Free Master Electrician Practice Test
Work master-level NEC questions and calculations with a worked solution for each one, then sit a full timed exam in the ICC or Texas format.
A timed 100-question exam in the ICC R16 format on the 2023 NEC, or the two-part Texas exam. Every answer has a worked explanation and you get a score by topic.
Or start with the free calculations drillFlexible metal conduit runs from the last point of support to a luminaire in an accessible ceiling. What is the maximum unsupported length permitted?
What the master electrician exam tests
The master electrician exam is an open-book, multiple-choice test on the National Electrical Code, pitched at the electrician who designs and signs for the job. Compared with the journeyman exam it asks far more calculations: dwelling, multifamily and commercial load calculations, service and feeder sizing, transformer protection and fault current, motor feeders, grounding electrode and bonding jumper sizing, conduit and box fill, and voltage drop. The code questions reach into special occupancies, hazardous locations, emergency systems, solar and EV charging.
The pass rates show how hard it is. In Texas, only 19.08% of Master Calculations attempts and 22.21% of Master NEC attempts passed in fiscal year 2025. Speed in the code book and a reliable method for each calculation matter as much as knowing the rules.
Master electrician exam format by state
Formats come from each board’s current candidate bulletin. Every row has a timed practice exam built to that format.
| Exam | Questions and time | Pass | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICC R16 (national)R16 Master Electrician (ICC) | 100 questions · 5 h | 70% | 2023 NEC |
| TexasMaster Electrician (TDLR) | 75 + 33 items in two parts · 150 + 170 min | 70% each part | 2026 NEC (since September 1, 2026) |
| MichiganMaster Electrician (LARA) | 76 questions · 180 min | 75% | 2023 NEC |
| IowaMaster Electrician (Iowa Electrical Examining Board) | 100 scored · 240 min | 70% | 2023 NEC |
| IdahoMaster Electrician (Idaho DOPL) | 100 questions · 270 min | 75% | 2020 or 2023 NEC |
| VirginiaMaster Electrician (DPOR) | 90 items · 270 min | 70% | 2020 NEC |
| MarylandMaster Electrician (Maryland State Board) | 90 questions · 240 min | 70% | 2020 NEC |
Virginia and Maryland still test the 2020 NEC, and ICC offers the T16 master exam on the 2020 NEC for jurisdictions that have not moved to 2023. Texas moved to the 2026 NEC on September 1, 2026.
Practice the full exam under real time limits
A timed 100-question exam in the ICC R16 format on the 2023 NEC, or the two-part Texas exam. Every answer has a worked explanation and you get a score by topic.
Or start with the free calculations drillFree master electrician drills
Ten questions at a time, with the worked answer after each. Start with the calculations drill, or pick one part of the code. Create a free account to save your results; each drill’s first attempt is free.
Master exam study guides
- Master electrician load calculationsDwelling standard and optional methods, multifamily, commercial lighting and receptacle demand, ranges, dryers and kitchen equipment, worked the way the master exam asks.
- Services, feeders and transformersService and feeder conductor sizing, continuous loads, the 83% dwelling rule, tap rules, transformer overcurrent protection and available fault current, with worked examples.
- Grounding and bonding for the master examGrounding electrode conductor and bonding jumper sizing, equipment grounding conductors, electrode rules and separately derived systems, with worked parallel-conductor examples.
- Motor calculations (Article 430)Motor branch-circuit conductors, short-circuit and ground-fault protection, overloads, feeders for several motors and feeder protection, with worked examples from Table 430.250.
- Special occupancies and emergency systemsThe Chapter 5–7 rules master exams ask about: swimming pools, health care facilities, temporary power and emergency, legally required and optional standby systems.
- Hazardous (classified) locationsClasses, Divisions, Zones and Groups, conduit seals, garages, fuel dispensing and spray areas: the classified-location rules master exams test.
Still working on your journeyman license?
Most states require a journeyman license and years of experience before the master exam. Our journeyman electrician practice test covers 14 state formats and the ICC R17 exam.
Common questions
What is on the master electrician exam?
Master exams test the National Electrical Code at a higher level than the journeyman exam: service, feeder and dwelling load calculations, transformers and fault current, grounding and bonding, motors and generators, special occupancies, hazardous locations and emergency systems, plus electrical theory and plan reading.
How is the master exam different from the journeyman exam?
It is longer and calculation-heavy. Texas gives masters 75 NEC items and 33 calculations (versus 59 and 26 for journeymen), and the ICC master exam is 100 questions in 5 hours (versus 80 in 4 hours). Masters are expected to size services, feeders and transformers, not just branch circuits.
Is the master electrician exam open book?
Yes in the formats we cover: the ICC, Texas, Michigan, Iowa, Idaho and Maryland master exams are open book. Texas, Iowa and Maryland have you bring your own NEC; check your board’s rules on tabs, notes and handbooks.
Which NEC edition will my master exam use?
Texas tests the 2026 NEC since September 1, 2026. The ICC R16 exam, Michigan and Iowa use the 2023 NEC. Virginia and Maryland still use the 2020 NEC, Idaho accepts the 2020 or 2023 code, and ICC offers the T16 exam on the 2020 NEC.
What is the pass rate for the master electrician exam?
Texas publishes it: in fiscal year 2025, 19.08% of Master Calculations attempts and 22.21% of Master NEC attempts passed.
Are these real exam questions?
No. Every question is original and written for practice. Explanations cite NEC section numbers without reproducing the code text, and every calculation is worked step by step.
Ready for the real thing?
A timed 100-question exam in the ICC R16 format on the 2023 NEC, or the two-part Texas exam. Every answer has a worked explanation and you get a score by topic.
Or start with the free calculations drillOriginal independent practice. Every question is written for practice and explanations cite NEC section numbers without reproducing the code. Not affiliated with or endorsed by NFPA, ICC, PSI, Pearson VUE or any state licensing board. NEC and National Electrical Code are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association.