Chicago Supervising Electrician (General)
Practice the Chicago Supervising Electrician (General) exam the way it is given — 150 questions weighted like the real outline, on the 2018 Chicago Electrical Code, with every answer explained and cited.
One exam, 150 questions
You need 70. CTS publishes a range of questions for most areas; we use the middle of each range, adjusted so the exam totals 150, and our full-length practice exam draws from each area in those proportions.
Supervising Electrician (General) exam
150 scored · 240 min- Electrical Principles and Practices18
- OSHA Regulations and Workplace Safety7
- Titles 2, 4 and 13 (Code Supplement)9
- General Provisions (Articles 90-110)11
- Wiring and Protection (200s)20
- Wiring Methods and Materials (300s)23
- Equipment for General Use (400s)13
- Special Occupancies (500s)13
- Special Equipment (600s)12
- Special Conditions (700s)13
- Communication Systems (800s)11
About the Chicago Supervising Electrician (General)
Granted by City of Chicago Department of Buildings
City of Chicago Supervising Electrician (General) exam, given by Continental Testing Services for the Department of Buildings: 150 open-book questions in 4 hours, 70 to pass, on the 2018 Chicago Electrical Code (the 2017 NEC with Title 14E amendments), Municipal Code Titles 2, 4 and 13, electrical principles and OSHA 1926.
Eligibility Requirements
At least 21 years old, with at least two years of experience installing, altering, repairing and maintaining electrical wiring and equipment under the direct supervision of a supervising electrician or equivalent person, verified by letters from your supervisors (4-292-020).
On the 2017 NEC, as Chicago amends it
The 2018 Chicago Electrical Code is the 2017 NEC with the changes in Title 14E of the Municipal Code, in force since March 1, 2018. Chicago rewrites some rules, adds articles of its own and drops others entirely. Where Chicago changes a rule, our questions follow the Chicago rule, not the national text. Some of the differences:
| Topic | 2017 NEC (national) | Chicago (2018 Chicago Electrical Code) |
|---|---|---|
| Authority having jurisdictionArticle 100 (14E-1-100) | The organization, office or individual responsible for enforcing the Code | The commissioner of buildings |
| "Approved" equipmentArticle 100 (14E-1-100) | Acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction | Must be tested by and carry the label of an approved lab (OSHA-recognized NRTLs qualify); self-certification is not accepted |
| High-rise buildingArticle 100 (14E-1-100) | Not defined | A building more than 80 ft (24.4 m) above grade |
| Branch-circuit ungrounded conductor colors210.5(C)(1) | Any identification method, documented and posted | Black, red, blue at 150 V to ground or less; brown, orange, yellow over 150 V; orange for a delta high leg |
| Type NM cable334.10 | Permitted in dwellings and other Type III, IV and V buildings | Only temporary wiring and limited extensions of knob-and-tube circuits in existing dwellings of three stories or less |
| Type AC and MC cable320.10, 330.10 | Permitted for most exposed and concealed work | Fished into existing walls or hard ceilings (25 ft max between boxes), or exposed in lengths of 6 ft or less in listed places |
| ENT, LFNC and flat cable assembliesArticles 322, 356, 362 | Permitted under Articles 362, 356 and 322 | Not adopted: none of those articles is in force in Chicago |
| Residential occupanciesArticle 560 | No such article | Article 560, Chicago’s own rules for dwelling branch circuits, outlets and load calculations |
| Emergency systemsArticle 700 | NEC Article 700 | Not adopted; Chicago writes its own Article 700 (System I, II and III emergency lighting) |
| Commercial lighting posts on public property225.71(B) | No such rule | Post center at least 22 in. (557 mm) from the outer edge of the curb |
What's Included
Every plan gets the same full-access study library.
Scheduling & Fees
Where to take it
- Administered by
- Continental Testing Services (CTS)
- Scheduling window
- Continental Testing Services processes applications and gives the paper exam in Chicago about three times a year. Upcoming dates: March 10, 2027 (register by February 5), July 21, 2027 (by June 16) and November 17, 2027 (by October 13).
- Reschedule policy
- There are no make-up exams and no refunds. If you miss your date, register for the next one.
- Retake policy
- You need 70. After a failed exam you must wait six months before applying to retake it (4-292-020(d)), and each attempt costs the $150 exam fee.
Fees
- Exam fee, each attempt (2026)
- $150
- Initial supervising electrician license (2026)
- $150
- Annual renewal (2026)
- $150
Keeping Your Certification Active
Renewal requirements
- Cycle
- Every year, through the Department of Buildings portal; a license expired three years or more cannot be renewed
- Continuing education
- No continuing education requirement appears in Chapter 4-292 or on the Department of Buildings page. A supervising electrician who has not acted as one in the city, or pulled a permit, for three continuous years must pass the exam again (4-292-070).
Reciprocity
Chicago does not license by reciprocity. Because Illinois has no state license, many suburbs set their own rules, and several accept the Chicago exam; Aurora’s contractor testing sheet (2013) lists Chicago among the municipal tests it accepts. Check with each town.
Sources: Chicago Department of Buildings: Supervising Electrician License · Continental Testing Services: Chicago Supervising Electrician · CTS Chicago Supervising Electricians Licensure Examination Study Guide (2018) · CTS: Selected Provisions of Titles 2, 4 and 13 (Code Supplement, amendments through 12/13/2017) · Municipal Code of Chicago, Title 14E Electrical Code (American Legal Publishing) · Substitute Ordinance SO2017-5529: the 2017 Chicago Electrical Code (passed 9/6/2017)
Frequently asked questions
How is the Chicago Supervising Electrician (General) exam structured?+
One paper exam of 150 four-option questions in 4 hours, and you need 70. The first 25 questions cover electrical principles and practices: theory, blueprint reading, transformers and delta/wye loads, power factor, voltage drop and 6 to 8 OSHA 1926 safety questions. The other 125 cover the Chicago Electrical Code by NEC chapter, with wiring methods (22 to 25) and wiring and protection (18 to 22) the largest, plus 8 to 10 questions on Municipal Code Titles 2, 4 and 13.
What do I need before I can sit the exam?+
You must be at least 21 and have at least two years of experience installing, altering, repairing and maintaining electrical wiring and equipment under the direct supervision of a supervising electrician or equivalent person. Your experience is verified by letters from your supervisors. You apply through Continental Testing Services, which processes applications for the Department of Buildings.
Which code book can I bring?+
Only a clean, printed copy of the 2018 Chicago Electrical Code (NFPA’s book: the 2017 NEC with Chicago’s Title 14E amendments). Tabs may mark sections, but notes and highlighting are not allowed, and no other books or materials are permitted. CTS also hands every candidate a clean copy of “Selected Provisions of Titles 2, 4 and 13,” which you can download from the CTS site to study from.
How is the exam given?+
Continental Testing Services gives it for the Department of Buildings, on paper, in person in Chicago, about three times a year. Bring two sharpened No. 2 pencils and a silent, non-programmable solar or battery calculator; there is no power at the test site. There are no make-up exams and no refunds; if you miss a date, register for the next one.
What score do I need, and can I retake it?+
You need 70. If you fail, the Municipal Code (4-292-020(d)) makes you wait six months before you apply to retake the exam, and each attempt costs the $150 exam fee.
Which city law is on the exam?+
About 8 to 10 questions come from Titles 2, 4 and 13 of the Municipal Code, as printed in the CTS handout: the Department of Buildings, electrical contractor and supervising electrician licensing, and old Title 13 on electrical permits, wires on the public way and penalties. That handout reflects the code as of December 2017, before the administrative provisions moved to Title 14A in 2019, so study it rather than the current Title 14A.
Are the questions up to date?+
Most questions are keyed to the 2018 Chicago Electrical Code by section number, and CTS says more than 75% of the answers are in that book. CTS’s question bank also keeps some older items with legacy wording or article numbers, so read each question carefully and find the current rule in the book.
How often do I renew?+
Every year, for $150. No continuing education requirement is listed in Chapter 4-292 or on the Department of Buildings page. A license expired three years or more cannot be renewed, and a supervising electrician who has not acted as one in the city or pulled a permit for three continuous years must retake the exam (4-292-070).
Do other towns accept the Chicago license?+
Illinois has no state electrician license, so each town sets its own rules. Many suburbs accept the Chicago supervising electrician exam; Aurora’s contractor testing sheet, for example, lists Chicago among the municipal tests it accepts. That sheet dates from 2013, so confirm with the town before you apply.
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