Michigan Fire Alarm Specialty Technician Exam Day: PSI, Four Allowed References, and 90 Minutes
What to expect on Michigan's Fire Alarm Specialty Technician exam with PSI: the NEC plus three state texts and exactly how to prepare them, the calculator question, 36 questions in 90 minutes, the 75% pass mark and unlimited retakes.
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Michigan Fire Alarm Specialty Technician Exam Day: What to Expect
PSI schedules and proctors Michigan's electrical exams for LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes, under one candidate bulletin that covers the journeyman, master, fire alarm specialty technician and sign specialist exams. The bureau writes the questions. Here is what the day looks like.
Where you test
The exam is computer-based and given only at a PSI test center. There are seven in Michigan: Dearborn, Holt-Lansing, Southfield (two), Grand Rapids, Gaylord and Marquette. There is no remote option for the electrical exams, and the exam is offered in English only.
Scheduling
After LARA approves your application, register with PSI at test-takers.psiexams.com/mielec or by phone at 855-579-4635. The exam fee is $100, paid to PSI. Time-and-a-half extra time, if approved, adds $50.
To cancel or reschedule, give PSI at least two days' notice. Otherwise you forfeit the fee.
Open book: four references, prepared the right way
You may bring exactly these:
| Reference | How it must be prepared |
|---|---|
| NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code | Factory markings, factory highlighting and factory tabs only. The NEC Handbook is not allowed. |
| 2016 PA 407, the Skilled Trades Regulation Act | Printed from the BCC website, bound with three staples on the left edge, as a separate document. No highlighting, marking or tabs. |
| 1972 PA 230, the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act | Same: printed, three staples on the left, separate, unmarked. |
| Michigan Electrical Code Rules, Part 8 | Same: printed, three staples on the left, separate, unmarked. |
No loose or attached extra papers. A straight edge without calculations printed on it is also allowed.
On the NEC edition: other editions are permitted in the room, but the questions are based on the 2023 NEC. Bring the 2023.
NFPA 72 is not on the list. Leave it at home.
Calculator
This is the one point to check before you go. The electrical bulletin lists a calculator among the personal items that must be stored, and it does not mention an on-screen calculator. (PSI's separate bulletin for Michigan's electrical inspector exams does allow one, which is why some candidates expect it.) We could not confirm either way for this exam, so ask PSI when you schedule, and practice the few calculation questions by hand in case.
The clock
36 questions in 90 minutes, which is 2½ minutes per question.
- Know your NEC tabs. Power-limited and fire alarm circuits, wiring methods and fill will be most of your lookups.
- Know where the law sits. Your state documents cannot be tabbed, so learn the layout of PA 407 Article 7 and the Part 8 rules before the day.
- Do not let one lookup eat your time. Answer, flag it in your head, and move on.
- Check the clock at 45 minutes: about 18 questions done.
The screen has a comment link on each question if you think one is flawed.
Scoring
The pass mark is 75%. If all 36 questions are scored, that is 27 correct. The bulletin does not say whether any questions are unscored, and the state rules allow an exam to include duplicate questions, so treat every question as if it counts.
Your score shows on screen at the end. A failing score report includes a diagnostic breakdown to show you where to focus.
If you do not pass
The PSI bulletin gives Fire Alarm Specialty Technician candidates unlimited attempts. Each attempt is another $100. Keep in mind that your LARA application is good for one year from its first review, so you need to pass inside that window or reapply.
Before you go
Run a full 36-question set against the clock at least once. Our free practice test gives you the question style on the 2023 NEC and Michigan law, and the full exam prep has full-length timed practice exams with every answer explained. For eligibility and the NICET Level II requirement, see Michigan Fire Alarm Specialty Technician requirements.
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