North Dakota Master Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect
Test-day logistics for the North Dakota master exam: the Board's invitation, Bismarck exam dates, the closed-book hour and open-book part, the books the Board provides, the 70% passing score and retake waiting periods.
Contents
North Dakota Master Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect
The North Dakota master exam is given by the State Electrical Board at its Bismarck office: a 1-hour closed-book part and a 3.5-hour open-book part, with 70% to pass.
Before the day
Apply to the Board with the $50 application fee and wait for approval. The Board's invitation lists the open dates; pick one and test within six months. Cancel or miss it and you file a new application and pay again.
Exam days come in pairs each month: November 16–17 and December 14–15, 2026, then monthly through December 2027. December 2026 is the first sitting on the 2026 NEC; the November exam is still on the 2023 edition.
Where you test
The Board's office in Bismarck (1929 N. Washington Street) is the only site, and there is no remote testing. Follow the check-in instructions in your invitation.
What to bring
Nothing for reference: the Board provides the code books, calculators and pencils. That rules out your own tabbed NEC, so get used to a clean 2026 NEC before the day, especially Article 120 and the Chapter 9 tables you lean on for calculations.
The closed-book hour
One hour with no book. Expect theory and formulas (Ohm's law, power, three-phase relationships, voltage drop), definitions and North Dakota's licensing and contracting rules. Answer from memory and keep moving.
The open-book part
Three and a half hours with the Board's books. Do the quick look-ups first and save the load calculations for a steady block of time. Write out each step of a calculation so a slip is easy to find, and remember North Dakota's rules: electric heat at 125% in service and feeder calculations, and three small-appliance circuits in a dwelling.
Results and retakes
You need 70%. Waiting periods after a fail depend on your score: 60–69, none; 50–59, three months; 0–49, six months. Each retake needs a re-exam application and fee, and the Board offers no exam reviews. After you pass, pay the $50 license fee and choose your master status (contracting, master of record or noncontracting).
Practice first
Our North Dakota Master practice test is built on the 2026 NEC and North Dakota's rules. For the content, see what is on the Master exam.
Ready to pass North Dakota Master Electrician?
Start your prep with unlimited practice tests and codebook-referenced answers.
Start Studying →
