Texas Electrician Exam Prep

Texas electrician licensing is managed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). The state issues licenses at multiple levels, and each level requires passing an exam. Exams are based on the National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted by Texas, along with Texas-specific rules found in the state's electrical safety laws.

TDLR electrician exams are delivered by PSI, the department's testing vendor. The exams are open book: you may use the National Electrical Code during the test. Only a soft-bound code book is allowed, it may be tabbed only with tabs made or supplied by the NEC publisher, you may not write in it during the exam, and the NEC Handbook is not permitted. Because time is limited, fast, accurate navigation of the code matters as much as knowing the material. As of September 1, 2026 the exams are referenced to the 2026 NEC (PSI bulletin revised September 15, 2026); confirm the edition in the current bulletin before you buy a code book.

TDLR issues the following electrician license types in Texas:

• Electrician Apprentice - Entry-level registration for those learning the trade.
• Journeyman Electrician - Qualified to perform electrical work under the supervision of a master electrician.
• Master Electrician - Authorized to supervise electrical work and obtain permits.
• Residential Wireman - Limited to residential electrical work.

Texas electrician exams are open-book, multiple-choice exams administered by PSI for TDLR. The journeyman electrician exam is delivered in two portions: an NEC Knowledge portion and a Calculations portion. At the time we checked the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (September 2026), the journeyman NEC Knowledge portion listed 59 items (3 non-scored) in 130 minutes and the Calculations portion listed 26 items (2 non-scored) in 110 minutes. Content covers wiring methods, overcurrent protection, grounding and bonding, load calculations, and Texas electrical rules. Item counts and time limits can change between bulletin revisions; always confirm them in the current bulletin.

A score of 70 percent or better is required to pass each portion of the Texas journeyman electrician exam. The same 70 percent threshold applies to the other TDLR electrician exams listed in the PSI bulletin. Confirm the current requirement with TDLR before your exam date.

Typical requirements to sit for the Texas journeyman electrician exam include:

• Minimum 8,000 hours of on-the-job electrical experience (typically 4 years).
• A completed application submitted to TDLR.
• Payment of applicable application and examination fees.

Requirements can change. Always confirm current licensing rules with the official state or local licensing authority before applying.

TDLR sets exam and licensing fees, which are subject to change. Fees include an application fee and an examination fee paid to the testing provider. Always confirm current fee amounts with TDLR before submitting payment.

Because the Texas exam is open book, the skill that separates passing candidates is finding the right code section quickly and applying it correctly under time pressure. A recommended 8 to 10 week study plan:

• Week 1-2: Learn the NEC structure (Article 90.3), the index, and the Chapter 9 tables. Add publisher tabs to the articles you will open most.
• Week 3-4: Study grounding and bonding (Article 250) and overcurrent protection (Article 240) in depth, always locating the rule in your own code book.
• Week 5-6: Work load calculation problems (Article 220) with the code open, and time each lookup.
• Week 7-8: Take timed practice tests using only the code book and a calculator, the way the real exam is delivered.
• Week 9-10: Review missed questions, log the code section for each miss, and re-drill the weak areas.