Montana Residential Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect

Montana Residential Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect

PSI gives Montana's Residential Electrician exam by computer: 50 questions in 2.5 hours, open book, with 70% to pass.

Before the day

Once the State Electrical Board approves your application, it sends an admission letter. Pay PSI's $75 fee and schedule online or at (855) 746-8173. To keep the fee, cancel or reschedule at least two days before the exam.

Where you test

PSI's Montana sites are in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Kalispell and Missoula; any PSI center in the country also works. Arrive 15 minutes early with one current government photo ID that has your photo and signature and matches the name you scheduled with. Phones, watches, bags and hats go in a locker.

Which code book

Exams through December 31, 2026 are on the 2020 NEC; from January 1, 2027, the 2023 NEC with Montana's amendments. The amendments change several dwelling GFCI and AFCI rules, so bring them too.

What to bring

• The NEC for your exam date, with tabs or indexes.
• Montana's building codes amendments and copies of Montana's statutes and rules for electricians.
• "Printreading" by David L. Hittinger, if you use it.
• A silent, non-programmable calculator that is not built for electrical calculations.

Highlights, underlining and notes you made beforehand are fine. Writing or highlighting during the exam is not.

Pacing

You have 3 minutes a question, less any unscored experimental items PSI adds. Go through once answering what you can find quickly, flag the calculations and the questions that need two tables, then use the remaining time on the flagged ones.

Results and retakes

Your score appears on screen when you finish. If you fail, you can pay and test again; after a second failure you must attend a Board-approved 8-hour code seminar before a third try. You have one year from Board approval to pass.

Practice first

Our Montana Residential practice test covers dwelling work on the 2023 NEC as Montana amends it. For the content, see what is on the Residential exam.