# Electrician Exam 2026: Journeyman & Master License Test Guide

> Electrician exam guide for journeyman and master licenses: state rules, NEC-based open-book format, experience hours, study tips and practice questions.

- Source: https://studyforgelabs.com/electrician-licensing-exam-guide/
- Publisher: Studyforge Labs Ltd (UK company number 17563947)
- Last updated: 6 November 2026

The journeyman and master electrician exams are state licensing tests that electricians in the US must pass before they can work at those license levels. Each state (or in some places, a city or county) sets its own rules, but most exams are built around the **National Electrical Code (NEC)** , many are **open book** , and they are commonly delivered by testing companies such as **PSI** or **Prometric** after you prove thousands of hours of supervised experience.

## What is the electrician licensing exam?

There is no single national electrician license in the US. Instead, a state licensing board or agency decides who may work as a journeyman or master electrician and requires an exam as part of that decision. The exam checks that you can find and apply NEC rules, do common electrical calculations and follow your state’s licensing laws. Because the rules differ, always confirm the details with your own state board before you apply or book.

Typical patterns you will see across states:

| Topic | Details |
| --- | --- |
| **Who sets the rules** | A state board or agency, such as the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) or Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) |
| **Main reference** | The NEC (NFPA 70), using the edition your state has adopted |
| **Format** | Computer-based multiple choice, often open book |
| **Passing score** | 70% in states such as Texas and Washington |
| **Exam providers** | Commonly PSI or Prometric, under contract with the state |
| **Eligibility** | Documented on-the-job hours under a licensed electrician, plus classroom hours in some states |

## Journeyman vs master electrician exam

The **journeyman** exam is the first full license for most electricians after an apprenticeship or trainee period. It focuses on installation rules, wiring methods, branch circuits, grounding and bonding, and core calculations. The **master** exam usually comes several years later and goes deeper into service and feeder calculations, load calculations, overcurrent protection, special occupancies and the rules a master is responsible for when supervising work. Some states, including Texas and Washington, also offer separate specialty licenses or certificates (for example, industrial or sign work in Texas), with their own exams.

## Experience hours and eligibility

Every state asks you to document supervised work before you can test, but the hours and conditions vary. Two examples from official state pages:

| Topic | Details |
| --- | --- |
| **Texas (journeyman)** | TDLR requires 8,000 hours of on-the-job training under a Texas-licensed master electrician for the license. You can apply and take the exam once you have at least 7,000 hours, and each supervisor signs an experience verification form. |
| **Texas (master)** | TDLR requires 12,000 hours of on-the-job training under a Texas-licensed master electrician and at least two years holding a journeyman electrician license. |
| **Washington (general journey level, 01)** | L&I requires 8,000 hours of work experience, with no more than 4,000 hours in specialty areas, plus 96 hours of basic classroom instruction. |

Other states may count apprenticeship programs, military experience or out-of-state hours differently. Collect pay records and supervisor signatures as you go so you are not chasing paperwork later.

## Electrician exam format

Once the board approves your application, you are told how to schedule with its testing company. In Texas, TDLR uses PSI, and in Washington, L&I sends instructions for booking with PSI after approval. Prometric also publishes candidate information for some states’ electrical exams, including Hawaii. Your candidate information bulletin lists the number of questions, time limit, fees and permitted references for your exact exam, so read it carefully.

Questions usually fall into these groups:

| Topic | Details |
| --- | --- |
| **NEC rules** | Finding and applying requirements for wiring methods, conductors, boxes, overcurrent protection, grounding, services and equipment. |
| **Calculations** | Ohm’s law, power, voltage drop, conduit and box fill, and dwelling or commercial load calculations. |
| **Electrical theory** | Series and parallel circuits, single-phase and three-phase systems, and transformers. |
| **State law and rules** | Some states test their own licensing laws. Washington, for example, lets candidates bring its electrical statutes and rules (RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B), and you must pass each section with 70% or more. |

Open-book rules are strict. In Texas, the exam is open book and you must bring your own soft-bound NEC; loose-leaf, spiral-bound and ring-bound copies are not allowed. Washington allows highlighting, underlining and permanent index tabs in approved references, but not handwritten notes, removable tabs or sticky notes. Check your bulletin before you mark up your code book.

## Which NEC edition is on your exam?

The NEC is revised every three years, and the 2026 edition was released in August 2025. States adopt new editions on their own schedules, and some leave adoption to local jurisdictions, so different states test on different editions. TDLR’s exam page currently says Texas candidates may reference the 2026 NEC and that questions follow the edition TDLR has adopted. Always confirm the edition in your candidate bulletin, because section numbers and requirements can change between editions.

## How to prepare for the electrician exam

- **Get the right code book early.** Study from the exact NEC edition and binding your exam allows, so you learn where everything is.
- **Master the index and table of contents.** In an open-book exam, speed at finding the right article matters as much as memory.
- **Know the key tables.** Conductor ampacity, conduit fill, box fill, working space and grounding tables appear again and again.
- **Drill calculations daily.** Ohm’s law, single-phase and three-phase power, and load calculations should become routine.
- **Study your state’s rules.** If your exam includes state law, learn the licensing statute and rules as carefully as the NEC.
- **Practice under time pressure.** Full-length timed tests show you whether you can look up answers fast enough.

## Common mistakes to avoid

- Studying from the wrong NEC edition for your state.
- Bringing a code book with a binding or notes that the test center will not accept.
- Looking up every question; answer the ones you know first and come back to the rest.
- Forgetting the square root of 3 (about 1.732) in three-phase calculations.
- Reading conductor ampacity from a table without checking small-conductor and terminal limits.

## Electrician exam practice questions

Questions 4 and 5 refer to the 2023 NEC. If your exam uses another edition, confirm the section in your own code book.

### Question 1

A 120-volt circuit supplies a resistive load of 20 ohms. What current flows?

- A. 0.17 amperes
- B. 6 amperes
- C. 12 amperes
- D. 2,400 amperes

**Answer: B.** By Ohm’s law, I = E / R = 120 / 20 = 6 amperes.

### Question 2

A 4,800-watt, 240-volt single-phase water heater operates at its rating. What current does it draw?

- A. 10 amperes
- B. 11.5 amperes
- C. 20 amperes
- D. 40 amperes

**Answer: C.** For a single-phase resistive load, I = P / E = 4,800 / 240 = 20 amperes. Answer D comes from wrongly using 120 volts.

### Question 3

What is the approximate full-load current of a 50 kVA, 480-volt, three-phase balanced load?

- A. 35 amperes
- B. 52 amperes
- C. 60 amperes
- D. 104 amperes

**Answer: C.** For three-phase, I = VA / (E × 1.732) = 50,000 / (480 × 1.732) = 50,000 / 831.4, or about 60 amperes. Forgetting the 1.732 gives the wrong answer of 104 amperes.

### Question 4

Unless a specific exception applies, what is the maximum overcurrent protection allowed for 12 AWG copper conductors under NEC 240.4(D) (2023 NEC)?

- A. 15 amperes
- B. 20 amperes
- C. 25 amperes
- D. 30 amperes

**Answer: B.** The small-conductor rule in 240.4(D) limits 12 AWG copper to 20 amperes of overcurrent protection, even though its table ampacity can be higher. Higher protection is allowed only where 240.4(E) or (G) permits it, for example for certain motor circuits.

### Question 5

Under NEC Table 110.26(A)(1) (2023 NEC), what is the minimum depth of working space in front of a 120/240-volt panelboard where there are no exposed live or grounded parts on the opposite side (Condition 1)?

- A. 2 feet
- B. 3 feet
- C. 3.5 feet
- D. 4 feet

**Answer: B.** A 120/240-volt system is 150 volts or less to ground, and for that voltage range the table requires 3 feet (900 mm) of depth under all three conditions. The space must also be at least 30 inches wide.

## Frequently asked questions

### How hard is the journeyman electrician exam?

The journeyman exam is demanding because it combines NEC lookups, calculations and, in some states, state law under a time limit. Being open book helps only if you can find answers quickly. Candidates who know the NEC layout well and practice timed questions usually feel far more prepared.

### Is the electrician exam open book?

In many states it is. Texas and Washington both allow candidates to use the NEC during the exam, with strict rules about binding, tabs and notes. Check your state’s candidate bulletin for the exact references and edition you may bring.

### How many hours do I need to take the journeyman electrician exam?

It depends on your state. Texas requires 8,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training for the journeyman license and lets you apply to test at 7,000 hours. Washington requires 8,000 hours for the general journey level certificate plus 96 hours of basic classroom instruction. Check your state board for its exact rules.

### Can I retake the electrician exam if I fail?

Yes, though the rules vary. TDLR says Texas candidates may retake until they pass but may pay a fee for each attempt. In Washington you wait two weeks and retest only the sections you failed, with a 90-day wait after three failures within your one-year exam period.

### How much does the electrician exam cost?

Costs usually include a state application fee plus a separate exam fee paid to the testing company. In Texas, TDLR lists a $30 application fee for the journeyman electrician license and $45 for the master electrician license, with exam fees shown in the PSI candidate bulletin. Check current fees before you apply, as they can change.

### Which NEC edition should I study for the electrician exam?

Study the edition named in your state’s candidate bulletin, since states adopt NEC editions on different schedules. The NEC is updated every three years, and the 2026 edition was released in August 2025. Texas currently lets candidates reference the 2026 NEC on its exams.

## Official resources

- [Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation: Electrician examinations](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecexam.htm)
- [Washington L&I: Electrical examination](https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/electrical/electrical-licensing-exams-education/electrical-examination)
- [Washington L&I: Electrician certificates](https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/electrical/electrical-licensing-exams-education/electrician)
- [IAEI: NEC adoption by state](https://www.iaei.org/page/nec-code-adoption)

This guide is published by Studyforge Labs Ltd for study purposes and was last reviewed on 6 November 2026. Studyforge Labs and its apps are independent and are not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the NFPA, any state licensing board or any exam provider. Exam details, fees and dates can change, so always confirm them with the official sources above before you book.

## Practice app

[Electrician Exam 2026: Prep](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/electrician-exam-2026-prep/id6782827489) by Studyforge Labs: Journeyman and master practice tests built on the NEC. Free to download on iPhone and iPad; full access is an in-app purchase. Android and web versions are coming soon.