Washington's 01 journey level electrician exam is 77 open-book questions at PSI on the 2020 NEC: 60 NEC and theory questions in 3 hours, then 17 Washington law questions in 1 hour. You need 70% on each section. You book once the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) approves you, and the rules come from the PSI candidate bulletin dated October 30, 2025.
Washington calls its licenses "certificates." The 01 journey level certificate lets you do all electrical work. Specialty certificates, such as 02 residential, cover one kind of work. Every exam pairs an NEC section with a Washington Codes section on RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B (the state electrical law and rules).
| Quick facts | Washington electrical exams |
|---|---|
| Test company | PSI, at test centers in 13 Washington cities (including Vancouver and Spokane Valley) or at PSI centers in other states |
| 01 Electrician | 60 NEC & Theory questions (3 hours) plus 17 Washington Codes questions (1 hour). $75. |
| 02 Residential | 40 NEC & Theory questions (2 hours) plus 17 Washington Codes questions (1 hour). $65. |
| 01 Master and Administrator | Three sections, 7 hours, including Major Load Calculations. One flat fee, however many sections you take. |
| Passing score | 70% on every section, scored separately |
| Code edition | 2020 NEC, plus RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B |
| Books | Open book. Highlighting, underlining and permanent index tabs allowed. No writing in books. |
| Before you book | Electrician and master candidates need an L&I approval letter with an Exam Unique ID. Administrator candidates book directly with PSI. |
Who can take each Washington electrical exam?
- 01 Electrician: a completed 8,000-hour registered apprenticeship, with at least 4,000 hours on new commercial or industrial work (RCW 19.28.191). Out-of-state licenses and military construction work have their own routes.
- Specialty (02, 03, 04, 06, 06A, 07): 4,000 hours in that specialty plus 48 hours of basic classroom training. The other eight specialties take 2,000 hours (L&I electrician page).
- 01 Master: a Washington 01 certificate held 4 years. A specialty master needs that specialty certificate held 2 years.
- Administrator: no experience needed. An administrator runs code compliance for an electrical contractor but can't install wiring (L&I administrator page).
Electrician exam applications cost $114.60, paid to L&I by check (in-state form F626-001-000, out-of-state form F626-009-000). The PSI exam fee is paid separately. See every step in JCR's Washington electrician certificate guide.
Approved to test? JCR's Washington package is built on the 2020 NEC that PSI grades every Washington electrical exam on. It covers the NEC & Theory section and the Major Load Calculations section.
What you get for $495: 100 video lessons (21 hours), JCR's 152-page workbook with a six-week plan, a 500+ question mock exam (digital and printed) and permanent code tabs, which PSI's Washington rules allow.
What's on the Washington 01 journey level electrician exam?
The PSI bulletin splits each 01 exam into sections you pass one at a time. Question counts by topic are approximate.
| Topic | Electrician / Administrator / Master |
|---|---|
| Wiring methods (Art. 300–398) | 10 / 10 / 11 |
| General trade knowledge and theory | 7 / 8 / 12 |
| Overcurrent protection (Art. 240) | 6 / 6 / 7 |
| Grounding and bonding (Art. 250) | 6 / 6 / 7 |
| Services (Art. 230) | 4 / 5 / 5 |
| Special occupancies (Art. 517–590) | 4 / 4 / 5 |
| Motors, HVAC, generators, transformers (Art. 430–450) | 3 / 4 / 5 |
| General requirements, wiring and protection, equipment, special equipment | 3 each / 3 each / 3 to 4 each |
| Hazardous locations (Art. 500–516) | 2 / 3 / 4 |
| Emergency and standby, special conditions, Art. 90, over 600 volts, communications | 1 to 3 each |
| NEC & Theory section total | 60 / 65 / 80 |
| Washington Codes section (RCW and WAC) | 17 / 17 / 20 |
| Major Load Calculations section | None / 10 / 10 |
| Time per section | Electrician: 3 h + 1 h. Administrator and Master: 4 h + 1 h + 2 h. |
PSI may add up to 10 unscored trial questions. Their time doesn't count against you.
Washington specialty electrician exams (02 residential and others)
Each specialty electrician exam has its own NEC & Theory section plus the same 17-question, 1-hour Washington Codes section. PSI bills these by the hour ($45 for 1 hour up to $105 for 7).
| Specialty certificate | NEC & Theory section (electrician) |
|---|---|
| 02 Residential | 40 questions, 2 hours |
| 07 Nonresidential maintenance | 40 questions, 2 hours |
| 03 Pump and irrigation | 34 questions, 2 hours |
| 06 Limited energy, 06A HVAC/refrigeration | 34 questions, 2 hours each |
| 04 Signs, 10 Door and gate systems | 30 questions, 2 hours each |
| 07E Equipment repair | 30 questions, 1 hour |
| 07C Restricted nonresidential maintenance | 24 questions, 2 hours |
| 03A Domestic pump, 06B HVAC/R restricted, 07B Residential maintenance, 07D Appliance repair | 20 questions, 1 hour each |
| 07A Lighting maintenance and retrofit | 17 questions, 1 hour |
The 02 residential master exam adds a 10-question load calculation section: 60 NEC questions (3 hours), 20 Washington Codes (1 hour) and 10 load calculations (2 hours). The bulletin warns that a specialty may be tested on work it's allowed to do under another specialty, so check WAC 296-46B-920 for your scope.
What can you bring into the Washington electrical exam?
Every exam is open book. Bring these:
- The 2020 NEC. Code questions follow this edition.
- L&I's exam copies of RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B, hole-punched in a three-ring binder.
- Any other original copyrighted book, even one with questions and answers.
Book rules from the bulletin and WAC 296-46B-960:
- Tabs: permanent index tabs, put on before you enter the exam room. Sticky, Post-It and repositionable tabs or notes are banned.
- Marking: highlighting and underlining only. Proctors treat any writing in a book as an attempt to cheat.
- No photocopies of copyrighted books and no personal notes. Printed RCW and WAC pages are the one exception.
- Calculator: silent, battery-powered and non-programmable, with no paper tape, no alphabet keys and no built-in electrical calculations.
- Dictionary: a foreign-language dictionary with no definitions is allowed.
- PSI hands you 2 sheets of scratch paper and a pencil. They're collected at the end.
Scheduling, fees and retakes
- Book online at PSI's Washington page or by phone at (855) 834-8751. Electricians enter the Exam Unique ID from their L&I letter. Administrators enter their Social Security number.
- Test centers: Arlington, Bellevue, Bremerton, Everett, Kent, Olympia, Puyallup, Richland, Snohomish, Spokane Valley, Tacoma, Vancouver and Yakima, plus PSI centers nationwide.
- Fees are good for 1 year and can't be refunded or transferred.
- Cancel at least 2 days ahead online or by phone. Voicemail and email don't count.
- ID: bring a valid government photo ID with your signature, plus a second signed ID with your printed name. Arrive 30 minutes early.
- Scores show on screen. A fail comes with a report of weak areas.
Retake rules
- Retake only the sections you failed. PSI bills retakes by the hour, so a Washington Codes retake is $45.
- Wait at least 14 days between attempts. After 3 fails in one exam period, wait 90 days.
- Electricians and masters must pass every section within 1 year of their L&I approval. Administrators get 1 year from their first attempt. Miss it and you start over with every section.
- Administrators must send their passing score reports and fee to L&I within 90 days of the last pass.
Rule change coming. On October 20, 2026, L&I adopted a rule that gives candidates 2 years to pass and cuts the 90-day wait to 60 days (rule order AO25-20). It takes effect 31 days after it's filed with the state.
Which NEC is on the Washington electrical exam?
The 2020 NEC, for every certificate type. Field work follows a newer code. L&I adopts the 2026 NEC for installations on December 31, 2026, and its September 2026 Electrical Currents says the exams move to the 2026 NEC in July 2027. Testing before then? Study the 2020 NEC. JCR's NEC adoption by state guide explains why exam and field editions differ.
Washington electrical exam prep: how to pass
- Treat it as two exams. A 90% on the NEC section won't carry a 65% on Washington Codes.
- Pace at 3 minutes a question on the 01 NEC & Theory section (60 questions in 180 minutes).
- Tab RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B by subject: certificates, contractor rules, permits and inspections, trainee supervision.
- Drill load calculations if you're testing for Master or Administrator. That section is graded on its own.
- Plan 6–8 weeks, about an hour a night, and finish with timed practice tests.
Licensed in Oregon? You may skip the exam. See Washington electrical license reciprocity first.
Washington electrician exam FAQ
Is the Washington electrician exam open book?
Yes. You can bring the 2020 NEC, printed copies of RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B in a binder, and any other original copyrighted book, even one with practice questions and answers.
Are tabs allowed in the code book for the Washington electrical exam?
Yes, if they're permanent index tabs put on before you enter the exam room. Sticky, Post-It and repositionable tabs are not allowed, and you can't write in your books.
Do I have to pass each section of the Washington electrical exam?
Yes. You need 70% on each section. If you fail one, you retake only that section, as long as you pass everything within your exam period.
How many questions are on the Washington residential (02) electrician exam?
57 in all. The NEC and theory section has 40 questions in 2 hours, and the Washington Codes section has 17 questions in 1 hour.
How soon can I retake the Washington electrical exam?
After 14 days. After 3 fails in one exam period, the wait is 90 days. A rule L&I adopted on October 20, 2026 cuts that to 60 days once it takes effect.
Prepare for the 2020 NEC on Washington's PSI exams
JCR's Washington self-study package drills fast 2020 NEC lookups, theory and load calculations for the 01 Electrician, Administrator and Master exams. The same code skills carry to the 02 residential exam.
It costs $495. Videos and digital practice exams open right after checkout, and the printed workbook, mock exam and permanent tabs ship the same business day. Pair it with the 2020 NEC and L&I's printed RCW and WAC.
Get the Washington self-study package — $495
Not sure where you stand? Try 25 free NEC practice questions.
More Washington guides
Sources JCR checked
- PSI Washington L&I Electrical Certification bulletin (October 30, 2025)
- L&I: electrical examination
- L&I: electrician certificates
- L&I: electrical administrator
- RCW 19.28.191: exam eligibility
- WAC 296-46B-960: exam rules
- L&I in-state exam application F626-001-000
- L&I out-of-state exam application F626-009-000
- L&I rule order AO25-20 (adopted October 20, 2026)
- L&I Electrical Currents, September 2026
JCR checked these exam details against PSI's Washington bulletin, L&I's pages and forms, and RCW and WAC text on October 21, 2026. Confirm the start date of the new 2-year exam window with L&I before you plan retakes around it.