Journeyman Electrician Exam (2026): State Guide + Free Practice Test

The journeyman electrician exam is the license test for a journeyman, or journeyperson: an electrician who works under a master electrician's supervision. It's usually an open-book test on the National Electrical Code (NEC). Most exams have 60 to 100 questions, and you need 70% or 75% to pass. Your state or city picks the exam. Try the 5 free practice questions below or JCR's free 25-question NEC mock exam.

Journeyman electrician exam by state

Your exam's NEC edition can differ from the one your state enforces on jobs. Study the bulletin's. See NEC adoption by state vs. your exam.

Memphis and Shelby County use the International Code Council's exam: 80 open-book questions in 4 hours, per its national bulletin. T17 uses the 2020 NEC, and R17 uses the 2023. See Memphis/Shelby prep or other state requirements.

Is there a journeyman license in North Carolina?

No. North Carolina licenses electrical contractors, not journeymen. The state board lists 10 classes: Limited (single projects up to $60,000), Intermediate (up to $150,000), Unlimited, and seven special restricted classes. Each special restricted class covers one kind of work, such as fire alarms or signs.

NC's experience rule counts journeyman work at 100% toward the hours each license class requires. See Limited vs. Intermediate vs. Unlimited.

How hard is the journeyman electrician test?

Open book doesn't mean easy:

• The clock is tight. Virginia gives 210 minutes for 70 questions, about 3 minutes each, and most answers mean finding a table or section.
• Some test more than the NEC. Virginia, New Mexico and Washington add state rules.
• Book rules differ. Most states allow only permanent tabs (stuck on for good), never sticky notes. See NEC tab rules by state.

Free journeyman electrician practice test: 5 questions

Work these with a 2020 NEC open.

Question 1: Working space

A 480Y/277-volt panelboard has exposed live parts when open. It faces a concrete wall across the aisle. What is the minimum depth of working space in front of it?

1. 3 ft
2. 3½ ft
3. 4 ft
4. 5 ft

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Answer: B, 3½ ft. At 277 volts to ground, use the 151–600 V row of Table 110.26(A)(1). Concrete walls count as grounded, so this is Condition 2: live parts on one side, grounded parts on the other. That row gives 3 ft, 3½ ft and 4 ft for Conditions 1, 2 and 3.

Question 2: Equipment grounding conductor

A feeder with copper conductors is protected by a 100-amp breaker. The ungrounded conductors were not upsized. What is the minimum copper equipment grounding conductor?

1. 10 AWG
2. 8 AWG
3. 6 AWG
4. 4 AWG

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Answer: B, 8 AWG. Table 250.122 sizes the ground by the overcurrent device ahead of it. The 100-amp row calls for 8 AWG copper. A 60-amp device needs only 10 AWG. 200 amps needs 6 AWG.

Question 3: Ampacity adjustment

Six current-carrying 10 AWG THHN copper conductors share one raceway longer than 24 inches. The ambient temperature is 30°C (86°F). What is their adjusted ampacity, starting from the 90°C column?

1. 24 amps
2. 28 amps
3. 32 amps
4. 40 amps

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Answer: C, 32 amps. Table 310.16 lists 10 AWG copper at 40 amps in the 90°C column. Table 310.15(C)(1) cuts 4 to 6 current-carrying conductors to 80%: 40 × 0.80 = 32 amps. At 30°C there is no temperature correction.

Question 4: Small-conductor overcurrent limit

Table 310.16 lists 12 AWG THHN copper at 30 amps in the 90°C column. On a general-purpose branch circuit, what is the largest overcurrent device allowed for it?

1. 20 amps
2. 25 amps
3. 30 amps
4. 35 amps

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Answer: A, 20 amps. Section 240.4(D) caps small copper conductors at 15 amps for 14 AWG, 20 amps for 12 AWG and 30 amps for 10 AWG. The cap applies after any correction or adjustment. Only the cases allowed by 240.4(E) and 240.4(G), such as tap conductors and motor circuits, can go higher.

Question 5: Motor branch-circuit conductors

A 25-horsepower, 460-volt, three-phase induction motor runs at normal speed. What is the minimum ampacity of its branch-circuit conductors?

1. 34 amps
2. 42.5 amps
3. 51 amps
4. 85 amps

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Answer: B, 42.5 amps. Section 430.6(A)(1) says to use the table full-load current, not the nameplate. Table 430.250 lists 34 amps for 25 hp at 460 volts. Section 430.22 requires at least 125% of that: 34 × 1.25 = 42.5 amps.

Want more? Take JCR's free 25-question NEC mock exam or these 2020 NEC practice questions.

Common questions about the journeyman electrician test

Is the journeyman electrician test open book?

Yes, in every state in the table. New Mexico's Part 2 theory exam is the one closed-book part.

Where can I find a free journeyman electrician practice test?

Start with the 5 questions on this page, then JCR's free 25-question NEC mock exam.

How many questions are on the journeyman electrician exam?

Montana has 60. Virginia, Delaware, Hawaii and Maryland have 70. Connecticut has 80. Idaho has 100. New Mexico gives two 50-question parts, and Washington splits 77 questions into two sections.

Can I use the 2023 NEC on my journeyman exam?

Use it only if your bulletin lists it, because code questions are graded on the listed edition. Connecticut and Idaho accept the 2020 or 2023, and Delaware tests the 2023. The rest test the 2020, and Maryland allows only the 2020 book in the room.

How long should I study for the journeyman exam?

Plan on 6–8 weeks, about an hour a night, mostly timed code book lookups.

Related guides: Master electrician exam · How to become an electrician · NEC tabs and exam rules · NEC adoption by state · 2020 NEC practice test

More worked examples: all NEC Answers.