What's on the Wisconsin Residential Master Electrician Exam? Topics, Code Changes, and How to Study
The Wisconsin Residential Master Electrician exam: 50 open-book questions on the 2023 NEC, SPS 316 and SPS 305, how our practice exams weight the topics (DSPS publishes no outline), the 2017-to-2023 renumbering, and how to study.
Contents
What's on the Wisconsin Residential Master Electrician Exam?
The residential master exam is 50 questions in 4 hours, open book, 70% to pass, on the 2023 NEC and the Wisconsin rules in SPS 316 and SPS 305. That is half the questions of the residential journeyman exam in the same time. DSPS publishes no content outline and no pass rates.
How our practice exams weight it
The split below is our own blueprint, not an official DSPS breakdown. It is how our 50-question practice exam is weighted.
| Area | Questions (of 50) |
|---|---|
| Branch Circuits and Load Calculations | 10 |
| Services and Feeders | 7 |
| Wiring Methods, Raceways, and Boxes | 6 |
| Grounding and Bonding | 5 |
| General Knowledge and Definitions | 3 |
| Overcurrent Protection | 3 |
| Conductors | 3 |
| Equipment for General Use | 3 |
| Special Equipment and Systems | 3 |
| Wisconsin Electrical Code (SPS 316) | 3 |
| Wisconsin Credential Rules (SPS 305) | 2 |
| Motors, Controls, and Transformers | 1 |
| Special Occupancies | 1 |
Where the weight sits
Branch circuits, load calculations, services and feeders are 17 of the 50 on our blueprint — a third of the exam. With only 50 questions, each one is 2% of your score, and you need 35 right to pass.
Against our blueprint for the general Wisconsin Master exam, the residential split moves almost all of the motor and transformer weight onto dwelling work, and gives the Wisconsin rules (SPS 316 and SPS 305) five questions instead of three.
Expect questions that take several steps:
- Dwelling service and feeder load calculations, including the neutral.
- Branch-circuit requirements for dwellings — required circuits, GFCI and AFCI protection.
- Service equipment and grounding, where the NEC and SPS 316 both apply.
On the 2023 NEC
Wisconsin moved from the 2017 NEC to the 2023 NEC effective September 1, 2026. Material written for older editions numbers several rules differently:
| Topic | Older editions | 2023 NEC (your exam) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 rule | 220.57: 7,200 VA or the nameplate, whichever is larger |
| Class 1 remote-control and signaling circuits | Article 725 | Article 724 (general rules in Article 722) |
Wisconsin's changes to the NEC
Subchapter IV of SPS 316 holds Wisconsin's changes, additions and omissions to the NEC, organized by NEC article. Two that touch residential services:
- Under SPS 316.230 (4), the emergency disconnect requirements of NEC 230.85 are not included as part of Wisconsin's code.
- SPS 316.230 (3) (b) adds a department rule to NEC 230.70 (A): raceways containing service conductors, or service-entrance cable not in a raceway, may not extend more than 8 feet into a building to the service disconnect.
Tab SPS 316 next to the matching NEC articles so you check both.
A study plan
- Dwelling load calculations until they are automatic, on the 2023 numbering.
- Services and feeders — sizing, the service rules in Article 230, and the Wisconsin changes above.
- Wiring methods and grounding, and the tables you will look up most.
- Read SPS 316 and SPS 305 once. They go in your binder, and they are worth five questions on our blueprint.
- Take a timed 50-question exam before the real one.
Our free practice test gives you 10 questions on the 2023 NEC with every calculation worked out. The full exam prep has a timed 50-question practice exam built on the blueprint above. See also Wisconsin Residential Master Electrician exam day and the Wisconsin electrician hub.
Ready to pass Wisconsin Residential Master Electrician?
Start your prep with unlimited practice tests and codebook-referenced answers.
Start Studying →
