Try five free Tennessee electrician practice questions with answers and 2017 NEC references. Both state exams, the LLE (Limited Licensed Electrician) and the CE electrical contractor trade exam, use the 2017 NEC and need 73% to pass. Work with your code book open, write down your answers, then open the explanations below.
Want a longer test? Take JCR's free 25-question 2017 NEC mock exam. It gives instant feedback and a code reference for every answer. For the official bulletin, books and Prov registration steps, read the Tennessee electrical exam guide.
Booked for the LLE or CE? Prov scores both Tennessee exams on the 2017 NEC. JCR's Tennessee package uses that same edition.
What you get for $495: 100 video lessons, JCR's 152-page study manual (2017 NEC edition), paper and digital practice exams (including a full 100-question timed mock) and permanent code tabs, which Prov allows.
Which Tennessee exam are you preparing for?
| Quick facts | Tennessee electrical exams |
|---|---|
| Test company | Prov, since July 1, 2026, at a test center or online with a live proctor (candidate bulletin) |
| LLE exam | 40 questions, 2 hours, 73% to pass. That means at least 30 correct answers. No business and law exam. |
| CE exam | 100 questions, 5 hours, 73% to pass, plus the Business and Law exam |
| Books | 2017 NEC, Ugly's Electrical References (2020) and OSHA 29 CFR 1926. The CE list adds the American Electrician's Handbook, 17th edition. Highlighting and permanent tabs only. |
| Fee | $53 per exam, first try or retake. Wait 1 day to retake, with no attempt limit. See the Tennessee electrical exam retake guide. |
| Calculator | Prov's bulletin doesn't list a calculator as a permitted item and bans electronic devices, so ask Prov before test day. |
Testing in Memphis or Shelby County? Those local ICC exams use the 2020 NEC, not the 2017 NEC. Use the Memphis electrician practice test instead.
Tennessee electrician practice test: 5 questions
Give yourself 15 minutes. That is close to the LLE pace of 3 minutes per question. Each question comes from a topic on the Prov outline for the LLE, the CE or both.
Question 1: Overcurrent protection
A feeder uses 4 AWG THWN copper conductors with 75°C terminations. The conductors' ampacity is 85 amps. The feeder does not supply receptacles for cord-and-plug equipment, and no adjustment or correction factors apply. Under the 2017 NEC, what is the largest standard overcurrent device you may use?
- 80 amps
- 85 amps
- 90 amps
- 100 amps
Question 2: Box fill
Two 12/2 NM cables with ground enter a metal device box. The box holds one single-pole switch and has no internal cable clamps. What minimum box volume does the 2017 NEC require?
- 13.5 cubic inches
- 15.75 cubic inches
- 18 cubic inches
- 20.25 cubic inches
Question 3: Hazardous locations
A conduit enters an explosionproof enclosure in a Class I, Division 1 location. The enclosure contains switches that can produce arcs. Unless the enclosure is marked otherwise, how close to the enclosure must the conduit seal be?
- 6 inches
- 12 inches
- 18 inches
- 24 inches
Question 4: Communications circuits
Inside a building, a communications cable runs near open electric light and power conductors. There is no raceway or barrier between them. What is the minimum separation under the 2017 NEC?
- 2 inches
- 4 inches
- 6 inches
- 12 inches
Question 5: Motors
A 10 hp, 230-volt, three-phase induction motor is protected by an inverse time circuit breaker. Using the full-load current from Table 430.250, what is the maximum standard breaker rating under Table 430.52?
- 40 amps
- 50 amps
- 60 amps
- 70 amps
Answer key with 2017 NEC sections
Finish all five before opening the answers. Give yourself one point for each correct choice, then look up every section you missed.
Show the answer to question 1Hide the answer to question 1
1. C, 90 amps (2017 NEC 240.4(B) and 240.6(A))
Table 310.15(B)(16) gives 4 AWG copper 85 amps in the 75°C column. 85 is not a standard size in 240.6(A), so 240.4(B) lets you go up to the next standard size, 90 amps. That is allowed because the circuit is 800 amps or less and does not feed receptacles for cord-and-plug loads. Answer B is wrong because no 85-amp breaker exists.
Show the answer to question 2Hide the answer to question 2
2. B, 15.75 cubic inches (2017 NEC 314.16(B) and Table 314.16(B))
Count each 12 AWG volume allowance:
- 4 insulated conductors: 4
- Switch on its yoke: 2, under 314.16(B)(4)
- Both equipment grounding conductors together: 1, under 314.16(B)(5)
That is 7 allowances. Each 12 AWG conductor needs 2.25 cubic inches, so 7 × 2.25 = 15.75 cubic inches. Internal cable clamps would add one more allowance.
Show the answer to question 3Hide the answer to question 3
3. C, 18 inches (2017 NEC 501.15(A)(1))
In Class I, Division 1, a conduit entering an explosionproof enclosure that houses arcing or high-temperature parts needs a seal within 18 inches of the enclosure, unless the enclosure's marking requires a shorter distance. A seal is also required at a trade size 2 or larger entry into an enclosure that contains terminals, splices or taps.
Show the answer to question 4Hide the answer to question 4
4. A, 2 inches (2017 NEC 800.133(A)(2))
Communications wires and cables must stay at least 2 inches away from electric light, power, Class 1 and non-power-limited fire alarm conductors. The exceptions drop the 2-inch rule when the power conductors are in a raceway or in a cable such as NM, AC, MC or UF, when the communications cable is in a raceway, or when a fixed nonconductive barrier separates them.
Show the answer to question 5Hide the answer to question 5
5. D, 70 amps (2017 NEC Table 430.250, 430.52(C)(1) and Table 430.52)
Table 430.250 gives a 10 hp, 230-volt three-phase motor a full-load current of 28 amps. An inverse time breaker may be up to 250% of that: 28 × 2.5 = 70 amps. 70 amps is a standard size, so you don't need the next-size-up rule. Don't use the motor nameplate current here. 430.6(A)(1) requires the table value.
How to score yourself against Tennessee's 73%
Four or five correct is on pace. Three correct is 60%, which is below the 73% you need on both the LLE and CE. Five questions are too few to predict a real result, so take a longer test next:
- Next step, free: take the 25-question 2017 NEC mock and choose Tennessee. Aim for 19 or more correct, which is 76%, to leave some margin.
- Full rehearsal: the Tennessee package includes a 100-question timed digital mock. Set a 5-hour target to match the CE exam, or stop after 40 questions and 2 hours to rehearse the LLE.
How to study after this practice test
- Log the lookup. Write down the article, section or table you used and how long it took to find. Prov keeps the clock running during breaks.
- Learn the 2017 numbers. The ampacity table is Table 310.15(B)(16) in 2017 and Table 310.16 in 2020. Tennessee scores you on the 2017 edition.
- Weight your time. On the CE, wiring and protection plus wiring methods make up 38 of the 100 questions. On the LLE, services, feeders and branch circuits are the largest group, with 7 of 40.
- Never leave a blank. Prov's bulletin says there's no penalty for a wrong answer, so guess when you're unsure.
Tennessee electrician practice test FAQ
Are these actual Tennessee exam questions?
No. These are JCR practice questions written to help you study the NEC rules on the Prov outlines. They are not supplied or endorsed by Prov or the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors.
Which NEC edition does the Tennessee electrical exam use?
The statewide LLE and CE exams use the 2017 NEC. Memphis and Shelby County run their own ICC exams, which use the 2020 NEC.
What score do I need to pass the Tennessee LLE or CE exam?
73% on both. That is at least 30 of 40 questions on the LLE and 73 of 100 on the CE. A new CE license also needs a passing score on the Business and Law exam.
Is there a free Tennessee electrical practice exam?
Yes. JCR's free 2017 NEC mock has 25 questions, with instant feedback and a code reference for each answer. It needs only an email address, with no payment.
Keep practicing for your Tennessee exam
Try more questions free, then follow a full 2017 NEC study plan built for the LLE and CE.
See the Tennessee self-study package: $495, with video lessons, the study manual, practice exams and permanent tabs.
Sources and answer references
- Prov Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors candidate bulletin (version 1.6, November 4, 2026)
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors
- Tennessee electrical permit exempt jurisdictions
- NFPA 70, 2017 edition: 240.4(B), 240.6(A), Table 310.15(B)(16), 314.16(B), Table 314.16(B), 501.15(A)(1), 800.133(A)(2), 430.6(A)(1), Table 430.52, Table 430.250
Reviewed November 6, 2026. Every NEC answer and section reference above was written against the 2017 NEC. Exam information follows the linked Prov bulletin.
