How to Check a Colorado Electrician's License

Published October 20, 2026 · Hiring

Short answer: in Colorado, electrical work for hire is done by licensed electricians working for a registered electrical contractor (C.R.S. 12-115). To check, look up both the contractor's registration and its master electrician's license with the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA) online license lookup, confirm they're active, and, for work inside Fort Collins city limits, confirm the contractor is also registered with the City of Fort Collins. Then ask who pulls the permit and get proof of insurance.

This is general information, not legal advice. Statute quotes below are from the colorado.public.law mirror of C.R.S. Title 12, Article 115; check the official text or the State Electrical Board if a detail matters to your situation.

The three electrician licenses in Colorado law

Colorado licenses individual electricians in three roles (C.R.S. 12-115-103):

• Master electrician: may "plan, lay out, and supervise the installation and repair of wiring apparatus and equipment."
• Journeyman electrician: may "wire for, install, and repair electrical apparatus and equipment."
• Residential wireman: limited to "one-, two-, three-, and four-family dwellings."

The law says no one may work as one of these without a license or temporary permit from the state (C.R.S. 12-115-109(1)), and it bars anyone from advertising or using those three titles unless licensed (C.R.S. 12-115-112). That's why you'll never see this site call itself any of them: Electrician Fort Collins is a quote service, not an electrician.

Contractor registration: the company behind the electrician

Individuals are licensed; companies are registered. Under C.R.S. 12-115-110, no one may "engage in the business of an electrical contractor without having first registered with the board." Each registered contractor must "employ at least one licensed master electrician who shall be in charge of the supervision of all electrical work." That master may be named for only one contractor, must work full-time for it, and "is responsible for all electrical work performed by the electrical contracting company." Contractors must also comply with workers' compensation requirements to register.

So when you check a company, you're really checking two things: the company's contractor registration and the license of the master electrician it names.

How to use the DORA license lookup

The Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations, part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), runs the State Electrical Board and its public license lookup. You can start from the Division's electrical program page. A simple routine:

1. Get the details in writing

   Ask the contractor for its legal business name, its Colorado electrical contractor registration number and the name of its master electrician.

2. Look up the registration

   Search the company and confirm the registration is active and the name matches the one on your quote.

3. Look up the master electrician

   Search the master's name or license number and confirm the license is active and is the master type.

4. Check who will be on site

   Ask whether the people doing the work are licensed journeymen or residential wiremen, or apprentices working under supervision.

If something doesn't match, such as a different company name or an expired status, ask the contractor about it before you go further. Questions can also go to the State Electrical Board.

The extra step inside Fort Collins: City registration

Fort Collins runs its own permits and inspections, and it has its own contractor rules. According to the City's Contractor Licensing page, master electricians "must be listed on permits for their trade," need a Colorado state license with the relationship of supervisor, and must "register with the City to work in Fort Collins" (no City exam is required). A City business license is also required.

To confirm a contractor's City registration, contact City of Fort Collins Building Services at 970-416-2740. Other local offices have their own rules. Wellington says electrical-only permits must list the electrician and state license number, verified on DORA. In unincorporated Larimer County, the master electrician registers with the County. Loveland and Windsor have their own requirements; check with the city or town.

What about homeowners doing their own work?

Colorado does not require a license for an individual "doing electrical work on his or her own property or residence," but the work still has to be inspected, and the exemption doesn't apply if the property is intended for sale or resale or is rented to tenants (C.R.S. 12-115-116(2)). Fort Collins limits its exemption to owners working on their own single-family home, with conditions, and requires a notarized homeowner affidavit before a permit is issued. Our Fort Collins electrical permit guide covers the process.

Questions to ask before you sign

• What is your Colorado electrical contractor registration number, and who is your master electrician?
• Are you registered with the City of Fort Collins (or the town or county where I live)?
• Who pulls the permit, and will it be pulled before work starts?
• Can you send proof of insurance?
• Does the written quote say whether the utility's service-upgrade costs are included?

That last one matters most for panel and service work. The City of Fort Collins says electrician bids usually don't include Fort Collins Utilities' service-upgrade costs. If you're comparing bids for a panel upgrade, an EV charger installation or electrical repair and troubleshooting, our Fort Collins electrician cost guide shows typical national ranges so you can tell whether a bid is in the expected range.

Why unlicensed work is a bad bargain

Colorado law says anyone who "practices or offers or attempts to practice the profession of an electrician without an active license" is subject to penalties (C.R.S. 12-115-123). For you, the bigger risks are practical: work done without a permit and inspection can come up when you sell, and you have less recourse if something goes wrong. Paying a little more for a registered contractor that pulls a permit is usually the better deal.

Want to know more about how this site works? See about us. This is general information, not legal advice.