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Short answer: The Calculations part of the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam has 26 questions (24 scored) in 110 minutes, and you need 70% to pass. It leans on branch circuits and conductors, services, feeders and special occupancies. In fiscal year 2025 only 20.56% of attempts passed, so build a repeatable method for each question type.
In detail: The Calculations part of the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam has 26 questions (24 scored) in 110 minutes, and you need 70% to pass. TDLR’s May 2026 staff report weights it toward branch-circuit calculations and conductors (4 points), services (4), feeders (3) and special occupancies (3). In fiscal year 2025 only 20.56% of attempts passed, and first-time takers averaged 13.15 of 24 points. The fix is a repeatable method for each question type plus fast lookups in your 2026 NEC.
Facts last checked October 1, 2026 against the PSI candidate information bulletin (updated September 15, 2026) and TDLR exam statistics. Code locations below are given as article numbers only. Confirm each one in your own 2026 NEC.
How the 24 scored points are split
| Area (PSI outline) | Scored points |
|---|---|
| Branch-circuit calculations and conductors | 4 |
| Electrical services, service equipment, separately derived systems | 4 |
| Electrical feeders | 3 |
| Special occupancies, equipment and conditions | 3 |
| Calculations and electrical theory | 2 |
| Equipment and devices (appliances, A/C, heating) | 2 |
| Wiring methods and materials (raceways, boxes) | 2 |
| Motors and generators | 2 |
| Control devices and disconnecting means | 1 |
| Renewable energy (EV chargers, photovoltaics) | 1 |
Source: maximum topic scores in TDLR’s May 12, 2026 staff report, which add up to 24. You need about 17 correct to reach 70% (70% of 24 is 16.8).
Two bulletin rules that change your answers
- Copper unless stated: treat every conductor as copper unless the question names aluminum.
- No exceptions or optional methods unless asked: use the standard method, and apply a code exception or an optional calculation only when the question tells you to.
Many wrong answers on practice tests come from applying an optional method or exception that the question never mentioned.
Watch for the 2026 reorganization
Study material written for the 2023 NEC sends you to Article 220 for branch-circuit, feeder and service load calculations. In the 2026 NEC, those load calculations were reorganized into a new Article 120. If your notes, tabs or practice explanations cite 220, find the matching 2026 location before exam day. A question is only fast if you can open the book to the right page.
Five methods to have ready
1. Ohm’s law and power
Most theory points come from I = P / E and E = I × R. Example: a 1,500 W heater on 120 V draws 1,500 / 120 = 12.5 A. On 240 V the same heater draws 6.25 A. Write the formula before you start entering numbers, and check the units.
2. Continuous loads at 125%
For a load that runs 3 hours or more, size the overcurrent device and conductors for 125% of the continuous load plus 100% of the non-continuous load (the branch-circuit and feeder rules in Articles 210 and 215). Example: the 12.5 A heater running continuously needs 12.5 × 1.25 = 15.6 A, so a 15 A circuit is not enough.
3. Voltage drop
The common two-wire formula is VD = 2 × K × I × L / CM, where K is about 12.9 for copper, L is the one-way length in feet, and CM is the conductor area in circular mils from Chapter 9, Table 8. Example: 20 A over 100 ft on 12 AWG copper (6,530 cmil) gives 2 × 12.9 × 20 × 100 / 6,530 = 7.9 V, which is 6.6% of 120 V or 3.3% of 240 V. Our voltage drop calculator shows the same arithmetic. In the exam you calculate by hand with a non-programmable calculator.
4. Motor circuits use the table, not the nameplate
For motor branch-circuit conductors, take the full-load current from the NEC motor tables in Article 430, not from the nameplate, and size the conductors for at least 125% of that value. Example: if the table lists 28 A for the motor, the conductors need an ampacity of at least 35 A. The nameplate current is used for overload protection, a different step.
5. Box fill and conduit fill
Box fill (Article 314) is a counting exercise. Each conductor entering the box counts once, a device yoke counts twice, all equipment grounding conductors together count once, and internal cable clamps count once. Multiply the count by the volume allowance for the largest conductor and compare with the box volume. Conduit fill (Chapter 9, Table 1) limits the fill to 53% for one conductor, 31% for two and 40% for three or more. Annex C tables give the answer directly when all conductors are the same size.
How far first-time takers are from the line
In TDLR’s May 12, 2026 staff report, first-time takers averaged 13.15 of the 24 scored Calculations points, and repeat takers 13.75. Both are 3 to 4 points short of 16.8, the 70% line. Four more correct answers closes the gap, and the four heaviest areas above (branch circuits, services, feeders, special occupancies) hold 14 of the 24 points. For how those averages compare across years and exams, see Texas electrician exam pass rates.
A 3-week calculation plan
- Week 1: one method per day from the list above, 10 untimed problems each. Write the article and table you used next to every answer.
- Week 2: mixed sets of 13 problems in 55 minutes, half the real part at real pace.
- Week 3: two full timed Calculations parts (26 questions, 110 minutes). Review every miss by area, then redo it the next day without looking.
Practice calculation questions
The free Texas Journeyman practice includes calculation questions with explanations, and there is no sign-up. The Texas Journeyman Practice Pack adds a timed Calculations part in the PSI format and step-by-step solutions that show the rule used, every step, the rounding and why each wrong option is wrong. Every question is checked against the 2026 NEC text, and every correction is published with its date.
Next step on the Texas ladder
You are here: Exam calculations. Next: Code book tabs. Fast lookups in your 2026 NEC save time on both parts.
Also useful: Sample questions · 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.
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FAQ
How many calculation questions are on the Texas Journeyman exam?
26 questions, 2 of them unscored, in 110 minutes. You need 70% of the scored questions to pass this part, separately from the NEC Knowledge part.
What calculations are on the Texas Journeyman exam?
Branch-circuit and conductor sizing, service and feeder load calculations, special occupancies, motors, voltage drop and theory, box and raceway fill, appliances and heating loads, and EV chargers or photovoltaics.
Why is the calculations part so hard to pass?
Only 20.56% of attempts passed in TDLR fiscal year 2025. Each question takes several steps and one table lookup, and a single wrong assumption, such as an optional method, ruins the answer.
Can I use a calculator on the Texas electrician exam?
Yes, a silent, battery-operated, non-programmable calculator without paper tape and without an alphabet keyboard. Electronic notepads are provided at the test site.
Does the Texas exam assume copper or aluminum conductors?
Copper, unless the question specifically says otherwise. The PSI bulletin states this for both parts of the Journeyman exam.
Sources
- 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 staff reports, May 12, 2026, read October 1, 2026
- NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2026 edition: referenced by article number only. Explanations on this page are our own.
- NFPA 70, National Electrical Code: code development page (the exams use the 2026 edition), read October 3, 2026
