Montana Journeyman and Master Electrician Exam (2026)

The Montana journeyman electrician exam is 60 questions in 180 minutes, and you need 70% to pass. The master exam is 80 questions in 240 minutes with a 75% passing score. The residential exam is 50 questions in 150 minutes at 70%. All three are open book on the 2020 NEC, given by PSI after the Montana State Electrical Board approves your application.

Who can take the Montana electrician exam?

The Board reviews your hours first. These are the routes on its 2024 application checklists.

• Residential: an approved apprenticeship, a union or trade association training program, or 4,000 hours of residential wiring (buildings with fewer than five living units). See the Residential checklist.
• Journeyman: an approved inside wireman apprenticeship, a union or trade association program, or 8,000 hours of practical experience. See the Journeyman checklist.
• Master: 8,000 hours of journeyman-level work, with no more than half of it residential. An accredited electrical engineering degree plus 2,000 practical hours also works. See the Master checklist.
• Maintenance route (Residential or Journeyman): 20,000 hours in electrical maintenance, at least 8,000 of them hands-on, certified in writing by your employer.

Want to work while you wait? A $50 temporary practice permit lets you work for a licensed electrical contractor. It ends after 90 days or when your exam results come in.

Why is the Montana exam on the 2020 NEC when the state uses the 2023 NEC?

Montana's installation code moved to the 2023 NEC on September 26, 2026. The license exam did not move with it.

• PSI's bulletin lists the 2020 NEC as the code book for the Residential, Journeyman and Master exams.
• The Board's exam page also says the exams are based on the 2020 NEC.
• PSI grades each answer against the edition its bulletin names. A 2023 answer that changed from 2020 gets marked wrong.

Study from the 2020 NEC and bring a 2020 NEC to the test. Use the 2023 NEC for your work in the field. See NEC adoption by state for how other states compare.

What's on the Montana journeyman and master electrician exams?

PSI lists the content areas for each exam. The master exam is the only one that adds major load calculations.

• Residential (50 questions): the National Electrical Code, plus general trade knowledge and theory
• Journeyman (60 questions): the same two areas as residential
• Master (80 questions): the NEC, trade knowledge and theory, and major load calculations

PSI's bulletin lists no separate business and law test for these licenses. You take one exam in one sitting.

PSI may also add 1 to 10 unscored trial questions. They don't count toward your score, but they use your time.

What books can you bring to the Montana electrical exam?

Bring your own copies. PSI supplies nothing.

• The 2020 NEC (NFPA 70)
• Montana Building Codes Amendments (the electrical rules in ARM 24.301, printed at the back of the PSI bulletin)
• Printreading by David L. Hittinger, the edition based on the 2020 NEC
• A silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator

Book and calculator rules:

• Tabs and indexes are allowed in the NEC. Permanent tabs are the safe choice.
• Your own highlights, underlining and notes are allowed, as long as they're in the book before you arrive.
• Writing, highlighting, underlining or tabbing during the exam gets you reported to the Board.
• No added papers, loose or attached to a book.
• Calculators built for electrical estimating aren't allowed. PSI names the Electrical Estimate Pal as an example.

Scheduling, fees and retakes at PSI Montana

• Book after your admission letter arrives, online at PSI Montana or by phone at 855-746-8173.
• Fees: $85 master, $75 journeyman or residential. Non-refundable and good for 1 year from payment.
• Cancel at least 2 days ahead to keep your fee. Voicemail and email don't count.
• ID: one valid photo ID with your signature, in the name you booked under.
• Arrive 15 minutes early. Late arrivals can be turned away and lose the fee.
• Scores show on screen when you finish. A failing report breaks down your weak areas.
• First fail: book again with no waiting period.
• Second fail: finish a Board-approved 8-hour electrical code seminar before your third try.
• Deadline: you have 1 year from Board approval to pass (ARM 24.141.503). After that, you apply and pay again.

Montana electrician exam prep: how to pass

• Pace at 3 minutes a question. That's the math on all three exams.
• Know your 2020 tabs cold. Open book only helps if you can find the answer in a minute or two.
• Masters: drill load calculations. They're the only exam content area beyond code and theory.
• Read the amendments. They're short, and they change NEC rules for mobile home service distance and SER feeders.
• Plan 6–8 weeks, about an hour a night, and finish with timed practice tests.

Licensed in another state? Montana may waive the exam through "substantial equivalency" (your state required an exam plus similar experience). Check Montana electrical license reciprocity before you book.

Montana electrician exam FAQ

What score do you need to pass the Montana master electrician exam?

75%, which is 60 of 80 questions. The journeyman and residential exams need 70%.

Is the Montana electrical exam open book?

Yes. Bring the 2020 NEC, the Montana amendments and Hittinger's Printreading. Tabs, highlights and notes added before exam day are allowed.

Which NEC is on the Montana journeyman exam?

The 2020 NEC. Montana adopted the 2023 NEC for installations on September 26, 2026, but PSI still grades the exam on the 2020 edition.

How many questions are on the Montana journeyman electrician exam?

60 questions in 180 minutes. The fee is $75.

What happens if I fail the Montana electrician exam twice?

You must finish a Board-approved 8-hour electrical code seminar before a third try. The first retake has no waiting period.