Journeyman electrician exam guide for every state but Texas
There is no single national journeyman electrician exam. Each state that licenses journeyman electricians sets its own exam, picks a test vendor such as PSI or Prov, and decides the NEC edition, the number of questions, the time and the passing score. The good news: the exams cover the same core of the NEC, so you can prepare for that core and then check your own state's rules.
What state journeyman exams share
We read the current candidate bulletins for Oklahoma, Virginia, Michigan and Utah in November 2026. Every one of them is:
- Open book. You bring your own NEC. Most bulletins allow highlighting and permanent tabs made before the exam and ban the NEC Handbook. The open-book rules guide covers what to check.
- Computer-based at a vendor test center.
- 70 to 100 questions with 2.5 to 4 hours on the clock.
- Built on the same subject areas: electrical theory and calculations, definitions and general requirements, branch circuits, services and feeders, overcurrent protection, grounding and bonding, conductors and cables, raceways and boxes, motors, lighting and equipment, and special occupancies.
Most also add a few questions on the state's own licensing law and rules. A national course cannot teach those, so read your state's law and rules from your board.
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How the four states compare
| State | Vendor | NEC | Questions | Minutes | Passing score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | PSI | 2023 | 100 scored | 240 | 70% |
| Virginia | PSI | 2020 | 70 | 210 | 49 correct |
| Michigan | PSI | 2023 | 80 | 150 | 75% |
| Utah | Prov | 2023 | 100 | 240 | 75% |
From the bulletins read on 7 November 2026. Each state sets its own rules and can change them, so confirm with your board and your bulletin before you book. State pages: Oklahoma, Virginia, Michigan and Utah. We also cover California, where the 2023 NEC is provided on screen, and Connecticut, which tests journeypersons on the trade only. We also cover Iowa, Kentucky and Alabama, which test the 2023 NEC with no law section, Washington, which tests the 2020 NEC with a separate state codes section, and Colorado, which provides a 2026 NEC at the test center. We also cover Arkansas, where Prov's bulletin names both the 2020 and 2023 NEC. We also cover Delaware, which tests the 2023 NEC with no law section, Idaho, whose 100-question PSI exam lists the 2020 or 2023 NEC, and Nebraska, where PSI has tested the 2023 NEC since August 2024. We also cover Vermont, on the 2023 NEC with five local amendment questions, Maine, on the 2026 NEC, and Montana, on the 2020 NEC. Testing in Texas? Texas has its own two-portion exam on the 2026 NEC, covered in the Texas journeyman exam outline.
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Which NEC edition to study
Study the edition your state's bulletin names. Three of the four bulletins we read test the 2023 NEC, and NFPA lists more states moving from 2020 to 2023. That is why our practice exam is written to the 2023 NEC. Some states differ: Washington's exam still names the 2020 NEC, and Colorado's moved to the 2026 NEC on 1 August 2026. Montana's exam also follows the 2020 NEC, and Maine's bulletin lists only the 2026 NEC. If your state tests 2020 or 2026, most of the skills carry over, but the article and section numbers can move between editions, so practice your lookups in the book you will bring.
How to prepare
- Get your state's bulletin and note the edition, the books allowed, the calculator rule and the time.
- Learn the book, not just the rules. An open-book exam rewards fast lookups. Practice finding answers with the index and the article layout until each lookup takes a minute or two.
- Work the calculations by hand. Ohm's law, power, voltage drop, conductor ampacity with correction and adjustment, box and conduit fill, motor circuits and dwelling load calculations come up across states.
- Practice on the clock. A 100-question exam in 240 minutes gives you about 2.4 minutes a question. Time yourself the same way.
- Study your weakest heavy area first. The exam outline guide shows how the shared areas weigh. Our journeyman study plan puts them in a six-week order.
Practice that fits any state
Our journeyman practice exam is 100 original questions in 240 minutes, open book, written to the subject areas the state bulletins share and to the 2023 NEC. It does not copy or match any one state's exam, and it does not cover state law and rules. Every answer explains the reasoning and names the NEC article to look up. Try three sample questions in the practice test guide.
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.
FAQ
Is there a national journeyman electrician exam?
No. Each state that licenses journeyman electricians runs its own exam through a vendor it chooses. Some cities and counties license electricians where the state does not. The exams share most of their subject areas, which is why one practice exam can help in many states.
Is the journeyman electrician exam open book?
In all four state bulletins we read, yes: you bring the NEC edition your state tests. The rules on tabs, highlighting and other books differ by state, so read your bulletin.
How many questions are on the journeyman electrician exam?
It depends on the state: 100 in Oklahoma and Utah, 80 in Michigan and 70 in Virginia in the bulletins we read.
What score do I need to pass?
Your state sets it. In the bulletins we read it was 70% in Oklahoma, 49 of 70 in Virginia and 75% in Michigan and Utah.
Taking a master exam outside Texas? The master electrician exam guide and the master exam outline cover what state master exams share, and the free master check scores you on it.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by NFPA, PSI or Prov, or any state licensing board. NEC and National Electrical Code are registered trademarks of NFPA.
Sources
Show the list
- NEC enforcement maps, NFPA. Retrieved 7 Nov 2026.
- Oklahoma candidate information bulletin, PSI for the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board. Retrieved 7 Nov 2026.
- Virginia tradesman candidate information bulletin, PSI. Retrieved 7 Nov 2026.
- Michigan electrical candidate information bulletin, PSI. Retrieved 7 Nov 2026.
- Utah electrical candidate information bulletin, Prov. Retrieved 7 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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