North Dakota Journeyman Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect

North Dakota Journeyman Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect

North Dakota's journeyman exam is written and given by the State Electrical Board in Bismarck. It has a 1-hour closed-book part and a 3.5-hour open-book part, and you need 70%. Here is what the day looks like.

Before the day

You cannot simply sign up. Apply to the Board first; once your hours are approved, the Board sends an invitation listing the open dates. Tell the Board which date you want, and test within six months of the invitation. A cancellation or no-show means filing a new application and paying the fee again.

The exams are held on paired days each month: November 16–17 and December 14–15, 2026, then January 25–26, February 22–23 and so on through December 2027. The December 2026 exams are the first on the 2026 NEC; November is still on the 2023 edition.

Where you test

Only at the Board's office in Bismarck (1929 N. Washington Street). There is no remote option and no other test site; the Board declined a request to add Fargo testing in July 2026. Plan the drive, and follow the check-in instructions in your invitation.

What to bring, and what not to

The Board provides the code books, calculators and pencils. You do not bring your own NEC, so your tabs and highlighting stay home. Practice with a clean copy of the 2026 NEC beforehand so the layout is familiar.

The closed-book hour

The first part is one hour with no book. Expect theory, definitions and rules you should know without looking: Ohm's law and power, series and parallel circuits, common conductor and overcurrent sizes, grounding basics and North Dakota's licensing rules. Answer what you know, make your best choice on the rest and keep moving; there is no book to rescue a slow question.

The open-book part

The second part runs 3.5 hours with the Board's code books. Find answers through the NEC index and article layout, and don't forget the North Dakota booklet for the state's own rules and wiring standards. Do the quick look-ups first and leave the long calculations for the end.

Results and retakes

You need 70%. If you fail, the waiting period depends on your score: 60–69, no wait; 50–59, three months; 0–49, six months. Each retake needs a re-exam application and fee. The Board has not offered exam reviews since July 11, 2012, so you will not see which questions you missed. After you pass, pay the $25 license fee to have the license issued.

Practice first

Our North Dakota Journeyman practice test is built on the 2026 NEC and North Dakota's rules. For the content, see what is on the Journeyman exam.