1.2 The Two-Part Exam Format (Knowledge + Calculations)

The March 11, 2025 Split

Quick Answer: On March 11, 2025 TDLR and PSI split the journeyman exam into two separately-scored parts: a NEC Knowledge part (59 questions, 130 minutes) and a Calculations part (26 questions, 110 minutes). You must score 70% on each part independently. A high score on Knowledge does not save a failing Calculations score. The $78 exam fee covers both parts in one sitting.

Before the split, the journeyman exam was a single 80-question, 240-minute test with one blended 70% passing score. A candidate who was excellent at code lookup but weak at math could still pass by piling up correct Knowledge answers and squeaking through on the few calculation questions. That loophole closed on March 11, 2025. Today the two portions are scored as if they were separate exams: you must clear 70% on each before TDLR issues the license. The compensating mercy is that a failure is contained — TDLR's rule is that if a test taker fails a portion, only the failed portion must be retaken. A passing portion is banked; you do not re-sit it.

Why the Split Was Introduced

TDLR's own pass-rate data showed a pattern: candidates who passed the blended exam often could not perform basic load calculations on the job. Employers and inspectors reported licensed journeymen who could recite NEC 210.8 GFCI rules but could not correctly size a feeder for a 75 kVA transformer or adjust conductor ampacity for continuous load. The split forces candidates to demonstrate independent competency in both code knowledge and calculation ability — the two skills the trade actually requires.

The Two Parts Side by Side

Work the passing threshold off the scored item count, not the total. The CIB states that the Knowledge portion is "59 Items (including 3 Non-Scored Items)" and the Calculations portion is "26 Items (including 2 Non-Scored Items)" — so 56 and 24 items actually count. Seventy percent of 56 is 39.2, meaning 40 correct clears Knowledge; 70% of 24 is 16.8, meaning 17 correct clears Calculations. You cannot tell which items are the non-scored pretest items, so answer all 85 as if every one counts.

Time-Per-Question Comparison

The time budgets look generous on paper but feel tight in the room.

• Knowledge: 130 min ÷ 59 Q ≈ 2.2 minutes per question. Most Knowledge items require finding one NEC Article or Table and reading a specific line. A candidate who knows the code's structure can locate, say, the Table 310.16 ampacity row in 30–45 seconds, leaving time to verify the question's condition (continuous load, ambient correction, etc.). A candidate who flips pages randomly will burn 4–5 minutes per question and run out.

• Calculations: 110 min ÷ 26 Q ≈ 4.2 minutes per question. Each calculation item typically requires: (1) reading the scenario, (2) identifying the relevant NEC table (e.g., Table 430.250 for motor full-load current, Table 310.16 for conductor ampacity, Table 250.122 for EGC sizing), (3) performing one or more arithmetic steps, and (4) selecting the answer that matches a code-compliant value (often the next size up per 240.4(B) or the next standard size from 240.6(A)). Four minutes is enough only if you have rehearsed the calculation pattern to automaticity.

Why the Split Changed Study Strategy

The old blended exam rewarded a code-fluent, math-weak candidate. The new split rewards a balanced candidate. If your diagnostic practice shows 85% on Knowledge and 55% on Calculations, you will fail — and you will fail repeatedly until you close the calculation gap. The practical implications:

1. Treat Calculations as a separate study block. Drill Ohm's Law, single-phase and three-phase power formulas, conductor ampacity correction, continuous load factors (125% per 210.19(A) and 210.20(A)), motor FLC from Table 430.250, and voltage drop every day, not just once a week.
2. Use the NEC as a calculation tool, not just a lookup tool. You must know which table to open for each calculation type. Memorize the table numbers: 310.16 (conductor ampacity), 430.250 (3-phase motor FLC), 250.122 (EGC sizing), 250.66 (GEC sizing), 240.6(A) (standard OCPD sizes), 220.14 (load calculations).
3. Build speed, not just accuracy. In practice sessions, time yourself on 10-question calculation sets. If you cannot finish 10 calculation questions in 40 minutes, you are not yet ready for the exam's 4.2-minutes-per-question pace.
4. Do not neglect Knowledge. It carries more total questions (59 vs 26) and more total time, and it is the part most candidates find easier. A common trap is over-investing in Calculations and letting Knowledge drift. Keep both above 70% in practice before booking the exam.

The Two-Part Structure, Diagrammed

graph TD
    K["NEC Knowledge Portion<br/>59 items / 56 scored · 130 min"]
    C["Calculations Portion<br/>26 items / 24 scored · 110 min"]
    K --> KScore{"≥ 70% on Knowledge?"}
    C --> CScore{"≥ 70% on Calculations?"}
    KScore -->|Yes| KPass["Knowledge banked"]
    KScore -->|No| KFail["Retake Knowledge only — $78"]
    CScore -->|Yes| CPass["Calculations banked"]
    CScore -->|No| CFail["Retake Calculations only — $78"]
    KPass --> Pass["PASS — both portions banked; TDLR issues the license"]
    CPass --> Pass
    style K fill:#1e3a5f,color:#fff
    style C fill:#2d5a87,color:#fff
    style Pass fill:#2d8a4a,color:#fff
    style KFail fill:#c44536,color:#fff
    style CFail fill:#c44536,color:#fff

The diagram makes the rule explicit: both gates must close green before a license is issued. There is no averaging and no partial credit across portions — but there is a partial retake. Fail Calculations with a passing Knowledge score and you re-sit Calculations alone; the Knowledge result stands. PSI charges the same $78 retake fee whether you re-sit one portion or both, so the candidate who fails both pays the same as the candidate who fails one. Plan your study time so that your practice scores on each portion — not the combined average — are consistently above 70% before you schedule with PSI.

What This Means for the Rest of This Guide

Each subsequent chapter flags which part of the exam its content targets:

• [Knowledge] chapters focus on locating and applying NEC rules — definitions, clearances, grounding rules, wiring methods, special occupancies.
• [Calculations] chapters focus on quantitative applications — conductor sizing, load calculations, motor circuits, voltage drop, box fill, service and feeder loads.
• Many chapters touch both parts; the flag tells you where the bulk of that chapter's exam points live so you can budget practice time accordingly.