Moving between states / Kentucky
Moving from Maryland to Kentucky as a journeyman electrician
What a journeyman electrician licensed in Maryland has to do to work in Kentucky, what the move does to your pay, and who in Kentucky is hiring from out of state.
Reciprocity likely. Kentucky licenses electricians at state level through the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, Electrical Licensing, and State electrician and master electrician licences; limited reciprocity, most applicants qualify by hours and take the exam. Your Maryland licence comes from the Maryland State Board of Master Electricians, a state body, which is what a reciprocity application needs: ask it for a verification letter before you move.
What the move does to your paycheck
Maryland and Kentucky take about the same from a $60,000 salary; the difference is under $150 a year either way.
| Salary | Maryland state tax | Kentucky state tax | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,610 | $1,600 | +$10 |
| $60,000 | $2,415 | $2,400 | +$15 |
| $90,000 | $3,622 | $3,600 | +$22 |
Rough figures for a single filer: exact in the flat-rate and no-tax states, approximated at 70% of the top bracket in the progressive ones. In Kentucky: many cities and counties add an occupational tax. In Maryland: counties add 2.25 to 3.2% on top. Property and sales tax are not in it.
CNA: Maryland to Kentucky
Transfers by reciprocity. Your Maryland certificate stays on the Maryland Board of Nursing, Certified Nursing Assistant program; to work in Kentucky you apply to the Kentucky Board of Nursing, Nurse Aide Registry for reciprocity. It accepts an active certificate in good standing from another state; there is no retest if your record is clean. Most registries list you within two to six weeks.
RN and LPN: Maryland to Kentucky
Works on day one. Both Maryland and Kentucky are in the Nurse Licensure Compact. A multistate RN or LPN licence from Maryland is valid in Kentucky the day you arrive. Once Kentucky is your primary residence, apply there for a Kentucky multistate licence; most boards allow 30 to 60 days.
CDL: Maryland to Kentucky
Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Kentucky resident you surrender the Maryland CDL at a Kentucky driver licence office, pass the vision test, pay the fee, and your endorsements carry over. A hazmat endorsement needs a fresh TSA threat assessment in Kentucky. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.
Does Kentucky pay you to come?
No statewide program in Kentucky pays people to move in. Towns sometimes list an offer through MakeMyMove, and employers in short-staffed trades pay relocation themselves; ask for it in writing before you accept.
Openings filed in Kentucky
58 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Kentucky employers who could not fill them locally.
- Farm Worker LaborSOUTHWEST FARMS, LLC · Murray · $14.33/hr
- FARM WORKER LABORKANARY KENTUCKY, LLC · SEDALIA · $14.33/hr
- Stable AttendantRobert Gentry · Lexington · $14.33/hr
- Loan Sales SpecialistOneMain Financial · Lexington
- Livestock Worker/Ranch handCarlton Lee Barker · Adairville · $14.33/hr
- FARM LABORBATTS FARMS, LLC · WATER VALLEY · $14.33/hr
Your own route from Maryland to Kentucky
Tell us your trade and your licence. We write the steps for your case, check the job offer for scams, and keep your resume ready for Kentucky employers.
Plan my move to KentuckySame move, by trade
CNA: Maryland to Kentucky · RN or LPN: Maryland to Kentucky · Truck driver: Maryland to Kentucky · All licences: Maryland to Kentucky
From Maryland to the states next to Kentucky
Indiana (flat 3% state income tax) · Ohio (progressive, top rate 3.5%) · West Virginia (progressive, top rate 4.82%) · Virginia (progressive, top rate 5.75%) · Tennessee (no state income tax) · Missouri (progressive, top rate 4.7%) · Illinois (flat 4.95% state income tax)
To Kentucky from the states next to Maryland
Pennsylvania · Delaware · Virginia · West Virginia
Everything about working in Kentucky · All moves between states · All 50 states