What's on the Michigan Sign Specialist Exam? Topics, Code Edition and a Study Plan

What's on the Michigan Sign Specialist Exam?

The PSI candidate bulletin for Michigan's electrical exams (effective August 20, 2026) gives the Sign Specialist exam as 32 questions in 60 minutes, 75% to pass. The questions are written by the Bureau of Construction Codes, not PSI.

The topics, and how many questions each gets

The bulletin lists the topics but not how many questions each gets. Michigan publishes no counts or percentages for any of its electrical exams. The counts below are our estimate, which we use to weight our practice exams. They are not the state's numbers.

The bulletin's own list has eleven topics: grounding and bonding, overcurrent protection, wiring methods and installations, boxes and cabinets, special occupancies, load calculations, lighting, box and raceway fill, power limited circuits, general electrical trade knowledge and electrical theory. We fold sign rules into "lighting" and add a separate law line, because the exam's scope includes the Skilled Trades Regulation Act, its rules "relating to the electric signs" and the Michigan Electrical Code Rules (Part 8). The bulletin does not say how many questions come from the law.

What the exam covers

You may bring, and can be tested on:

• NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code. Questions are based on the 2023 edition, and the bulletin limits the code to its "applicable sections" for signs.
• 2016 PA 407, the Skilled Trades Regulation Act.
• 1972 PA 230, the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act.
• The Michigan Electrical Code Rules, Part 8 (R 408.30801 to 408.30880).

In practice, "applicable sections" for a sign installer means the NEC's sign and outline lighting article and the general rules it leans on: branch circuits, disconnects, grounding and bonding, and wiring methods.

The code edition, precisely

Michigan's Part 8 adopts the 2023 NEC, second printing, with TIAs 70-23-1 to 70-23-13, Errata 70-23-1 to 70-23-6 and Annex H, effective March 12, 2024. Part 8 deletes several Article 80 sections and replaces them with Michigan rules.

You may bring another NEC edition, but the bulletin is clear that the items are based on the 2023 edition. Bring the 2023.

Michigan amendments a sign installer is most likely to meet:

• Permits (80.19): permits are not transferable, must be posted, and expire 180 days after issuance, extended 180 days from the last inspection. Minor repair work as PA 407 defines it needs no permit.
• Connection to supply (80.25): connecting to the supply without approval is unlawful.
• Dangerous installations (80.13): the inspector may order a disconnection, with notice within 24 hours, and it is unlawful to reconnect or remove the notice.
• Plans (80.21): required when a service or feeder exceeds 400 amperes at 1,000 volts or less and the floor area exceeds 3,500 square feet.

The 2026 NEC is coming, but not yet

LARA has a pending rule set (2026-17 LR) to move Part 8 to the 2026 NEC. As of November 2026 it has not been filed, and it takes effect 120 days after filing. No date has been announced for the exam to switch. Study the 2023 NEC, and watch LARA and PSI for the change.

Where the weight is

• Signs and lighting lead. In our estimate it is the largest area: sign disconnects and their location, branch-circuit requirements, grounding and bonding of signs, and listing and marking.
• Wiring methods, grounding and overcurrent come next. Together they are about a third of our weighting.
• The rest is spread thin. Boxes, fill, load calculations, theory and special occupancies each get a question or two in our estimate. Do not skip them; if every question is scored, a 75% pass mark on 32 questions leaves room for only eight misses.
• Law is in scope. Expect licensing, permits and inspections from PA 407, PA 230 and Part 8.

A study plan

1. Start with the NEC's sign and outline lighting article. Read it end to end, then follow every cross-reference out of it.
2. Then grounding and bonding, overcurrent protection and Chapter 3 wiring methods, focused on what a sign circuit touches.
3. Read the three Michigan texts once. PA 407 Article 7 (especially the sign sections), PA 230's permit and inspection sections, and the live Part 8 rules. They are short and free on LARA's site.
4. Prepare your references by the rules. The NEC may carry factory tabs and highlights only. The state documents must be printed, stapled three times on the left as separate documents, with no highlighting or tabs.
5. Sit a timed set. 32 questions in 60 minutes is under 2 minutes each, so speed of lookup matters.

Our free practice test shows the question style on the 2023 NEC and Michigan law. The full exam prep has full-length practice exams weighted to the estimate above, with every answer explained. For what to bring and how the day runs, see Michigan Sign Specialist exam day.