The NC Intermediate electrical license lets your business take electrical projects up to $150,000 each. To qualify for the exam, you need 5,750 hours of experience, including at least 5,000 primary hours. The exam is 100 questions over six hours, with 70% required to pass. Prepare in the 2020 NEC and give extra study time to the commercial, industrial and special-occupancy topics beyond Limited.
NC Intermediate requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Intermediate classification |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Experience | 5,750 hours total (at least 5,000 primary) |
| Exam | 100 questions, six hours, 70% to pass |
| Application and exam fee | $125 |
| Annual license fee | $150 |
| Project limit | $150,000 per electrical project |
| Before license activation | License application and bonding-ability statement or Board-approved financial alternative |
Use the Board’s experience and application rules, exam handbook and licensing requirements when applying.
Prepare for the NC Intermediate exam
Learn to find answers in the code book, work through calculations and practice for test day.
All three options include JCR’s study materials. JCR also carries the 2020 NEC and 2013 NFPA 72 code books.
1. Document your experience and apply
Primary experience includes qualifying work directly installing electrical wiring and equipment, plus other roles defined in Rule .0202. The remaining 750 hours may be primary or secondary experience. Apprentice and helper time can receive different credit, so have your employers document the actual work and hours.
Submit the exam application, employer statements, two character statements and $125 fee. Get the current forms from NCBEEC. You do not need to hold Limited first if you meet the Intermediate requirements.
After approval, you have 90 days and one authorized attempt. Schedule through PSI using your eligibility information.
2. Study the Intermediate exam topics
The NC licensing exam is 100 questions over six hours for Limited, Intermediate, and Unlimited candidates. Intermediate covers subjects that Limited does not test. Use the INT column in the exam outline to identify them.
Keep practicing load calculations, grounding, services, wiring methods and motors. Then add the Intermediate topics you may see less often at work:
- High-voltage grounding, overcurrent protection and wiring requirements.
- Emergency systems and health care facilities.
- Places of assembly, theaters and hazardous locations.
- Traveling cables, controls and machine-room requirements.
Use the INT column on pages 8–10 of the official exam outline. Grounding and load calculations account for about 11 questions each. The combined law, rules, business, plans and NFPA 72 category accounts for about 16. Do not leave those subjects until the night before the test.
Watch: navigate the NEC before drilling questions
This JCR lesson explains the 2020 NEC’s structure. Practice finding the chapters you need for the Intermediate topics listed above.
Navigating the NEC Code Book (2020) | Electrical Exam PrepWatch JCR’s lesson on YouTube ↗
3. Use the right books and a repeatable study routine
Prepare with the 2020 NEC, 2013 NFPA 72 and NASCLA Contractors Guide, North Carolina Electrical 14th edition. The 14th is the only NASCLA edition allowed in the exam since June 16, 2026. Study NC electrical contracting law, the Board rules and the lighting and power plans in the handbook.
Follow JCR’s workbook units and their video prompts in order. Pause each worked example, find the cited section in your book, and solve the question before checking the answer. Units 4, 12 and 18 are particularly useful for reviewing ampacity, grounding and special occupancies.
Use our NC electrical exam study plan to organize your weekly practice. Take mixed mock exams using only permitted references, starting with JCR’s most-missed mock exam questions. Record every missed answer, guess and slow lookup. Review the matching lesson or code section, then solve fresh questions on that topic before taking another mock exam.
4. Activate the license after passing
Passing the exam does not activate the business’s license. Complete the license application, pay the $150 fee and provide the required evidence of financial responsibility. Submit a bonding-ability statement or a qualifying bank line-of-credit letter meeting Rule .0401(c), subject to Board approval. Wait for the license to be issued before contracting under it.
The $150,000 cap applies to one electrical project, including the costs counted under Rule .0303. It is not an annual sales limit. Splitting your work into smaller contracts does not let you exceed the project limit.
Intermediate exam questions
Should I take Intermediate or Unlimited?
Choose based on your qualifying experience and intended jobs. Unlimited requires 9,000 hours, including 8,000 primary, plus the required supervisory statements. See the NC license comparison.
Is Intermediate only for commercial work?
No. It can cover residential, commercial or industrial electrical projects within its scope and dollar limit.
What if I do not pass?
Review your score report, rebuild practice around weak subjects, and reapply through the Board. A retake in the same classification requires a three-month wait.
Requirements checked October 26, 2026 against NCBEEC’s current rules, licensing page and exam handbook.
