NEC tabs are labels on the page edges of your National Electrical Code book that let you flip straight to an article or table. Permanent tabs are allowed on most state electrical exams, and sticky notes are not. A permanent tab is stuck on so firmly that pulling it off would tear the page. Your state's candidate bulletin has the final word. JCR's pre-printed permanent tabs cost $50, and a 5-minute video shows the tab layout.
| Quick facts | NEC tab rules on the electrical exam |
|---|---|
| Open book | You bring your own code book and use it during the test. Every exam JCR checked is open book. |
| Permanent tabs | Allowed on every state exam JCR checked. See the rules by state. |
| Sticky notes and removable tabs | Not allowed on any exam JCR checked |
| Highlighting and underlining | Allowed, done before exam day |
| Handwritten notes | Not allowed on 5 of the 6 exams JCR checked. Check your bulletin. |
| Where the rules are | Your candidate bulletin, the rule book from your testing company, such as PSI or Prov |
What do JCR's 2020 NEC tabs cover?
JCR's $50 permanent code book tabs are pre-printed for the 2020 NEC and the NFPA 72 fire alarm code. JCR's $495 self-study packages cover exams in 14+ states and already include code tabs.
Check your edition first. Most exams JCR covers test the 2020 NEC, and some list the 2017 or 2023. See which NEC edition your exam uses.
Studying for your electrical exam? JCR's $495 self-study package has 500+ practice questions (digital and printed), 100 video lessons, a 152-page study manual and permanent code tabs. Videos and the digital practice exams open right after you order.
Testing in North Carolina? Take JCR's NC exam prep class: two full days in person ($845) in Raleigh, Asheville, Mooresville (Charlotte area) or Winston-Salem, or live on Zoom on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings. 93% pass rate for JCR classroom students.
Where should you put NEC code book tabs first?
Tab where the questions are. Here are the NC handbook's approximate Limited exam question counts, with the articles to tab:
| Exam topic | About how many questions (NC Limited) | Where to tab |
|---|---|---|
| Load calculations | 11 | Article 220 |
| Services | 11 | Article 230 |
| Bonding and grounding | 10 | Article 250 |
| Wiring methods and conductors | 10 | Article 300, the cable and raceway articles in Chapter 3, the Article 310 ampacity tables, the Chapter 9 tables for conduit fill, and Articles 312 and 408 for cabinets and panelboards |
| Overcurrent protection | 9 | Article 240 |
| Boxes and fittings | 8 | Article 314 |
| Motors | 7 | Article 430 |
| Appliances, equipment and lighting | 7 | Articles 410, 422, 424, 440 and 450 |
| Special occupancies | 6 | Article 550 (mobile homes) and 680 (pools) |
| Definitions and general rules | 3 | Articles 100 and 110 |
The other 18 cover NC law, board rules, plans, the NFPA 72 and the NASCLA guide, the business and law book.
How do you put tabs on a code book?
- Start at the back and work forward so the tabs line up.
- Pinch each tab onto both sides of the page so it bonds.
- Tab at least 48 hours before you use the book so the adhesive sets.
- Tab the tables you use most: ampacity, conduit fill and motors.
- Keep the book out of a hot truck. Heat can weaken adhesive and print.
Then practice timed questions with the tabbed book, like JCR's free 25-question NEC mock exam.
Which NEC tabs are allowed on the exam? Rules by state
Permanent tabs only. The South Carolina commercial and Maryland bulletins spell out the test:
- The proctor tries to pull a tab off. If it comes off without ripping the page, your tabs come out before you start.
- The package doesn't decide. What the tab package says doesn't matter.
- Paper inserts come out. Both bulletins say not to use tabs with paper inserts.
Journeyman (or journeyperson) means an electrician who works under a master electrician's supervision, as Delaware's bulletin defines it.
| State and exam | Tabs | Highlighting and notes | Official bulletin |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina: all license classes (PSI) | Permanent only. No Post-it notes, stapled tabs or divider tabs. | Highlights and notes allowed before the exam. Pencil notes must be highlighted. No added papers. | NC exam handbook, July 2026 |
| South Carolina: Commercial Electrician (PSI) | Permanent only (would tear the page). No tabs with paper inserts. | Highlighting and underlining allowed. No writing or added papers. | PSI bulletin, updated 8/27/2026 |
| South Carolina: Residential Electrical (PSI) | Permanent only (would tear the page). No Post-it notes. | Highlighting and underlining allowed. No writing or added papers. | PSI bulletin, updated 10/9/2026 |
| Virginia: Journeyman and Master Electrician (PSI) | Permanent only. No removable tabs. | Highlighting and underlining allowed before the exam. Books with any writing are turned away. | PSI bulletin, 7/23/2026 |
| Tennessee: state contractor exams, including Electrical Contractor and Limited Licensed Electrician (Prov) | Permanent tabs, including self-adhesive tabs with printable inserts. No repositionable tabs or Post-it notes. | Highlighting and underlining in pen allowed. No handwritten notes. | Prov bulletin, Oct. 20, 2026 |
| Maryland: Master and Journeyperson Electrician (PSI) | Tabs that come off without ripping the page are removed. No paper inserts or Post-it flags. | Highlighting and underlining allowed. No writing or added papers. | PSI bulletin, updated 9/1/2024 |
| Washington: electrical certification (PSI) | Permanent index tabs only. No Post-it, sticky or repositionable notes. | Highlighting and underlining allowed. Books may not be written in. | PSI bulletin, 10/30/2025 |
Watch the tab type. Tennessee allows printable-insert tabs, but South Carolina's commercial exam and Maryland remove paper inserts. A tab that passes in one state can fail in another.
North Carolina students may bring JCR tabs into the NC exam. Tennessee's state electrical exams and South Carolina's Residential Electrical exam list the 2017 NEC, not the 2020.
Are tabs allowed in PSI exams?
Yes. Every PSI electrical bulletin above allows permanent tabs. Each state sets the book rules. Prov, Tennessee's testing company, agrees: permanent tabs yes, movable tabs no.
In North Carolina, improper tabs count as evidence of cheating and can void your exam.
NEC tabs questions
Are electrical code book tabs allowed on the exam?
Yes, if they're permanent. Every exam in the table bans Post-it notes and other removable tabs.
Can I write notes in my code book for the electrical exam?
Of the six states in the table, only North Carolina allows it, before exam day. Use pen, or highlight pencil notes. The other five ban writing in your books.
Can I bring JCR tabs into the NC electrical exam?
Yes. North Carolina students may bring JCR's permanent tabs into the NC exam. They cover the 2020 NEC and NFPA 72, the two code books on the Limited, Intermediate and Unlimited exams.
Can I highlight my NEC for the electrical exam?
Yes, in every state in the table, as long as you do it before exam day. None allows writing in your books during the exam.
Tab your code book once and do it right
JCR's $50 permanent tabs mark the 2020 NEC and NFPA 72, so you flip to the article instead of hunting.
Starting from scratch? The $495 self-study package includes permanent code tabs, a 152-page study manual, 100 video lessons and 500+ practice questions.
Prefer a classroom? JCR's NC exam prep workshops run two full days: $845 in person in Raleigh, Asheville, Mooresville (Charlotte area) and Winston-Salem, or live on Zoom.
Choose your state's self-study package
Each package is built for that state's exam and NEC edition. Pick yours:
Not sure which exam you need? See your state's license and exam requirements.
Related guides: NEC adoption by state · How to choose an exam prep course · Journeyman electrician exam · 2020 NEC practice test
More worked examples: all NEC Answers. Also see which books to bring.
Rules can change. Read your current bulletin before exam day.
Sources
- NCBEEC Examination Information Handbook (PSI), July 2026
- PSI: South Carolina Commercial Contractor bulletin
- PSI: South Carolina Residential Builders bulletin
- PSI: Virginia Individual License and Certification bulletin
- Prov: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors bulletin
- PSI: Maryland Master and Journeyperson Electrician bulletin
- PSI: Washington L&I Electrical Certification bulletin
- Prov: Delaware Division of Professional Regulation bulletin
- NFPA 70, National Electrical Code
JCR checked each bulletin's reference and tab rules on October 20, 2026.