Minnesota 2026 NEC and exam guide
Minnesota adopted the 2026 NEC on August 17, 2026, with no state amendments. The electrician license exams moved to it on September 8. Here’s what applies when, and how the exam works.
Teaching or studying from a 2023 book?
Switch to the 2026 edition. The exam and new permits both use it, and section numbers moved. The 2026 changes list shows where.
What applies when
The Board of Electricity adopts the code under Minnesota Statutes 326B.32. Two dates matter: the date permits switch editions and the date the exams switch.
| Date | What changes |
|---|---|
| Before August 17, 2026 | Permits filed before this date follow the 2023 NEC. |
| August 17, 2026 | The 2026 NEC takes effect. The state adopted it without amendment. |
| On or after August 17, 2026 | Permits filed on or after this date follow the 2026 NEC. |
| September 8, 2026 | The state electrician license exams move to the 2026 NEC. |
Other sites give other effective dates. This page uses only the dates on DLI’s own pages.
Exam format
DLI calls the journeyman license Class A journeyworker. Each exam is multiple choice, and every question counts the same. You need 70% to pass. Questions can use more than one code rule, and a few include extra facts you don’t need.
| License exam | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Class A journeyworker | 80 | 5 hours 30 minutes |
| Class A master | 80 | 5 hours 30 minutes |
| Power limited technician | 80 | 5 hours 30 minutes |
| Maintenance electrician | 70 | 5 hours 30 minutes |
| Class B installer | 25 | 5 hours 30 minutes |
The application fee is $50. A journeyworker applicant needs 48 months (8,000 hours) of qualifying work. If you fail, you can apply to retake 30 days after DLI notifies you.
What the state provides
Provided by DLI
- A soft-cover NEC, the edition in force on exam day, with no tabs or other aids
- The Laws and Rules Booklet
- A desk calculator with square root and percentage keys
Not allowed
- Your own code book, tabs, or notes
- Phones and other electronic devices
- Copying questions or making notes about them
You can use the code book for the whole exam, but DLI says most questions are meant to be answered without it. Learn the layout of the book before exam day. Arrive 30 minutes early with a photo ID.
What the exam covers
DLI lists its knowledge areas by chapter of the 2026 NEC. It says the list is a study suggestion, not a promise that every area appears on every exam. You are expected to know every rule that applies to your license.
- Introduction and definitions
- Wiring and protection: services, feeders, branch circuits, grounding, and overcurrent protection
- Wiring methods and materials
- Equipment for general use
- Special occupancies
- Special equipment
- Special conditions and systems
- Communication systems outside and entering buildings
- The tables in the back of the code book
Practice before the exam
Our free 20-question tests are written from the 2026 NEC, the edition on the Minnesota exam. Each one points to the section that settles the question, so you learn where to look in a book with no tabs.
For calculation practice, try the service load, motor circuit, and box fill calculators. Each one shows its steps.
Teaching a Minnesota class?
Your apprentices now learn and test on the 2026 code. Build a short lesson and quiz on any NEC topic, in your own order, with a section number behind every claim, or send them to a simulation to practice a task. Request a lesson builder code.
Questions about Minnesota and the 2026 NEC
When did Minnesota adopt the 2026 NEC?
The Board of Electricity adopted the 2026 NEC with an effective date of August 17, 2026, and no amendments. Permits filed before that date follow the 2023 NEC. Permits filed on or after it follow the 2026 NEC.
Which NEC edition is the Minnesota journeyman electrician exam on?
The 2026 NEC. The Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) moved its electrician license exams to the 2026 edition on September 8, 2026. DLI calls the license Class A journeyworker.
Is the Minnesota electrician exam open book?
You use a code book, but DLI supplies it. You get a soft-cover NEC with no tabs or other aids, a Laws and Rules Booklet, and a desk calculator. You can't bring other materials, and no phones are allowed in the building.
How many questions are on the journeyworker exam, and what score passes?
80 questions in 5 hours 30 minutes. The passing score is 70%.
Who runs the Minnesota exam?
DLI administers its own license exams and provides the code book, booklet, and calculator. Its exam guide describes sessions at the DLI office in St. Paul.
What does the exam application cost, and what experience do I need?
The application fee is $50 and isn't refundable. A journeyworker applicant needs 48 months (8,000 hours) of qualifying work, including 2 years of electrical installation. An approved two-year technical college program counts for 12 months of that experience.
How long before I can retake the exam?
You can apply to retake 30 days after DLI notifies you that you didn't pass. DLI emails results, generally within two weeks of the exam.
Are the Ask Shorty practice tests on the same code edition as the exam?
Yes. They are written from the 2026 NEC. They teach you to find the section that settles each question, which helps when the state gives you a code book with no tabs.
Source
The facts on this page come from DLI’s electrical license examination guide, its electrical codes and standards page, the 2026 NEC fact sheet, and the exam application. We checked them on November 6, 2026. DLI can change the rules, so read the current guide before you apply.
Ask Shorty isn’t affiliated with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.