1.3 Exam Format, NEC 2023 Structure & Open-Book Strategy
Key Takeaways
The Nebraska journeyman exam has 80 scored items in 240 minutes and requires 75% (60 correct) to pass (PSI bulletin).
PSI's journeyman outline: General Knowledge 10, Wiring and Protection 20, Wiring Methods 15, Equipment for General Use 15, Special Occupancies 10, Special Equipment 5, Special Conditions 5.
Allowed references are the 2020 or 2023 NEC or NEC Handbook plus Ugly's Electrical References; books may be highlighted and permanently tabbed, but not written in.
Nebraska testing is only at PSI test sites; the exam fee is $120 and must be used within 90 days of payment.
Division Policy 37 limits candidates to three exam attempts per year, with a 90-day wait after the third attempt.
Exam Format, NEC 2023 Structure & Open-Book Strategy
The Nebraska journeyman exam is an open-book code test. Many experienced electricians fail it not for lack of knowledge but because they cannot find answers fast enough. This section covers what the exam contains, what you may bring, and how to move through the code book under time pressure.
How the Exam Is Administered
Since October 1, 2023, the State Electrical Division has used PSI instead of ICC for the journeyman, residential, and contractor exams.
- Approval comes first. You submit an exam application to the Division and wait for approval. You must file a new application for every attempt.
- Scheduling. The Division sends your eligibility to PSI. PSI then emails a link to pay for and schedule the exam (online at test-takers.psiexams.com/neel or by phone at 855-340-3713).
- Test sites. You test on a computer at a PSI test site. Nebraska sites are in Grand Island, Lincoln, Norfolk, North Platte, Omaha, Scottsbluff, and Sidney. There is no at-home testing.
Key exam parameters (PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, test BMY5N34S)
| Item | Nebraska journeyman exam |
|---|---|
| Scored items | 80 multiple-choice questions |
| Time for scored items | 240 minutes (3 minutes per question on average) |
| Non-scored pretest items | 8 items with 30 extra minutes. The PSI bulletin says 5–10 pretest items may appear, and they look like scored items |
| Passing score | 75% correct, which means 60 of the 80 scored items |
| Tutorial | Up to 15 minutes, not counted against exam time |
| Languages | English or Spanish |
| Exam fee | $120 to PSI. Retakes are also $120. The fee is valid for 90 days from payment and is not refundable |
| Cancellation | At least 2 days before the appointment, or you forfeit the fee. Arriving late or without valid photo ID also forfeits it |
Scoring is based on the number of correct answers. A blank answer earns nothing, so answer every item.
Retest limits (Division Policy 37, July 11, 2025). Each approval gives you up to 90 days to test. If you fail, you may apply again. After a third attempt (270 days), you must wait 90 days before retesting. That allows at most three tests per year, counted from your first approval.
Official content outline
| PSI subject area | Scored items | Share | Main NEC chapter |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Electrical Knowledge | 10 | 12.5% | Chapter 1 (Articles 90, 100, 110), plus theory and the State Electrical Act |
| Wiring and Protection | 20 | 25% | Chapter 2 (Articles 200–250) |
| Wiring Methods and Materials | 15 | 18.75% | Chapter 3 (Articles 300–399) |
| Equipment for General Use | 15 | 18.75% | Chapter 4 (Articles 400–495) |
| Special Occupancies | 10 | 12.5% | Chapter 5 (Articles 500–590) |
| Special Equipment | 5 | 6.25% | Chapter 6 (Articles 600–695) |
| Special Conditions | 5 | 6.25% | Chapter 7 (Articles 700–770) |
The journeyman outline has no Communication Systems (Chapter 8) items. The 50-item residential exam and the 100-item contractor exam each include a few. The Division's exam information page also lists basic electricity theory, the Nebraska State Electrical Act, and emergency circuits, including fire alarm circuits, for every license exam. Board Rule 9 adds blueprint reading.
What You May Bring
The bulletin allows these references:
- NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2020 or 2023 edition, or the NEC Handbook, 2020 or 2023; and
- Ugly's Electrical References (any edition).
Nebraska enforces the 2023 NEC, so study and tab the 2023 book.
Rules for your books:
- You may highlight, underline, and index them. Otherwise they must be unmarked (not written in) and contain no additional papers, loose or attached.
- Only permanent tabs are allowed. Temporary tabs such as Post-it notes must be removed before the exam begins.
- PSI does not supply references at the test center.
Rules for your calculator and belongings:
- Your calculator must be silent, battery-operated, and non-programmable, with no paper tape and no alphabet keyboard.
- Phones, smart watches, bags, notes, hats, and bulky coats go into storage. Proctors may check pockets, sleeves, and eyeglass frames.
Architecture of the 2023 National Electrical Code
The NEC is arranged in nine chapters. Chapters 1–4 apply generally. Chapters 5–7 modify or supplement them for special occupancies, equipment, and conditions. Chapter 8 stands alone unless it references an earlier chapter (90.3).
- Chapter 1: General (90, 100, 110). Article 100 now holds nearly all definitions. Article 110 covers approval, terminations, and working space.
- Chapter 2: Wiring and Protection (200–250). Grounded conductors (200), branch circuits (210), feeders (215), load calculations (220), outside circuits (225), services (230), overcurrent protection (240), surge protection (242), and grounding and bonding (250).
- Chapter 3: Wiring Methods and Materials (300–399). General rules and Table 300.5 burial depths (300); conductors and Table 310.16 (310); boxes (314); cables such as AC 320, MC 330, NM 334, and UF 340; and raceways such as IMC 342, RMC 344, FMC 348, LFMC 350, PVC 352, EMT 358, and ENT 362.
- Chapter 4: Equipment for General Use (400–495). Cords (400), switches (404), receptacles (406), panelboards (408), luminaires (410), appliances (422), space heating (424), motors (430), air conditioning (440), generators (445), and transformers (450).
- Chapter 5: Special Occupancies (500–590). Hazardous locations (500–516), health care (517), assembly (518), agricultural buildings (547), manufactured homes (550), marinas (555), and temporary installations (590).
- Chapter 6: Special Equipment (600–695). Signs (600), elevators (620), EV charging (625), welders (630), pools (680), solar PV (690), and fire pumps (695).
- Chapter 7: Special Conditions (700–770). Emergency (700), legally required standby (701), optional standby (702), interconnected sources (705), energy storage (706), Class 1 circuits (724), Class 2 and 3 circuits (725), fire alarm (760), and optical fiber (770).
- Chapter 8: Communications Systems (800–840).
- Chapter 9: Tables. Conduit fill (Tables 1, 4, 5, 5A), conductor properties (Table 8), and power-limited source limits (Tables 11 and 12).
The Three-Pass Open-Book Strategy
With 3 minutes per question on average, do not work strictly from question 1 to 80. A 12-minute struggle early in the exam steals time from easy points later.
| Pass | Target pace | Question types | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass 1: Bank the easy points | Under 1 minute each (45–60 min total) | Definitions, Nebraska law, rules you know cold | Answer roughly 30–40 items with confidence |
| Pass 2: Single lookups | 2–3 minutes each (90–100 min) | One table or one section, such as Table 310.16, 250.66, 250.122, 314.16(B), or the 430 motor tables | Reach passing territory |
| Pass 3: Calculations | 3–5 minutes each (45–50 min) | Dwelling load calculations, mixed conduit fill, derating, motor circuits, transformer protection | Use banked time on multi-step math |
How to run each pass:
- Pass 1: Read every item. Answer it if you can, or if one tabbed lookup settles it. Otherwise choose a provisional answer, flag the item, and move on.
- Pass 2: Return to the flagged single-lookup items.
- Pass 3: Finish the calculations with the time you saved.
- Final 10 minutes: Confirm no item is blank. A blank answer is always wrong.
Translate Jobsite Slang Before Using the Index
The NEC index uses code terms, so look up "Nonmetallic-sheathed cable," not "Romex."
| Field term | NEC term | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Romex | Nonmetallic-sheathed cable (Type NM, NMC, NMS) | Article 334 |
| BX | Armored cable (Type AC) | Article 320 |
| MC cable | Metal-clad cable (Type MC) | Article 330 |
| Greenfield | Flexible metal conduit (FMC) | Article 348 |
| Sealtite | Liquidtight flexible metal conduit (LFMC) | Article 350 |
| Thinwall | Electrical metallic tubing (EMT) | Article 358 |
| Rigid | Rigid metal conduit (RMC) | Article 344 |
| PVC, plastic pipe | Rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit (PVC) | Article 352 |
| Smurf tube | Electrical nonmetallic tubing (ENT) | Article 362 |
| Ufer | Concrete-encased electrode | Section 250.52(A)(3) |
| Can light | Recessed luminaire | Article 410, Part X |
| Split bolt ("bug") | Pressure (solderless) connector | Section 110.14 |
| Service drop | Overhead service conductors (utility side) | Article 230, Part II |
| Service lateral | Underground service conductors (utility side) | Article 230, Part III |
| Bubble cover | Outlet box hood identified "extra-duty" | Section 406.9(B)(1) |
Common Exam Traps
- Remote testing: Nebraska journeyman candidates test only at PSI test sites.
- Notes in the book: Highlighting, underlining, and permanent tabs are allowed. Handwritten notes and inserted sheets are not.
- Pass mark: You need 75%, which is 60 of the 80 scored items.
- Chapter 8 time sink: Communication systems are not on the journeyman outline, so spend your study time on Chapters 1–7.
A candidate is preparing for the Nebraska Journeyman Electrician examination administered by PSI. What is the total testing time, question count, and minimum passing score required?
5 hours, 80 questions, 80% passing score (64 correct answers)
4 hours, 100 questions, 75% passing score (75 correct answers)
4 hours, 80 questions, 75% passing score (60 correct answers)
3 hours, 100 questions, 70% passing score (70 correct answers)
Which reference set may a candidate bring into the PSI room for the Nebraska journeyman exam?
Any electrical textbook, as long as it has no loose pages
A highlighted, permanently tabbed 2023 NEC plus an Ugly's Electrical References book
A loose-leaf binder of photocopied NEC tables and personal calculation notes
A 2023 NEC with handwritten formulas in the margins and Post-it flags marking key tables
An exam question asks for the maximum support distance for 'Greenfield' conduit. Under what official NEC designation and article must the candidate search the NEC Index?
Liquidtight Flexible Metal Conduit (Type LFMC), Article 350
Intermediate Metal Conduit (Type IMC), Article 342
Flexible Metal Conduit (Type FMC), Article 348
Electrical Metallic Tubing (Type EMT), Article 358
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.