Since September 1, 2026, the Texas electrician exams are referenced to the 2026 National Electrical Code. If you studied from a 2023 book, parts of your notes are out of date.

The biggest shift for exam candidates is in the calculations part. Load calculations moved to a new article, and several of the values you may have memorized changed.

This guide lists the changes that matter most, based on TDLR, PSI, NFPA and public code-change summaries. It gives article numbers and facts, not code text, so always confirm details in your own NEC. This site is independent and not affiliated with TDLR, PSI or NFPA.

In short

  • The Texas Commission on Licensing and Regulation adopted the 2026 NEC, effective September 1, 2026.12
  • Load calculations moved from Article 220 to Article 120.34
  • Dwelling general lighting for service and feeder loads dropped from 3 to 2 VA per square foot.35
  • The optional dwelling method now applies 100 percent to the first 8 kVA instead of 10 kVA.5
  • GFCI protection for outdoor dwelling outlets in 210.8(F) now covers up to 60 A, and Texas exempts outdoor HVAC equipment at dwellings.51
Contents
  1. What Texas adopted
  2. New article numbers
  3. Load calculation changes
  4. GFCI and the Texas exemption
  5. Other changes to know
  6. What to do with your study material
  7. Sources

What Texas adopted

The commission adopted the new rules on July 28, 2026. They were published in the Texas Register on August 28, 2026 and took effect on September 1, 2026 as an update to 16 TAC 73.100.16

TDLR's exam page names the 2026 edition, and the PSI bulletin states that from September 1, 2026 the examinations are referenced to the 2026 NEC.72

The Texas rules also add a state amendment to 210.8(F), covered below.1

New article numbers

The 2026 NEC reorganizes parts of the book. Two changes touch the exam directly.

Article 220 is now Article 120

Branch-circuit, feeder and service load calculations now live in Chapter 1 as Article 120. If a practice question or study guide cites 220.xx, look for the matching 120.xx section.34

Energy management moved to Article 130

What used to be Article 750 on energy management systems is now Article 130.34

The term "OCPD" now replaces "overcurrent protective device" throughout the code, so expect it in questions.34 Other renumbering exists, but the exam outline lists topics rather than article numbers, so the two items above matter most.2

Load calculation changes

These are the changes most likely to move a calculation answer. We list what changed, not the tables themselves.

General lighting in dwellings: 3 to 2 VA per square foot

For service and feeder calculations the dwelling general lighting load is now 2 VA per square foot. The 3 VA figure stays in use for counting the number of branch circuits.35

Optional dwelling method: first 8 kVA

The optional method used to take the first 10 kVA at 100 percent and the rest at 40 percent. Now the first 8 kVA is taken at 100 percent, with the remainder still at 40 percent.5

EV charging load

For electric vehicle supply equipment, the nameplate rating is used when it exists. Without a nameplate, 7,200 VA applies. In the optional method it counts at 100 percent with no demand factor.5

Continuous loads

The 125 percent continuous load factor is no longer applied inside the load calculation itself. It still applies when you size conductors and overcurrent devices.34

Household dryers

The demand factors for multiple household dryers were revised, and NFPA published an errata page for the handbook table. Look the values up in your own book rather than relying on old notes.8

GFCI and the Texas exemption

In 210.8(F), the 2026 code extends GFCI protection for outdoor outlets at dwellings from equipment rated up to 50 A to equipment rated up to 60 A. A Class C special purpose GFCI is named for outdoor HVAC equipment.54

Texas amended this rule: outdoor HVAC equipment at dwelling units is exempt from the 210.8(F) GFCI requirement.1 On the exam, a question about GFCI for outdoor dwelling equipment may therefore depend on the Texas amendment.

Other changes to know

Arc-flash labeling in 110.16 now applies to all non-dwelling services and feeders, not just those rated 1000 A or more.49

Chapter 8 was shortened, and Articles 770, 805 and 840 were removed from the code.3 These matter less for the journeyman exam than loads and protection.

What to do with your study material

First, check the edition printed on every book, flashcard set and practice test you own. Material built on the 2020 or 2023 NEC will give wrong answers for Article 120 problems.

Second, redo your calculation practice with the new values. A dwelling load problem that gave one answer in 2023 gives another now.

Third, check any number in this article in your own 2026 NEC. NFPA offers free read-only access to the code with an account.

For the exam format itself, read our guide to the Texas journeyman exam, and when you are ready, start a free practice test.

Sources

Code-change summaries from cities, NAHB and trade media were used to cross-check each other. Where only one source supported a change, we left it out.

  1. TDLR: Commission adopts electrician rules (NEC 2026) (tdlr.texas.gov)
  2. PSI: Texas Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin (test-takers.psiexams.com)
  3. EC&M: Changes to dwelling unit calculations in the 2026 NEC (ecmweb.com)
  4. City of Denison: 2026 NEC significant changes (denisontx.gov)
  5. NAHB: 2026 NEC significant changes (nahb.org)
  6. Texas Register, August 28, 2026: Adopted Rules, Economic Regulation (sos.texas.gov)
  7. TDLR: Electrician exam information (tdlr.texas.gov)
  8. NFPA: NEC Handbook 2026 errata, Table 120.54 (docinfofiles.nfpa.org)
  9. Minnesota DLI: 2026 NEC FAQ (dli.mn.gov)