Oregon General Supervising Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect
Test-day logistics for the Oregon General Supervising exam: the Letter of Authorization, proctor sites, approved books and calculator, pacing 64 questions in 4 hours, the calculation section, results by mail and retakes.
Oregon General Supervising Electrician Exam Day: What to Expect
The Oregon General Supervising exam is given by the Building Codes Division (BCD) on paper at local proctor sites: 64 questions in 4 hours, open book, in two sections (52 code questions and 12 calculations), with 75% to pass.
Before the day
BCD mails a Letter of Authorization naming your proctor site; BCD says the list of approved materials comes with it. You call the site to schedule and must test within 60 days. Proctor sites on BCD's application are in Bend, Eugene, Hermiston, Klamath Falls, Ontario, Pendleton, Portland, Roseburg, Salem and White City, mostly at community colleges.
What to bring
- Approved references: the NEC with Oregon amendments, the NEC Handbook, ORS chapter 479, OAR division 918, the American Electricians' Handbook, Ugly's Electrical References, the Electrical Black Book, Ferm's Fast Finder, Tom Henry's Key Word Index and the Briganti indexes.
- A silent, non-printing, non-programmable calculator. You will use it hard in the calculation section.
- Pencils for the paper test packet.
Tabs, highlighting and short margin notes that cross-reference a section or a state amendment are allowed. Worked calculations, class notes and practice tests are not.
Pacing
Four hours for 64 questions is about 3¾ minutes a question, but the time is not spread evenly. Budget generously for the 12 calculations: load calculations, voltage drop and motor circuits each take several steps and several tables. Get through the code look-ups steadily, then give the calculations the time they need. Exam-prep providers report that each section must reach 75% on its own, so do not leave calculations blank.
Results and retakes
The proctor sends your exam to BCD, and your result arrives by mail in about two weeks, with a strong-and-weak-areas report if you fail. You may reapply at any time, but the retest must be at least 30 days after the failed exam.
Practice first
Our Oregon General Supervising practice test includes the calculation section, with every step worked out. For the content, see what is on the Supervising exam.
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