What's on the Delaware Journeyperson Electrician Exam (2023 NEC)

What's on the Delaware Journeyperson Electrician Exam (2023 NEC)

Prov's Delaware Journeyperson Electrician exam has 70 questions in 3 hours, open book, and you need 75% (53 correct). That is about 2.5 minutes a question. Half the exam is two areas: wiring methods and wiring and protection.

The outline

These are the counts in Prov's Delaware Candidate Information Bulletin:

The references

Prov's journeyperson list, both open book:

• The NEC
• The American Electrician's Handbook, 17th edition

Highlighting, pen underlining and permanent tabs are allowed. Handwritten notes, sticky notes, movable tabs and photocopies are not. Bring a simple four-function calculator.

Which NEC edition

The Board says every electrical exam is based on the NEC adopted in Delaware. The State Fire Prevention Commission adopted the 2023 NEC effective January 1, 2026, with no Delaware amendments. Prov's last public bulletin (June 2025) still lists the 2020 NEC because that was Delaware's code when it was written, so check the reference list in the bulletin Prov emails you. Load calculations are where the two editions differ most: the non-dwelling lighting and receptacle demand tables were renumbered in Article 220, and the 2023 edition adds a load rule for EV chargers (220.57).

What each area draws on

• Wiring Methods and Materials (22): NEC Chapter 3. Conductor ampacity and insulation (Article 310), boxes and box fill (314), cabinets, cable types (NM, MC, AC) and raceways (EMT, RMC, PVC), with conduit fill from Chapter 9.
• Wiring and Protection (14): NEC Chapter 2. Branch circuits (210), feeders (215), load calculations (220), services (230), overcurrent protection (240) and grounding and bonding (250).
• General Electrical Theory and Principles (9): Ohm's law, power, series and parallel circuits, AC theory, voltage drop and transformers, the material of the American Electrician's Handbook.
• Equipment for General Use (6): NEC Chapter 4: cords, switches, receptacles, panelboards, luminaires, appliances, heating equipment and transformers.
• Plan Reading (4): electrical symbols, one-line diagrams, device function numbers and taking off circuits from drawings.
• Communication Systems (4): NEC Chapter 8.
• Motors and Controls (3): Articles 430 and 440.
• Special Conditions, Equipment and Occupancies (8 in all): NEC Chapters 7, 6 and 5.

Practice

Our Delaware Journeyperson practice test follows this outline, with every answer cited to the 2023 NEC or the American Electrician's Handbook. For eligibility, see the journeyperson requirements; for test day, see Delaware Journeyperson exam day.