Journeyman electrician exam outline: 12 shared areas
Every state writes its own journeyman electrician exam, but the content outlines in their bulletins line up closely. We took the outlines Oklahoma, Utah and Virginia publish, set aside each state's law-and-rules questions, and averaged what was left into twelve areas. Michigan publishes a topic list without weights, and every topic on it falls into one of the twelve. This is the outline our 100-question practice exam follows. It is our own map of the shared areas, not any state's outline.
- Time
- 240 minutes
- Where
- Computer-based at vendor test centers; each state names its vendor
The twelve shared areas
| Area | Items of 100 | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Definitions, general requirements and plans | 7 | Article 100 definitions, Article 110 requirements, working space, reading plans |
| Electrical theory and calculations | 14 | Ohm's law, power, series and parallel circuits, three-phase, voltage drop, cost of power |
| Branch circuits | 6 | Required circuits and outlets, GFCI and AFCI protection, ratings and continuous loads |
| Services, feeders and load calculations | 7 | Dwelling and simple commercial load calculations, service and feeder sizing |
| Overcurrent protection | 8 | Standard ratings, protecting conductors, taps and device location |
| Grounding and bonding | 10 | Electrodes, grounding electrode and equipment grounding conductors, bonding jumpers |
| Conductors and cables | 9 | Ampacity, temperature correction and adjustment, cable types |
| Raceways, boxes and fill | 9 | Conduit fill, box fill, raceway installation |
| Lighting, signs and utilization equipment | 9 | Luminaires, signs, appliances, heating and air-conditioning equipment |
| Motors, controls and transformers | 7 | Motor full-load current, conductors, overloads, short-circuit protection, transformers |
| Special occupancies and special equipment | 8 | Hazardous locations, pools, health care, garages, solar PV and EV charging |
| Low-voltage systems, fire alarm and job safety | 6 | Class 2 and Class 3 circuits, communications, fire alarm wiring, job-site safety |
| Total | 100 |
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How the state outlines differ
- Utah puts the most weight on theory: voltage, current, resistance, power and voltage drop together make up 30 of its 100 questions.
- Oklahoma weights lighting and signs, special occupancies, grounding and bonding, and services and branch circuits at about 10 items each.
- Virginia gives 10 of its 70 items to Virginia regulations, and spreads the rest across 18 small NEC areas, with grounding, conductors and raceways the heaviest.
- Michigan lists its topics without weights and adds its licensing act and electrical code rules.
If your state publishes an outline, compare it with this table and spend extra time where your state weighs an area more.
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How to use the outline
- Take a timed practice exam and score each area.
- Compare each area's score with its weight. A low score in a 10-item area costs more than one in a 6-item area.
- Learn where each area lives in the NEC. Grounding and bonding is Article 250, conductors are Article 310, motors are Article 430, and load calculations for the 2023 edition are in Article 220. Fast lookups win open-book exams.
- Retake a fresh set on the clock and check that the weak areas moved.
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.
Each state sets its own outline, edition and rules. Confirm with your board and your bulletin before you book. Testing in Texas? See the Texas journeyman exam outline.
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
- Oklahoma candidate information bulletin, PSI for the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board. Retrieved 7 Nov 2026.
- Utah electrical candidate information bulletin, Prov for the Utah Division of Professional Licensing. Retrieved 7 Nov 2026.
- Virginia tradesman candidate information bulletin, PSI. Retrieved 7 Nov 2026.
- Michigan electrical candidate information bulletin, PSI. Retrieved 7 Nov 2026.
Exam facts
| Questions | Varies by state. Researched bulletins: Oklahoma 100 scored items, Utah 100, Michigan 80, Virginia 70. The practice exam uses 100 questions |
| Time | 240 minutes |
| Book | open in every bulletin read (Oklahoma, Virginia, Michigan, Utah): the candidate brings the NEC edition the state tests; most allow highlighting and permanent tabs made beforehand, ban writing in the book and ban the NEC Handbook; each state's bulletin sets the exact rule |
| Calculator | Varies by state: Oklahoma allows a silent, non-printing, non-programmable calculator; Virginia and Michigan list calculators among prohibited personal items; Utah's bulletin does not say |
| Passing | Varies by state: 70% in Oklahoma, 49 of 70 in Virginia, 75% in Michigan and Utah. The practice exam claims no passing score of any state |
| Where you test | Computer-based at vendor test centers; each state names its vendor |
| Retakes | Set by each state: Michigan journeyman candidates are limited to 2 attempts within 1 year; Oklahoma and Virginia retakes cost the exam fee again |
| Eligibility | Set by each state's licensing board (experience hours, apprenticeship or education); readers confirm with their board |
What the exam covers
| Definitions, General Requirements, and Plans | 7% |
| Electrical Theory and Calculations | 14% |
| Branch Circuits | 6% |
| Services, Feeders, and Load Calculations | 7% |
| Overcurrent Protection | 8% |
| Grounding and Bonding | 10% |
| Conductors and Cables | 9% |
| Raceways, Boxes, and Fill | 9% |
| Lighting, Signs, and Utilization Equipment | 9% |
| Motors, Controls, and Transformers | 7% |
| Special Occupancies and Special Equipment | 8% |
| Low-Voltage Systems, Fire Alarm, and Job Safety | 6% |
Sources
Show the 1 sources
- nfpa.org/education-and-research/electrical/nec-enforcement-maps (checked 2026-11-07)
Facts come from Each state's electrical licensing board; exams delivered by PSI, Prov and other vendors's own documents (sources above); the latest source retrieval was . If something has changed, tell us and we will correct it within 2 business days.
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