California General Electrician Exam Day: Pearson VUE, On-Screen Code Books, and Pacing 4.5 Hours

California General Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect

Since June 1, 2026, the DIR's electrician exams are run by CPS HR Consulting at Pearson VUE test centers — a change from the PSI exams many study guides still describe. Here is what the day looks like now.

Before you go

• Schedule with Pearson VUE online or by phone once you get your eligibility notice, and test within one year of it.
• Rescheduling must be done more than 48 hours before your appointment. Inside 48 hours you cannot reschedule.
• Missing the appointment — or arriving late — voids your registration and forfeits the exam fee.

Arrival and ID

• Arrive 30 minutes early. If you arrive after your start time you may not be admitted.
• Bring two original, valid IDs, and the first and last name on both must exactly match your registration:
  • a primary government-issued ID with your photo and signature (driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID, or permanent resident card);
  • a secondary ID with your name and either your signature or a recent photo (a signed credit or debit card, an employee ID, or a school ID).
• Photocopies and digital IDs are not accepted. Without acceptable IDs you will not test, and you forfeit the fee.

What you can bring in: nothing

Car keys and your two IDs are all you need, and they go in a locker. Not allowed in the testing room:

• notes, books, calculators, pens and pencils;
• phones, smartwatches, cameras and any recording device — including AI glasses;
• hats, scarves, gloves, wallets, bags and other personal items.

There is no food or drink in the testing room, and no scheduled breaks. You may leave only to use the restroom, with the proctor's permission, and the clock keeps running.

The code books are on screen

This is the biggest change from the PSI years. You do not bring an NEC. Each question opens on the right of the screen, with links to the references on the left:

• NFPA 70 (2023 NEC)
• NFPA 70E (2024)
• Cal/OSHA Pocket Guide for the Construction Industry

Each opens as a PDF you can zoom and search (the magnifying glass, or Ctrl+F). You can open several at once, drag and resize them, and a reference you reopen returns to the page you left. References close when you move to the next question, so you will reopen them often.

Searching well is the skill: "Table 310.16" finds the ampacity table faster than scrolling, and "dwelling unit" plus a keyword narrows a long article. Practice with a PDF of the code before the exam.

An online calculator is built into the exam.

Pacing

100 questions in 4 hours 30 minutes is 2 minutes 42 seconds per question. Most code-lookup questions take a minute; calculations and long searches take longer.

• Answer what you know quickly, then come back for the long ones.
• Never leave a question blank.
• Watch the time at the halfway mark: you want about 50 questions done by 2 hours 15 minutes.

Scoring and after

You need 70% to pass, and your score report appears on screen when you finish; you can print it from your Pearson account. If you pass, it serves as your certification until the card arrives by mail, usually within two weeks.

If you do not pass, you wait 60 days and send a retest application with a $100 fee. The DIR says the exam is also available in Spanish.

Before you go

The surest preparation is having sat a full-length exam already. Our free practice test gives you 10 questions weighted like the real outline, and the full exam prep has a timed 100-question practice exam on the 2023 NEC. For eligibility and fees, see California General Electrician requirements.