The Texas journeyman exam is split into a knowledge part and a separate calculations part. Texas uses the 2026 NEC from September 1, 2026. The exam is open book under TDLR reference rules. Check TDLR and its testing vendor for the current content outline, fees and any published results data.
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Check the exam references
Texas uses NEC 2026 as the state electrical code, with a limited exception for certain outdoor outlets. Check the candidate bulletin separately for what your exam allows. For neutral conductors at lighting-switch locations, see NEC 2026 406.30(C) (404.2(C) in the 2023 NEC). TDLR code adoption (checked November 11, 2026) · TDLR exam bulletin index (checked November 11, 2026)
Use the Texas licensing calculator · Try Journeyman sample questions · Verify a Texas license
For Texas electrical work, see the TDLR NEC 2026 adoption notice (checked November 11, 2026). For exam-day references, use the current candidate bulletin linked by TDLR.
Code book and study reference
Texas exams use the 2026 NEC. Check the current PSI bulletin for the softbound book and publisher-tab rules before test day.
As an Amazon Associate, Tsai Electro earns from qualifying purchases.
Ugly’s Electrical References, 2026. Review formulas and units before test day. Keep this book for study outside the testing room.
Updated for the 2026 NEC — TDLR, effective Sept 1, 2026. PSI source.
Score each portion on its own
The PSI bulletin lists 59 Knowledge items in 130 minutes and 26 Calculations items in 110 minutes. Each portion requires 70%. Use separate timers when you practice. Log each missed item as a lookup, setup, units, or arithmetic error, then rework the largest category before your next timed round. Official reference.
Short answer: The Texas Journeyman Electrician exam is the open-book PSI test you take after TDLR accepts 7,000 supervised hours. The license is issued at 8,000. It has two timed parts on the 2026 NEC: 59 NEC Knowledge questions in 130 minutes and 26 Calculations questions in 110 minutes. You need 70% on each part. The fee is $78 per attempt. In TDLR’s fiscal 2025 data, 24.46% of NEC attempts and 20.56% of Calculations attempts passed.
Organize hours records and verification requests with the Texas Experience Proof and License Application Kit (Journeyman and Master) (US$19.00).
Choose your next step before buying exam prep
Applying, studying and getting ready for test day are different tasks. Use the route that matches the question you need to answer now; you do not have to buy a learning product to check the official exam rules.
- Still arranging your application? Organize the hours and verification questions.
- Need calculation practice? Review the problem-solving sequence.
- Already booked? Review the test-day checks.
For optional ongoing learning, review the current paid plans and terms.
Compare paid ET Member plansRelated: Read Texas training routes and first-year apprentice costs.
NEC edition: Since September 1, 2026, the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam is based on the 2026 NEC. PSI exam bulletin
Practice on your phone — free
- 70 free practice questions. No account needed to start.
- Every answer explains why, with the NEC article so you can find it in your code book.
- Log your work periods and supervisors toward the 8,000 hours a Texas journeyman license needs.
Optional subscription in the app: 7-day free trial, then US$14.99/month or US$99/year, billed by Google Play.
Part of Texas Electrician Exams: every Texas license step and exam in one place.
On this page
Contents
Part 1, NEC Knowledge, has 59 questions in 130 minutes. Part 2, Calculations, has 26 questions in 110 minutes. You need at least 70% on each part. In TDLR’s fiscal year 2025 figures, only 24.46% of NEC Knowledge attempts and 20.56% of Calculations attempts passed.
Texas electrician license statistics
The exam at a glance
| Item | Texas Journeyman Electrician exam |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) |
| Test vendor | PSI, at test centers across Texas |
| Code edition | |
| Part 1 | |
| Part 2 | |
| Passing score | |
| Book rules | Open book: your own soft-bound NEC, no handbook, publisher tabs only |
| Fee | |
| Languages | English or Spanish bulletins and exams |
Time does not carry over.
Who can take it
You apply to TDLR first, not to PSI. Each supervising master signs an Experience Verification Form. Once TDLR approves you, you schedule with PSI online or by phone. See our step-by-step TDLR Journeyman application guide.
You have one year from the date TDLR receives your application to meet every requirement, including passing the exam.
Journeyman vs Master vs Residential Wireman
| License | Hours to qualify | TDLR application fee | PSI exam | Exam fee | TDLR page | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Wireman | Residential Wireman | |||||
| Journeyman Electrician | 7,000 hours to test, 8,000 to be licensed, under a Texas Master | NEC Knowledge 59 questions, 130 minutes; Calculations 26 questions, 110 minutes | $78 | Journeyman Electrician | ||
| Master Electrician | 2 years as a Journeyman Electrician and 12,000 hours under a Texas Master | NEC Knowledge 75 questions, 150 minutes; Calculations 33 questions, 170 minutes | $78 | Master Electrician |
TDLR fiscal year 2025 exam statisticsTDLR counts exam attempts, not people.
What each part covers
content outlineServices and separately derived systems, special occupancies, and motors and generators come next.
services and service equipmentOur Calculations part guide walks through each area.
Two bulletin rules matter on every question: treat all conductors as copper unless the question says otherwise, and ignore code exceptions and optional calculation methods unless the question tells you to use them.
For more calculation practice, see the Electrical Exam Calculations Workbook (2026 NEC).
Pass rates: why most attempts fail
| Exam part | Attempts | Passed | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journeyman NEC Knowledge | |||
| Journeyman Calculations | |||
| Master NEC Knowledge | |||
| Master Calculations |
These are attempts, not people, so repeat test takers pull the rates down.
See all three periods side by side in Texas electrician exam pass rates.
Structured preparation before the first attempt makes the biggest difference.
Retakes
If you fail, the score report shows your strengths and weaknesses by area. Use it to decide what to drill before you book again. Our retake guide turns that report into a study plan.
Licensing information
- Highlighting, underlining and notes are allowed before exam day.
- Fix your tabs early. See NEC code book tabs for the Texas exam.
- Spend most of your practice time on calculations, since that is the part most candidates fail.
- exam day rules
Practice in the real format
Want to see the question style first? Texas journeyman electrician exam sample questionsfree Texas Journeyman practiceTexas Journeyman Practice PackYou pay once.
Tsai Electro app — free, no ads: 12 offline calculators that show the formula with your numbers, 70 free Texas Journeyman practice questions, and a timed PSI-style mock exam for members.
Get the Journeyman practice exam pack, experience-proof and application kit, and apprentice records guide in the Texas Journeyman Exam + License Application Bundle (US$47.00).
Licensing information
How must the ungrounded feeder conductors be identified?
- A.
- B. By phase or line and by system at every termination, connection and splice point, with the method documented or posted at each feeder panelboard
- C.
- D.
Show the answer
Answer: B. Where more than one nominal voltage system exists, feeder ungrounded conductors are identified by phase or line and by system at all termination, connection and splice points.
Licensing information
A run of rigid metal conduit is installed exposed along a warehouse wall with standard couplings. Apart from the securing requirement near boxes, at what maximum interval must it be supported under the general rule?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
Show the answer
Answer: C. Longer spans are permitted only under the specific conditions the article lists.
Licensing information
A new wall switch in a dwelling bedroom controls the ceiling luminaire, which is supplied by a grounded general-purpose branch circuit. The cable enters the switch box through a finished wall and is not in a raceway, and the lighting is not controlled by any automatic means. What does the NEC generally require at the switch location?
- A. A grounded (neutral) conductor for the circuit
- B. A GFCI device
- C. A second equipment grounding conductor
- D. A locking means for the switch
Show the answer
Answer: A. The exceptions (for example a raceway or an accessible framing cavity that allows it to be added later, or a switch that does not serve a habitable room or bathroom) do not apply to this bedroom. The rule supports electronic switches such as occupancy sensors and timers.
Next step on the Texas ladder
You are here: Journeyman exam. Next: Exam calculations. Calculations is the part with the lower pass rate.
Also useful: Exam day rules · All Texas electrician exams
EnReady for full timed two-part mocks? See the practice packSee what’s inside.
Texas license ladder
Exam prep
FAQ
How many questions are on the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam?
85 in total: 59 in the NEC Knowledge part and 26 in the Calculations part. Five of them (3 and 2) are unscored trial questions, and you cannot tell which ones.
How long is the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam?
130 minutes for NEC Knowledge plus 110 minutes for Calculations, 4 hours in total. Unused time in one part does not carry over to the other.
What is the pass rate for the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam?
In TDLR fiscal year 2025, 24.46% of NEC Knowledge attempts and 20.56% of Calculations attempts passed. First-time takers do much better than repeat takers.
How much does the Texas Journeyman exam cost?
The PSI exam fee is $78 for both parts, and the retake fee is $78 for one failed part or both. TDLR also charges a $30 non-refundable application fee.
Is the Texas journeyman electrician exam open book?
Yes, it is open book, but only references allowed by TDLR and its exam vendor may be used. Check their rules on permitted books and markings before test day.
Which NEC edition does the Texas exam use?
The 2026 NEC applies to exams from September 1, 2026. Subject-matter experts reviewed 1,361 existing questions, edited 94, deleted 23 and wrote 15 new ones. PSI facilitated the review meetings with TDLR.
How hard is the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam?
Hard for most candidates. In TDLR’s fiscal year 2025 exam statistics, 24.46% of NEC Knowledge attempts and 20.56% of Calculations attempts passed. First attempts do far better: in TDLR’s May 12, 2026 staff report, 67.23% of first-time early Journeyman takers passed, against 19.72% on repeat attempts.
How many times can you take the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam?
As many times as you need. You pay the PSI retake fee of $78 each time, for one failed part or both, and you must pass within one year of TDLR receiving your application. Sources: TDLR exam page and the PSI candidate information bulletin.
Is the Texas Journeyman electrician test given by TDLR or PSI?
Both are involved. TDLR reviews your application and supervised hours, then approves you to test; PSI schedules and runs the exam, with both parts at a PSI test center. TDLR issues the license once you pass and reach 8,000 hours.
How do I schedule the Texas Journeyman Electrician exam with PSI?
Wait until TDLR approves your application and exam eligibility. Then schedule with PSI online or by phone using the exact name TDLR has on file.
What is on the Texas journeyman electrician exam?
It has separate knowledge and calculations parts covering electrical code, installation practice and load or sizing problems. Review the current TDLR content outline.
Which NEC edition is used for the Texas journeyman electrician exam?
Texas adopts the 2026 NEC effective September 1, 2026. Check the current TDLR exam bulletin to confirm which edition applies to your test date.
Sources
- TDLR: Electrician exam information
- TDLR: Apply for a Journeyman Electrician license
- PSI candidate information bulletin for TDLR electricians
- TDLR fiscal year 2025 electrician exam statistics
- TDLR fiscal year 2024 electrician exam statistics
- Official source
- Open resource
Make a one-week study decision from your own mistakes
- Choose a small set of independent practice questions. Record your first answer before reading the explanation.
- For each miss, note the topic, where you looked, the step that went wrong and how long you spent. Separate a lookup problem from a calculation or reading error.
- Pick one recurring problem for your next session. Try another question without copying the previous solution, then explain why the answer fits.
- At the end of the week, compare your own notes and choose the next topic. This is a study routine, not a forecast of your official exam result.
If you are looking for an ongoing learning option, compare the current paid ET Member plans. Check what the plan includes, its billing terms and whether it fits the work you intend to do. The separate practice-pack offer on this page is a different purchase; do not assume membership includes it.
Compare paid ET Member plansTexas journeyman exam practice websites and study options
They differ in format, access length and included materials. A value marked “Not publicly stated” was not stated on the linked page; it does not mean zero.
| Provider and product | NEC edition | Question count | Two-part timed PSI format | Free questions | Listed price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tsai Electro — free practice and optional online pack | SourceSource | SourceSource | SourceSource | SourceSource | SourceSource |
Source | Source | Source | Source | Source | |
Source | Not publicly stated for this named book program. Source | Source | Source | Source | |
Source | Source | Source | Source | Source |
Choosing a Texas journeyman practice website
What website should I use to study for the Texas journeyman electrician exam?
Use the official TDLR exam information and PSI candidate bulletin to check exam requirements.
Is the Texas electrician exam on the 2026 NEC?
Yes.
How many questions are on the Texas journeyman exam and what is the passing score?
Unused time does not carry over between portions.
Official sources: TDLR electrician exam information and the current PSI candidate bulletin.
