Checked November 3, 2026. We publish the three Tsai Electro workbooks linked below. This guide helps you match a study book to an exam reference before buying.
A date such as “2026–2027” on a cover does not by itself tell you which NEC edition the answers use. Start with your exam authority’s reference list, then check the workbook’s named edition, worked examples and mock-exam structure.
Texas: check the 2026 NEC reference
TDLR’s Electrician Exam Information currently names the 2026 NEC. It directs candidates to the PSI candidate bulletin for their particular exam. TDLR also says candidates bring their own permitted NEC book; its page describes binding restrictions. Read those current instructions before buying or marking an exam-room copy.
Choose the workbook for your license level. A Journeyman question set and a Master question set serve different preparation needs even when both use the 2026 NEC.
- Texas Journeyman workbook: 486 questions and two two-part mock exams. Start with the complete power-factor example to inspect the explanation style.
- Texas Master workbook: 450 questions and two two-part mock exams. Try the complete dwelling-load example, including its conditions and code path.
California General: check the 2023 NEC and the separate safety references
The California DIR exam-information page links to the September 2026 CPS HR candidate bulletin. Its General Electrician reference list names the 2023 NEC, NFPA 70E 2024 and the Cal/OSHA construction pocket guide updated in 2022. The bulletin describes electronic references provided during the exam and says candidates cannot bring their own reference materials.
That list concerns the certification exam. It is not a statement that the same edition governs every construction project. Keep the exam reference list, your local installation requirements and a prep book’s publication year separate.
Our California General Electrician workbook uses the 2023 NEC and includes 530 questions with three 100-question mock exams. Its supplied-factor example lets you inspect the arithmetic and explanation before buying.
Three checks before paying for another prep book
- Write the exact exam and reference edition. Record the authority’s source and the date you checked it. Recheck when booking or rescheduling, especially across a transition date.
- Inspect a complete answer. A question total tells you volume. A full sample shows whether the book explains the givens, operation, code path where needed and why a plausible alternative fails. Ask whether that fixes a difficulty in your own practice.
- Separate what you are buying. An NEC reference, a workbook, a timed practice service and a course are different purchases. Check format, contents and current seller terms for each.
When to hold off on buying
If you cannot yet identify your exam’s current reference list, resolve that first. If you already have a matching workbook that explains the mistakes you are making, finish a short practice-and-review cycle before adding another question bank. If a listing does not specify an edition or show an answer, request that information; an unstated feature is not proof that it is missing.
Paperback, Kindle or code book?
Paperback can suit handwritten study alongside an open reference. Kindle can suit searchable, portable reading. Neither format of our workbook is the NEC itself, an exam-room reference authorization, a license, or access to every Tsai Electro website product. Website practice products are separate unless their own offer explicitly says otherwise.
Compare our three books and their paperback or Kindle links, or work all three free samples. Buy only the book whose exam, edition and explanation style match your preparation.
We are independent publishers, not TDLR, PSI, DIR, CPS HR, Pearson or NFPA. These original study books do not contain official live exam questions. Reference and purchase information can change; the linked exam authority’s current instructions take precedence.
