What Is Washington Specialty 07B?

Washington identifies 07B as Residential Maintenance. The specialty is limited to qualifying residential locations and allows maintenance, repair, or like-in-kind replacement of existing electrical utilization equipment.

It also includes qualifying permit-exempt work listed in WAC 296-46B-901, provided the work still fits the 07B occupancy, voltage, amperage, phase, and other scope limitations.

Where Can a 07B Electrician Work?

Washington limits 07B to specific residential occupancies. The rule includes residential dwellings as defined by the residential specialty scope, multistory dwelling structures that have no commercial facilities, and the interior of dwelling units in multistory structures that do contain commercial facilities.

That means an apartment unit can fall inside the specialty while a commercial tenant space in the same mixed-use building does not automatically become 07B work.

Occupancy is part of the license. Before looking at the broken equipment, first ask whether the location itself fits the specialty.

The Main Electrical Limit Is 250 Volts, 60 Amps, Single Phase

Washington limits 07B equipment and circuits to a maximum of 250 volts, 60 amperes, single phase.

07B Covers Existing Electrical Utilization Equipment

The specialty allows a certified electrician to maintain, repair, or replace existing electrical utilization equipment like in kind. The phrase like in kind is important because it keeps the work focused on maintenance rather than redesign.

Common residential maintenance work may involve appliances, controls, switches, receptacles, luminaires, smoke or carbon monoxide alarms, thermostats, heating elements, relays, contactors, motors, or other equipment when the work fits the rules.

The exact task still has to fit the specialty. Replacing an existing component is different from adding a new branch circuit across the house.

Permit-Exempt Work Is an Important Part of 07B

Washington says 07B may perform the permit-exempt work defined in WAC 296-46B-901. That rule includes several kinds of Class A basic electrical work when performed like in kind and within all other licensing limits.

Examples include qualifying replacement of:

• Lamps
• A single set of fuses
• A battery smaller than 150 amp-hours
• Contactors, relays, timers, starters, circuit boards, or similar controls
• One household appliance
• Qualifying branch-circuit circuit breakers
• Single-family residential luminaires
• Line-voltage smoke or carbon monoxide alarms
• A limited number of switches, dimmers, receptacles, thermostats, or heating elements
• Exact same luminaire ballasts or qualifying LED drivers/power supplies
• One motor rated ten horsepower or less, where the work also fits 07B limits

Permit-exempt does not mean "do anything you want." The work still must fit 07B's residential occupancy, voltage, amperage, phase, and equipment boundaries.

The Six-Foot Whip Rule

07B may disconnect and reconnect low-voltage control and line-voltage supply whips that are not over six feet long, provided there is no modification to the characteristics of the branch circuit or whip.

That rule allows practical equipment replacement and service without turning a maintenance call into a new branch-circuit project.

External Conductors, Raceway, and Conduit Are Outside the Equipment Definition

For 07B, Washington specifically says "electrical equipment" does not include electrical conductors, raceway, or conduit systems external to the equipment or whip.

This is one of the most useful scope boundaries to learn. A technician can work on qualifying existing equipment but should not assume that authority extends into the building wiring just because the conductors are physically close to the equipment.

If the repair requires new raceway, new branch-circuit conductors, a circuit extension, or a larger wiring change, the work may require a broader certificate.

07B Does Not Include Plumbing Work

Washington states that Residential Maintenance 07B cannot perform plumbing work regulated under Chapter 18.106 RCW.

This matters because many residential electrical service calls involve water heaters, dishwashers, disposal equipment, pumps, heating equipment, or appliances sitting right next to plumbing connections.

The 07B electrician can perform the authorized electrical work. Regulated plumbing still belongs to the appropriate plumbing professional.

07B Is Not the Same as Washington Residential 02

The 02 Residential certificate is a broader residential installation specialty. It can perform extensive telecommunications, low-voltage, and line-voltage wiring within the occupancy limits established by Washington.

The 07B certificate is narrower. It is focused on maintenance, like-in-kind replacement, permit-exempt basic work, and qualifying equipment connections.

If a project is really a remodel, new construction job, large circuit alteration, new feeder, or broad residential wiring project, 07B is generally not the credential to treat as an all-purpose solution.

07B Requires 720 Hours Before Exam Eligibility

Washington classifies Residential Maintenance as a 2,000-hour specialty, but the current experience table allows a trainee to become exam-eligible after 720 qualifying supervised hours.

Until the examination is successfully completed, the trainee must work under 100 percent supervision by an appropriately certified electrician.

What Happens After You Pass at 720 Hours?

After passing the 07B specialty exam, Washington can issue a nonrenewable zero-percent-supervision modified training certificate.

That certificate allows the trainee to work without supervision in 07B while completing the remaining work experience needed for the 2,000-hour specialty certificate.

Washington allows only one zero-percent-supervision certificate in a specialty, and it is valid for no more than two years. If the required experience is still incomplete when it expires, the trainee must move to the applicable 75-percent-supervision modified training status until the required hours are completed.

Keep Your Experience Records Clean

Labor & Industries reviews work-experience records to determine exam and certification eligibility. Keep accurate records showing your employer, dates, hours, specialty, supervising electrician, and the type of work performed.

The initial 720 supervised hours required for exam eligibility cannot simply be replaced by training-school credit. Washington also limits how much school credit can be used toward the total 2,000-hour certification requirement.

Because 07B is a 2,000-hour specialty, those hours generally do not become a shortcut toward Washington's 4,000-hour specialty certificates or the 01 General Journey Level path.

For help organizing licensing paperwork, review 1ExamPrep application services.

The Current 07B Electrician Exam at a Glance

Current 07B Electrician Exam Blueprint

General Trade Knowledge & Theory is the largest individual category at about three questions. Several NEC categories contribute about two questions each, so the exam rewards broad familiarity rather than one giant chapter marathon.

General Trade Knowledge and Theory Are About Three Questions

Residential maintenance electricians troubleshoot equipment, controls, circuits, and components, so basic electrical theory matters even on an open-book exam.

• Voltage
• Current
• Resistance
• Power
• Ohm's law
• Series and parallel relationships
• Basic AC theory
• Residential troubleshooting
• Electrical measurements
• Equipment ratings

If you can solve common theory questions from memory, you save your book-search time for questions that actually need a book.

Wiring & Protection, Overcurrent, Grounding, Wiring Methods, and Equipment Matter

The current blueprint assigns about two questions each to several major technical categories. That makes 07B a broad but compact exam.

• NEC 200-225 and 280-285 Wiring & Protection
• NEC 240 Overcurrent Protection
• NEC 250 Grounding & Bonding
• NEC 300-398 Wiring Methods
• NEC 400-427 and 455-480 Electrical Equipment

Study these topics through residential maintenance examples. Think receptacles, luminaires, controls, equipment connections, grounding paths, protective devices, flexible cords, switches, appliances, and like-in-kind replacement.

Special Equipment and Emergency Systems Are About Two Questions Each

NEC 600-695 Special Equipment contributes about two questions, and NEC 700-702 Emergency & Standby Systems contributes about two more.

Residential maintenance can touch equipment such as pools and spas, generators, emergency-related equipment, specialty systems, and other installations that do not fit neatly into a single ordinary branch-circuit chapter.

Learn the general NEC organization so you can quickly find the correct article when the exam throws you a question that looks slightly stranger than a broken receptacle.

Motors, HVAC, Generators, and Transformers Add About One Question

NEC 430-450 contributes about one question to the current 07B electrician outline. Residential equipment can include motors, small transformers, controls, and equipment associated with mechanical systems.

Review basic motor ratings, overload protection, disconnecting concepts, control components, and equipment nameplates at a level appropriate for the residential maintenance scope.

The Washington Codes Section Has 17 Questions

The Washington Codes section gives you one hour for 17 questions. That is almost as many questions as the entire technical section, so scope and licensing rules deserve serious study time.

Study:

• Chapter 19.28 RCW
• Chapter 296-46B WAC
• WAC 296-46B-920 Residential Maintenance scope
• WAC 296-46B-901 permit-exempt work
• WAC 296-46B-945 experience and exam eligibility
• Trainee supervision
• Modified training certificates
• Permits and inspections
• Electrician certification
• Contractor requirements
• Renewal and continuing education

The Current Exam Is Open Book

PSI currently identifies Washington electrical examinations as open book. Current law, rule, and code questions are based on the 2020 National Electrical Code, current RCW 19.28, and current WAC 296-46B.

Original copyrighted references may contain highlighting, underlining, and permanent index tabs. Printed Washington RCW and WAC materials are allowed when prepared in the accepted binder format.

Removable tabs, sticky notes, and writing in the references during the exam are prohibited. A silent nonprinting nonprogrammable calculator is allowed.

Current Exam NEC vs. Current Field NEC

Washington currently uses the 2023 NEC for field installations and inspections, while the current licensing-exam bulletin still uses the 2020 NEC.

Washington has announced that the 2026 NEC will replace the current 2023 field edition on December 31, 2026.

• For exam day: follow the current PSI and L&I testing-reference instructions.
• For actual field work: follow the electrical code edition and Washington amendments currently in force.

The Three Core Exam References

A practical 07B study set begins with:

• 2020 National Electrical Code for the current exam
• RCW Chapter 19.28
• WAC Chapter 296-46B

The Washington General Electrician Book Package contains these same three core Washington exam references. It is broader than 07B, so use the current Residential Maintenance blueprint and specialty rules to focus your study.

Open-Book Strategy for a Fast Two-Hour Exam

The 07B Electrician exam gives one hour for 20 NEC/Theory questions and one hour for 17 Washington Codes questions. You have enough time to look things up, but not enough time to learn the books during the test.

1. Memorize the core scope numbers. Know 250 volts, 60 amperes, single phase, and six-foot whips.
2. Know the occupancy limits. Residential location is part of the specialty.
3. Study the permit-exempt list in WAC 296-46B-901.
4. Know that external conductors, raceways, and conduit are outside the 07B equipment definition.
5. Tab NEC 240, 250, and commonly used residential equipment sections.
6. Practice theory questions without book lookup whenever possible.
7. Take 20-question technical practice sections in one hour.
8. Take 17-question Washington Codes practice sections in one hour.

Apply Through Labor & Industries Before PSI

07B electrician candidates must first qualify through Washington Labor & Industries. L&I reviews the required experience and education before approving the candidate to test.

Once approved, L&I sends exam-scheduling instructions and the Exam Unique ID needed for PSI registration. The current PSI bulletin gives approved candidates one year from the approval date to pass all required sections.

Current Retest Rules

The current PSI bulletin requires a 14-day wait after a failed examination attempt before retesting.

After a third failed attempt, future attempts require a three-month wait from the most recent failure.

Use the diagnostic report to target weak areas before paying for another round of quality time with PSI.

Current PSI Exam Fee

The current 07B Electrician exam totals two testing hours. PSI's current time-based fee schedule lists $55 for a two-hour examination.

Confirm the live amount during scheduling because testing fees can change.

Current Washington Application and Certificate Fees

Washington's current fee schedule lists $102.20 for the zero-percent-supervision modified training certificate pathway.

The current journey-level, specialty, or reciprocal electrician application, including the original certificate and processing fee, is $114.60.

These are current amounts under WAC 296-46B-909. Always verify the fee schedule when you are ready to submit payment.

Renewal Is Every Three Years

Washington specialty electrician certificates renew every three years and expire on the certificate holder's birthdate.

Current specialty electrician renewal is $92.60 online or $106.40 by mail, fax, or in person.

If an electrician certificate has been expired for more than 90 days, retesting is generally required before recertification.

Continuing Education Requires 24 Hours

For a normal three-year certificate period, Washington electricians currently need 24 hours of approved continuing education.

• At least 8 hours of code update
• At least 4 hours of RCW/WAC education
• 12 additional hours of approved continuing education

Keep this separate from the 24 hours of basic trainee classroom instruction required on the initial 2,000-hour specialty path. The numbers match, but the purpose is different.

A Practical 07B Study Plan

1. Start with WAC 296-46B-920. Learn the 07B occupancy and equipment limits.
2. Read WAC 296-46B-901. Know the permit-exempt Class A work that 07B may perform when all specialty limits are met.
3. Memorize 250 volts, 60 amperes, single phase, and six feet.
4. Study NEC 240 and 250.
5. Review Wiring & Protection, Wiring Methods, and Electrical Equipment.
6. Review Special Equipment and Emergency/Standby Systems.
7. Practice General Trade Knowledge & Theory.
8. Study trainee supervision and modified training certificate rules.
9. Take 20-question NEC/Theory practice sections in one hour.
10. Take 17-question Washington Codes practice sections in one hour.

Study Like a Residential Maintenance Electrician

A useful study habit is to imagine a real service call in a house, apartment, condominium, or other residential occupancy allowed by the rule.

Start with the equipment. What failed? Is it existing? Is the replacement like in kind? Is the circuit 250 volts or less, 60 amperes or less, and single phase? Is the task permit-exempt basic work, an equipment repair, or a whip reconnection?

Then look at the boundary. Does the job require new external conductors, new raceway, conduit, a branch-circuit extension, plumbing, or a broader residential installation? If so, the work may no longer fit 07B.

Review the Washington Residential Maintenance Electrician 07B collection for specialty-focused preparation.

For the core code-and-law references, review the Washington General Electrician Book Package. For licensing support, review 1ExamPrep application services. For books, testing costs, licensing expenses, and related professional costs, review 1ExamPrep financing options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The Washington Residential Maintenance Electrician 07B certificate is a focused specialty for electricians who maintain, repair, and replace qualifying existing electrical utilization equipment in residential settings. It is not the same as the broader 02 Residential certificate, and it should not be treated like a general remodeling license.

The first major boundary is occupancy. 07B applies to qualifying residential dwellings, multistory dwelling structures without commercial facilities, and the interior of dwelling units in multistory structures that do contain commercial facilities. A commercial tenant space in a mixed-use building is not automatically part of 07B just because apartments are upstairs.

The second major boundary is electrical size. Equipment and circuits are limited to a maximum of 250 volts, 60 amperes, single phase. Those numbers should be automatic by exam day because they help define whether the work even belongs in the specialty.

The specialty allows maintenance, repair, and like-in-kind replacement of existing electrical utilization equipment. It also includes permit-exempt work defined in WAC 296-46B-901 when the task fits all 07B limits.

Permit-exempt Class A work includes a range of practical residential maintenance tasks. Depending on the exact conditions, that can include like-in-kind replacement of lamps, fuses, controls, one household appliance, qualifying branch-circuit breakers, single-family luminaires, line-voltage smoke or carbon monoxide alarms, a limited number of switches, dimmers, receptacles, thermostats, heating elements, exact replacement ballast or LED-driver components, and certain motors.

The six-foot whip rule is another important specialty boundary. 07B may disconnect and reconnect qualifying low-voltage control and line-voltage supply whips up to six feet long when the characteristics of the branch circuit or whip are not changed.

Washington also makes clear that electrical equipment for 07B does not include external electrical conductors, raceway, or conduit systems outside the equipment or whip. That is why a simple equipment repair can be inside scope while adding a new branch-circuit run is outside it.

Regulated plumbing work is also outside 07B. This matters on appliance and equipment service calls where electrical and plumbing components share the same small utility room.

The experience pathway lets trainees test before completing the full 2,000 hours. Washington currently requires 720 qualifying supervised hours before 07B examination eligibility. Until the exam is passed, the trainee works under 100 percent supervision.

After passing, Washington can issue one nonrenewable zero-percent-supervision modified training certificate for the specialty. That certificate can be valid for no more than two years and lets the trainee work without supervision in 07B while finishing the remaining hours. If the full experience requirement is still incomplete when it expires, the trainee must work under the applicable 75-percent-supervision modified certificate.

Full certification requires 2,000 qualifying work hours. Because it is a 2,000-hour specialty, the pathway also requires 24 hours of approved basic trainee classroom instruction. The initial 720 supervised hours needed for exam eligibility cannot simply be replaced by school credit.

The current 07B Electrician exam has two sections. NEC and Theory contains about 20 scored questions and allows one hour. Washington Codes contains 17 scored questions and allows one hour. The current published total is 37 scored questions across two section-hours.

The technical blueprint is broad. General Trade Knowledge & Theory contributes about three questions. Wiring & Protection, Overcurrent Protection, Grounding & Bonding, Wiring Methods, Electrical Equipment, Special Equipment, and Emergency & Standby Systems each contribute about two. Motors/HVAC/Generators/Transformers contributes about one.

The Washington Codes section deserves just as much attention as the technical section. Study 07B scope, permit-exempt work, trainee supervision, modified training certificates, permits, inspections, contractor rules, electrician certification, renewal, and continuing education.

The current PSI bulletin identifies the exam as open book and bases law, rule, and code questions on the 2020 National Electrical Code, current RCW 19.28, and current WAC 296-46B. Permanent tabs, highlighting, and underlining are allowed under the current rules, while removable notes and writing in references during the exam are prohibited.

Washington field installations currently use the 2023 NEC, while the licensing exam still uses the 2020 NEC. Washington has announced that the 2026 NEC will replace the current 2023 field edition on December 31, 2026. Candidates should always check the official bulletin shortly before testing.

Approved electrician candidates currently have one year to pass the required examination. Failed attempts require a 14-day waiting period, and after a third failed attempt the waiting period increases to three months.

PSI currently lists $55 for a two-hour electrical examination. Washington's current fee schedule lists $102.20 for the zero-percent-supervision modified training pathway and $114.60 for the specialty electrician application including the original certificate and processing fee.

Once fully certified, 07B renews every three years on the electrician's birthdate. Current renewal is $92.60 online or $106.40 by mail, fax, or in person. A normal three-year renewal period requires 24 hours of approved continuing education, including at least eight hours of code update and four hours of RCW/WAC education.

The best preparation combines residential maintenance skill with scope awareness. Learn the equipment, the NEC categories, Washington's permit-exempt maintenance rules, and the difference between equipment service and new premises wiring. A good 07B electrician fixes the problem. A great one also knows exactly when the job has grown beyond 07B.

Key Takeaways

• Washington 07B is a 2,000-hour Residential Maintenance specialty, with exam eligibility after 720 qualifying supervised hours.
• The specialty is limited to qualifying residential occupancies and equipment/circuits up to 250 volts, 60 amperes, single phase, with a six-foot whip allowance.
• 07B may perform qualifying permit-exempt maintenance work under WAC 296-46B-901, but broad new conductors, raceways, conduit systems, and plumbing remain outside the specialty.
• The current exam has about 20 NEC/Theory questions in 1 hour plus 17 Washington Codes questions in 1 hour, for 37 published scored questions.
• The exam is open book and currently uses the 2020 NEC plus current RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B, while Washington field installations currently use the 2023 NEC.

Plain-Language Summary

Washington's Residential Maintenance Electrician 07B certificate is for electricians who repair and maintain existing electrical equipment in qualifying residential locations.

It is not a general residential construction license. The work is focused on maintenance, repair, like-in-kind replacement, and qualifying permit-exempt basic electrical work.

The specialty applies to qualifying residential dwellings, multistory residential buildings without commercial facilities, and the interiors of dwelling units in multistory buildings that also contain commercial facilities.

The electrical limits are simple to remember: 250 volts maximum, 60 amperes maximum, and single phase.

07B can maintain, repair, or replace existing electrical utilization equipment like in kind. It can also perform qualifying permit-exempt work listed in WAC 296-46B-901.

That permit-exempt list includes practical items such as lamps, fuses, controls, one household appliance, qualifying branch-circuit breakers, residential luminaires, line-voltage smoke or carbon monoxide alarms, a limited number of switches, dimmers, receptacles, thermostats, heating elements, and certain motors.

Every task still has to fit the 07B occupancy and electrical limits. Permit-exempt does not erase the specialty boundary.

07B can disconnect and reconnect qualifying low-voltage control and line-voltage supply whips up to six feet long if the characteristics of the branch circuit or whip are not changed.

The specialty does not treat external conductors, raceway, or conduit outside the equipment or whip as part of the equipment. That means broad new branch-circuit installation or raceway work is outside ordinary 07B maintenance.

07B also cannot perform regulated plumbing work.

The current training pathway requires 720 qualifying supervised hours before the trainee can take the 07B exam. Full certification requires 2,000 qualifying hours.

Until the exam is passed, the trainee works under 100 percent supervision. After passing, Washington can issue a nonrenewable zero-percent-supervision modified training certificate while the remaining work hours are completed.

Because 07B is a 2,000-hour specialty, the path also requires 24 hours of approved basic trainee classroom instruction.

The current 07B Electrician exam has 20 NEC and Theory questions and gives you one hour. The Washington Codes section has 17 questions and gives you one hour. That is 37 published scored questions across two hours.

General Trade Knowledge & Theory is about three questions. Several technical categories, including overcurrent protection, grounding and bonding, wiring methods, electrical equipment, special equipment, and emergency systems, contribute about two questions each.

The exam is open book and currently uses the 2020 National Electrical Code, current RCW 19.28, and current WAC 296-46B.

Washington field installations currently use the 2023 NEC, so keep the current field-code edition separate from the current exam-reference edition. Check the bulletin again before test day.

PSI currently lists $55 for the two-hour exam. Washington currently lists $102.20 for the zero-percent-supervision modified training certificate and $114.60 for the specialty electrician application including the original certificate and processing fee.

The full 07B certificate renews every three years on your birthdate. A normal three-year renewal currently requires 24 hours of continuing education, including eight hours of code update and four hours of RCW/WAC education.

Use the Washington Residential Maintenance Electrician 07B collection from 1ExamPrep to organize your preparation around residential maintenance scope, permit-exempt work, the 2020 NEC exam reference, Washington law, electrical theory, and open-book reference navigation.