Licensed Electrician in Indiana: How to Verify Before You Hire

Indiana requires electricians and electrical contractors to be licensed through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency — one of the clearest licensing frameworks in the Midwest. If you are hiring an electrician in Indiana, you can verify their credentials in minutes through pla.in.gov. Knowing what to look for before you hire is the difference between a protected project and an expensive legal problem.

This guide covers Indiana electrical license types, how to look up any electrician or electrical contractor in the state database, bond and insurance requirements, and what it costs to hire someone without a license.

Does Indiana require electricians to be licensed?

Yes. Indiana requires electricians to be licensed by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA) through the State of Indiana. There are two primary license types: Electrical Contractor (the business entity authorized to contract for electrical work) and Journeyman Electrician (the individual licensed to perform electrical installations). Both must hold active credentials before performing electrical work in Indiana.

The IPLA licensing requirement applies statewide. Whether the job is in Indianapolis, Evansville, or a small rural county, the state license is required. Local municipalities may add permit requirements on top of the state license, but the IPLA credential is the baseline everywhere in Indiana.

Indiana adopted statewide electrical licensing because unlicensed electrical work is a leading cause of residential fires. The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that electrical fires cause approximately $1.5 billion in property damage annually. State licensing requirements and inspections exist directly to reduce that figure.

What are the Indiana electrical license types?

Indiana issues two main electrical credentials: Electrical Contractor and Journeyman Electrician. An Electrical Contractor license is held by the business or company that bids and signs contracts for electrical work. A Journeyman Electrician license is held by the individual who performs the hands-on installation work. Most electrical jobs involve both — the contractor holds the contract and the journeyman does the work.

When hiring an electrical company, verify both credentials. The company should hold an active Electrical Contractor license. The lead electrician on your job should hold an active Journeyman Electrician license, or a Master Electrician credential if they are supervising other workers and pulling permits. Ask for both license numbers before work begins.

An Apprentice Electrician is allowed to perform work under the direct supervision of a licensed Journeyman or Master Electrician. Apprentices cannot work independently. If the only person on your job site is an apprentice with no licensed supervisor present, the work does not comply with Indiana licensing requirements.

How do I verify an electrician's license in Indiana?

Go to pla.in.gov and use the license lookup tool. Select the appropriate license type — either Electrical Contractor or Journeyman Electrician — and search by name or license number. The results show license status (active, expired, or revoked), the license number, and the licensee's name of record. Confirm the status is Active before signing any contract or allowing work to begin.

If a search by company name returns no results, ask the contractor directly for their IPLA license number and search by that. Some contractors operate under trade names that differ from their legal entity name on file with IPLA. A license number search is definitive and eliminates name-matching confusion.

For individual electricians, the journeyman license is issued to the person, not the company. Verify the individual's credential in addition to the company credential. An electrician whose individual license is expired is not authorized to perform work even if the company's contractor license is current.

Does Indiana require electrical contractors to be bonded?

Yes. Indiana requires Electrical Contractors licensed through IPLA to carry a surety bond as a condition of licensure. The bond provides financial protection for customers if the contractor fails to complete contracted work or causes damage they refuse to remediate. Verify that the bond is current when you check the contractor's license status at pla.in.gov — an expired bond is grounds for license suspension.

In addition to the bond, electrical contractors in Indiana are required to carry general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage. Ask for certificates of insurance and verify them with the issuing insurer before allowing any work to begin. A contractor who is bonded and insured has demonstrated financial accountability that an unlicensed operator cannot offer.

What are the risks of hiring an unlicensed electrician in Indiana?

Hiring an unlicensed electrician in Indiana exposes you to immediate safety risk, financial liability, and insurance complications. Unlicensed electrical work frequently fails inspection, requires tear-out and redo at your expense, and can void your homeowner's insurance coverage for fires or damage caused by the faulty installation. Indiana treats unlicensed electrical contracting as a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by fines and potential imprisonment — but those penalties go to the contractor, not to you.

The more immediate risk is safety. Electrical fires caused by improper wiring are the second leading cause of home fires in the United States. Improperly installed panels, undersized wiring, and missed grounding requirements are not visible problems — they develop slowly over months or years before igniting. A licensed Indiana electrician who pulls a permit ensures an independent inspector verifies the work.

At resale, unpermitted electrical work must be disclosed in Indiana or remediated before closing. Buyers' inspectors specifically look for signs of unpermitted work, including panel modifications, added circuits, and wiring that does not match permit records. The remediation cost typically exceeds the original job cost when permits and inspections are added retroactively.

What should I verify before hiring an Indiana electrician?

Before hiring any Indiana electrician, verify the Electrical Contractor license at pla.in.gov, confirm the individual journeyman's license for anyone working on your project, request certificates of insurance for general liability and workers' compensation, confirm the contractor will pull all required permits, and get a written scope of work before signing. Any licensed Indiana electrician will provide all of this without hesitation.

Permit verification matters. In Indianapolis and other Indiana cities, electrical permits require inspection by the local building authority. The permit is pulled by the licensed electrical contractor, not the homeowner. If a contractor asks you to pull the permit, or discourages you from getting one, that is a compliance red flag regardless of their license status.

CheckLicensed.comsearches the Indiana IPLA database instantly for $0.99, returning license status, expiration date, and bond information for any Indiana electrical contractor. You can also verify directly at pla.in.gov. Either way, take two minutes to check before any electrical work starts — the alternative is significantly more expensive.