What's on the Connecticut E-1 Electrical Contractor Exam? The PSI Outline

What's on the Connecticut E-1 Electrical Contractor Exam?

The Connecticut E-1 trade exam has 100 scored questions in 4 hours, and you need 70% (70 correct) to pass. It is open book, and PSI allows the 2020 or the 2023 NEC. Contractors also pass a separate Business and Law exam. The counts below are from PSI's Electrical Trades candidate bulletin, updated February 2026.

The trade exam outline

The E-1 uses the same 16 areas as the E-2 journeyperson exam, with 20 more questions. Most of the extra weight goes to photovoltaics (10, up from 6), special occupancies (9, up from 5), services and feeders, conductors, and high voltage (4, up from 2). One question in ten is on solar, as many as services and feeders. PV carries more weight here than on most states' exams.

Where each area lives in the NEC

PSI does not map its areas to NEC articles. This is where you will find the rules.

• Service, Feeders, and Branch Circuits: Articles 210, 215, 220, 225 and 230.
• Conductors and Cables: Article 310 ampacity tables and the cable articles (320 to 340).
• Photovoltaics: Articles 690 and 705, plus 706 for energy storage.
• Special Occupancies and Equipment: Chapters 5 and 6.
• Raceways and Boxes: Articles 300, 312, 314 and the raceway articles (342 to 362), with Chapter 9 conduit fill.
• Grounding and Bonding: Article 250.
• Overcurrent Protection: Article 240.
• Motors: Article 430 (and 440 for air-conditioning equipment).
• Electrical Power: Articles 445, 450 and 480, and emergency and standby systems (700 to 702).
• Fire Detection and Alarm Systems: Article 760, plus NFPA 72 (2013 edition), which is on the reference list.
• High Voltage: Article 490 and the over-1000-volt parts of Articles 110, 225, 230, 240, 250 and 300.
• Lighting, Low Voltage and Illuminated Signs: Articles 410, 725 and 800, and 600.
• Safety Information: OSHA's construction standards, 29 CFR 1926.
• General Electrical Knowledge: Articles 90, 100 and 110, Chapter 9, and circuit theory.

The Business and Law exam

Every contractor class takes it: 50 questions in 2 hours, 70% to pass, open book. The only reference is the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Connecticut, 6th edition. PSI warns that some questions may not seem to relate to your license category and test your ability to find information in the guide. A passed portion stays valid for two years.

What you can bring to the trade exam

You bring your own references: the 2020 or 2023 NEC (or either Handbook), 29 CFR 1926, Ugly's Electrical References, NFPA 72 (2013), Dunlop's Photovoltaic Systems, the 2012 National Electrical Safety Code and Convert Your Home to Solar Energy. PSI also warns that some questions test trade knowledge and general industry practice beyond the books.

How to study

1. Treat PV as a major area. Ten questions on Articles 690, 705 and 706 is a full tenth of the exam. Practice PV source-circuit current, conductor sizing, rapid shutdown and the interconnection rules.
2. Pick one edition and know it. PSI allows both, and Connecticut's code is still the 2020 NEC. If you bring the 2023 book, learn where it moved the rules, such as the renumbered load-calculation tables in Article 220.
3. Know Chapters 5 and 6. Special occupancies grows to 9 questions: hazardous locations, health care, assembly occupancies, pools and the Chapter 6 equipment articles.
4. Tab permanently. Highlighting, underlining, margin notes and permanent tabs are allowed; sticky notes are not.

Practice for the exam

Our Connecticut E-1 practice test draws from all 16 trade areas in the same proportions, and every explanation cites the 2020 NEC section. For test-day logistics, see the Connecticut E-1 exam day.