Arkansas Journeyman Electrician Exam Day: Prov, the 2023 NEC, and Pacing 3 Hours

Arkansas Journeyman Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect

Prov gives the Arkansas electrical exams for the Board of Electrical Examiners. Here is what the day looks like.

Scheduling

You can schedule only after the Board approves your application. Then:

1. Go to provexam.com/scheduler, choose "New Test-Taker", and pick the certifying body "AR - Arkansas Department of Labor - Electrical Examining Board" and the journeyman license.
2. Enter your details (including your SSN), choose a date, time and site, and pay the $80 fee by card. You can also book by phone at (801) 733-4455.

Your Board approval is good for 183 days.

Cancel or reschedule at least 3 days ahead and it costs nothing. Later than that and you lose the fee.

Where you test

• At one of 10 Prov test centers in Arkansas, or any Prov center in the US.
• Remotely, through Examroom.ai.

The book

The exam is open book, and the bulletin lists one reference: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023 edition.

How you may prepare it:

• Highlighting and underlining are allowed before the exam. No marking during the exam.
• Permanent tabs are allowed. Movable tabs and Post-its are not.
• No handwritten notes, no formula sheets, no Tom Henry or Kelly indexes, and no stickers added to the book.
• Photocopies are allowed only where the bulletin says so.
• The book title must match exactly.

The bulletin says older and newer editions are "always permitted", so a 2020 or 2026 NEC will get through the door. The questions are still keyed to 2023, and section numbers moved between editions. Bring the 2023.

Calculator

The bulletin does not mention calculators at all. It bans "any other electronic devices", and it does not describe an on-screen calculator. Calculations are the largest area on this exam, so ask Prov before test day whether a calculator is allowed or provided, and do not assume.

The questions

• 60 questions in 180 minutes.
• Each is multiple choice with four options.
• There is no penalty for guessing, so answer everything.
• The bulletin does not mention unscored pretest items.

Pacing

That is 3 minutes per question, which is generous for an open-book exam if you know your tabs.

• Calculations are 9 items. Expect them to take longer than a lookup; bank time on the quick Code questions.
• Know where Articles 220, 250, 310 and 430 are before you sit down. Those four cover a large share of the exam.
• Do not let one lookup eat your time. Give your best answer and move on.
• Check the clock at the halfway mark: about 30 done at 90 minutes.

Scoring

The pass mark is 70%. On 60 questions that is 42 correct if it is a straight percentage; the bulletin does not say whether scores are raw or scaled. Results are immediate and are sent to the Board.

There is no Arkansas law section on the exam.

If you do not pass

• You can retest after 2 days.
• The bulletin says there is no limit on attempts within one approval, but each attempt is a new fee.
• The Board's rules add a condition: an applicant who did not complete an apprenticeship may be required to complete up to two years of an apprenticeship before retesting. Applicants who completed one stay approved.

After you pass

You must obtain your license within 6 months after the end of the month you tested, or take the exam again.

Before you go

Sit a full-length, timed practice exam first. Our free practice test gives you a feel for the questions on the 2023 NEC, and the full exam prep has full-length practice exams weighted to the Prov outline. For eligibility, see Arkansas Journeyman Electrician requirements.