Arkansas journeyman electrician exam: format, NEC edition and fee

The exam in brief

• Exam: Arkansas Journeyman Electrician
• Vendor: Prov
• NEC edition: the bulletin names both 2020 and 2023 (see the next section).
• Questions: 60
• Time: 180 minutes
• Passing score: 70%
• Book: open book. The 2023 NEC is the one reference marked open book. Highlighting and underlining in pen are allowed before the exam, and permanent tabs are allowed. Post-it notes, repositionable tabs, handwritten notes and formulas are not, and nothing such as a formula sheet or the Tom Henry or Kelly indexes may be glued or taped into the book. You cannot mark in the book during the exam.
• Where you test: one of Prov's 10 testing centers in Arkansas, any Prov center in the United States, or from home through Prov's remote proctoring.
• Fee: $80 for the computer-based exam, paid to Prov when you register. The Board's rules also list an $80 journeyman examination fee, so ask the Board whether you owe it on top.
• Route: apply to take the exam through the Board's online licensing portal, linked from its Electrical Inspection and Licensing page, which also carries an Electrician Work Verification Affidavit form. Applications must reach the Board five business days before a scheduled Board meeting, and after review the Board issues a list of applicants approved for the exam. You then register and schedule with Prov, online or by phone.
• Retakes: no limit on attempts, with a 2-day wait after a failed attempt. Under the Board's rules, if you finished an apprenticeship program you stay approved for later attempts, and if you did not, the Board may require up to two years of apprenticeship first.

Which NEC edition to bring

Prov's bulletin points two ways. The journeyman exam's heading says it uses the 2020 NEC, but the only book on its reference list is the 2023 NEC, and Prov's book rules permit an older or newer edition of a listed book. The Board's own rules adopt the 2026 NEC as the state's standard for electrical work (17 CAR § 210-401). Confirm the edition with the Board or Prov before you buy a book. Most skills carry over between editions, but section numbers can move, so practice your lookups in the edition you will bring. The open-book rules guide shows how other states' book rules compare.

What it covers

The bulletin lists ten areas by item count: General Knowledge of the Electrical Trade and Calculations 9, Service, Feeders, Branch Feeders and Overcurrent Protection 8, Raceways and Enclosures 8, Conductors 7, Motors and Controls 7, Grounding and Bonding 6, Utilization and General Use Equipment 6, Special Occupancies and Equipment 4, Safety 3, and Low Voltage Circuits, Including Alarms and Communications 2. There is no law and rules area. Each one falls into one or more of the twelve in our journeyman exam outline.

How our practice exam fits

Our practice exam is written to the 2023 NEC, the edition on Arkansas's reference list. It is 100 questions in 240 minutes, about 2.4 minutes a question, against Arkansas's 60 in 180, or 3 minutes a question, so you train at a faster pace than exam day asks. Like Arkansas's journeyman exam, ours has no law and rules section. It is not Arkansas's exam. See the journeyman exam guide for how other states compare.

Take the free 10-question journeyman check. It is written to the 2023 NEC, needs no signup, explains every answer and names your weakest area.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by NFPA, Prov or the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing. NEC and National Electrical Code are registered trademarks of NFPA.

Sources

Show the list

• Arkansas Department of Labor - Electrical Examining Board candidate information bulletin, Prov, AR CIB 2026.11.09, effective 31 Oct 2026, last revised 9 Nov 2026. Retrieved 9 Nov 2026.
• Electrical Inspection and Licensing, Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing. Retrieved 9 Nov 2026.
• Rules of the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas, 17 CAR Part 210, Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing. Retrieved 9 Nov 2026.