Texas electrician exam guide
Since September 1, 2026, the Texas journeyman and master electrician exams are written from the 2026 NEC. Here’s how the exams work and what to bring.
Studying from a 2023 book or question bank?
Switch to the 2026 edition. Section numbers moved. Load calculations, for example, are now in Article 120.
Exam format
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) licenses electricians, and PSI runs the exams on computer at test centers around the state. The journeyman and master exams each have two multiple-choice parts. You need 70% on each part, and leftover time from the first part doesn’t carry over to the second.
| Exam | Part | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journeyman | NEC knowledge | 59 (3 unscored) | 130 minutes |
| Journeyman | Calculations | 26 (2 unscored) | 110 minutes |
| Master | NEC knowledge | 75 (5 unscored) | 150 minutes |
| Master | Calculations | 33 (3 unscored) | 170 minutes |
The fee is $78 for both parts of either exam. A retake is also $78.
What’s on it
Scored questions per subject area. Branch circuits, wiring methods, and equipment make up more than half of the journeyman code part. Services and motors make up nearly half of the master calculations part.
| Subject area | Journeyman code | Journeyman calcs | Master code | Master calcs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definitions, theory, and plans | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| Services, service equipment, and separately derived systems | 6 | 4 | 11 | 8 |
| Feeders | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Branch circuits and conductors | 10 | 4 | 11 | 4 |
| Wiring methods and materials | 10 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| Equipment and devices | 10 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| Motors and generators | 5 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Control devices and disconnecting means | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Special occupancies, equipment, and conditions | 6 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| Renewable energy (PV and EV charging) | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Scored questions | 56 | 24 | 70 | 30 |
Unless a question says otherwise, treat conductors as copper, and don’t apply code exceptions or optional calculation methods.
What you can bring
Allowed
- A soft-bound 2026 NEC
- Highlighting, underlining, and notes added before the exam
- Permanent index tabs made or supplied by the book’s publisher
- A silent, battery-powered, non-programmable calculator
Not allowed
- Loose-leaf, spiral-bound, or ring-bound copies of the NEC
- Homemade or other non-publisher tabs
- The NEC Handbook
- Writing in or marking the book during the exam, or any extra paper
If your book breaks these rules, you have to take the exam without it, remove the tabs, or forfeit the fee. Check your book and tabs before exam day.
Practice on the 2026 code
Free 20-question tests written from the 2026 NEC. Each answer shows the section to look up, so you practice finding it in your book.
For the calculations part, try the service load, motor circuit, and box fill calculators. Each one shows its steps.
Scheduling and exam day
- Once TDLR approves you, schedule with PSI online or by phone. Exams are offered in English and Spanish.
- Arrive 30 minutes early with a valid government photo ID. Late arrivals forfeit the fee.
- To cancel or reschedule without losing the fee, give at least 2 days’ notice.
- You see your score on screen as soon as you finish. If you don’t pass, the report shows which areas to work on.
Questions about the Texas exam
Which NEC edition is the Texas electrician exam on?
The 2026 NEC, for exams taken on or after September 1, 2026.
Is the Texas journeyman exam open book?
Yes. You bring a soft-bound 2026 NEC. It can be highlighted, underlined, and have notes written in it before the exam, and it can have the publisher's permanent index tabs. You can't mark it during the exam.
How many questions are on the Texas journeyman exam?
Two parts: 59 NEC knowledge questions in 130 minutes and 26 calculation questions in 110 minutes. A few in each part are unscored.
What score do I need to pass?
70% on each part. The fee to retake after failing one or both parts is $78.
Can I use homemade tabs or the NEC Handbook?
No. Only permanent tabs made or supplied by the NEC book's publisher are allowed, and the NEC Handbook isn't allowed in the exam room.
What calculator can I bring?
A silent, battery-powered, non-programmable calculator without a paper tape or an alphabet keyboard.
Source
Everything on this page comes from the PSI candidate information bulletin for TDLR electrician exams, updated September 15, 2026. We checked it on October 14, 2026. PSI and TDLR can change the rules, so read the current bulletin before you schedule.
Ask Shorty isn’t affiliated with TDLR or PSI.