What's on the Montana Residential Electrician Exam? Dwelling NEC, Theory and Montana's Amendments
What PSI's Montana residential electrician exam covers: 50 open-book questions on the National Electrical Code and general trade knowledge and theory, 70% to pass. PSI publishes no question counts, so here is a dwelling-focused study blueprint and the Montana GFCI and AFCI amendments.
What's on the Montana Residential Electrician Exam?
PSI's Montana Residential exam is 50 questions in 2.5 hours, open book, and you need 70% (35 correct). It is on the 2020 NEC through December 31, 2026 and the 2023 NEC from January 1, 2027.
PSI's outline
PSI lists two content areas, with no question counts: National Electrical Code and General Trade Knowledge & Theory. A residential license covers dwellings of fewer than five units, so the blueprint below, which is ours, not PSI's, stays on dwelling work.
| Area (our blueprint) | Where to look | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Branch Circuits, Feeders, Services and Overcurrent Protection | Articles 210-240 | 10 |
| Wiring Methods and Materials | Chapter 3 (NM cable, boxes, raceways) | 9 |
| General Trade Knowledge and Theory | Ohm's law, power, voltage drop | 6 |
| Grounding and Bonding | Article 250 | 5 |
| General Requirements and Definitions | Articles 90, 100, 110 | 4 |
| Equipment for General Use | Chapter 4 (receptacles, luminaires, appliances, air conditioning) | 4 |
| Calculations | Article 220 dwelling loads, box fill | 4 |
| Special Occupancies and Equipment | Manufactured homes, pools and spas, solar PV, EV charging | 3 |
| Montana Amendments and Rules | ARM 24.301.401 and the permit rules | 3 |
| Special Conditions and Communications Systems | Standby systems, low-voltage, communications | 2 |
| Total | 50 |
Montana's amendments for dwellings
Most of Montana's 2023 NEC amendments (ARM 24.301.401) land in dwelling work:
- No GFCI is required for refrigerators and freezers in dwelling kitchens (210.8(A)(6)).
- The 250-volt receptacle references are deleted from 210.8(A).
- Outdoor outlets for septic alarm and well circuits are excluded from 210.8(F), and listed HVAC equipment is exempt under Exception No. 2.
- AFCI protection no longer applies to kitchens, and it is added for unfinished basements (210.12).
- SER cable may feed a manufactured home whose service equipment is on its outside wall, in raceway outside and supported per Article 338 underneath (550.33(A)).
Permits and inspections
Montana's electrical rules, printed in PSI's bulletin, are fair game too: insulation and wallboard can't go up until 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) after you give notice that the rough-in is ready, and only the permittee or the permittee's licensed or registered employees may work under a permit.
How to study
- Know dwelling branch circuits cold. Required receptacle outlets, small-appliance and laundry circuits, GFCI and AFCI locations, with Montana's changes marked in your book.
- Practice one dwelling load calculation by the standard method until you can do it without hunting for tables.
- Check your edition. The 2020 NEC before 2027, the 2023 NEC from January 1, 2027.
Our Montana Residential Electrician practice test draws from these areas in the same proportions. For eligibility and fees, see the requirements.
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