Nevada has two separate electrical credentials. Contractors get a C-2 license from the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) by passing PSI's C-2 trade exam on the 2017 NEC and a Business and Law exam. Electricians get a journeyman, master or residential card from Electrical Safety Professionals (ESP) by passing an ICC exam on the 2023 NEC.
| At a glance | C-2 electrical contractor | Electrician card |
|---|---|---|
| What it lets you do | Contract electrical work in Nevada | Work as an electrician where the city or county requires a card |
| Issued by | NSCB (state) | ESP (Nevada Electrical Qualifications Card program) |
| To qualify | 4 years as a journeyman, supervisor or contractor in the last 15 years | 4,000 hours of electrical work or apprenticeship |
| Exams | PSI: C-2 trade (2017 NEC) and Business and Law | ICC: R17 Journeyman, R16 Master or R18 Residential (2023 NEC) |
| Main fees | $300 application, $140 for both exams, $600 license | $120 exam, $85 card ($100 Master) |
| Renewal | Every 2 years, $600 | Every 3 years, 18 CE hours (30 for Master) |
NSCB C-2 Electrical trade exam coming up? Cover the NEC part with JCR's 2017 NEC self-study package ($495): 20+ hours of video, a realistic 500+ question mock exam on paper and online, the proprietary JCR workbook and code tabs. Look at the 2017 NEC package →
Choose your track
- C-2 electrical contractor: The state license to contract electrical work. Your company's qualified individual needs 4 full years as a journeyman, supervisor or contractor in the last 15 years. Schooling can count for up to 3 years. Narrower classes, such as C-2a wiring and C-2f residential wiring, have their own exams.
- Electrician card: Clark County, Las Vegas, Henderson and Reno require at least a journeyman card to install electrical systems. Since July 1, 2025, a new card needs 4,000 hours of work or apprenticeship plus an ICC pass letter.
The two are separate. A card doesn't let you contract, and the C-2 exams don't earn you a card.
Apply and schedule
C-2 license: Apply to NSCB with the $300 fee, experience forms, a financial statement and background forms. After NSCB verifies your experience, it sends an eligibility letter with your candidate ID. Use it to book with PSI. After you pass and NSCB approves you, pay the $600 license fee, post the bond NSCB sets ($1,000 to $500,000) and show workers' comp coverage or an exemption.
Electrician card: Buy and schedule your exam through ICC. ESP accepts only in-person testing at a Pearson VUE center. After you pass, apply to ESP online with your pass letter and proof of hours. Cards take 4–8 weeks.
Retakes: On NSCB exams, wait 2 weeks between tries. After a third failure, reapply after 30 days. On ICC exams, wait 10 days before retaking.
Exams and code editions
| Exam | Questions | Time | Pass | Fee | Code and books |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSCB C-2 Electrical (PSI) | 80 | 4 hours | 70% (56 correct) | $95 | 2017 NEC, NFPA 72 (2010 or 2013) |
| NSCB Business and Law (PSI) | 60 | 2 hours | 75% (45 correct) | $95 | Construction Business and Law Manual for Nevada |
| ICC R17 Journeyman Electrician | 80 | 4 hours | 70% | $120 | 2023 NEC + Ugly's (any edition) |
| ICC R16 Master Electrician | 100 | 5 hours | 75% | $120 | 2023 NEC + Ugly's (any edition) |
| ICC R18 Residential Electrician | 60 | 3 hours | 70% | $120 | 2023 NEC + Ugly's (any edition) |
Both NSCB exams are open book and offered in Spanish.
The PSI bulletin (updated March 25, 2026) lists the 2017 NEC for the C-2, and code questions come only from that edition. Study the 2017 NEC for the C-2 — JCR's 2017 NEC course is built on it.
ESP stopped accepting 2017 NEC exams after March 31, 2026. Its June 2026 exam notice lists only the 2023 NEC exams for new cards: R16, R17 and R18. ICC still sells 2017 and 2020 versions of these exams, so pick the R code when you buy. If you already passed a 2020 NEC exam (T16, T17 or T18), ask ESP before you apply.
Books on NSCB exams: Highlights, underlines and permanent tabs are fine. No writing in the books, no loose papers and no Ugly's. Bring a silent, nonprogrammable calculator.
Books on ICC exams: Under ICC rules, bound books can carry ink notes, highlighting and permanent tabs. Bring a basic four-function calculator.
Reciprocity and renewal
NSCB can waive the C-2 trade exam through licensure by endorsement if you've held an equivalent license for the past 4 years with no discipline. Equivalents include Arizona CR-11, California C-10, North Carolina Unlimited and Tennessee CE. You still take the Business and Law exam.
C-2 licenses renew every 2 years for $600, plus a Residential Recovery Fund fee if you do residential work.
ESP cards renew every 3 years for $85 ($100 for Master). You need 18 CE hours (30 for Master) from ESP-approved providers, including 8 hours of 2023 NEC changes and 4 hours of NFPA 70E. After a year expired, you retake the exam.
Related: All state license guides · Idaho
Study with JCR
For the C-2 trade exam, JCR's 2017 NEC package teaches you to move through the NEC, work the calculations and answer on a timer. Its core lessons match what JCR teaches in person, and the classroom track record is a 93% pass rate for JCR classroom students. Cover the C-2's OSHA, NESC and transmission-line questions and the Business and Law manual yourself. The ESP card exams use the 2023 NEC, and JCR's courses are built on the 2017 and 2020 editions, so neither one fits those exams.
Schedule: Plan on 6–8 weeks, about an hour a night, to match the pace of most passing students.
Your $495 brings the proprietary JCR workbook (2017 NEC edition), study videos, a realistic mock exam on paper and online, and permanent code tabs. The 2017 NEC code book is a separate purchase.
Get the 2017 NEC self-study package — $495
Start the videos and practice exams right after checkout. Printed materials are mailed the same business day you order.
Official forms and exam information
- NSCB license examinations
- NSCB license requirements
- NSCB new license application
- NSCB fees and general requirements
- NSCB licensure by endorsement
- PSI Nevada contractors bulletin (C-2 and Business and Law)
- PSI Nevada contractors scheduling
- ESP Nevada Electrical Qualifications Program
- ESP exam and card fee notice (June 2026)
- ESP 4,000-hour requirement
- ESP card renewal and CE requirements
- ICC National Contractor/Trades bulletin
- ICC exam catalog
Last checked October 2026. NSCB and ESP can change fees and rules at any time, so check with them before you apply.