Short answer: Since March 11, 2025 the Texas Journeyman exam has two parts. NEC Knowledge has 59 items (3 not scored) in 130 minutes, and Calculations has 26 items (2 not scored) in 110 minutes. You must score 70% on each part, and time left on one part does not roll over to the other. It is open book. PSI permits any soft-bound NEC edition, but the questions are based on the 2026 NEC, so bring the 2026 edition to prepare against the code being tested.
Two parts means two clocks, and you need 70% on both. The Practice Pack has 10 full timed two-part mocks built on the same split, 59 questions in 130 minutes plus 26 in 110 minutes, with a score by part and by topic and a line showing which part you would fail. It also has 299 step-by-step calculation solutions and a ranked tab-these-first list for your code book. 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.
The two parts side by side
| NEC Knowledge | Calculations | |
|---|---|---|
| Items on screen | 59 | 26 |
| Items not scored | 3 | 2 |
| Scored items | 56 | 24 |
| Time | 130 minutes | 110 minutes |
| Pass mark | 70% | 70% |
| Code edition | 2026 NEC | 2026 NEC |
Two rules from the PSI bulletin change how you answer. All conductors are copper unless the question says otherwise. And do not consider code exceptions or optional calculation methods unless the question specifically directs you to. On practice questions, use the plain method unless the question tells you otherwise.
The exam fee is $78 for both portions, and the retake fee if you fail one or both portions is also $78.
What happens at the test center
- Arrive 30 minutes early with one valid government ID showing your name, photo, signature or fingerprint, date of birth and expiration date. It must match TDLR’s record.
- Tutorial first. You get up to 15 minutes of tutorial, and that time is not counted against either part.
- One question per screen. You can go back and change answers while time remains in that part.
- Score right away. Your score shows right after the exam. If you fail, you get a diagnostic report of your strengths and weaknesses.
TDLR’s FY2025 results show that both portions deserve serious preparation: 24.46% of Journeyman NEC attempts passed and 20.56% of Journeyman Calculations attempts passed. Those figures count attempts, including retakes, not people.
What you can bring into the exam
| Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| Any soft-bound edition of the NEC; the questions are based on the 2026 NEC, so the 2026 edition is recommended | Loose-leaf, spiral or ring-bound code books |
| Highlighting, underlining and notes made before the exam | Any marking during the exam |
| Permanent tabs made or provided by the NEC publisher | Homemade or DIY tabs |
| A bound word-to-word translation dictionary without pictures, definitions, extra papers, highlighting, underlining, indexing or other markings before or during the exam | The NEC Handbook |
Practice with the same book you will bring. On NEC Knowledge, practice finding and applying code requirements quickly. On Calculations, practice identifying the relevant requirements, setting up the calculation and checking your answer. Each part needs its own pace.
Work out your pace per question
Pace per question for each part
The defaults are the PSI times and item counts for the Texas Journeyman exam. Use positive whole-number item counts, and set how many minutes you want to keep at the end of each part for review.
- NEC Knowledge minutes
- NEC Knowledge items, positive whole number
- Calculations minutes
- Calculations items, positive whole number
- Minutes kept for review at the end of each part
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Texas Journeyman Electrician Exam Prep 2026 NEC (paperback)
Our own workbook follows the same two-part split, with 2 full mock exams of 59 and 26 questions, 486 practice questions, worked calculations and code book lookup paths. A paperback you can time yourself with while your soft-bound NEC sits open next to it.
How many questions are on the Texas journeyman electrician exam?
There are 85 items in total: 59 on NEC Knowledge and 26 on Calculations. Of those, 3 Knowledge items and 2 Calculations items are not scored, so 56 and 24 count toward your score.
Do I have to pass both parts of the Texas journeyman exam?
Yes. Each part is passed at 70%. If you fail one or both portions, the retake fee is $78, and retakes are unlimited within your eligibility period.
Is the Texas journeyman exam open book?
Yes. PSI permits any soft-bound NEC edition with highlighting, underlining and notes made beforehand, but the questions are based on the 2026 NEC, so the 2026 edition is recommended. Only permanent tabs made or provided by the NEC publisher are allowed, and the NEC Handbook is not.
