Important Texas licensing fact: a Texas Journeyman Electrician license is an individual electrician credential, not an Electrical Contractor business license. A Journeyman Electrician performs electrical work under the general supervision of a Texas-licensed Master Electrician. A Texas Electrical Contractor business has separate licensing, Master Electrician of Record, and insurance requirements.
The Texas Journeyman Electrician License is an individual electrical license issued by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to experienced electricians who satisfy the state's work-experience, application, examination, and licensing requirements.
A Journeyman Electrician is licensed to perform electrical work under the general supervision of a Master Electrician.
Texas electrical work includes installing, maintaining, or extending electrical wiring systems and related apparatus, equipment, and service-entrance conductors on buildings, residences, structures, property, and premises.
The current Texas Journeyman exam is different from the older single-exam format. Since March 2025, Journeyman candidates have been tested with separate NEC Knowledge and Calculations portions.
Licensing authority: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Testing provider: PSI.
Exam structure: two separately timed portions.
NEC Knowledge: 59 items, including 3 non-scored items, 130 minutes.
Calculations: 26 items, including 2 non-scored items, 110 minutes.
Passing score: 70% on each portion.
Format: multiple choice and open book.
Current exam reference: 2026 National Electrical Code.
Experience: 8,000 total qualifying hours for licensure.
For structured preparation, review the 2026 Texas Journeyman Electrician Exam Prep Study Guides & Code Book Ultimate Combo for NEC study, calculation practice, code navigation, practice exams, and exam-focused review.
Texas allows candidates to apply for exam eligibility before reaching the complete experience requirement, but the full experience requirement still applies before the Journeyman license can be issued.
| Step | Authority / Requirement | What to Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Experience | TDLR | Complete qualifying on-the-job training under a Texas-licensed Master Electrician |
| Early Exam Eligibility | TDLR | At least 7,000 documented hours can allow you to apply and test before reaching 8,000 |
| Full Licensure Experience | TDLR | 8,000 qualifying hours are required before Journeyman licensure |
| Experience Verification | Supervising Master Electricians | Obtain signed Experience Verification Forms from qualifying supervisors |
| License Application | TDLR | Submit the Journeyman Electrician application with the current $30 non-refundable application fee |
| Exam Approval | TDLR | Wait for TDLR eligibility approval before scheduling through PSI |
| NEC Knowledge Portion | PSI | 59 items, 130 minutes, open book, 70% passing |
| Calculations Portion | PSI | 26 items, 110 minutes, open book, 70% passing |
| Final License | TDLR | Complete the full 8,000-hour requirement and all remaining licensing requirements |
Use current TDLR and PSI information as the final authority for eligibility, fees, exam content, testing rules, reference materials, and renewal requirements.
| Verified Point | Authority | Current Result |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing authority | TDLR | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation |
| Testing provider | TDLR / PSI | PSI Services LLC |
| Hours to apply for testing | TDLR | 7,000 qualifying hours |
| Hours required for license | TDLR | 8,000 qualifying hours |
| NEC Knowledge | PSI | 59 items including 3 non-scored items, 130 minutes |
| Calculations | PSI | 26 items including 2 non-scored items, 110 minutes |
| Passing score | PSI / TDLR | 70% on each exam portion |
| Exam fee | PSI | $78 for both portions |
| Exam reference | TDLR / PSI | 2026 National Electrical Code |
| Application fee | TDLR | $30 |
| Renewal | TDLR | Annual renewal with current $30 renewal fee |
| Continuing education | TDLR | 4 approved hours each license cycle |
One-year licensing window: TDLR states that applicants have one year from the date the application is received to satisfy all requirements for the license, including passing the examination.
The current Texas Journeyman Electrician examination is divided into two separately timed multiple-choice portions.
The NEC Knowledge Portion contains 59 total items, including 3 non-scored questions. That leaves 56 scored questions across ten official subject areas.
The three largest NEC Knowledge categories are Branch Circuits and Conductors, Electrical Wiring Methods and Electrical Materials, and Electrical Equipment and Devices. Each category contains 10 scored items.
The Calculations Portion contains 26 total items, including 2 non-scored questions. That leaves 24 scored calculation questions across ten subject areas.
The largest calculation categories are Electrical Services, Service Equipment, and Separately Derived Systems with 4 items and Branch Circuit Calculations and Conductors with 4 items.
The two-part format means you cannot treat the calculation section as a few bonus math questions mixed into the NEC test. It has its own clock, its own passing score, and its own opportunity to make your calculator feel judged.
Train for two different exam jobs. The NEC Knowledge Portion rewards fast code recognition and navigation. The Calculations Portion rewards accurate setup, formula selection, code-table use, and careful math.
Branch Circuits and Conductors: review GFCI, AFCI, branch-circuit requirements, overcurrent protection, ampacity, conductor sizing, grounding, and bonding.
Wiring Methods: study raceways, cable trays, boxes, enclosures, cabinets, panels, cables, cords, and underground wiring.
Electrical Equipment: review receptacles, switches, luminaires, HVAC equipment, appliances, and working-space requirements.
Services and Feeders: study service equipment, load rules, grounding and bonding, transformers, feeders, and feeder overcurrent protection.
Motors and Generators: practice conductor sizing, overload protection, short-circuit protection, disconnects, controllers, and generator requirements.
Calculations: practice service loads, feeders, branch circuits, conductors, raceways, equipment, motors, special installations, photovoltaics, and EV charging.
The 2026 Texas Journeyman Electrician Super Combo combines Journeyman study material, calculation preparation, flash cards, the 2026 NEC, and tabs for repeated practice across both portions.
An open-book electrical exam does not reward random page flipping. You want to recognize the electrical subject, know the likely NEC article or table, find the exact rule, check any exceptions, and get back to the question quickly.
Texas Journeyman Electrician exam-prep illustration for NEC navigation, electrical calculations, conductors, grounding, and equipment.
Move from supervised electrical experience through TDLR application, PSI testing, the full 8,000-hour requirement, license issuance, and annual renewal.
Build qualifying on-the-job training under the supervision of a Master Electrician licensed in Texas.
Obtain signed Experience Verification Forms from each qualifying Master Electrician who supervised your work.
Texas allows candidates with at least 7,000 qualifying hours to apply and take the Journeyman examination before completing the final hours required for licensure.
Mail the completed Journeyman Electrician application, experience documentation, and current $30 non-refundable application fee.
After TDLR verifies eligibility, follow the PSI scheduling instructions and pay the current examination fee.
Complete 59 items within 130 minutes and earn at least 70 percent.
Complete 26 items within 110 minutes and earn at least 70 percent. Time from the knowledge portion does not carry into calculations.
The full 8,000 qualifying hours must be satisfied before the Texas Journeyman Electrician license can be issued.
The NEC Knowledge Portion contains 56 scored questions plus 3 non-scored questions. The following counts are the official scored subject distribution.
Knowledge study priority: Branch Circuits and Conductors, Wiring Methods and Materials, and Electrical Equipment and Devices combine for 30 of the 56 scored NEC Knowledge questions.
Calculations Portion: the 24 scored calculation questions are distributed as follows: Calculations and Theory 2; Services and Separately Derived Systems 4; Feeders 3; Branch Circuit Calculations and Conductors 4; Wiring Methods 2; Equipment and Devices 2; Motors and Generators 2; Controls and Disconnects 1; Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions 3; Renewable Energy Technologies 1.
The Texas Journeyman electrician examination is open book, but the permitted technical reference is tightly controlled. Always verify current PSI rules before test day.
| Reference | Primary Study Use | Exam-Room Status |
|---|---|---|
| National Electrical Code, 2026 Edition | Definitions, services, feeders, branch circuits, conductors, grounding, wiring methods, equipment, motors, special installations, renewable energy, tables, and calculations | Current approved technical examination reference |
| TDLR Journeyman Electrician Licensing Requirements | Experience, application, license scope, fees, and licensing process | Licensing reference, not an additional exam-room technical book |
| Texas Electrician Law and Administrative Rules | License responsibilities, compliance, renewal, and continuing education | Important licensing material, not listed as an additional technical exam reference |
| PSI Texas Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin | Question counts, time limits, subject outlines, fees, testing rules, and allowed reference materials | Use before testing to verify current procedures |
Current NEC rule: effective September 1, 2026, Texas electrician examinations are referenced to the 2026 National Electrical Code.
Candidates are responsible for bringing their own compliant NEC to the PSI testing center.
Current PSI book rules: a compliant NEC may contain highlighting, underlining, and notes prepared before the examination. Permanent index tabs manufactured or provided by the NEC publisher are permitted. Candidates may not add markings during the exam. Loose pages, homemade tabs, the NEC Handbook, spiral-bound copies, ring-bound copies, and loose-leaf copies are not allowed.
A Texas Journeyman Electrician is licensed to perform electrical work under the general supervision of a licensed Master Electrician.
Journeyman-level electrical work can involve electrical wiring systems, services, feeders, branch circuits, equipment, motors, controls, lighting, power systems, and related electrical installations within the scope of Texas law and applicable local requirements.
The Journeyman credential is broader than the Residential Wireman credential, which is limited to electrical installations in qualifying residential buildings not exceeding four stories.
Journeyman licensure also creates an important pathway toward Texas Master Electrician eligibility. A Master Electrician applicant generally must hold a Journeyman Electrician license for at least two years and document 12,000 hours of qualifying on-the-job training.
Contractor distinction: a Journeyman Electrician license does not independently authorize a person to operate a Texas Electrical Contractor business. A licensed Electrical Contractor must satisfy separate business requirements and employ a licensed Master Electrician as its Master Electrician of Record.
Texas separates individual electrician licenses from the business-level Electrical Contractor license.
| Credential | Main Purpose | Experience / Path | Important Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice Electrician | Learn and perform electrical work under required supervision | Register and accumulate qualifying experience | Entry-level credential used while building supervised hours |
| Residential Wireman | Residential electrical installations | Approved education path or generally 4,000 supervised hours | Limited to qualifying single-family and multifamily dwellings not exceeding four stories |
| Journeyman Electrician | Journeyman-level electrical work under a Master Electrician | 8,000 qualifying hours, with exam application possible after 7,000 | Broader individual electrician license and pathway toward Master Electrician |
| Master Electrician | Advanced individual electrician license | Journeyman license history plus 12,000 qualifying hours and Master examination | Can serve as Master Electrician of Record for an Electrical Contractor |
| Electrical Contractor | Business-level electrical contracting | Business application, Master Electrician of Record, insurance, and contractor requirements | This is the Texas business contractor license, not the Journeyman credential |
Planning to become an Electrical Contractor? That is a separate business license. Texas Electrical Contractors must employ a licensed Master Electrician as the Master Electrician of Record and maintain required business liability insurance.
The current minimum liability limits include $300,000 per occurrence, $600,000 aggregate, and $300,000 aggregate for products and completed operations.
Build NEC navigation, electrical calculation skill, code application, and separate timing habits for both exam portions.
The Texas Journeyman exam is challenging because you must pass two different portions instead of relying on one combined score.
The NEC Knowledge Portion gives you 130 minutes for 59 total items. That averages about 2.2 minutes per administered item.
The Calculations Portion gives you 110 minutes for 26 total items. That averages about 4.2 minutes per administered item.
That extra calculation time can disappear quickly when a problem requires load setup, ampacity correction, demand factors, motor tables, transformer math, or several NEC steps.
The exam is open book, but the NEC is not a search engine. If you do not know whether the question belongs in Article 210, Article 220, Article 250, Article 310, Article 430, or somewhere completely different, the clock gets very interested in your problem.
Strong candidates combine field experience, NEC familiarity, calculation practice, and disciplined timing.
Passing rule: you need at least 70 percent on both portions. A passing knowledge result does not cancel a failing calculation result, and the same is true in reverse.
Want calculation-heavy preparation? The Texas Journeyman Electrician Super Combo adds a dedicated calculations study guide and flash cards to the code and Journeyman preparation materials.
Want instructor support? Review the 2026 Texas Journeyman Electrician Instructor-Led NEC Study Package .
This Texas-specific 1 Exam Prep credential image is directly related to Texas Journeyman Electrician examination preparation.
• Texas Journeyman Electrician licensing preparation
• TDLR and PSI exam pathway
• 59-item NEC Knowledge Portion
• 26-item Calculations Portion
• 70% required on each portion
• Open-book 2026 NEC testing
• Branch circuits, conductors, services, and feeders
• Grounding, bonding, wiring methods, motors, and equipment
• Photovoltaics and electric vehicle charging
• Electrical calculation preparation
Know where the rule lives, then know how to calculate it. Texas now tests those skills in separate portions, so preparation should do the same. Your NEC should feel like a familiar toolbox, not a 900-page surprise.
Texas Journeyman Licensing
Exam Structure
NEC Knowledge Topics
Calculations
Open-Book Rules
Application and Renewal
Electrical Contractor Path
1 Exam Prep
Watch this related 1 Exam Prep Texas Journeyman Electrician video for guidance on Journeyman exam preparation, NEC navigation, code organization, electrical calculations, and licensing-exam study strategy.
Study tip: watch the video with your 2026 NEC nearby. When branch circuits, services, feeders, grounding, motors, wiring methods, special installations, or calculations are discussed, practice finding the related NEC article or table yourself.
Combine current TDLR and PSI information with structured 1 Exam Prep study guides, NEC packages, calculation materials, online training, rental options, and application support.
Build faster 2026 NEC navigation, stronger branch-circuit knowledge, better conductor sizing, confidence with services, feeders, grounding, bonding, wiring methods, motors, generators, special occupancies, photovoltaics, EV charging, and the separate Texas calculation portion.
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Texas Journeyman Electrician Exam Prep