Short answer: Set your exam date first, inside the 1 year TDLR gives you from the date it received your application, then fix a weekly number of study hours you can keep after work. Split those hours between the two parts, NEC Knowledge (59 items in 130 minutes) and Calculations (26 items in 110 minutes), both passed at 70%. The outline puts the most items in Branch Circuits and Conductors, Wiring Methods and Materials, and Equipment and Devices, so start there and let your practice scores move hours after that. Reserve 4 hours for at least one full timed two-part mock before exam day.
A study plan works best when it fits the hours you actually have. The Practice Pack has 10 full timed two-part mocks with a score by part and by topic, and a weak-area check that shows where next week’s hours should go. It adds 299 step-by-step calculation solutions and a printable workbook PDF for breaks away from a screen. US$39, one payment.
Tsai Electro is an independent learning site. Not affiliated with TDLR or PSI. Rules and fees can change, so confirm on the TDLR and PSI pages linked below.
Start from the dates, not the books
- Know your end date. You have 1 year from the date TDLR received your application to meet every requirement, including passing the exam.
- Pick a date once you are approved. Choose one that fits your work schedule and leaves time to prepare and, if needed, retake inside your year. PSI sends scheduling instructions by email once TDLR approves you, or a postcard if you have no email on file. Schedule online in a PSI account whose first and last name match your government ID exactly, or by phone at (833) 333-4741, Monday to Friday 6:30 am to 9:00 pm and weekends 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Central Time. Mail registration takes 7 business days.
- Leave room for a retake. Retakes are unlimited through your eligibility period, at $78 each, but every one must fit inside your year.
- Know the reschedule rule. PSI must receive a cancel or reschedule at least 2 days before your exam, by Saturday for a Monday exam, by web or phone only. A date set with your work schedule in mind is less likely to need moving.
A sample week around a full-time job
| Day | Time | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 1 hour | NEC Knowledge: one heavy area, finding articles with your tabs |
| Tuesday | 1 hour | Calculations: one area, worked step by step |
| Wednesday | Off | Rest, or review your wrong answers for 15 minutes |
| Thursday | 1 hour | NEC Knowledge: a second area |
| Saturday | 3 hours | Calculations block, then a short Knowledge set under time |
| Every third Saturday | 4 hours | One full timed two-part mock: 130 minutes, then 110 minutes |
This is an example of about 6 hours a week. Change the days to fit your shifts, then keep the same pattern every week. Short, regular sessions are easier to hold onto after a day on the job than one long session you keep putting off.
Study the way the exam is scored
- Use the book you will bring. The exam references the 2026 NEC, and the book must be soft-bound, not loose-leaf, spiral or ring-bound. Highlighting, underlining and notes made before the exam are allowed, and only permanent tabs made or provided by the NEC publisher are allowed. Homemade tabs and the NEC Handbook are not, so do not build your study around them.
- Practice the calculation rules. All conductors are copper unless noted, and you do not use code exceptions or optional calculation methods unless the question directs you to.
- Keep each part on its own clock. Time does not roll over from one part to the other, and you need 70% on each.
- Put hours where the items are. Branch Circuits and Conductors has 10 Knowledge and 4 Calculations items; Wiring Methods and Materials and Equipment and Devices each have 10 and 2; Services has 6 and 4.
- Check your start point. Take the free 70-question practice, no sign-up, before you set your weekly split, and use it as a first guide to what to review. It is a starting point, not a timed run of both parts.
Plan your study hours
Full-time study hour planner
Enter the weeks until your exam and the study hours you can keep each week. Set aside a percent of your hours for full timed mocks. The rest is split between the two parts by the Calculations percent you choose, then spread over the heaviest outline areas by their scored item counts (56 Knowledge, 24 Calculations). Adjust the split to match your practice results.
- Weeks until your exam date
- Study hours per week
- Percent of study hours for the Calculations part
- Percent of all hours for full timed mocks
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Texas Journeyman Electrician Exam Prep 2026 NEC (paperback)
Our own workbook gives you 486 practice questions, 2 full two-part mock exams of 59 and 26 questions and worked calculations in a paperback. It fits the short weeknight sessions in this schedule, with code book lookup paths for practicing alongside your NEC.
How many hours a week should I study for the Texas journeyman exam while working full time?
TDLR and PSI do not set a number. Pick a weekly figure you can actually keep after work, then use the planner above to see how many total hours and full mocks fit before your date. Each full timed two-part mock takes 4 hours.
How long is the Texas journeyman exam?
The NEC Knowledge part is 130 minutes and the Calculations part is 110 minutes, 240 minutes of testing in all. A tutorial of up to 15 minutes comes first and is not counted. PSI asks you to arrive 30 minutes early.
When should I schedule my journeyman exam in Texas?
Schedule once PSI sends your scheduling instructions after TDLR approves you, and leave room in your 1-year window for a retake. If you need to move the date, PSI must receive the change at least 2 days before, by web or phone, or you lose the fee.
