Journeyman electrician exam by state: format, code edition and retakes

The journeyman electrician exam isn't one national test. Each state that licenses journeymen decides on its own exam. In 15 states we found no statewide journeyman license at all, so any exam there comes from a city or county. The number of questions, the code edition, the passing score and the retake rules all change at the state line.

This guide gives those details for each state, from the state's own pages and rules and the candidate bulletins published by its testing company, as we found them on November 6, 2026. Where an official source doesn't say, we say so. Bulletins change, so read your state's current one before you book. Each state name links to our page on that state's licensing, which covers hours, fees and renewals.

The short answer

Of the 52 places covered here (the 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico):

• 35 have a state or territory exam. They're covered below.
• 15 have no statewide journeyman license that we found, so any exam is local.
• 2 we couldn't confirm: Arizona and New Jersey.

Most of these exams are open book and built around the National Electrical Code (NEC). Across the 35:

• Who gives it: PSI runs the test for most states that name a company. Prov is the next most common, and a few regulators run their own exams.
• Passing score: 70% is the most common. Alabama, Delaware, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon and Utah require 75%.
• Length: from 52 questions in Oregon to 110 in New Hampshire and, across its two parts, Massachusetts. Across whole exams, time ranges from about 2 minutes a question in Michigan to about 4 in Minnesota.
• Code edition: it varies by state. Colorado, Maine, Minnesota and Texas had moved to the 2026 NEC when we checked, and North Dakota's December 2026 exams use it. Ten states use the 2023 NEC, and Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, Virginia and Washington list the 2020 NEC.

The exam at a glance

"State" means the state agency runs the exam itself. A dash means the sources we checked don't say or don't settle it, or that the only source we found is too old to rely on. "Questions" counts scored questions where a bulletin separates them, except in Texas, where the counts include 5 unscored items. Massachusetts and Texas have two parts.

Three cautions:

• Check the bulletin's date. The Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska and Washington entries come from the most recent bulletins we could find, dated 2024 or 2025, and Montana's code edition comes from a board page that dates it to 2022. A state can change its code edition before a bulletin catches up.
• A state's adopted code isn't always the exam's code. Arkansas adopted the 2026 NEC, for example, but the rule we read doesn't say which edition its exam uses.
• D.C. and New Mexico need a direct check. The only bulletins we could retrieve were last updated in 2022 and 2017, so we left out their details. Ask the agency or PSI for the current one.

The exam in each state

"Not stated" means the sources we checked don't say. It doesn't mean there's no rule, so ask the state. Passing usually isn't the last step: states also check your hours, application and fees.

Alabama

• Who gives it: Prov, for the Electrical Contractors Board
• Format: 80 questions, 240 minutes, 75% to pass
• Code edition: 2023 NEC
• Retakes: New Board approval before each attempt; wait 30 days
• Source: Prov bulletin (PDF)

Alaska

• Who gives it: Not stated
• Format: Passing score 70%; question count not stated
• Code edition: Not stated
• Retakes: Wait 30 days
• Source: Licenses and requirements

Arkansas

• Who gives it: Board of Electrical Examiners; testing company not stated
• Format: Not stated
• Code edition: Exam edition not stated; the state adopted the 2026 NEC
• Retakes: A failed applicant who finished an apprenticeship stays approved for later exams; one who didn't may be required to complete up to 2 years of apprenticeship first
• Source: Board rules (PDF)

California

• Who gives it: CPS HR Consulting, scheduled through Pearson VUE
• Format: 100 questions, 4 hours 30 minutes, 70% to pass
• Code edition: 2023 NEC, on screen
• Retakes: Wait 60 days, then send a retest application and another fee
• Source: Candidate bulletin (PDF)

Colorado

• Who gives it: PSI, for the State Electrical Board
• Format: 90 scored questions, 240 minutes, 70% to pass, plus up to 10 unscored questions and 30 more minutes
• Code edition: 2026 NEC since August 1, 2026, supplied at the test center
• Retakes: No waiting period stated; not the same day. Retest fee $73
• Source: PSI bulletin (PDF)

Connecticut

• Who gives it: An exam vendor; not named on the state's page
• Format: Not stated
• Code edition: Not stated
• Retakes: Not stated
• Source: Electrical license page

Delaware

• Who gives it: A Division-approved test; vendor not named
• Format: 75% to pass; question count not stated
• Code edition: Exam edition not stated; only the NEC book may be used
• Retakes: Not stated
• Source: Board rules

Washington, D.C.

• Who gives it: PSI
• Format: Not confirmed: the bulletin we found is from 2022
• Code edition: Not confirmed: that bulletin lists the 2011 NEC
• Retakes: Not stated
• Source: Board of Industrial Trades

Hawaii

• Who gives it: PSI, after Board approval
• Format: 70 questions, 180 minutes, 70% to pass
• Code edition: 2020 NEC, provided at the test center (bulletin from March 2024)
• Retakes: No waiting period stated; may be within 2 business days, depending on space
• Source: PSI bulletin (PDF)

Idaho

• Who gives it: PSI
• Format: 100 questions, 270 minutes, 70% to pass (PSI's July 2026 bulletin; the December 2025 copy on the state's site says 75%)
• Code edition: 2020 or 2023 NEC
• Retakes: No limit; a fee for each attempt
• Source: PSI bulletin (PDF)

Iowa

• Who gives it: PSI, for the Electrical Examining Board
• Format: 80 scored questions, 180 minutes, 70% to pass, plus 8 unscored questions and 30 more minutes
• Code edition: 2023 NEC (bulletin from September 2025)
• Retakes: Authorization covers 2 attempts or 6 months, then contact the Board; no waiting period stated; not the same day
• Source: PSI bulletin (PDF)

Kentucky

• Who gives it: Prov
• Format: 80 questions, 180 minutes, 70% to pass
• Code edition: 2023 NEC
• Retakes: No limit; wait 30 days
• Source: Prov bulletin (PDF)

Maine

• Who gives it: Prov
• Format: 80 questions, 180 minutes, 70% to pass
• Code edition: 2026 NEC
• Retakes: No limit; wait 1 day
• Source: Prov bulletin (PDF)

Maryland

• Who gives it: PSI, for the State Board of Electricians
• Format: 70 questions, 210 minutes, 49 correct (70%) to pass
• Code edition: 2020 NEC; you bring it (bulletin from September 2024)
• Retakes: Wait 30 days
• Source: PSI bulletin (PDF)

Massachusetts

• Who gives it: PSI, for the Board of State Examiners of Electricians
• Format: Two parts: 80 questions in 180 minutes, then 30 applied questions in 60 minutes; 70% on each
• Code edition: Current adopted NEC and Massachusetts amendments; no year named. Exam content changes in July of the code year
• Retakes: Retake only the failed part, but pass both within 12 months or retake both. After 3 failed attempts, show added study for 3 more; after 6, repeat the required education hours
• Source: PSI bulletin (PDF)

Michigan

• Who gives it: PSI, for the state
• Format: 80 questions, 150 minutes, 75% to pass
• Code edition: 2023 NEC
• Retakes: PSI limits journeymen to 2 attempts within 1 year, then you reapply, though the same bulletin also has a general "retest unlimited" line. State law adds that after 2 failures in 2 years you wait at least 1 year and show a board-approved course
• Source: PSI bulletin (PDF)

Minnesota

• Who gives it: Department of Labor and Industry
• Format: 80 questions, 5½ hours, 70% to pass
• Code edition: 2026 NEC since August 17, 2026
• Retakes: Retake 30 days after you're told you failed; apply for another date
• Source: Exam guide (PDF)

Montana

• Who gives it: PSI, for the State Electrical Board
• Format: Open book, 70% to pass; question count not stated
• Code edition: 2020 NEC (Board page, as of 2022)
• Retakes: Pass within 1 year of Board approval. Take the next scheduled exam; after a second failure, show an 8-hour code seminar
• Source: Exam information

Nebraska

• Who gives it: PSI, for the State Electrical Board
• Format: 80 scored questions, 240 minutes, 75% to pass, plus 8 unscored questions and 30 more minutes
• Code edition: 2020 or 2023 NEC (bulletin from March 2025)
• Retakes: Not stated
• Source: PSI bulletin (PDF)

New Hampshire

• Who gives it: Prov, for the Electrician Board
• Format: 110 questions, 270 minutes, 70% to pass
• Code edition: Exams are titled 2017 and 2020, and the 2020 exam's reference list names both the 2020 code and the 2023 NEC. Confirm with Prov or the Board
• Retakes: No limit; wait 30 days
• Source: Prov bulletin (PDF)

New Mexico

• Who gives it: PSI
• Format: Not confirmed: the bulletin we found was last updated in 2017
• Code edition: Not stated
• Retakes: Not stated
• Source: Journeyman application (PDF)

North Dakota

• Who gives it: State Electrical Board
• Format: 1 hour closed book plus 3.5 hours open book, 70% to pass
• Code edition: Current NEC; December 2026 exams use the 2026 NEC
• Retakes: Depends on score: 60–69 no wait, 50–59 3 months, 0–49 6 months; reapply
• Source: Exam dates and information

Oklahoma

• Who gives it: PSI, for the Construction Industries Board
• Format: 100 questions, 240 minutes, 70% to pass
• Code edition: 2023 NEC as adopted by Oklahoma
• Retakes: Wait 30 days
• Source: PSI bulletin (PDF)

Oregon

• Who gives it: Building Codes Division
• Format: 52 questions, 3 hours, 75% to pass
• Code edition: NEC with Oregon amendments; no year stated
• Retakes: Wait 30 days; reapply
• Source: Exam information

Puerto Rico

• Who gives it: Expert Electricians Examining Board (the perito electricista exam), three times a year
• Format: Practical and theoretical parts, 70% on each
• Code edition: Not stated
• Retakes: Retake only the failed part; a passed part expires after 2 years
• Source: Law 115 of 1976 (PDF, Spanish)

Rhode Island

• Who gives it: Department of Labor and Training takes applications; testing company not stated
• Format: 70 or greater to pass; question count not stated
• Code edition: Not stated
• Retakes: Not stated
• Source: Exam application (PDF)

South Dakota

• Who gives it: Electrical Commission approves you first; testing company not stated
• Format: Not stated
• Code edition: 2023 NEC since December 2, 2024
• Retakes: Not stated
• Source: Exams

Texas

• Who gives it: PSI, for TDLR
• Format: Two portions, 70% on each: NEC Knowledge (59 items, 130 minutes) and Calculations (26 items, 110 minutes). The item counts include 5 unscored items
• Code edition: 2026 NEC since September 1, 2026
• Retakes: No limit while your year of eligibility lasts; fees may apply to each attempt
• Source: TDLR exam page

Utah

• Who gives it: Prov
• Format: Written: 100 questions, 240 minutes, 75% to pass. Plus a practical exam
• Code edition: 2023 NEC
• Retakes: Wait 30 days; after a sixth failure, 120 days
• Source: Prov bulletin (PDF)

Vermont

• Who gives it: Prov, for the Division of Fire Safety
• Format: 90 questions, 240 minutes, 70% to pass
• Code edition: 2023 NEC, plus Vermont's 2025 Electrical Safety Rules
• Retakes: Up to 3 attempts on one approval; no waiting period
• Source: Prov bulletin (PDF)

Virginia

• Who gives it: PSI, for DPOR
• Format: 70 questions, 210 minutes, 49 correct (70%) to pass
• Code edition: 2020 NEC; you bring it
• Retakes: No waiting period stated; may be within 2 business days, depending on space
• Source: PSI bulletin (PDF)

Washington

• Who gives it: PSI, for L&I
• Format: 70% on each section; section lengths are in the bulletin's table
• Code edition: 2020 NEC plus Washington law and rules (bulletin from 2025)
• Retakes: Wait 14 days. After 3 failures in a one-year exam period, 90 days (the same page also says 3 months). Passed sections count for that period only
• Source: L&I exam page

West Virginia

• Who gives it: State Fire Marshal; the rule lets it use a private testing agent, and the current arrangement isn't stated
• Format: 70% to pass; question count not stated
• Code edition: NEC; the rule names no edition
• Retakes: Not stated
• Source: Licensing rule (PDF)

Wisconsin

• Who gives it: DSPS, at Pearson and DSPS exam locations
• Format: Open book, 70% to pass; question count not stated
• Code edition: 2023 NEC or Handbook
• Retakes: Not stated
• Source: Licensure by examination

Wyoming

• Who gives it: Not stated
• Format: 70% to pass; question count not stated
• Code edition: Not stated
• Retakes: Not stated
• Source: State rules

What's on the exam

Your state's bulletin has a content outline listing the topics and how many questions each one gets. Virginia's tells candidates to "use the outline as the basis of your study." Topic names differ, but the NEC-based sections look similar. Idaho's 100 questions, for example, break down this way:

Beyond the NEC, many exams test other things:

• Calculations. Texas puts them in a separate portion with its own time limit, 26 items in 110 minutes.
• State law and rules. Michigan's exam covers the Skilled Trades Regulation Act and the state's electrical code rules. Washington's has a section on state codes. Virginia's outline starts with the board's standards of practice and conduct, and Vermont's has 5 questions on local amendments.
• Theory. Maryland's outline lists 20 questions on electrical theory, including Ohm's law.
• Hands-on work. Utah adds practical tests, such as conduit bending and motor control, and Puerto Rico's exam has a practical part.

Which books you can use

Open book doesn't mean the same thing everywhere, so read your bulletin's reference list before you buy anything.

• The test center supplies the code in some states. California shows its references on screen, and you may not bring your own. Colorado and Hawaii provide the code book at the test center, and North Dakota's board provides code books.
• You bring your own in others. Maryland and Virginia, for example, say references aren't provided. The Virginia bulletin says code questions are based only on the edition it lists, whichever edition you bring.
• Marking rules differ. Washington allows highlighting, underlining and permanent index tabs, but not sticky notes. Wisconsin bans removable tabs and sticky notes. Michigan allows only factory markings and factory tabs in the code book. Colorado says you may not write in, highlight or underline the book it provides.

States where the exam is local

Our licensing research found no statewide journeyman license in these states. They license contractors, or nothing; Tennessee also has a limited individual license. Ask the building department where you'll work which exam it accepts.

• Florida: counties and cities may issue journeyman licenses; Hillsborough County notes there is no State of Florida requirement to hold a journeyman certificate of competency.
• Georgia: the statewide license is an electrical contractor license (Class I or Class II).
• Illinois: state law lets municipalities require electrical contractors to register. Springfield has its own electrical license, and its application asks for the ICC Master Electrician exam.
• Indiana: Lafayette, for example, requires an electrical license, or work as a journeyman or trainee employed or supervised by a licensed electrician.
• Kansas: counties and cities may license electricians; Sedgwick County and Wichita require journeyman and master trade certificates.
• Louisiana: the state licenses electrical contractors, and state law excludes the employees of statewide-licensed electrical contractors from local exam or certification requirements as a condition of that work. New Orleans requires electricians working in the city to hold a city license renewed every year.
• Mississippi: the state Board of Contractors licenses contractors, with an electrical classification.
• Missouri: the state licenses electrical contractors and lets local governments set their own contractor licenses; Springfield requires electricians to be tested and certified.
• Nevada: the State Contractors Board licenses contractors; Reno requires electrical work to be done by someone with a journeyman certificate.
• New York: local governments license electrical contractors. In New York City, electricians must be licensed by the Department of Buildings.
• North Carolina: the state board licenses electrical contractors; Asheville issues a journeyman electrician license.
• Ohio: the state licenses electrical contractors; journeyman licenses are local, such as Middletown's.
• Pennsylvania: the state has no licensing for most construction contractors or their employees; some municipalities, such as Allentown, license electricians.
• South Carolina: the state licenses electrical contractors, such as residential electrical contractors.
• Tennessee: the state's Limited Licensed Electrician license, issued to people who pass its trade exam, applies only where the state handles permits, for projects under $25,000. Chattanooga, for example, issues its own journeyman license.

Some of these local licenses rely on a national exam, so ask which one before you book. Sedgwick County, Kansas, asks for 75% or better on International Code Council (ICC) exam 558 or KGH. New Orleans asks for a passing ICC F17 National Standard Journeyman Electrician report. Allentown, Pennsylvania, lists a National Standard Journeyman exam, code T17.

States we couldn't confirm

• Arizona: the state contractor board's page refused our automated check for this guide.
• New Jersey: the state law page returned an error when we checked. Our state page covers what we've confirmed about its Class A journeyman license.

How to prepare

1. Get approved first, if your state requires it. In many states you can't book until the regulator approves your hours. Some exams also have a deadline after approval, such as one year in California, 60 days in Oregon and two attempts or six months in Iowa, so don't apply until you can test.
2. Download your state's current bulletin and study from its content outline and reference list.
3. Study the right code edition. Buy the edition your bulletin names. If you learned the trade on an older code, look for what changed.
4. Practice finding answers in the code. Washington's labor department says "the examination is not about what you have memorized" and that knowing your reference material will greatly improve your chances. Time yourself, because you won't have long on each question.
5. Practice calculations under time. Work them as well as code lookups, especially if your state tests them separately.
6. Don't skip the state material. If your bulletin lists state laws or rules, study them too.
7. Take classes if you need them. Washington's bulletin warns that on-the-job experience "is typically not enough to ensure a passing grade."
8. Use practice exams as practice. Prov lists digital practice exams in its bulletins, and our electrical exam prep page lists tools by code edition and topic. A practice score isn't a guarantee of passing.

Other things to know

• An apprenticeship can replace the exam in Maryland. It has a license route by registered apprenticeship with an exam waiver. Ask your board whether your state has one.
• This isn't the apprenticeship aptitude test. That test comes before an apprenticeship, not at the end of one. See our aptitude test guide.
• Moving states? Some states accept another state's license or exam. Your state page covers reciprocity where we've reviewed it.