Texas Journeyman Exam Time Management for Both Portions

The numbers behind your pace

These come from the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin for Texas electricians (updated 9/15/2026). Dividing minutes by items gives a simple average, which is our own arithmetic and not an exam rule.

• NEC Knowledge: 130 minutes for 59 items is about 2.2 minutes an item.
• Calculations: 110 minutes for 26 items is about 4.2 minutes an item.

Time you spend on the tutorial, up to 15 minutes, does not count against your exam time. Time left on the first portion does not roll over to the second. So finishing NEC Knowledge early does not buy you anything on Calculations, and you should not rush it for that reason.

Pacing NEC Knowledge

Two minutes feels long until you are in the book. A lookup question often has three steps: find the article, find the rule, read the condition. A good plan is a first pass that answers the items you can place quickly, then a second pass for the ones that need a long read.

1. Read the stem and decide which article it points to before you open the book.
2. If you cannot name the article after 15 seconds, flag the question and move on. You can return to any question until time runs out.
3. Use your tabs first, then the index. Our tabbing guide shows how to set them up.
4. Read the exact condition in the rule. Many wrong options are right for a different condition.

Because the clock shows minutes remaining, check it at set points, such as every 15 items, instead of after each question. Constant clock-watching costs focus.

Pacing Calculations

Four minutes an item is enough for a clean method and not enough for a messy one. The way to save time is to fix your steps in advance, so you spend your minutes on arithmetic and not on deciding what to do next. Write the steps on the notepad PSI provides: the formula, the table, the check.

A worked pace example, with invented numbers: a circuit has 28 A of continuous load and 10 A of noncontinuous load. Multiply 28 by 1.25 to get 35 A, add 10 for 45 A, then look up the next standard device rating. That is under two minutes if you know the order, and over four if you have to rediscover that continuous loads take 125%. Our calculations portion guide lists the method for each type.

The two traps that eat the clock

The over-careful lookup. You find the right table, then keep reading to be sure. Set a rule: once the row and column match the question, take the value and move on.

The recalculation loop. You get an answer, doubt a step, and rework the whole item. Instead, do one quick check of units and plausibility. A voltage drop in volts that is larger than the supply is a clue you slipped, and the voltage drop calculator lets you test that habit in practice.

What to do when an item is stuck

If you have spent about double your average on one item and still do not have a path, flag it and leave it. The portion needs 70%, and one item is about 4% of Calculations. Spending ten minutes on it is the expensive choice. Answer something so it is never blank, flag it, and come back if time allows.

Train on the real clocks

Pacing is a skill you build, not a plan you read. Run your practice sets timed, separately for each portion, in your tabbed 2026 NEC. The exam day arrangements, like arriving 30 minutes early and what you may carry in, are in our exam day guide.

Take the free 10-question check with a timer running. It needs no signup, and you will see right away whether your lookup time or your math time is the one to fix.

FAQ

Do I get a break between the two portions?

The bulletin lets you leave the exam room only for the restroom, with the proctor's permission, and you get no extra time. Plan to take each portion on its own clock.

Can I go back to earlier questions?

Yes. You can return to any question and change an answer until time runs out.

Does leftover time carry over?

No. Time left on NEC Knowledge does not roll over to Calculations.