Hawaii Supervising Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect at PSI

Hawaii Supervising Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect

The Hawaii Supervising Electrician exam is given by PSI on a computer at a test center: 70 questions in 3 hours, open book on the 2020 NEC, with 70% to pass. Everything below comes from PSI's candidate bulletin for Hawaii's electrician exams.

Where you test

PSI's Hawaii test centers are in Honolulu (Ala Moana), Kahului (UH Maui College), Kailua-Kona and Kapaa. There is no online option: the board gives its open-book electrician exams only at test centers.

Scheduling and rescheduling

• Schedule at test-takers.psiexams.com/hitrade or by phone at (833) 333-4754 once the board has approved you.
• Cancel or reschedule at least two days ahead to keep the $95 fee.
• Arrive 30 minutes early. Late arrivals may be turned away and lose the fee.

What to bring, and what to leave

Bring one valid, signed photo ID whose name matches your registration exactly. You may bring a silent, non-programmable calculator without an alphabet keyboard or printing; PSI also gives you an on-screen calculator.

Everything else goes in storage or the car: phones, watches, bags, notes, food and drinks, jackets and hats.

The code book

PSI provides the 2020 NEC, and it is the only reference allowed. Your own book, tabs and notes stay home. You get scratch paper and a pencil, returned at the end.

For the Supervising exam this matters most on motor and overcurrent questions, which send you across several tables in Article 430 and Article 240. Practice that path in a clean copy so you can find each table without your tabs.

Pacing

You have about 2½ minutes per question. PSI may add up to ten unscored questions, and their time does not count. Answer the quick lookups first, mark the long calculations, and come back to them.

Scoring and retakes

Your score shows on screen at the end, and you get a printed report at the center. If you fail, PSI's emailed report includes a diagnostic by area. You cannot rebook the same day, but you may be able to retest within two business days if there is space. Your board approval lasts two years, with no limit on attempts; each attempt costs $95.

Practice first

Our Hawaii Supervising Electrician practice test follows PSI's outline and cites the 2020 NEC section for every answer. For the content breakdown, see what is on the Supervising exam.