The Texas journeyman electrician exam is not one test but two. Since March 2025 you sit a code knowledge part and a separate calculations part.

Each part has its own question count, its own clock and its own score. Passing one does not carry the other.

Below is what the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and TDLR say about format, time, passing score and what you may bring. This site is independent and not affiliated with TDLR, PSI or NFPA.

In short

  • The journeyman exam has two parts: NEC with 59 items in 130 minutes, and Calculations with 26 items in 110 minutes.1
  • Of those, 56 and 24 items are scored; the rest are unscored trial items.1
  • You need 70 percent on each part.12
  • The exam is open book with a soft-bound NEC only, and since September 1, 2026 it is referenced to the 2026 NEC.1
  • The calculator must be non-programmable, and no paper is allowed in the room.1
  • The PSI fee is $78 per part, and a retake of a part costs $78 again.1
Contents
  1. Format and timing
  2. What the parts cover
  3. Passing score
  4. Open book and calculator rules
  5. How to prepare
  6. Common questions
  7. Sources

Format and timing

PartItemsScoredTime
NEC Knowledge5956130 minutes
Calculations2624110 minutes

All items are multiple choice. The bulletin counts a few unscored items in each part, which PSI uses to test new questions. You cannot tell which ones they are.1

The clock for one part does not roll over into the other. Before the exam starts there is a tutorial of up to 15 minutes that does not count against your time.1

You see your result on screen right away and get a printed report. If you fail, the report shows how you did on each topic.1

What the parts cover

The bulletin gives the number of items per topic, not NEC article numbers. For the NEC part the biggest blocks are branch circuits and conductors (10 items), wiring methods and materials (10) and equipment and devices (10), followed by services and service equipment (6) and special occupancies (6).1

The Calculations part is smaller and more focused: branch circuits and conductors (4), services and service equipment (4), feeders (3), special occupancies (3), and 2 each for definitions and theory, wiring methods, equipment, and motors and generators.1

The listed subtopics include load knowledge, grounding and bonding, transformers, GFCI and AFCI protection, raceways, boxes, receptacles, luminaires, workspace clearances, pools and fountains, photovoltaic systems and EV chargers.1

Passing score

TDLR states that a score of 70 percent or better is required to pass.2 The bulletin applies this per part, so you need 70 percent on NEC Knowledge and 70 percent on Calculations.1

On 56 scored NEC items that means roughly 40 correct answers, and on 24 scored calculation items roughly 17. These are our own conversions from the 70 percent rule, so treat them as a guide, not an official cut score.

A failed part can be taken again by paying the $78 fee again. For how often that happens, see our article on Texas electrician exam pass rates.

Open book and calculator rules

The code book

Only a bound, soft-cover NEC is allowed. Loose-leaf, spiral and ring binding are out, and so is the NEC Handbook. TDLR's exam page asks for the 2026 edition.12

You may highlight and annotate the book before the exam, but you may not write in it during the exam. Only permanent tabs from the publisher are accepted, not homemade tabs.1

The calculator

The calculator must be non-programmable, quiet and battery powered, without a paper tape or a letter keypad. PSI provides an electronic notepad on screen, and paper and pencil are not allowed.1

Question conventions

Exceptions and optional calculation methods apply only if the question says so. Conductors are copper unless the question states otherwise.1

How to prepare

Because the exam is open book, speed matters more than memory. Practice finding things in your own book quickly and set up your permanent tabs in advance.

For the calculations part, work load, conductor and motor problems against the clock. Our questions are our own, written from the NEC and official bulletins, with an explanation for every answer. They are not official exam questions.

Ready to test yourself? Start a free practice test.

Common questions

How many questions are on the Texas journeyman exam?

59 NEC items and 26 calculation items, including a few unscored ones.1

What is the passing score?

70 percent, on each part.21

Is the exam open book?

Yes, with a soft-bound NEC only.1

Which NEC edition applies?

The bulletin states that from September 1, 2026 the exams are referenced to the 2026 NEC.1

Sources

The bulletin used is the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin for Texas electricians, updated 9/15/2026. Check it again before you book, as PSI revises it.

  1. PSI: Texas Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin (test-takers.psiexams.com)
  2. TDLR: Electrician exam information (tdlr.texas.gov)