2026.
The board's consumer page links to a search of electrical contractors and journeymen.
Source: Consumer search link, read 1 November 2026.

How do you search the Alabama electrician lookup?

The board's consumer page, read 1 November 2026, points to its search with this line: "Search Licensed Electrical Contractors and Journeymen."

Source: Consumer search link, read 1 November 2026.

The search form itself, read 1 November 2026, carries this help text: "Not all search fields are required. You may search by license number or last name only for best results."

Source: Search help, read 1 November 2026.

These steps are practical suggestions, not board rules.

Ask the electrician or the company for the license number, in writing.
Open the board's search form and type the number, or the last name alone.
Pick the license type that matches the person or business you asked about.
Keep a note of the number you searched and the result you saw, with your contract.

Which license types does the Alabama search list?

The License Type menu on the search form, read 1 November 2026, lists three choices: "Electrical Contractor Journeyman Provisional"

Source: Licence type choices, read 1 November 2026.

The board's page for applicants, read 1 November 2026, describes the electrical contractor and adds: "The term may also be interchanged with “Master Electrician”."

Source: Electrical contractor terminology, read 1 November 2026.

For the journeyman, the board's copy of the Code of Alabama, section 34-36-3(5), read 1 November 2026, says: "He or she shall work under a master or state certified electrical contractor and shall be capable of doing work according to plans and specifications furnished to him or her and in accordance with standard rules and regulations governing such work."

Source: section 34-36-3(5), read 1 November 2026.

Can a county or city license an electrician in Alabama?

The board's copy of the Code of Alabama, section 34-36-13(a), read 1 November 2026, opens with: "No person shall engage in the electrical contracting business or perform work as a master or journeyman electrician unless such person shall have received a license from the board or from the county or municipality where the electrical contracting work is being performed; provided, however, the provisions of this chapter shall not apply:"

Source: section 34-36-13(a), read 1 November 2026.

The section then lists its exceptions. Subsection (b)(2) of the same section reads: "This section shall in no way prohibit the governing authorities of each county and municipality in the State of Alabama from exercising their authority to require any person engaging in the electrical contracting business or performing work as a master or journeyman electrician to stand and attain a passing grade on an examination administered by such county or municipality to evidence their ability and proficiency to engage in the electrical contracting business or to perform work as a master or journeyman electrician within their jurisdiction; provided, however, that any person who holds a valid statewide license issued by the board shall be deemed qualified and, upon satisfactory proof of the license, shall be allowed to perform forthwith electrical work in any county or municipality under the terms and conditions set forth in this chapter, if such person has the proper county or municipal building permit and business license."

Source: section 34-36-13(b)(2), read 1 November 2026.

In our reading, a record that does not show up in the state search is a reason to ask which county or city issued the license, not an answer by itself.

Where do complaints about an Alabama electrician go?

The board's complaint page, read 1 November 2026, says: "Complaints must be submitted to the Board on the Consumer Complaint Form below."

Source: Complaint submission, read 1 November 2026.

The same page describes what happens next: "Once received by the Board the complaints are reviewed to determine this agency has jurisdiction in the matter and a letter will be sent to the complainant via USPS or email, depending on how it was received, stating whether the complaint has been opened, needs more information, or is not under the jurisdiction of the Board."

Source: Complaint jurisdiction, read 1 November 2026.

The board's public records page, read 1 November 2026, has this line: "See Board Meeting Minutes, Disciplinary Actions, News, and More."

Source: Public records navigation, read 1 November 2026.

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