What's on the Washington 01 General Journeyman Exam? Both Sections and How to Study Them
The PSI outline for the Washington 01 general journeyman exam: 60 NEC and Theory questions by article range, 17 Washington Codes questions on RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B, 70% on each, on the 2020 NEC — and a study plan.
Contents
What's on the Washington 01 General Journeyman Exam?
The 01 exam has two sections, each scored on its own. You need 70% on each — a strong NEC score does not carry a weak Washington Codes score — and within your one-year exam period you retake only the section you fail.
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| NEC and Theory | 60 | 3 hours |
| Washington Codes (RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B) | 17 | 1 hour |
Up to 10 more questions may be unscored experimental items.
NEC and Theory: the outline
PSI's bulletin lists the 60 questions by NEC article range. It calls the counts approximate.
| NEC articles | Topic | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 90 | Introduction | 1 |
| 100–110 | Definitions, general requirements | 3 |
| 200–225, 280–285 | Branch circuits, feeders, surge protection | 3 |
| 230 | Services | 4 |
| 240 | Overcurrent protection | 6 |
| 250 | Grounding and bonding | 6 |
| 300–398 | Wiring methods and materials | 10 |
| 400–427, 455–480 | Equipment for general use | 3 |
| 430–450 | Motors, A/C, generators, transformers | 3 |
| 490 | Equipment over 1000 V | 1 |
| 500–516 | Hazardous locations | 2 |
| 517–590 | Special occupancies | 4 |
| 600–695 | Special equipment | 3 |
| 700–702 | Emergency and standby systems | 2 |
| 705–780 | Special conditions | 1 |
| 800–830 | Communications systems | 1 |
| — | General trade knowledge and theory | 7 |
Where the weight is
- Wiring methods (10) are the largest block — one question in six.
- Overcurrent protection and grounding are 12 together, a fifth of the section.
- General trade knowledge and theory (7) is the second-largest single line.
- The rest is spread thin across Chapters 4 through 8. Each range is only a few questions, but together they are about a third of the section.
Washington Codes: 17 questions in an hour
The second section is entirely RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B. You may bring both, printed and bound in a three-ring binder; L&I publishes "exam friendly" printable versions. Seventeen questions at 70% leaves little room for misses, so know your way around the binder before you go in.
On the 2020 NEC, not the 2023
Washington installations have used the 2023 NEC since April 1, 2024, but the exam is still on the 2020 edition. L&I's September 2026 Electrical Currents newsletter says the exams will move to the 2026 NEC in July 2027. If you study from 2023 material, these rules are numbered differently on your exam:
| Topic | 2020 NEC (your exam) | 2023 NEC |
|---|---|---|
| Dwelling general lighting load (3 VA/ft² in both) | 220.14(J) | 220.41 |
| Non-dwelling general lighting unit loads | Table 220.12 | Table 220.42(A) |
| Lighting load demand factors | Table 220.42 | Table 220.45 |
| Non-dwelling receptacle demand factors | Table 220.44 | Table 220.47 |
| EV charging load in a load calculation | No such rule | 220.57 |
| Class 1 remote-control and signaling circuits | Article 725 | Articles 722 and 724 |
A study plan built on the weights
- Chapter 3 and Articles 240 and 250 first. Twenty-two of the 60 questions.
- Tab the 2020 NEC. Permanent tabs and highlighting are allowed, and three minutes a question goes fast without them.
- Work the theory and calculations with the silent, non-programmable calculator you will bring.
- Read RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B in your binder. It is a separate pass, and only 17 questions decide it.
- Sit both sections timed. 60 questions in 3 hours, then 17 in 1 hour.
The first-time pass rate reported to the Electrical Board on July 30, 2026, was about 51%. Our free practice test gives you 10 questions on the 2020 NEC. The full exam prep has a timed full-length practice exam for the NEC and Theory section and one for Washington Codes, weighted like the PSI outline, with calculations worked out step by step and every answer citing its section. For the day itself, see Washington 01 exam day.
Ready to pass Washington General Journeyman Electrician (01)?
Start your prep with unlimited practice tests and codebook-referenced answers.
Start Studying →
