Washington General Master Electrician Book Package

Prepare for the Washington General Master Electrician examination with a focused book package built around the electrical code, state law, and state rule references used for Washington electrical licensing examinations. This package includes the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 19.28, Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Chapter 296-46B, and the National Electrical Code, NEC, 2020 Edition.

Washington's General Master Electrician examination requires candidates to work across national electrical code requirements, Washington-specific electrical laws and rules, electrical theory, trade knowledge, and major load calculations. Because the exam is divided into separate sections, candidates should prepare for more than basic code lookup. Strong familiarity with the NEC, RCW 19.28, and WAC 296-46B can help candidates move between national requirements and Washington-specific provisions efficiently.

Washington electrical examinations are open book. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries permits candidates to bring the 2020 National Electrical Code and printed copies of Chapter 19.28 RCW and Chapter 296-46B WAC into the testing center, subject to the examination rules for acceptable reference materials. This makes code-navigation practice an important part of General Master Electrician preparation.

The General Master Electrician examination is designed for experienced electricians seeking the Washington master electrician certificate at the general journey level. To qualify for the General Master Electrician examination, Washington requires a candidate to have been certified by Labor & Industries as a general journey level electrician for at least four years.

A Washington master electrician may perform electrical installations and can also serve in the administrator role required for an electrical contractor, subject to Washington licensing laws and rules. The examination therefore requires a broad understanding of installation requirements as well as state-level compliance responsibilities.

What You Get

• Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 19.28
  Washington's electrical law covering electricians, electrical installations, licensing, certification, contractor requirements, enforcement, responsibilities, and other statutory requirements that affect electrical work in the state.
• Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Chapter 296-46B
  Washington's electrical safety, administration, and installation rules. This reference works alongside RCW 19.28 and the National Electrical Code to establish Washington-specific requirements for electrical installations, licensing, examinations, contractors, permits, inspections, and related electrical work.
• National Electrical Code, NEC, 2020 Edition
  The national electrical code edition currently identified by Washington Labor & Industries for its electrical licensing examinations. It provides the primary installation requirements used throughout the NEC and Theory and Major Load Calculations portions of the General Master Electrician exam.

These three references work together during Washington exam preparation. The NEC establishes national electrical installation requirements, RCW 19.28 establishes Washington electrical law, and WAC 296-46B provides the state's detailed administrative and installation rules.

Exam Details

The Washington 01 General Master Electrician examination is divided into three major sections: NEC & Theory, Washington Codes, and Major Load Calculations.

• NEC & Theory: Approximately 80 questions with 4 hours allowed
• Washington Codes: Approximately 20 questions with 1 hour allowed
• Major Load Calculations: Approximately 10 questions with 2 hours allowed
• Total: Approximately 110 scored questions across the three sections
• Total Section Time: 7 hours when all three sections are taken
• Passing Score: 70% on each required examination section
• Exam Type: Open book
• Testing Provider: PSI

Washington electrical exams use a sectional format. Candidates must successfully complete all required sections within the examination period established by Washington rules. A candidate who passes a section does not need to retake that section during the applicable examination period.

The General Master Electrician content areas include general NEC requirements, wiring and protection, services, overcurrent protection, grounding and bonding, wiring methods, electrical equipment, motors, HVAC equipment, generators, transformers, equipment over 600 volts, hazardous locations, special occupancies, special equipment, emergency and standby systems, special conditions, communications systems, Washington laws and rules, electrical theory, general trade knowledge, and major load calculations.

Open Book Test

Washington electrical licensing examinations are open book tests. Candidates may bring approved reference materials into the testing center under the rules established by Washington Labor & Industries.

The 2020 National Electrical Code is permitted. Permanent index tabs are acceptable, but removable tabs, sticky notes, and handwritten notes are not allowed. Copyrighted reference materials may contain highlighting, underlining, and permanent index tabs, but handwritten material is prohibited.

Printed copies of RCW Chapter 19.28 and WAC Chapter 296-46B are also permitted. Washington Labor & Industries instructs candidates to place printed copies of the state laws and rules in a three-ring binder.

Candidates may also use a silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator. Personal computing devices and calculators designed for preprogrammed electrical calculations are not permitted under Washington's examination rules.

Open book testing makes navigation speed important. Candidates should become comfortable using the NEC index, article structure, tables, definitions, exceptions, and cross-references. Similar practice should be done with RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B so Washington-specific requirements can be found quickly during the state-code section.

The goal is not to search every question from the beginning. Experienced candidates typically benefit from knowing which reference applies before beginning a lookup. A question involving conductor ampacity, grounding, motors, or services will usually begin with the NEC, while a question involving Washington certification, contractor responsibilities, state amendments, permits, or examination rules may direct the candidate to the RCW or WAC.

Licensing Steps

Washington master electrician certification is administered through the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. The General Master Electrician pathway is based on prior certification as a Washington general journey level electrician.

1. Hold Washington general journey level electrician certification. Candidates must first be certified by Labor & Industries as a general journey level electrician.
2. Meet the four-year certification requirement. To qualify for the General Master Electrician examination, the candidate must have held Washington general journey level certification for at least four years.
3. Apply for the Master Electrician examination. Submit the required Master Electrician examination application through Washington Labor & Industries.
4. Receive examination approval. Do not schedule the examination with PSI until Labor & Industries has approved the examination request.
5. Prepare for all required sections. Study NEC and theory topics, Washington electrical laws and rules, and major load calculations.
6. Schedule with PSI. Once approved, schedule the required examination sections through PSI.
7. Pass each required section. Washington requires a minimum score of 70% on each examination section.
8. Complete certification requirements. After successfully completing the examination, follow Labor & Industries requirements for issuance of the Master Electrician certificate.

Once issued, a Washington master electrician certificate replaces the electrician certificate held for the same certification category. A person does not simultaneously carry both the electrician and master electrician certificate for the same category.

State Requirements

Washington has two broad levels of master electrician certification: general journey level master electrician and specialty master electrician. The General Master Electrician Book Package is intended for candidates pursuing the general journey level master classification.

To qualify for the General Master Electrician examination, a candidate must have been certified by Washington Labor & Industries as a general journey level electrician for at least four years. Specialty master electrician candidates have a different qualification period based on their specialty certification.

Washington electrical law is established under Chapter 19.28 RCW. Detailed electrical rules, administration, examination provisions, and Washington amendments are contained in Chapter 296-46B WAC. These state references work in conjunction with the National Electrical Code.

Master electricians may serve as the designated master electrician for a Washington electrical contractor when the applicable assignment and licensing requirements are satisfied. Washington rules require the designated master electrician or administrator associated with an electrical contractor to fulfill the supervisory and compliance responsibilities established by law.

Washington also requires electrical certificates to be renewed periodically and imposes continuing-education requirements for renewal. Candidates should view the examination as the beginning of ongoing master-level certification responsibilities rather than the final interaction with Washington electrical law.

Reference Books

• Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 19.28
  This reference contains Washington electrical statutes governing electricians and electrical installations. Candidates should become familiar with state requirements involving certification, electrical contractors, enforcement, responsibilities, and other statutory provisions tested in the Washington Codes portion of the examination.
• Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Chapter 296-46B
  This reference contains Washington electrical safety standards, administrative rules, examination provisions, contractor and certification requirements, state electrical amendments, inspection provisions, and installation requirements. It is an essential reference for Washington-specific examination questions.
• National Electrical Code, NEC, 2020 Edition
  The 2020 NEC is the electrical code edition identified by Washington Labor & Industries for current electrical licensing exams. It covers general requirements, wiring and protection, grounding and bonding, wiring methods, equipment, motors, generators, transformers, hazardous locations, special occupancies, special equipment, emergency systems, communications systems, and other electrical installations.

Candidates should study these references as a coordinated set. Some Washington questions involve state rules that modify, supplement, or clarify general NEC requirements. Familiarity with WAC 296-46B is therefore particularly important for candidates who already have extensive NEC experience but have spent less time studying Washington-specific requirements.

Exam Room Approved Books

• National Electrical Code, NEC, 2020 Edition
  Washington Labor & Industries identifies the 2020 NEC as an allowed examination reference. Permanent index tabs are acceptable, but handwritten notes and removable tabs are prohibited.
• Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 19.28
  Printed copies of Washington electrical laws are permitted in the examination. Washington instructs candidates to place printed state law materials in a three-ring binder.
• Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Chapter 296-46B
  Printed copies of Washington electrical rules are permitted in the examination and should be prepared according to Labor & Industries testing-center requirements.

Washington also permits original copyrighted electrical reference materials that comply with the examination rules. The books and state references in this package provide the core code and law materials for General Master Electrician preparation.

Test Information and Study Materials

NEC and Theory: This is the largest examination section. Candidates should review general requirements, branch circuits, feeders, services, grounding and bonding, overcurrent protection, conductor ampacity, wiring methods, raceways, boxes, motors, transformers, generators, HVAC equipment, hazardous locations, special occupancies, special equipment, emergency systems, standby systems, communications, and electrical theory.

Code navigation should be practiced alongside technical understanding. When answering a practice question, identify the subject first, determine the likely NEC article, and then locate the applicable section or table. This method is generally faster than relying on broad index searches for every problem.

Washington Codes: This section focuses on Washington electrical laws and rules contained primarily in RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B. Candidates should become comfortable locating certification provisions, contractor requirements, examination rules, installation amendments, permit and inspection requirements, and other Washington-specific electrical provisions.

The Washington section is where candidates with strong NEC knowledge can still lose time if they are unfamiliar with the organization of the RCW and WAC. Regular practice navigating both state references can make these questions more manageable.

Major Load Calculations: The General Master Electrician examination includes a separate major load-calculation section. Candidates should practice service and feeder load calculations, dwelling calculations, commercial calculations, demand factors, conductor sizing, and the use of NEC tables associated with calculated electrical loads.

Calculation preparation should focus on the process, not memorized answers. Read the entire problem, identify the type of calculation, organize the given information, locate applicable NEC demand factors or tables, and perform the calculation in a clear sequence.

Grounding and Bonding: Review grounding electrode systems, equipment grounding conductors, bonding requirements, separately derived systems, sizing rules, service bonding, and the application of NEC Article 250.

Services and Overcurrent Protection: Study service conductors, service equipment, disconnecting means, service sizing, overcurrent devices, standard ratings, conductor protection, and applicable service requirements.

Motors, HVAC, Generators, and Transformers: Review conductor sizing, overload protection, short-circuit and ground-fault protection, disconnecting means, motor controllers, transformer requirements, generator installations, and equipment-specific calculations.

Special Installations: Candidates should be familiar with hazardous locations, health-care occupancies, emergency systems, standby systems, renewable and interconnected power systems, communications, and other specialized NEC topics identified in the general examination outline.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps Washington General Master Electrician candidates organize preparation around the three core reference areas required for the examination: the National Electrical Code, Washington electrical laws, and Washington electrical rules.

This book package gives candidates the 2020 NEC, RCW Chapter 19.28, and WAC Chapter 296-46B in one study set. Using the references together can help candidates develop a more complete understanding of how national electrical requirements interact with Washington-specific licensing and installation rules.

1 Exam Prep encourages organized, trade-focused review. Candidates can divide preparation into NEC and theory, Washington codes, and major load calculations, matching the structure of the General Master Electrician examination.

Reference navigation should be practiced regularly because the exam is open book. Candidates should learn how to identify the subject of a question, choose the appropriate reference, find the relevant provision or table, and confirm the answer efficiently.

Practice-oriented preparation can also help candidates strengthen electrical calculations, code interpretation, Washington law navigation, grounding and bonding, motors, services, special installations, and other master-level topics.

The objective is to combine years of field experience with precise code knowledge, Washington-specific requirements, calculation skills, and efficient exam-reference use. A structured study routine can help candidates approach each examination section with a clear method and stronger familiarity with the required materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Washington General Master Electrician exam open book?

Yes. Washington electrical licensing examinations are open book, subject to Labor & Industries rules governing acceptable reference materials.

What books are included in this package?

This package includes RCW Chapter 19.28, WAC Chapter 296-46B, and the 2020 National Electrical Code.

Which NEC edition is currently used for Washington electrical exams?

Washington Labor & Industries currently identifies the 2020 National Electrical Code for its electrical licensing examinations.

What are the sections of the General Master Electrician exam?

The examination is divided into NEC & Theory, Washington Codes, and Major Load Calculations.

How many questions are on the General Master Electrician examination?

The published examination structure lists approximately 80 NEC & Theory questions, 20 Washington Codes questions, and 10 Major Load Calculation questions.

How much time is allowed?

The NEC & Theory section allows 4 hours, the Washington Codes section allows 1 hour, and the Major Load Calculations section allows 2 hours.

What score is required to pass?

Washington requires a minimum score of 70% on each required examination section.

How long must I be a general journey level electrician before applying for the master exam?

Washington requires a candidate to have been certified by Labor & Industries as a general journey level electrician for at least four years before qualifying for the General Master Electrician examination.

Can I bring printed copies of RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B into the exam?

Yes. Washington Labor & Industries permits printed copies of Chapter 19.28 RCW and Chapter 296-46B WAC. The printed materials must be prepared according to the testing-center requirements.

Can I use tabs in my NEC?

Permanent index tabs are acceptable. Removable tabs, sticky notes, and handwritten notes are not permitted.

Can I highlight my NEC?

Yes. Washington permits highlighting and underlining in original copyrighted reference materials, subject to the examination rules. Handwritten notes are not allowed.

Why do I need both RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B?

RCW 19.28 contains Washington electrical law, while WAC 296-46B contains detailed electrical safety, licensing, administration, and installation rules. Both are important for the Washington Codes portion of the examination.

Are major load calculations tested separately?

Yes. The General Master Electrician exam includes a separate Major Load Calculations section, so candidates should practice advanced NEC load calculations in addition to code navigation and electrical theory.

Who administers the Washington General Master Electrician exam?

Washington electrical examinations are administered through PSI after the candidate receives the required examination approval from Washington Labor & Industries.

What happens if I fail one examination section?

Washington permits candidates to retake failed sections without retaking sections already passed during the applicable examination period. State rules establish waiting periods and deadlines for completing all required sections.