Master electrician exam book rules: tabs, highlighting and editions
Master electrician exams are open book in every state bulletin we read, but each state decides which books, which marks and which tabs, and a test center can turn away a book that breaks the rules. Here is what the Michigan, Virginia, Utah and Oklahoma bulletins say, and what to check in yours.
What the four bulletins allow
| State | NEC edition | Tabs and marks | Other books | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 2023 | Factory markings, highlighting and factory tabs only | Michigan's licensing act and electrical code rules, printed and stapled, unmarked; no NEC Handbook | Listed among personal items you cannot bring |
| Virginia | 2020 | Highlighting, underlining and indexing done beforehand; permanent tabs only; no writing | NFPA 70E is on the reference list; no study guides | Handheld calculators are on the prohibited list |
| Utah | 2023 | See the bulletin | NFPA 70E, Ugly's Electrical References and the Utah statutes, rules and safety references the bulletin marks open book | Not stated in the sections we read |
| Oklahoma (Unlimited Electrical Contractor) | 2023 | Highlighting, underlining and indexing done beforehand; permanent tabs only; no writing | OSHA construction standards (29 CFR 1926) and Ugly's Electrical References; no NEC Handbook or spiral-bound NEC | Silent, non-printing, non-programmable calculator allowed |
From the bulletins read on 8 November 2026. Where a bulletin does not say whether an on-screen calculator is provided, we do not guess. Each state sets its own rules and can change them, so read your bulletin and confirm with your board before exam day.
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Grounding and Bonding
A service with 350 kcmil copper conductors has a GEC that runs only to two driven ground rods. Table 250.66 would give 2 AWG copper for these service conductors. What is the largest GEC the rods require?
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Set up your book for the calculations
- Buy the edition your state names. A different edition can move the rule you need. The 2026 NEC, for one, moved load calculations out of Article 220.
- Tab the calculation articles first. A master exam spends more questions on load calculations and sizing, so put permanent tabs where you work them: Article 220 load calculations, Article 215 feeders, Article 230 services, Article 240 overcurrent protection, Article 250 grounding and bonding, Article 310 conductors, Article 430 motors, Article 450 transformers and the Chapter 9 tables. Use only tabs your state allows.
- Know the parts of Article 220. The standard calculations, the optional calculations and the farm calculations sit in different parts of the article. Knowing which part a question needs saves minutes.
- Highlight only if allowed, and only before the exam.
- Practice with the same book. Every lookup you rehearse in your own copy is time saved at the test center.
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Why lookups still matter on a calculation exam
A load calculation is a chain of lookups: a unit load, a demand factor, a conductor ampacity, a standard device size. Miss one and the answer is off. Learn the order of the chapters, use the index for terms you do not know, and read the whole rule including its exceptions before you answer.
Take the free 10-question master electrician check. It is written to the 2023 NEC, needs no signup, explains every answer and names your weakest area.
Testing in Texas? Texas has its own book rules, covered in the Texas journeyman NEC book rules. Journeyman rules in other states: journeyman open-book rules.
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
- Michigan electrical candidate information bulletin, PSI. Retrieved 8 Nov 2026.
- Virginia tradesman candidate information bulletin, PSI. Retrieved 8 Nov 2026.
- Utah electrical candidate information bulletin, Prov. Retrieved 8 Nov 2026.
- Oklahoma candidate information bulletin, PSI. Retrieved 8 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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