Iowa journeyman electrician exam: format, NEC edition and fee
The Electrical Examining Board in Iowa's Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) licenses journeyman electricians, and PSI runs the exam. These facts come from PSI's Iowa bulletin (updated 9/19/2025), PSI's test listing and DIAL's electrical licensing pages, read on 9 November 2026. Iowa sets its own rules and can change them, so confirm with DIAL and the bulletin before you book.
The exam in brief
- Exam: Journeyman Electrician
- Vendor: PSI
- NEC edition: 2023. DIAL's FAQ says PSI has tested the 2023 NEC since 1 January 2024.
- Questions: 80 scored, plus 8 unscored questions that help PSI build future exams.
- Time: 180 minutes for the scored questions and 30 for the unscored ones, 210 minutes in all.
- Passing score: 70%
- Book: open book. Bring the 2023 NEC or the 2023 NEC Handbook. Highlighting, underlining and indexing must be done beforehand, permanent tabs only, no writing in the book before or during the exam and no loose or attached papers. Ugly's Electrical References is on the bulletin's not-allowed list.
- Calculator: you get an online calculator, or you can bring a silent, battery-operated, non-programmable one with no paper tape and no alphabet keyboard.
- Fee: $87, and $87 for a retake (PSI's test listing).
- Route: send the Board a license application and a testing sponsorship request. DIAL takes applications through the Electrical Licensing System at iowaelectrical.gov, where you apply for a new license by examination. Once the Board approves you, it sends an authorization to test letter, and you pay and book with PSI. The letter is good for two attempts or six months. The license fee is not due until you pass.
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What it covers
The bulletin weights seven areas by percent: General Electrical Knowledge 13, Wiring and Protection 25, Wiring Methods and Materials 19, Equipment for General Use 19, Special Occupancies 13, Special Equipment 6 and Special Conditions 6. Most of those names follow the NEC's own chapters, so Chapters 2 to 4 carry 63% of the exam. There is no law and rules area. Each area falls into one or more of the twelve in our journeyman exam outline, which breaks Iowa's large wiring blocks into branch circuits, overcurrent, grounding, conductors and raceways.
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How our practice exam fits
Our practice exam is written to the 2023 NEC, the edition Iowa tests. It is 100 questions in 240 minutes, about 2.4 minutes a question, against Iowa's 80 in 180, or 2.25 minutes a question, so pick up your pace a little for exam day. Like Iowa's journeyman exam, ours has no law and rules section. Iowa lets you bring the NEC Handbook but not Ugly's, the reverse of Oklahoma's rule, and the open-book rules guide shows how to set up whichever book you bring. It is not Iowa'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, PSI or the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. NEC and National Electrical Code are registered trademarks of NFPA.
Sources
Show the list
- Iowa Electrical Examining Board candidate information bulletin, PSI, updated 9/19/2025. Retrieved 9 Nov 2026.
- PSI Iowa electrical test listing, with the IA Journeyman Electrician fee and 210-minute portion. Retrieved 9 Nov 2026.
- Electrical licensing FAQs, Iowa DIAL. Retrieved 9 Nov 2026.
- Apply for an electrical license, Iowa DIAL. Retrieved 9 Nov 2026.
Facts come from the sources listed above. If something has changed, tell us and we will correct it within 2 business days.
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