Your NC examination will include questions from 4 main sources, listed below. We suggest you have these books for your studying needs:
- Current National Electrical Code – OPEN BOOK
- NFPA-72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code Book (2013) – OPEN BOOK
- NASCLA Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law, and Project Management – CLOSED BOOK
- NC Board Rules and Licensing Law and the Lighting Plan, as printed in the Electrical Contractor’s Examination Candidate Bulletin – CLOSED BOOK (a lighting plan will be provided at the time of the exam)
*keep up to date on North Carolina’s response to COVID-19 and testing for your exam. You must bring your own references to the examination center.
Tips to successful studying:
- Gather yourself some study materials; view our Exam Preparation Options.
- Review both the NEC® and NFPA-72® to understand the basic flow of these documents. Our Exam Preparation Workshop will greatly assist you with tips on “Navigating the NEC®”, so don’t worry if it’s overwhelming you right now.
- Once you’ve received your study material, take Test One in this practice booklet. Have your NEC®, NFPA-72®, and some scrap paper. You will be allowed these three items at the time of your test so feel free to practice utilizing them. This will give you a baseline of where you’re at right now.
- Evaluate your Test One results completely by looking up the references to the questions (located at the end of the test.) What themes do you see? Does one Article or Table keep coming up? Make a list of what areas you need to put more focus into.
- Review the Electrical Contractor’s Examination Candidate Bulletin to see how many questions you will have in each category based on what type of license you’re testing for. How many on Bonding and Grounding, how many on Business, etc?
- Further utilize the Bulletin to review the Licensing Law, Board’s Rules, and Lighting and Power Plans. Read NASCLA’s Contractor’s Guide- Electrical Edition to help further supplement your business knowledge.
- Create your study plan. Feel free to use the Sample Study Schedule provided. You will be reading a section, supplementing with videos, answering questions, maybe even learning some jingles to help you remember concepts! Make notes of what you’d like to ask the instructor when you come to your workshop in 4 to 6 weeks time.
- At some point in your studies, you will begin to realize how ready you are. If you feel that you’re ready to go, then schedule your exam with PSI. Most like to line up their test date close to when they take a JCR Exam Preparation Workshop so the information is fresh in their head.
- Take JCR’s Exam Preparation Workshop.
- Reevaluate where you need to focus your studies by taking Test Two and Three. Concentrate on those areas needing the most attention. Be careful to not memorize any questions or answers- understand how to FIND the answers. These questions may be similar to what you will be asked on the state exam, but they are not from the state exam. You must understand how to navigate the code book(s) and how to perform the calculations as directed.
- The Supplemental Test in this book has questions which span the breadth of the NFPA-72®: Fire Alarm and Signaling Code. Answer the questions, navigate through the book, and become familiar with its content and layout.
- Reserve Test Four and Test Five as your “Am I Ready?” exam. Time yourself (6 hours), have your appropriate books available, and go to a quiet testing area with a calculator and a notepad.
- Take your exam, kick it out of the park, then call us to let us know! We love success stories!
The information above is provided as a guide to help you (1) use our study booklets as a tool in your study process; and (2) help you to focus your study habits in a positive (not overwhelming) manner. Study well and make it happen!