What's on the Washington 02 Residential Electrician Exam? Both Sections and How to Study Them
The PSI outline for the Washington 02 residential specialty exam: 40 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 02 Residential Electrician Exam?
The 02 residential specialty exam has two sections, each scored on its own. You need 70% on each, and within your one-year exam period you retake only the section you fail.
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| NEC and Theory | 40 | 2 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 40 questions by NEC article range:
| NEC articles | Topic | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 90 | Introduction | 1 |
| 100–110 | Definitions, general requirements | 2 |
| 200–225 | Branch circuits and feeders | 2 |
| 230 | Services | 3 |
| 240 | Overcurrent protection | 5 |
| 250 | Grounding and bonding | 5 |
| 300–398 | Wiring methods and materials | 7 |
| 400–480 | Equipment for general use | 1 |
| 430–450 | Motors, A/C, generators, transformers | 3 |
| 500–516 | Hazardous locations | 1 |
| 517–590 | Special occupancies | 1 |
| 600–695 | Special equipment | 1 |
| 700–702 | Emergency and standby systems | 1 |
| 705–780 | Special conditions | 1 |
| — | Theory | 6 |
Where the weight is
- Wiring methods (7) are the largest block.
- Theory (6) is next — 15% of the section.
- Overcurrent protection and grounding are 10 together, a quarter of the section.
- Articles 500 through 780 get one question per range — five in all.
Why the pass rate is low
The first-time pass rate reported to the Electrical Board on July 30, 2026, was about 27–28% — roughly half the 01 rate — and historically it has been 23–25%. Most failures are on the NEC and Theory section, so drill finding rules in the 2020 NEC quickly, not just knowing them.
Washington Codes: 17 questions in an hour
The second section is entirely RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B, the same section the 01 candidates sit. You may bring both, printed and bound in a three-ring binder; L&I publishes "exam friendly" printable versions.
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. Seventeen of the 40 questions.
- Theory every week. Six questions, and you bring your own silent, non-programmable calculator.
- Drill finding rules, not just knowing them. Tab and highlight your 2020 NEC — permanent tabs are allowed — and practice lookups against the clock.
- Read RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B in your binder. A separate pass, decided by 17 questions.
- Sit both sections timed. 40 questions in 2 hours, then 17 in 1 hour.
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 02 exam day.
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