I think in one of my rambles here that I went the state license route. You needed X number of hours to be able to take the test. When I met that amount I applied. I was rejected as saying I didn't demonstrate the amount of hours. This was in the days of paper checks and I always kept my stubs. I copied my stubs, 3 to a page, and sent them back as proof and was allowed to take the test.
I was only asking as it's different everywhere. The system I just described above is different now in NC, as they went with a nationwide testing system that I had to take in TN (who did not reciprocate with NC at the time and do now). Frankly as with most things in life, it didn't mean you were a good electrician, it just meant you were good at taking a test.