Texas Journeyman Electrician Exam Sample Questions (2026 NEC)

By Engineer Tsai. Built from official TDLR pages and the PSI candidate bulletin; every source below shows the date we read it. Last reviewed October 2, 2026.

Part of Texas Electrician Exams: every Texas license step and exam in one place.

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Contents

Short answer: This page has 10 sample questions in the style of the NEC Knowledge part of the Texas Journeyman exam, each with the answer, a short explanation and the 2026 NEC article to look up. On the real PSI exam that part has 59 questions in 130 minutes, so aim for about 2 minutes per question.

In detail: Below are 10 sample questions in the style of the NEC Knowledge part of the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam, each with the answer, a short explanation and the 2026 NEC article to look up. On the real PSI exam, the NEC Knowledge part has 59 questions in 130 minutes and you need 70%, so aim for about 2 minutes per question with your own soft-bound 2026 NEC open.

These are original practice questions in the PSI format, each checked against the 2026 NEC text. Exam format facts: PSI candidate information bulletin for TDLR electricians, updated September 15, 2026, read October 1, 2026.

How to use these questions

1. Cover the answer, set a timer for 2 minutes, and find the answer in your own 2026 NEC.
2. Write down the article and section you used before you check.
3. If you got it right but took longer than 2 minutes, it still counts as a miss for exam timing.

Sample questions with answers

Question 1: NEC Article 100 (Accessible, Readily)

A building owner wants the main disconnect for a small shop placed where an electrician can reach it. Under the NEC definition, which description matches equipment that is readily accessible?

• A. It can be reached quickly for operation or inspection without climbing over or removing obstacles, using tools other than keys, or using a portable ladder
• B. It admits close approach because it is not guarded by locked doors, elevation or other effective means
• C. It is visible from the equipment it controls and not more than 50 ft away
• D. Its operating handle is no higher than 6 ft 7 in above the floor

Answer: A. Readily accessible is the stricter of the access definitions: ready access must not depend on climbing, moving obstacles, tools (other than keys) or portable ladders. Option B is the old pre-2020 wording of plain ‘accessible (as applied to equipment)’, which today only means the equipment can be reached for operation, renewal and inspection; option C is ‘in sight from’, and option D is a height limit for switch and overcurrent device handles, not a definition. Code reference: NEC Article 100 (Accessible, Readily) (2026 NEC).

Question 2: NEC 230.24(B)

Overhead service-drop conductors of a 120/240-volt, single-phase system pass over the paved driveway of a one-family dwelling. The driveway carries only passenger cars. What is the minimum vertical clearance of the conductors above the driveway?

• A. 10 ft
• B. 12 ft
• C. 15 ft
• D. 18 ft

Answer: B. For systems not over 300 volts to ground, 12 ft applies over residential property and driveways. 10 ft is limited to areas accessible to pedestrians only at not over 150 volts to ground, 15 ft applies where the voltage exceeds 300 volts to ground, and 18 ft applies over public streets, alleys and areas subject to truck traffic. Code reference: NEC 230.24(B) (2026 NEC).

Question 3: NEC 230.71(B)

A small strip center is supplied by one service. The designer wants to use separate enclosures, each containing its own service disconnect, grouped at one location. Under the general rule, what is the maximum number of service disconnects permitted for that service?

• A. 2
• B. 4
• C. 6
• D. 8

Answer: C. The general rule allows not more than six service disconnects for each service, grouped at one location. More than six requires a single main disconnect ahead of them. Code reference: NEC 230.71(B) (2026 NEC).

Question 4: NEC 210.52(E)(1)

For a new one-family dwelling built at grade level, what is the minimum outdoor receptacle outlet requirement?

• A. One receptacle outlet anywhere on the exterior
• B. At least one receptacle outlet at the front and one at the back, each readily accessible from grade and not more than 6 1/2 ft above grade
• C. One receptacle outlet on each exterior wall, at any height
• D. Outdoor receptacle outlets are required only where a deck or porch is built

Answer: B. A one-family dwelling at grade needs at least one outdoor receptacle outlet at the front and at the back, readily accessible from grade and not more than 6 1/2 ft above grade. Decks and balconies carry their own separate requirement. Code reference: NEC 210.52(E)(1) (2026 NEC).

Question 5: NEC 210.23(B)(1)

A 20-ampere, 120-volt branch circuit supplies several receptacle outlets in an office. What is the maximum rating of any single piece of cord-and-plug-connected utilization equipment, not fastened in place, that this circuit may supply?

• A. 10 A
• B. 12 A
• C. 16 A
• D. 20 A

Answer: C. On a 15- or 20-ampere branch circuit supplying two or more outlets, one cord-and-plug-connected piece of equipment not fastened in place may not exceed 80% of the branch-circuit rating: 0.80 x 20 A = 16 A. Code reference: NEC 210.23(B)(1) (2026 NEC).

Question 6: NEC 210.52(D)

In a dwelling unit bathroom with a single basin, where must at least one receptacle outlet be installed?

• A. Within 3 ft of the outside edge of the basin
• B. Within 6 ft of the bathtub
• C. Anywhere in the bathroom, including inside the vanity cabinet
• D. On the ceiling, for use by a hair dryer hanger

Answer: A. At least one receptacle outlet must be within 3 ft of the outside edge of each basin, on a wall or partition adjacent to it, on the basin countertop, or on the side or face of the basin cabinet within the permitted distance below the countertop. Code reference: NEC 210.52(D) (2026 NEC).

Question 7: NEC 314.27(C)

A 35-lb ceiling-suspended paddle fan will be supported only by the outlet box above it. What does the NEC require of that box?

• A. Any metal octagon box may be used if it is 2 1/8 in deep
• B. The box must be listed and marked by the manufacturer as suitable for fan support, and the fan may not exceed the listed weight (70 lb maximum)
• C. A plastic box may be used if it is nailed to a joist
• D. Only a box with an internal volume of at least 30 cubic inches may be used

Answer: B. A box used as the sole support of a ceiling-suspended fan must be listed and marked as suitable for that purpose, and may not support a fan weighing more than 70 lb (a box for a fan over 35 lb must also be marked with the weight it supports). Depth and volume alone do not qualify a box. Code reference: NEC 314.27(C) (2026 NEC).

Question 8: NEC 110.26(A)(3)

A 7-ft-tall 480-volt switchboard is installed in an electrical room. What is the minimum height of the working space in front of it?

• A. 6 ft
• B. 6 1/2 ft
• C. 7 ft (the height of the equipment)
• D. 8 ft

Answer: C. The working space must be clear from the floor to a height of 6 1/2 ft or the height of the equipment, whichever is greater. Here the switchboard is 7 ft tall, so 7 ft governs. Code reference: NEC 110.26(A)(3) (2026 NEC).

Question 9: NEC 110.29

A motor disconnect is required to be in sight from the motor. What does ‘in sight from’ mean under the NEC?

• A. The disconnect is in the same room, at any distance
• B. The disconnect is visible from the motor and not more than 50 ft away
• C. The disconnect is within 25 ft, even if a wall blocks the view
• D. The disconnect can be seen on a camera monitor at the motor

Answer: B. ‘In sight from’ means that one piece of equipment is visible from the other and not more than 50 ft distant. Distance alone, or a camera image, does not satisfy it. Code reference: NEC 110.29 (2026 NEC).

Question 10: NEC 690.13 and 705.20 (2026 harmonized disconnect rules)

Where must the PV system disconnecting means for a rooftop solar system on a house be installed?

• A. At a readily accessible location
• B. On the roof, next to the modules only
• C. Inside the attic, near the inverter
• D. Anywhere, if a label identifies it

Answer: A. The PV system disconnecting means must be installed at a readily accessible location so it can be operated without ladders or removing obstacles. Labels are required too, but they do not replace the location rule. Code reference: NEC 690.13 and 705.20 (2026 harmonized disconnect rules) (2026 NEC).

Want more, timed like the real exam?

The same 20 free questions, plus a weak-area check, run in your browser at the free Texas Journeyman practice, with no sign-up. The Texas Journeyman Practice Pack adds Calculations questions, a timed two-part mock with a 70% verdict for each part, step-by-step calculation solutions and an open-book lookup path for every question. For the format and pass rates, read the Texas Journeyman exam guide.

FAQ

Sources

• PSI candidate information bulletin for TDLR electricians, updated September 15, 2026, read October 1, 2026
• TDLR: Electrician exam information, read October 1, 2026
• NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2026 edition: referenced by article number only. Questions and explanations are our own.
• NFPA 70, National Electrical Code: code development page (the exams use the 2026 edition), read October 3, 2026