Short answer: Find the noun the question is really about, then open the article that owns it: load calculations live in Article 120 in the 2026 NEC, conductor ampacity in Table 310.16, box fill in 314.16, raceway fill in Chapter 9, motors in Article 430, transformers in Article 450 and grounding conductor sizes in 250.66 or 250.122. The Knowledge part gives you 59 items in 130 minutes, about 2 minutes 12 seconds each, so the first article you open has to be the right one.
A fast lookup is a habit you build under a clock, not on exam day. The Practice Pack has 10 full timed two-part mocks (59 questions in 130 minutes plus 26 in 110 minutes), a score by part and by topic, code-book navigation aids and a ranked tab-these-first list, so you practice turning a question into an article with time running. It also has 299 step-by-step calculation solutions. US$39, one payment.
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Keyword to first article
Read the question once, underline what it asks you to find, and match it to a row. Open that location first. If it does not answer the question, then widen the search.
| The question asks about | Words you will see | Open first |
|---|---|---|
| Dwelling or commercial load | square feet, VA, small-appliance, dryer, range, show window | Article 120 (120.41 to 120.46, 120.52 to 120.56) |
| Conductor ampacity | THHN, ambient, current-carrying conductors | Table 310.16, then Table 310.15(B)(1)(1) and Table 310.15(C)(1) |
| Terminations and device sizes | 75 C, standard size, next size up | 110.14(C)(1), 240.6(A), 240.4(B) |
| Box fill | cubic inches, clamps, yoke, splices | 314.16 and Table 314.16(A) |
| Raceway fill | trade size, how many conductors | Chapter 9, Table 1, Table 4 and Table 5, or Informative Annex C |
| Motors | horsepower, nameplate, service factor | Article 430 (430.6(A)(1), 430.22, 430.32, Table 430.52(C)(1)) |
| Transformers | kVA, primary, secondary | Table 450.5(B) for 1000 V and less |
| Grounding | electrode, ground rod, equipment grounding conductor | 250.66 or 250.122 |
| Special places and systems | pool, PV, EV charger, marina, RV, health care | Articles 500 to 706 by topic |
On the Calculations part, the biggest areas in the PSI outline are services (4 scored items), branch circuits (4), feeders (3) and special occupancies (3), out of 24 scored items. Those rows of the table are the ones to drill hardest.
The articles that come up most
Our workbook counted which articles its 486 questions cite. These are the 20 most cited, with the count. Use it to decide where your publisher tabs go and which articles you should be able to open without looking at the index.
| Rank | Article | Times cited | Rank | Article | Times cited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 210 | 47 | 11 | 310 | 15 |
| 2 | 250 | 38 | 12 | 230 | 13 |
| 3 | 430 | 35 | 13 | 240 | 12 |
| 4 | 120 | 31 | 14 | 690 | 12 |
| 5 | 314 | 24 | 15 | 410 | 11 |
| 6 | 110 | 20 | 16 | 422 | 9 |
| 7 | 300 | 19 | 17 | 440 | 8 |
| 8 | 406 | 19 | 18 | 680 | 7 |
| 9 | 100 | 17 | 19 | 334 | 6 |
| 10 | 215 | 15 | 20 | 445 | 6 |
Only permanent tabs made or provided by the NEC publisher are allowed in the exam room. Homemade tabs are not, and you cannot mark the book during the exam. Highlighting, underlining and notes made before exam day are fine.
Old numbers that send you to the wrong page
The 2026 NEC moved load calculations out of the old load article into Article 120. Many sections kept their last digits, so 220.56 is now 120.56, and general lighting moved to 120.41 to 120.46. If your notes or an older study guide still use the old numbers, you will open the wrong page. Watch these too:
- Feeder conductor size is now 215.4(A)(1) (formerly 215.2(A)(1)).
- Feeder overcurrent is now 215.5 (formerly 215.3).
- Transformer overcurrent, 1000 V and less, is now Table 450.5(B) (formerly Table 450.3(B)).
- Underground cover is now 300.7 and Table 300.7(A) (formerly 300.5).
- Equipment grounding conductors in parallel runs are now 250.122(H), and feeder taps 250.122(I).
- Generator overcurrent is now 445.19(A) (formerly 445.18(B)).
A lookup path you can repeat
Our workbook writes every Code answer with a lookup path, such as Article 210 to 210.19. Train yourself to think the same way:
- Name the topic in one or two words: “feeder load”, “motor overload”, “box fill”.
- Pick the article from the table above or your tabs.
- Go to the section or table that matches the noun in the question.
- Read the conclusion and check it against the answer choices.
- Move on. If you are stuck past your time, mark it and come back. You can return and change answers while time remains.
Find the first article to open
Which article do I open first?
Answer two quick questions about the exam question in front of you. The result is the first place to look in your 2026 NEC.
- What does the question ask you to find?
- Which words show up in the question?
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How do I find things fast in the NEC on the journeyman exam?
Turn the question into one topic word, open the article that owns that topic, then go to the section or table that matches the question’s noun. Publisher tabs on the most cited articles, such as 210, 250, 430 and 120, cut the time it takes to get there.
Where are load calculations in the 2026 NEC?
They moved to Article 120. Many sections keep their last digits, so 220.56 became 120.56, and general lighting is now 120.41 to 120.46.
Can I use my own tabs in the Texas journeyman exam?
No. Only permanent tabs made or provided by the NEC publisher are allowed, and homemade or DIY tabs are not. Highlighting, underlining and notes made before the exam are allowed.
Sources checked October 2026
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