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Exam Review

Key Facts: NM Electrical Inspector (General) Exam

75%

Passing Score

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

80 Q

Official Exam Questions

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

210 min

Time Allowed

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

USD 68.88

PSI Exam Fee

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

NM CID Electrical Inspector (General) is an 80-question PSI exam, 75% pass, 210 minutes, USD 68.88, open-book NEC 2020 and NMAC 14.10.4 (bulletin 4/3/2026).

Sample NM Electrical Inspector (General) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the NM Electrical Inspector (General) exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under NEC 90.4, who has the authority to interpret the Code and grant special permission where the Code so authorizes?
A.The licensed electrical contractor of record
B.The authority having jurisdiction
C.The serving electric utility
D.The equipment manufacturer’s listing engineer
Explanation: NEC 90.4 assigns enforcement, interpretation, and the granting of special permission to the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). A New Mexico CID electrical inspector acting for CID is that AHJ for work under CID jurisdiction. Special permission is a written consent of the AHJ, not a verbal field agreement.
2An inspector measures working space in front of a 120/240-volt, single-phase dwelling panelboard with no live or grounded parts on the opposite side. What is the minimum depth required by NEC Table 110.26(A)(1)?
A.2 feet 6 inches
B.3 feet
C.3 feet 6 inches
D.4 feet
Explanation: Table 110.26(A)(1) requires 3 feet of working-space depth for equipment operating at 0–150 volts to ground under every condition. A 120/240-volt dwelling panel is 120 volts to ground, so 3 feet is the minimum. The inspector measures from the enclosure front or opening, not from the wall behind the panel.
3A 480Y/277-volt switchboard faces a concrete wall. What minimum working-space depth must the inspector require under NEC Table 110.26(A)(1)?
A.3 feet
B.3 feet 6 inches
C.4 feet
D.5 feet
Explanation: A 480Y/277-volt system is 277 volts to ground, so the 151–600-volt row applies. Concrete, brick, and tile walls are considered grounded, which is Condition 2. Condition 2 at 151–600 volts to ground requires 3 feet 6 inches of clear working space.
4Except as permitted by the exceptions in NEC 110.26(A)(3), what is the minimum headroom of working space about service equipment, switchboards, switchgear, panelboards, and motor control centers?
A.6 feet
B.6 feet 6 inches
C.7 feet
D.The height of the equipment only
Explanation: NEC 110.26(A)(3) requires the work space to be clear and extend from the grade, floor, or platform to a height of 6 feet 6 inches or the height of the equipment, whichever is greater. Other equipment associated with the electrical installation and located above or below the electrical equipment may not extend more than 6 inches beyond the front of the electrical equipment.
5For indoor electrical equipment, dedicated equipment space required by NEC 110.26(E)(1)(a) extends from the floor to a height of what distance above the equipment, or to the structural ceiling, whichever is lower?
A.3 feet
B.4 feet
C.6 feet
D.8 feet
Explanation: NEC 110.26(E)(1)(a) reserves the space equal to the width and depth of the equipment and extending from the floor to a height of 6 feet above the equipment, or to the structural ceiling, whichever is lower. Foreign systems such as piping, ducts, and leak-protection apparatus are not permitted in that dedicated space unless they are installed to prevent damage from condensation, leaks, or breaks.
6A 100-ampere feeder uses 3 AWG THHN copper conductors landed on a panelboard whose terminals are not marked for 75°C. For termination temperature, which ampacity column must the inspector apply under NEC 110.14(C)(1)?
A.The 60°C column of Table 310.16
B.The 75°C column of Table 310.16
C.The 90°C column of Table 310.16
D.The 105°C column of the conductor insulation rating
Explanation: NEC 110.14(C)(1)(a) requires the 60°C ampacity for circuits rated 100 amperes or less, or marked for 14 AWG through 1 AWG, unless the equipment is listed and identified for use with higher-temperature conductors. THHN insulation is 90°C, but the termination, not the insulation, is the limiting factor. The 90°C column may be used only for adjustment and correction, not for the final termination ampacity unless the equipment is so identified.
7In other than dwelling units, NEC 110.16(A) requires an arc-flash hazard warning label on which of the following?
A.Only transformers over 1000 volts
B.Switchboards, switchgear, panelboards, industrial control panels, meter socket enclosures, and motor control centers likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized
C.Only service equipment rated 1200 amperes or more
D.Every junction box and device box in the building
Explanation: NEC 110.16(A) requires a field- or factory-applied arc-flash warning label on specified equipment in other than dwelling units that is likely to be examined or serviced while energized. NEC 110.16(B) adds more detailed service-equipment labeling for other-than-dwelling services rated 1200 amperes or more. The inspector should fail unlabeled required equipment even if working space is otherwise acceptable.
8Per NEC Article 100, equipment is readily accessible when it can be reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections without which of the following?
A.A flashlight or other portable lighting
B.Climbing over or removing obstacles, or resorting to portable ladders, and so forth
C.Opening a hinged door or cover that is part of the equipment
D.Using a listed insulated tool
Explanation: Article 100 defines readily accessible as capable of being reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections without requiring those to whom ready access is requisite to take actions such as to use tools (other than keys), to climb over or under, to remove obstacles, or to resort to portable ladders, and so forth. Service disconnects, overcurrent devices, and emergency disconnects are frequently rejected when they are locked behind stored materials or reachable only by a portable ladder.
9NEC 110.24(A) requires service equipment in other than dwelling units to be legibly field-marked with which of the following?
A.The utility account number
B.The available fault current and the date the calculation was performed
C.The panelboard short-circuit current rating only
D.The conductor insulation temperature rating
Explanation: NEC 110.24(A) requires field marking of the maximum available fault current and the date the calculation was performed on service equipment in other than dwelling units. The inspector also verifies that the equipment short-circuit current rating is not less than that available fault current. 110.24(B) requires the marking to be updated when modifications affect the available fault current.
10Service equipment rated 1200 amperes and 8 feet wide is installed in a room with only one working-space entrance. Under NEC 110.26(C)(2), which condition would allow the inspector to accept a single entrance?
A.The entrance is at least 24 inches wide and 6 feet 6 inches high
B.The work space is doubled, or a continuous and unobstructed way of exit travel is provided, or the entrance is large enough that the edge of the entrance is not closer than the minimum clear working-space distance to the equipment
C.A smoke detector is installed over the equipment
D.The equipment is marked “danger high voltage”
Explanation: NEC 110.26(C)(2) requires an entrance to the working space at each end of equipment rated 1200 amperes or more and over 6 feet wide, unless an exception is met. The exceptions include a continuous unobstructed exit path, an entrance whose nearest edge is not closer than the required working-space depth, or a working space twice the Table 110.26(A)(1) minimum. A single ordinary doorway at one end does not satisfy the rule.

About the NM Electrical Inspector (General) Exam

The New Mexico CID Electrical Inspector (General) Examination is the open-book PSI inspector exam covering NEC 2020 and the New Mexico Electrical Code (NMAC 14.10.4, 2020). The official exam has 80 scored questions, a 75% passing standard (60 points), and 210 minutes allowed. PSI lists the fee at USD 68.88 (bulletin updated 4/3/2026). Inspector examinations may be taken only twice during the 6-month eligibility period. This English-language MCQ bank is a study aid, not an official PSI form, and does not replace NMAC 14.6.5 inspector qualifications, national certification where required, or the official examination.

Exam sponsor: PSI Services LLC (for New Mexico Construction Industries Division). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Questions

80 questions

Time Limit

210 minutes

Passing Score

75% (60 of 80 points)

Exam / Certification Fees

USD 68.88

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

10%

General Knowledge and Electrical Installation Requirements

General NEC installation and inspector knowledge (8 items)

13%

Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits

Service, feeder, and branch-circuit requirements (10 items)

8%

Overcurrent Protection

OCPD selection and application (6 items)

11%

Grounding and Bonding

Article 250 grounding and bonding (9 items)

10%

Conductors and Cables

Conductor ampacity, identification, and cable types (8 items)

9%

Raceways and Boxes

Raceway fill, support, and box fill (7 items)

10%

Hazardous Locations, Special Occupancies, and Special Equipment

Chapters 5–6 special occupancies and equipment (8 items)

8%

Lighting, Signs, and General-Use Equipment

Lighting, signs, and utilization equipment (6 items)

8%

Motors, Transformers, and Generators

Motor, transformer, and generator circuits (6 items)

8%

New Mexico State Code

New Mexico Electrical Code NMAC 14.10.4 (6 items)

8%

Low Voltage

Low-voltage systems inspection (6 items)

Preparing for the NM Electrical Inspector (General) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 75% (60 of 80 points)
  • Exam length: 80 questions
  • Time limit: 210 minutes
  • Exam / certification fees: USD 68.88 Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NM Electrical Inspector (General): Suggested Study Strategy

1Tab NEC 2020 Articles 90–480 plus 500-series occupancies and Article 250 before test day
2Drill NM Electrical Code NMAC 14.10.4 amendments separately from model NEC text
3Practice service, feeder, box-fill, and motor calculations under timed conditions
4This bank is an English-language MCQ study aid, not an official PSI inspector form

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the NM Electrical Inspector (General) exam?

The official PSI examination has 80 scored questions. Passing is 75% (60 points) within 210 minutes (bulletin updated 4/3/2026).

What references are allowed?

NEC 2020 or the NEC Handbook, and the New Mexico Electrical Code NMAC 14.10.4 (2020). Temporary tabs such as Post-it notes are prohibited.

How often can I retake the inspector exam?

PSI allows the listed inspector examinations only twice during the 6-month eligibility period.