Connecticut E-1 and E-2 Electrical Exam at PSI (2026)

The Connecticut E-2 journeyperson exam is 80 questions in 3.5 hours, and the E-1 contractor exam is 100 questions in 4 hours. Both take 70% to pass, cost $59 at PSI, and are open book on the 2020 or 2023 NEC. E-1 candidates also pass a separate 50-question Business and Law exam in 2 hours. The rules come from PSI's Connecticut Electrical Trades bulletin (updated February 4, 2026), and the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) issues the license.

Which NEC should you bring? PSI lets you bring either the 2020 or the 2023 NEC. JCR's Connecticut package teaches the 2020 NEC. If you study with it, bring a 2020 NEC on exam day so your book matches what you learned.

Who can take the Connecticut E-1 and E-2 exams?

"Unlimited" means the license covers all electrical work, not one specialty. A journeyperson is a licensed electrician who works for a licensed contractor. A contractor can run the business and pull the work (DCP license types and scope).

• E-2 journeyperson: a registered apprenticeship, or 8,000 hours of on-the-job training plus 720 classroom hours (E-2 equivalent experience page).
• E-1 contractor: 2 years holding the E-2, or 12,000 hours of on-the-job training plus 720 classroom hours (E-1 equivalent experience page).
• Classroom hours are a must on the equivalent route. DCP won't count work hours or CE certificates in their place.

Only individuals apply, not companies. Every applicant takes an exam, and Connecticut has no reciprocity with other states. Electrical licensing sits under DCP and its Electrical Work Examining Board, a 12-seat panel of contractors, journeypersons and public members. Once DCP approves you, your eligibility lasts 1 year. Every route is in JCR's Connecticut electrical license guide.

What's on the Connecticut E-2 and E-1 electrical exams?

PSI splits both trade exams into the same 16 topics. Here is how many questions each topic gets.

Solar is the topic most people underrate. It's 10 of 100 E-1 questions, the same as services and feeders. PSI may also add 1 to 10 unscored trial questions, and they count against your time.

What's on the Connecticut Business and Law exam?

Every contractor license needs this exam on top of the trade exam. It's 50 questions in 2 hours, open book, and you need 70% (35 right).

• Estimating and bidding: 7
• Contracts: 6
• Licensing, tax laws, labor laws, project management, environmental and safety: 5 each
• Financial management, risk management: 4 each
• Lien law, business organization: 2 each

The one allowed book is the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Connecticut, 6th edition. NASCLA is the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies, which publishes the guide. PSI warns that some questions may not seem tied to your trade. They test your ability to research an answer in the book.

A passing score on either part stays good for 2 years. If you already hold a Connecticut contractor license and passed Business and Law in the last 2 years, you only take the new trade exam.

What books can you bring into the Connecticut electrical exam?

Bring your own copies. PSI allows these for both E-1 and E-2:

• The NEC or NEC Handbook, 2020 or 2023 edition
• 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA construction rules), or PSI's 1926 Selections
• Ugly's Electrical References, 2020 or 2023
• NFPA 72, 2013 edition (fire alarm code)
• Photovoltaic Systems, 3rd edition (Dunlap)
• Convert Your Home to Solar Energy (Barber and Provey)
• National Electrical Safety Code, 2012 edition

The NCCER Solar Photovoltaic Systems Installer Trainee Guide is not allowed.

Book rules from the bulletin:

• Highlight, underline, annotate and index before the exam. Writing in a book during the exam can get you barred from testing while DCP investigates.
• Permanent tabs only. Post-it notes and other temporary tabs must come out before you start.
• No questions and answers written into a book. PSI makes you remove them before you can enter.
• No loose or attached papers. PSI removes and keeps them.
• A silent, nonprinting, non-programmable calculator with no letter keys is allowed.
• PSI gives you scratch paper and a pencil.

Need help choosing? See what books you need for the electrical exam.

How do you schedule and retake the Connecticut PSI exam?

• Book at PSI's Connecticut page or call (855) 746-8171. Phone hours are 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekends.
• Fee: $59 per exam, each time you take it. It's not refundable or transferable.
• Where: West Hartford or Milford in Connecticut, four Massachusetts sites (Auburn, Charlestown, Fall River, West Springfield), or any other PSI center in the U.S.
• Cancel at least 2 days ahead to keep your fee. A Monday exam must be canceled by Saturday. Voicemail and email don't count.
• ID: one current photo ID with your signature. The name must match your registration.
• Arrive 30 minutes early. Showing up after the start time forfeits the fee.
• Results show on screen when you finish. A fail comes with a report on weak areas, plus 30 minutes to review the questions you missed.
• Retakes: not the same day. Fail on a Wednesday, call Thursday, and you may retest Friday if seats are open. Attempts are unlimited while your eligibility lasts.
• After you pass, send DCP your passing score reports with the license fee printed on the report.

Connecticut limited license exams

DCP also issues limited licenses for one type of work. Each has its own PSI exam, at 70% to pass:

• C-5 / C-6 (low voltage, alarm, sound, telephone interconnect): 70 questions in 140 minutes / 55 in 120 minutes
• L-5 / L-6 (low voltage, alarm, sound, no telecom): 60 questions in 90 minutes / 50 in 90 minutes
• T-1 / T-2 (telephone interconnect): 50 questions in 2 hours / 40 in 1.5 hours
• PV-1 / PV-2 (solar): 60 questions in 150 minutes / 50 in 120 minutes
• L-1 / L-2 (electrical lines): 50 questions in 1.5 hours / 40 in 1.5 hours

The first number is the contractor exam and the second is the journeyperson exam. These exams draw mostly on specialty books such as NFPA 72, BICSI manuals, solar texts and the National Electrical Safety Code. JCR's package is built for the E-1 and E-2 trade exams, not these.

Connecticut electrical exam prep: how to pass

• Pace yourself. E-1 gives you 2 minutes 24 seconds a question. E-2 gives you about 2 minutes 37 seconds.
• Don't skip solar. Photovoltaics is 10 E-1 questions and 6 E-2 questions. Tab NEC Article 690 and know the solar books.
• Flag and come back. PSI lets you change any answer until time runs out.
• Restroom breaks are allowed, but the clock keeps running.
• Plan 6–8 weeks, about an hour a night, and finish with timed practice exams.

Licensed in another state? Read Connecticut electrical license reciprocity to see how your license can count toward approval.

Connecticut electrician exam FAQ

How many questions are on the Connecticut E-2 journeyperson exam?

80 questions in 3.5 hours. You need 70% to pass, and the PSI fee is $59.

What NEC edition is on the Connecticut electrical exam?

PSI allows the 2020 or 2023 NEC, or the NEC Handbook of either edition. JCR's Connecticut package teaches the 2020 NEC, so bring that edition if you study with it.

Is the Connecticut electrical exam open book?

Yes. Bring your own NEC and the other listed books. You can highlight, annotate and add permanent tabs before the exam, but you can't write in them during it.

Does the E-1 contractor license need a Business and Law exam?

Yes. Every Connecticut contractor license needs the Business and Law exam: 50 questions in 2 hours, 70% to pass. The allowed book is the NASCLA Connecticut guide, 6th edition.

How soon can I retake the Connecticut electrical exam?

Not the same day. You can call the next day and may retest the day after that if seats are open. Each try costs $59.