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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: NM CID ES-1 Exam

75%

Passing Score

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

50 Q

Official Exam Questions

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

120 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 ES-1 is a 50-question PSI exam on electrical signs and outline lighting, 75% pass, 120 minutes, USD 68.88 (bulletin 4/3/2026).

Sample NM CID ES-1 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your NM CID ES-1 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under NMAC 14.6.6, an ES-1 Electrical Signs and Outline Lighting contractor may install the commercial wiring needed to finish a sign only when a sign or outline-lighting circuit has already been provided within what distance of the roof or wall that supports the sign?

A.10 feet

B.25 feet

C.50 feet

D.5 feet

Explanation: NMAC 14.6.6 limits the ES-1 classification to commercial locations and to wiring methods of 5000 volts or less that complete the sign or outline-lighting installation where a sign circuit or outline-lighting circuit has already been provided within 10 feet of the supporting roof or wall. The same 10-foot cap applies to the raceway-connection exception for ES-1 licensees. EE-98 contractors, not ES-1 specialists, install the building raceway system beyond that point.

2NMAC 14.10.4.8, the 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code used on the ES-1 exam, adopts which edition of the National Electrical Code?

A.2020 National Electrical Code

B.2023 National Electrical Code

C.2026 National Electrical Code

D.2017 National Electrical Code

Explanation: NMAC 14.10.4.8 adopts the 2020 NEC by reference, as amended in that part. The PSI ES-1 bulletin likewise lists NEC 2020 and NMAC 14.10.4 (2020) as the allowed open-book references. Later NEC editions are not the examination code unless the bulletin and NMAC part are updated together.

3NEC Article 100 and 600.2 define an electric sign as which of the following?

A.Fixed, stationary, or portable self-contained, electrically illuminated utilization equipment with words or symbols designed to convey information or attract attention

B.Only factory-assembled neon tubing that is not attached to a sign body

C.A Class 2 power supply listed for wet locations

D.Any outdoor luminaire mounted more than 14 feet above a driveway

Explanation: Article 100 and 600.2 define an electric sign as fixed, stationary, or portable self-contained, electrically illuminated utilization equipment that uses words or symbols to convey information or attract attention. That definition covers LED, neon, incandescent, and other listed sign products. Skeleton tubing and power supplies are related equipment, not the definition of the sign itself.

4What does NEC 600.2 mean by outline lighting?

A.An arrangement of incandescent lamps, electric-discharge lighting, or other electrically powered light sources used to outline or call attention to features such as the shape of a building or the decoration of a window

B.Only neon tubing installed inside a listed sign body

C.Parking-lot floodlights mounted on the same pole as a monument sign

D.Emergency egress luminaires required by Article 700

Explanation: NEC 600.2 defines outline lighting as an arrangement of incandescent lamps, electric-discharge lighting, or other electrically powered light sources used to outline or call attention to certain features, such as the shape of a building or the decoration of a window. NMAC 14.6.6 uses the same idea and expressly includes LED sources. The lighting may or may not contribute to general illumination.

5NEC 600.2 defines skeleton tubing as neon tubing that is which of the following?

A.Itself the sign or outline lighting and not attached to an enclosure or sign body

B.Any GTO cable run between a transformer and the first electrode

C.Only portable dry-location neon window signs

D.Factory-wired inside a listed channel-letter can

Explanation: Skeleton tubing is neon tubing that is itself the sign or outline lighting and is not attached to an enclosure or sign body. Field-installed skeleton tubing is a core Article 600 Part II installation. Neon mounted in a listed can is sign or outline lighting, not skeleton tubing.

6A section sign, as defined in NEC 600.2, is a sign or outline-lighting system that is shipped as subassemblies and requires which field work to complete the overall sign?

A.Field-installed wiring between the subassemblies

B.A concrete-encased electrode at every letter

C.A separately derived system at each module

D.Only a cord-and-plug connection to a 15-ampere receptacle

Explanation: A section sign is shipped as subassemblies and requires field-installed wiring between those subassemblies to complete the overall sign. That field wiring must follow the listing and Article 600. The definition is about modular assembly, not about a new grounding electrode or a separately derived system at each letter.

7Which pair of references is allowed in the open-book PSI New Mexico ES-1 examination?

A.NEC 2020 and NMAC 14.10.4 (2020)

B.American Electricians’ Handbook and NMAC 14.10.4 (2020)

C.NEC 2023 and Neon Techniques

D.NEC 2020 and Neon Techniques

Explanation: The PSI contractor bulletin for ES-1 allows NEC 2020 and the 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code, NMAC 14.10.4. Neon Techniques and the American Electricians’ Handbook are listed as not allowed. Answers must be based on the edition named in the bulletin, not a later NEC.

8A 120-volt incandescent sign lamp draws 2 amperes. Using Ohm’s law, what is the lamp’s resistance?

A.60 ohms

B.240 ohms

C.600 ohms

D.24 ohms

Explanation: Ohm’s law is E = I × R, so R = E / I. 120 volts divided by 2 amperes equals 60 ohms. Sign electricians use this relationship when converting nameplate current, voltage, and resistance for load and heat checks.

9A 120-volt LED sign module draws 5 amperes. What is the real power if the load is purely resistive (power factor 1.0)?

A.24 watts

B.125 watts

C.600 watts

D.1200 watts

Explanation: Power in a single-phase circuit is P = E × I × PF. With PF = 1.0, 120 volts × 5 amperes = 600 watts. That 600-watt figure is the starting point before the 125 percent continuous-load multiplier is applied to conductors and overcurrent devices.

10NEC Article 100 defines a continuous load as a load where the maximum current is expected to continue for how long?

A.30 minutes or more

B.1 hour or more

C.3 hours or more

D.8 hours or more

Explanation: Article 100 defines a continuous load as a load whose maximum current is expected to continue for 3 hours or more. Electric signs and outline lighting that operate for long evening hours are treated as continuous, which drives the 125 percent conductor and overcurrent-device sizing rules.

About the NM CID ES-1 Exam

The New Mexico CID ES-1 examination covers electrical signs and outline lighting. The official open-book PSI exam has 50 scored questions, a 75% passing standard (38 points), and 120 minutes allowed. Allowed references are NEC 2020 and New Mexico Electrical Code NMAC 14.10.4 (2020). Neon Techniques and the American Electricians' Handbook are not allowed. PSI lists the fee at USD 68.88 (bulletin updated 4/3/2026). This English-language MCQ bank is a study aid, not an official PSI form.

Questions

50 scored questions

Time Limit

120 minutes

Passing Score

75% (38 of 50 points)

Exam Fee

USD 68.88 (PSI Services LLC (for New Mexico Construction Industries Division))

NM CID ES-1 Exam Content Outline

30%

General Knowledge and Theory

Sign electrical theory (15 items)

16%

Wiring and Protection

Wiring and overcurrent protection (8 items)

24%

Wiring Methods and Material

Sign wiring methods (12 items)

10%

Equipment For General Use

General-use equipment (5 items)

10%

Special Occupancies

Special occupancies (5 items)

10%

Special Equipment

NEC sign and outline-lighting equipment (5 items)

How to Pass the NM CID ES-1 Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 75% (38 of 50 points)
Exam length: 50 questions
Time limit: 120 minutes
Exam fee: USD 68.88

Keys to Passing

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 CID ES-1 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Focus on NEC Article 600 signs and outline lighting plus branch-circuit protection

2This bank is an English-language MCQ study aid, not an official PSI form

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the NM ES-1 exam?

The official PSI examination has 50 scored questions. Passing is 75% (38 points) within 120 minutes (bulletin updated 4/3/2026).

100+ Free NM CID ES-1 Practice Questions

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Key Facts: NM CID ES-1 Exam

Sample NM CID ES-1 Practice Questions

About the NM CID ES-1 Exam

NM CID ES-1 Exam Content Outline

How to Pass the NM CID ES-1 Exam

What You Need to Know

Keys to Passing

NM CID ES-1 Study Tips from Top Performers

Frequently Asked Questions