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Short answer: The Texas Journeyman Electrician exam is a two-part, open-book PSI exam on the 2026 NEC. NEC Knowledge has 59 questions in 130 minutes, and Calculations has 26 questions in 110 minutes. You need at least 70% on each part. The exam fee is $78, and a retake also costs $78.
In detail: The Texas Journeyman Electrician exam is a two-part, open-book PSI exam referenced to the 2026 NEC since September 1, 2026. Part 1, NEC Knowledge, has 59 questions in 130 minutes. Part 2, Calculations, has 26 questions in 110 minutes. You need at least 70% on each part. The exam fee is $78, and a retake costs $78 whether you fail one part or both. In TDLR’s fiscal year 2025 figures, only 24.46% of NEC Knowledge attempts and 20.56% of Calculations attempts passed.
Last checked October 1, 2026 against the TDLR exam page, the PSI candidate information bulletin for TDLR electricians (updated September 15, 2026) and TDLR exam statistics. Requirements change, so confirm on the official pages before you pay or book.
The exam at a glance
| Item | Texas Journeyman Electrician exam |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) |
| Test vendor | PSI, at test centers across Texas |
| Code edition | 2026 NEC, from September 1, 2026 |
| Part 1 | NEC Knowledge: 59 questions (3 unscored), 130 minutes |
| Part 2 | Calculations: 26 questions (2 unscored), 110 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% on each part |
| Book rules | Open book: your own soft-bound NEC, no handbook, publisher tabs only |
| Fee | $78 for both parts; $78 for a retake of one or both parts |
| Languages | English or Spanish bulletins and exams |
Time does not carry over. If you finish Part 1 early, the spare minutes are lost, so pace each part on its own clock.
Who can take it
You apply to TDLR first, not to PSI. TDLR lets you apply and sit the exam once you have at least 7,000 hours of on-the-job training under a Texas-licensed Master Electrician, but you need the full 8,000 hours before the license is issued. Each supervising master signs an Experience Verification Form. The application goes by mail with a $30 non-refundable fee. Once TDLR approves you, you schedule with PSI online or by phone. See our step-by-step TDLR Journeyman application guide.
You have one year from the date TDLR receives your application to meet every requirement, including passing the exam.
What each part covers
PSI’s content outline puts most of the NEC Knowledge part on branch circuits and conductors, wiring methods and materials, and equipment and devices. In TDLR’s May 2026 staff report, those three areas carry 10 scored points each out of 56. Services and separately derived systems, special occupancies, and motors and generators come next.
The Calculations part is weighted toward branch-circuit calculations and conductors (4 of 24 scored points), services and service equipment (4), feeders (3) and special occupancies (3). Every other area is worth 1 or 2 points. Our Calculations part guide walks through each area.
Two bulletin rules matter on every question: treat all conductors as copper unless the question says otherwise, and ignore code exceptions and optional calculation methods unless the question tells you to use them.
Pass rates: why most attempts fail
| Exam part | Attempts | Passed | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journeyman NEC Knowledge | 5,731 | 1,402 | 24.46% |
| Journeyman Calculations | 6,328 | 1,301 | 20.56% |
| Master NEC Knowledge | 3,472 | 771 | 22.21% |
| Master Calculations | 3,946 | 753 | 19.08% |
Source: TDLR fiscal year 2025 electrician exam statistics. These are attempts, not people, so repeat test takers pull the rates down.
For comparison, in fiscal year 2024, when the Journeyman exam was still one combined test, 27.86% of 8,490 attempts passed. Splitting it into two parts did not make it easier: each part now has its own 70% line. See all three periods side by side in Texas electrician exam pass rates.
TDLR’s May 12, 2026 staff report breaks out early Journeyman exams (candidates testing at 7,000 hours) from January to March 2026. First-time takers passed 67.23% of the time, but repeat takers passed only 19.72%. Candidates from apprenticeship programs passed 83.54% on the first try and 23.71% on repeats. Structured preparation before the first attempt makes the biggest difference.
On the Calculations part, first-time takers averaged 13.15 of 24 scored points in the same report. That is under 55%, while 70% of 24 is 16.8.
Retakes
TDLR lets you retake each exam as many times as you need, but you pay the PSI fee again each time and must pass within your one-year application window. If you fail, the score report shows your strengths and weaknesses by area. Use it to decide what to drill before you book again. Our retake guide turns that report into a study plan.
How to prepare in the last 8 weeks
- Get the 2026 NEC in a soft-bound edition and learn where each article sits. Highlighting, underlining and notes are allowed before exam day.
- Fix your tabs early. Only permanent tabs made or supplied by the NEC publisher are allowed. See NEC code book tabs for the Texas exam.
- Practice timed, one part at a time: 59 questions in 130 minutes, then 26 calculations in 110 minutes.
- Spend most of your practice time on calculations, since that is the part most candidates fail.
- Read the exam day rules so ID, calculator or book problems do not cost you the $78 fee.
Practice in the real format
Want to see the question style first? Read 10 sample questions with answers. Our free Texas Journeyman practice gives you 20 questions with no sign-up. The full Texas Journeyman Practice Pack adds a timed two-part PSI-style mock, step-by-step solutions for calculation questions and an open-book lookup path for each question. It is a one-time payment. Every question is original, written in the PSI two-part format with an open-book lookup path, and checked against the 2026 NEC text; every correction is published.
Next step on the Texas ladder
You are here: Journeyman exam. Next: Exam calculations. Calculations is the part with the lower pass rate.
Also useful: Exam day rules · All Texas electrician exams
Free first: try 20 Texas Journeyman questions, no sign-up. Ready for the full timed two-part mock? See the practice pack, one payment.
FAQ
How many questions are on the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam?
85 in total: 59 in the NEC Knowledge part and 26 in the Calculations part. Five of them (3 and 2) are unscored trial questions, and you cannot tell which ones.
How long is the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam?
130 minutes for NEC Knowledge plus 110 minutes for Calculations, 4 hours in total. Unused time in one part does not carry over to the other.
What is the pass rate for the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam?
In TDLR fiscal year 2025, 24.46% of NEC Knowledge attempts and 20.56% of Calculations attempts passed. First-time takers do much better than repeat takers.
How much does the Texas Journeyman exam cost?
The PSI exam fee is $78 for both parts, and the retake fee is $78 whether you fail one part or both. TDLR also charges a $30 non-refundable application fee.
Is the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam open book?
Yes. You bring your own soft-bound 2026 NEC. It may be highlighted and annotated in advance and may carry permanent tabs from the publisher. The NEC Handbook and homemade tabs are not allowed.
Which NEC edition does the Texas exam use?
The 2026 NEC, for exams from September 1, 2026. PSI and TDLR reviewed 1,361 existing questions for the change, edited 94, deleted 23 and wrote 15 new ones.
Sources
- TDLR: Electrician exam information, read October 1, 2026
- TDLR: Apply for a Journeyman Electrician license, read October 1, 2026
- PSI candidate information bulletin for TDLR electricians, updated September 15, 2026, read October 1, 2026
- TDLR fiscal year 2025 electrician exam statistics, read October 1, 2026
- TDLR fiscal year 2024 electrician exam statistics, read October 2, 2026
- TDLR Electrical Safety and Licensing Advisory Board staff reports, May 12, 2026, read October 1, 2026
- NFPA 70, National Electrical Code: code development page (the exams use the 2026 edition), read October 3, 2026
