The stated purpose of the National Electrical Code is:

The practical safeguarding of persons and property from hazards arising from the use of electricity

Who has the authority to interpret and enforce the NEC and to approve equipment and installations?

The authority having jurisdiction (AHJ)

'Ampacity' is defined as:

The maximum current a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating

'Readily accessible' means capable of being reached quickly:

Without climbing over obstacles, removing obstacles, or using tools to gain access

A branch circuit is defined as the circuit conductors between:

The final overcurrent device protecting the circuit and the outlet(s)

The minimum width of working space in front of electrical equipment is:

The width of the equipment or 30 in, whichever is greater

In a 120/240V 3-phase 4-wire delta system, the conductor with the higher voltage to ground (high leg) must be identified with:

Orange (or other effective means), at each termination where the neutral is present

Service equipment in other than dwelling units must be legibly field-marked with:

The maximum available fault current and the date the calculation was performed

Equipment interrupting rating must be:

Sufficient for the nominal circuit voltage and the current available at the line terminals

Unused openings in boxes and enclosures (other than those designed for mounting) must be:

Closed with fittings providing protection substantially equivalent to the wall of the equipment

The grounded (neutral) conductor in sizes 6 AWG or smaller must be identified by:

A continuous white or gray outer finish (or three white/gray stripes)

An equipment grounding conductor with insulation must be colored:

Green or green with yellow stripes (or be bare)

A 'qualified person' is one who:

Has skills and knowledge of the construction and operation of the equipment and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards

Circuit breakers and switches must be installed so the center of the operating handle, at its highest position, is not more than:

6 ft 7 in above the floor or working platform

Illumination is required for working spaces around which equipment indoors?

Service equipment, switchboards, panelboards and motor control centers

The dedicated equipment space above a panelboard (to the structural ceiling or 6 ft) must be:

Kept clear of foreign systems — no piping, ducts, or equipment foreign to the electrical installation

'Listed' equipment is equipment:

Included in a list published by a qualified testing laboratory (e.g., an NRTL) whose evaluation says it meets designated standards

Tightening torque for terminal connections must be:

The value marked on the equipment or in manufacturer instructions, verified with an approved means (e.g., torque tool)

A 'wet location' includes:

Installations underground, in concrete slabs in direct contact with the earth, and locations subject to saturation — plus unprotected outdoor locations

In a completed installation, each disconnecting means must be:

Legibly marked to indicate its purpose, unless the purpose is evident

The dwelling laundry area requires:

At least one 20A branch circuit for laundry receptacle(s), with no other outlets

The dwelling bathroom receptacle circuit must be:

At least one 20A circuit supplying bathroom receptacles (it may serve one bathroom entirely, or receptacles in multiple bathrooms only)

Conductors supplying a continuous load must have an ampacity of at least:

125% of the continuous load (plus 100% of noncontinuous)

In dwelling habitable rooms, wall receptacles must be spaced so no point along the floor line (measured horizontally) is more than:

6 ft from a receptacle (12 ft between receptacles)

Kitchen countertop receptacles must be installed so no point along the wall line of the counter is more than:

24 in from a receptacle (receptacles max 4 ft apart), with each counter space 12 in or wider served

Which dwelling locations require GFCI protection for 125V receptacles?

Bathrooms, garages, outdoors, crawl spaces, unfinished basements, kitchens (countertop and, in recent editions, all kitchen receptacles), within 6 ft of sinks, and laundry areas

When the conductor ampacity does not match a standard OCPD rating, the next-higher standard device may protect it if:

The circuit is 800A or less, has no cord-and-plug multi-receptacle loads, and the next size up does not exceed the next standard rating

A neutral conductor is counted as a current-carrying conductor for adjustment purposes when:

It carries only unbalanced current of a 3-wire, 2-phase-plus-neutral circuit or serves nonlinear loads on a 4-wire wye — then it counts

The recommended maximum voltage drop for reasonable efficiency on a branch circuit (informational note) is:

3% (5% total including the feeder)

A multiwire branch circuit must:

Have a means to simultaneously disconnect all ungrounded conductors at the panelboard (e.g., handle ties or a multipole breaker)

Using the 10-ft feeder tap rule, tap conductors must:

Have ampacity ≥ the calculated load, terminate in a single OCPD limiting the load to that ampacity, be enclosed, and not extend beyond the equipment they supply

AFCI protection is required for 120V, 15A and 20A branch circuits supplying:

Most dwelling habitable/living areas — bedrooms, family rooms, kitchens, laundry areas, hallways and similar rooms (scope varies by adopted edition)

Overcurrent devices must not be located:

In bathrooms of dwellings, or over the steps of a stairway, or near easily ignitible material such as in clothes closets

The rating of a single cord-and-plug-connected appliance on a branch circuit with other loads must not exceed:

80% of the branch-circuit rating

Outdoor receptacles at grade level for a one-family dwelling are required:

At the front and back of the dwelling, not more than 6.5 ft above grade

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Journeyman electrician practice tests

100 original NEC-grounded questions, free, no signup. Four topic tests below; every explanation cites the article it tests, because journeyman exams are mostly open book — the skill is knowing where the answer lives. Your state's actual exam logistics (vendor, fees, hours, whether a journeyman license even exists there) are on the state pages.

Your state's exam, verified from the board

Colorado · Utah · Florida · Arizona · Georgia — each page carries the board's own numbers with the date we read them, plus a 25-question practice set. More states as we verify their boards.

General & definitions

Article 90 (purpose/enforcement), Article 100 definitions, Article 110 installation requirements: working space, terminations, markings.

25 questions · General & definitions. Pick an answer for each, then check. Explanations cite the rule each question tests.

1. The stated purpose of the National Electrical Code is:
To serve as a design manual for engineersThe practical safeguarding of persons and property from hazards arising from the use of electricityTo guarantee an efficient installationTo set utility rates
2. Who has the authority to interpret and enforce the NEC and to approve equipment and installations?
The NFPAThe electrical inspector's supervisor onlyThe authority having jurisdiction (AHJ)The manufacturer
3. In the NEC, the word 'shall' indicates:
A recommendationA mandatory requirementAn explanatory noteA future requirement
4. 'Ampacity' is defined as:
The maximum current a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature ratingThe nameplate current of the connected loadThe overcurrent device ratingShort-circuit withstand current
5. 'Readily accessible' means capable of being reached quickly:
With a ladder kept on siteWithout climbing over obstacles, removing obstacles, or using tools to gain accessWithin 10 minutesBy the owner only
6. A branch circuit is defined as the circuit conductors between:
The service point and the meterThe final overcurrent device protecting the circuit and the outlet(s)The transformer and the panelAny two panels
7. A 'continuous load' is a load expected to run at maximum current for:
1 hour or more2 hours or more3 hours or more24 hours
8. The minimum depth of clear working space in front of 120/240V electrical equipment likely to be worked on energized (Condition 1) is:
24 in30 in3 ft6 ft
9. The minimum width of working space in front of electrical equipment is:
The width of the equipment or 30 in, whichever is greaterExactly 30 in always36 in alwaysThe door swing
10. Unless the equipment is rated otherwise, conductor terminations for circuits of 100A or less are sized using which ampacity column?
90°C75°C60°C105°C
11. In a 120/240V 3-phase 4-wire delta system, the conductor with the higher voltage to ground (high leg) must be identified with:
WhiteGreenOrange (or other effective means), at each termination where the neutral is presentRed
12. Service equipment in other than dwelling units must be legibly field-marked with:
The electrician's license numberThe maximum available fault current and the date the calculation was performedThe utility's phone numberThe wire brand
13. Equipment interrupting rating must be:
Equal to the load currentSufficient for the nominal circuit voltage and the current available at the line terminalsAt least 10,000A in all casesWhatever the panel label says
14. Unused openings in boxes and enclosures (other than those designed for mounting) must be:
Left open for ventilationClosed with fittings providing protection substantially equivalent to the wall of the equipmentTaped overPainted
15. The grounded (neutral) conductor in sizes 6 AWG or smaller must be identified by:
Green insulationA continuous white or gray outer finish (or three white/gray stripes)Black with white tape at terminationsBare copper
16. An equipment grounding conductor with insulation must be colored:
WhiteGrayGreen or green with yellow stripes (or be bare)Blue
17. A 'qualified person' is one who:
Holds any trade licenseHas skills and knowledge of the construction and operation of the equipment and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazardsHas 5 years experienceIs over 21
18. Circuit breakers and switches must be installed so the center of the operating handle, at its highest position, is not more than:
5 ft 6 in above the floor6 ft 7 in above the floor or working platform7 ftNo limit
19. Illumination is required for working spaces around which equipment indoors?
NoneService equipment, switchboards, panelboards and motor control centersReceptacles onlyLuminaires only
20. The dedicated equipment space above a panelboard (to the structural ceiling or 6 ft) must be:
Available for ducts and pipingKept clear of foreign systems — no piping, ducts, or equipment foreign to the electrical installationUsed for junction boxes onlyFire-caulked
21. 'Listed' equipment is equipment:
On the AHJ's preference listIncluded in a list published by a qualified testing laboratory (e.g., an NRTL) whose evaluation says it meets designated standardsMade in the USASold by a licensed distributor
22. Electrical equipment must be installed 'in a neat and workmanlike manner.' This enforceable requirement lives in:
Article 90110.12210.1It is not enforceable
23. Tightening torque for terminal connections must be:
As tight as possibleThe value marked on the equipment or in manufacturer instructions, verified with an approved means (e.g., torque tool)Hand-tight plus a quarter turnLeft to experience
24. A 'wet location' includes:
Only outdoor areas exposed to rainInstallations underground, in concrete slabs in direct contact with the earth, and locations subject to saturation — plus unprotected outdoor locationsBathrooms onlyAny basement
25. In a completed installation, each disconnecting means must be:
Painted redLegibly marked to indicate its purpose, unless the purpose is evidentLockedNumbered by the utility

Branch circuits, conductors & OCPD

Articles 210/215 branch circuits and feeders, 240 overcurrent protection, 310 conductor ampacity, tap rules, GFCI/AFCI coverage.

25 questions · Branch circuits, conductors & OCPD. Pick an answer for each, then check. Explanations cite the rule each question tests.

1. How many 20A small-appliance branch circuits are required to serve the kitchen/dining receptacles of a dwelling?
OneTwo or moreThreeOne per appliance
2. The dwelling laundry area requires:
No dedicated circuitAt least one 20A branch circuit for laundry receptacle(s), with no other outletsA 30A circuitTwo 15A circuits
3. The dwelling bathroom receptacle circuit must be:
15A shared with lightingAt least one 20A circuit supplying bathroom receptacles (it may serve one bathroom entirely, or receptacles in multiple bathrooms only)GFCI is optional on itA multiwire circuit
4. Conductors supplying a continuous load must have an ampacity of at least:
100% of the load115% of the load125% of the continuous load (plus 100% of noncontinuous)150%
5. In dwelling habitable rooms, wall receptacles must be spaced so no point along the floor line (measured horizontally) is more than:
4 ft from a receptacle6 ft from a receptacle (12 ft between receptacles)8 ft from a receptacle10 ft
6. Kitchen countertop receptacles must be installed so no point along the wall line of the counter is more than:
12 in from a receptacle24 in from a receptacle (receptacles max 4 ft apart), with each counter space 12 in or wider served36 in48 in
7. Which dwelling locations require GFCI protection for 125V receptacles?
Bedrooms and hallwaysBathrooms, garages, outdoors, crawl spaces, unfinished basements, kitchens (countertop and, in recent editions, all kitchen receptacles), within 6 ft of sinks, and laundry areasLiving roomsClosets
8. On a 20A branch circuit serving two or more receptacles, the receptacles may be rated:
15A or 20A20A only15A only30A
9. Unless specifically permitted otherwise, the maximum overcurrent protection for 14, 12 and 10 AWG copper conductors is:
20A / 25A / 35A15A / 20A / 30A15A / 25A / 40A10A / 15A / 20A
10. Which of these is a standard overcurrent device rating?
45A65A95A130A
11. When the conductor ampacity does not match a standard OCPD rating, the next-higher standard device may protect it if:
NeverThe circuit is 800A or less, has no cord-and-plug multi-receptacle loads, and the next size up does not exceed the next standard ratingThe wire is copperThe inspector is notified
12. Per the standard ampacity table (75°C column, copper), 8 AWG THWN is rated:
40A50A55A70A
13. Per the same table, 3 AWG copper at 75°C is rated:
85A100A110A115A
14. When 4 to 6 current-carrying conductors share a raceway, table ampacity must be adjusted to:
100%80%70%50%
15. A neutral conductor is counted as a current-carrying conductor for adjustment purposes when:
NeverIt carries only unbalanced current of a 3-wire, 2-phase-plus-neutral circuit or serves nonlinear loads on a 4-wire wye — then it countsAlwaysIt is aluminum
16. The recommended maximum voltage drop for reasonable efficiency on a branch circuit (informational note) is:
1%3% (5% total including the feeder)8%10%
17. A multiwire branch circuit must:
Never be used in dwellingsHave a means to simultaneously disconnect all ungrounded conductors at the panelboard (e.g., handle ties or a multipole breaker)Use oversized neutrals alwaysBe GFCI protected
18. Using the 10-ft feeder tap rule, tap conductors must:
Have ampacity ≥ the calculated load, terminate in a single OCPD limiting the load to that ampacity, be enclosed, and not extend beyond the equipment they supplySimply be #10 or largerBe the same size as the feederBe fused at both ends
19. AFCI protection is required for 120V, 15A and 20A branch circuits supplying:
Only bedroomsMost dwelling habitable/living areas — bedrooms, family rooms, kitchens, laundry areas, hallways and similar rooms (scope varies by adopted edition)Bathrooms and outdoorsGarages
20. Overcurrent devices must not be located:
In dwellingsIn bathrooms of dwellings, or over the steps of a stairway, or near easily ignitible material such as in clothes closetsIn garagesOutdoors
21. The rating of a single cord-and-plug-connected appliance on a branch circuit with other loads must not exceed:
100% of the circuit rating80% of the branch-circuit rating50% of the branch-circuit rating25%
22. Outdoor receptacles at grade level for a one-family dwelling are required:
Only in backAt the front and back of the dwelling, not more than 6.5 ft above gradeEvery 20 ftOnly near doors
23. Ungrounded (hot) conductors may be which colors?
Any color except white, gray, or greenBlack onlyBlack or red onlyAny color at all
24. Ampacity correction for ambient temperatures above 30°C (86°F) is applied by:
Ignoring temperatures below 45°CMultiplying table ampacity by the correction factor for the ambient, based on the conductor's insulation temperature ratingAdding 10% per 10°CUsing the 60°C column
25. A feeder supplying a dwelling unit's main panel from a 200A service disconnect located outside must be protected at:
Any sizeNot more than the feeder conductor ampacity (per 240.4), sized to the load per Article 220 — commonly 200A with conductors per 310.12300AThe utility's discretion

Grounding, bonding & wiring methods

Article 250 grounding and bonding, 300 wiring methods, 314 boxes and fill, cable and raceway support and burial depths.

25 questions · Grounding, bonding & wiring methods. Pick an answer for each, then check. Explanations cite the rule each question tests.

1. The purpose of bonding normally non-current-carrying metal parts is to:
Carry load currentEstablish an effective ground-fault current path with low impedance so the overcurrent device operatesReduce voltage dropPrevent corrosion
2. The main bonding jumper connects:
Two ground rodsThe grounded (neutral) conductor to the equipment grounding conductors and enclosure at the service disconnecting meansThe meter to the polePhases together
3. Downstream of the service disconnect (e.g., in a subpanel), the grounded conductor must be:
Bonded to the enclosureIsolated from the equipment grounding conductors and enclosure (separate neutral and ground bars, bonding screw removed)Connected to a ground rod onlyOmitted
4. For a service with 2/0 copper service-entrance conductors, the grounding electrode conductor (copper) must be at least:
#8#6#4#2
5. A single rod electrode must be supplemented by an additional electrode unless it has a resistance to earth of:
5 ohms or less25 ohms or less50 ohms100 ohms
6. The maximum grounding electrode conductor size ever required to a rod, pipe or plate electrode is:
#8 copper#6 copper#4 copper#2 copper
7. A concrete-encased electrode (Ufer) consists of at least:
10 ft of any wire in concrete20 ft of 1/2-in or larger rebar (or 4 AWG bare copper) encased in at least 2 in of concrete in a footing in contact with earthA rod inside a footingMesh in a slab
8. Metal underground water pipe used as an electrode must be in contact with earth for at least 10 ft and:
Nothing moreMust be supplemented by another electrode, with the connection made within the first 5 ft of entry (non-industrial)Be plastic-linedCarry a fuse
9. The equipment grounding conductor for a 60A circuit (copper) is minimum:
#12#10#8#6
10. When circuit conductors are upsized for voltage drop, the equipment grounding conductor must be:
Left at table sizeIncreased proportionately with the circular-mil increase of the ungrounded conductorsDoubledBare
11. Direct-buried UF cable for a 120V, 20A GFCI-protected residential branch circuit requires a minimum cover of:
6 in12 in18 in24 in
12. Direct-buried nonmetallic conduit (PVC) generally requires a cover of:
6 in12 in18 in36 in
13. Where NM cable runs through bored holes in studs, the edge of the hole must be at least 1-1/4 in from the stud edge, or the cable must be protected by:
TapeA steel plate at least 1/16 in thickPVC sleeveNothing
14. NM cable must be secured at intervals not exceeding ___ and within ___ of every box:
6 ft / 24 in4.5 ft / 12 in3 ft / 8 in10 ft / 36 in
15. In box-fill calculations, each 12 AWG conductor counts as:
1.75 cu in2.0 cu in2.25 cu in2.5 cu in
16. In the same calculation, a device (switch or receptacle) counts as:
One conductorTwo conductors, based on the largest conductor connected to itZeroThree
17. EMT must be supported at least every ___ and within ___ of each box or termination:
10 ft / 3 ft6 ft / 12 in8 ft / 2 ft4.5 ft / 12 in
18. When a raceway contains more than two conductors, the maximum fill is:
31%40% of the raceway's cross-sectional area53%60%
19. Conductor splices must be:
Anywhere convenientAccessible — in boxes, conduit bodies or fittings; never concealed behind finishes or buried in raceways (with listed exceptions like direct-buried listed splices)Soldered alwaysIn panels only
20. Where 4 AWG or larger conductors enter an enclosure, the entry must be protected by:
A locknutAn insulating bushing or insulated-throat fittingDuct sealA reducing washer
21. Metal boxes used with NM cable must be:
PaintedGrounded by connecting the circuit EGC to the boxIsolatedSealed
22. Bonding jumpers around concentric or eccentric knockouts are required:
NeverOn circuits over 250V to ground where the knockout rings impair the fault path (and at services generally)Only undergroundOn all lighting circuits
23. An isolated-ground receptacle is identified by:
A green faceAn orange triangle on its face; its EGC runs insulated back toward the source but the box/system still gets a normal EGCA red dotThe letters WR
24. The grounding electrode conductor must be installed:
In sections with splices as neededIn one continuous length without splice, except by irreversible compression or exothermic welding (or busbar arrangements)Only in conduitAbove ground only
25. Where a metal raceway containing the GEC terminates, the raceway must be:
Plastic-bushedBonded to the GEC at both ends (a ferrous enclosure that isn't bonded chokes the conductor inductively)Isolated from the GECPainted

Services, motors & calculations

Article 230 services, 220 load calculations, 430 motors, 450 transformers, plus devices, pools, temporary power.

25 questions · Services, motors & calculations. Pick an answer for each, then check. Explanations cite the rule each question tests.

1. The minimum service disconnecting means rating for a one-family dwelling is:
60A100A150A200A
2. Overhead service-drop conductors over a residential driveway (not subject to truck traffic) require a vertical clearance of at least:
8 ft10 ft12 ft18 ft
3. One- and two-family dwellings require an emergency disconnect:
Inside near the panelIn a readily accessible OUTDOOR location, marked as the emergency disconnectIn the atticOnly with solar
4. The general lighting load for a dwelling is calculated at:
1 VA per sq ft3 VA per sq ft of floor area5 VA per sq ft10 VA
5. Each small-appliance and laundry circuit is added to the dwelling calculation at:
1,000 VA1,500 VA2,000 VA3,000 VA
6. Applying the general demand factors, the first 3,000 VA of general lighting/small-appliance load is taken at 100% and the remainder (to 120,000 VA) at:
25%35%50%70%
7. A household electric clothes dryer is calculated at not less than:
3,000 VA5,000 VA or the nameplate, whichever is larger7,500 VAThe breaker rating
8. The demand load for one 12-kW household range is:
12 kW8 kW per the table6 kW10 kW
9. Branch-circuit conductors for a single continuous-duty motor are sized at:
100% of nameplate125% of the motor's full-load current from the Article 430 tables80%250%
10. Motor running overload protection for a motor with a service factor of 1.15 is set at a maximum of:
100% of nameplate FLA115%125% of nameplate full-load current175%
11. The maximum setting for an inverse-time circuit breaker providing short-circuit/ground-fault protection for a typical AC motor is:
125% of FLC175% of FLC250% of table FLC (exceptions allow next size up, then more if it won't start)400%
12. A motor disconnecting means must be:
Within 10 ft of the panelIn sight from (visible and within 50 ft of) the motor location, or capable of being locked open per the listed exception conditionsAt the motor terminal boxAnywhere
13. Primary-only overcurrent protection for a 600V-class transformer rated more than 9A is set at a maximum of:
100%125% of primary current (next size up allowed)250%300%
14. Switches and circuit breakers must disconnect:
The grounded conductorOnly the ungrounded (hot) conductors — the grounded conductor is not switched (except where all conductors open simultaneously)Both hot and neutral alwaysThe EGC
15. A grounded (neutral) conductor must be provided at nearly all switch locations so that:
The switch is groundedElectronic switches (occupancy sensors, smart switches) have a return path without using the EGCVoltage drop improvesThree-ways work
16. Receptacles in dwelling units must generally be:
Hospital gradeTamper-resistant (TR), with limited exceptions (e.g., above 5.5 ft, behind fixed appliances)GFCI type everywhere20A
17. Receptacles installed outdoors in a wet location must have:
A flat coverAn in-use (extra-duty where required) weatherproof cover and be listed weather-resistant (WR)A GFCI onlyA metal box
18. Receptacles near a permanently installed pool (where permitted) must be located at least ___ from the inside pool wall, and at least one must be between that distance and 20 ft:
3 ft6 ft10 ft25 ft
19. The equipotential bonding grid around a permanently installed pool uses solid copper not smaller than:
#10#8#6#4
20. An air-conditioning condensing unit's disconnecting means must be:
Inside the houseWithin sight from and readily accessible at the equipmentAt the panel onlyOn the roof
21. For hermetic refrigerant motor-compressors, the branch-circuit OCPD is selected from:
Table 310.16The equipment nameplate's maximum overcurrent protection markingThe motor FLC tablesThe utility
22. On construction sites, GFCI protection is required for:
NothingAll 125V, 15/20/30A receptacle outlets used by personnel for temporary power (or an assured equipment grounding conductor program where allowed)Only outdoor outletsCord reels
23. Using the 83% dwelling rule, the minimum copper service-entrance conductor for a 200A single-family dwelling service is:
#1 AWG1/0 AWG2/0 AWG (175A ≥ 200 × 0.83 = 166A)250 kcmil
24. Where a generator feeds a dwelling through a transfer switch for optional standby power, the transfer equipment must:
Be manual onlyPrevent inadvertent interconnection of the normal and alternate sources (listed transfer equipment)Switch the EGCBe outdoors
25. Conductors of different systems (e.g., 120/240V and Class 2 low voltage) in the same enclosure are:
Always permittedRestricted — Class 2/3 circuits are separated from power conductors except where specifically permitted with barriers/spacingRequiredOnly allowed underground

Questions people actually ask

Is the journeyman exam open book?

In most states, yes — you bring (or are provided) the NEC and work time-limited questions against it. That changes how to study: memorizing answers loses to knowing WHERE each rule lives. Our explanations cite the article number for exactly that reason.

Which NEC edition will my exam use?

Whichever edition your state has adopted — states lag the newest edition by one or two cycles, and a few amend it. The exam vendor's candidate bulletin for your state names the tested edition; our state pages link the board that publishes it.

My state doesn't license journeyman electricians. What do I take?

Several states (Florida, Arizona, Georgia among our covered states) license electrical contractors at the state level and leave journeyman cards to counties or skip them entirely. The state pages below tell you which exam actually gates the work where you live — the NEC content is the study surface either way.

Are these real exam questions?

No — every question is original, written from the NEC's public article structure, never from a real exam or another provider's bank. See our methodology page.

How we write questions · All prep