Electrician exam prep
District of Columbia electrician license: the NASCLA exam route
The DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) Board of Industrial Trades licenses journeyman and master electricians. Its own PSI exams are on the 2011 NEC, and NASCLA lists DLCP as accepting the NASCLA Electrical Contractor/Master Electrician exam. This page is for candidates taking the NASCLA route.
Practice for the exam District of Columbia accepts
NASCLA Electrical Contractor
100 questions, 270 min · 2023 NEC
The NASCLA Electrical Contractor exam, on the 2023 NEC. It is not practice for DC’s own PSI exams, which are on the 2011 NEC.
The license and the exam
- License
- Master Electrician
- Issued by
- DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Board of Industrial Trades
- Who needs it
- Electricians who direct electrical work in the District. A master license requires 8 years (16,000 hours) of experience. Maryland and Virginia licensees can come in by reciprocity without an exam.
- Accepted exam
- NASCLA Accredited Examination for Electrical Contractors (listed by NASCLA as accepted for “Electrical Contractor/Master Electrician”)
- Given by
- PSI
- Format
- 100 scored questions, 270 minutes, open book (NEC 2020 or 2023, OSHA 29 CFR 1926/1910, NFPA 70E, Ugly’s and the NASCLA Contractors Guide)
- To pass
- 75 of 100
- NEC editions accepted
- 2020 NEC, 2023 NEC
Steps to the license
- Confirm with DLCP that it will accept a NASCLA Electrical Contractor score for the master license.
- Pass the NASCLA exam at a PSI center (75 of 100).
- Apply to DLCP with your experience letters and NASCLA result. DLCP’s application checklist lists “NASCLA accreditation” among the items electricians can submit.
Before you book
- NASCLA’s participating-agency page lists DLCP as accepting its Electrical Contractor/Master Electrician and Journeyman Electrician exams (dated February 2021). DLCP’s application instructions describe its PSI exams and reciprocity, so confirm the NASCLA route with DLCP before you book.
- DC’s own PSI Master Electrician exam (220) is 100 questions in 5 hours on the 2011 NEC. We do not offer a 2011 NEC practice exam, and this one is not practice for it.
- NASCLA changes the exam’s content outline on January 1, 2027. Our practice exam is weighted to the 2027 outline; exams taken through December 31, 2026 still follow the older one, which puts more weight on project management, safety and theory.
Frequently asked questions
Does DC accept the NASCLA electrical exam?+
NASCLA lists DLCP as accepting its Electrical Contractor/Master Electrician and Journeyman Electrician exams, and DLCP’s application checklist for electricians includes “NASCLA accreditation”. DLCP’s instructions otherwise describe its own PSI exams and reciprocity, so confirm with DLCP before you book.
Which NEC edition does DC test?+
DC’s own PSI electrician exams reference the 2011 NEC. The NASCLA exam is on the 2020 or 2023 NEC, and our practice exam uses 2023. If you are taking DC’s PSI exam, this practice exam is not on the right edition.
Can I skip the exam with a Maryland or Virginia license?+
Yes. Journeyman and master electricians licensed in Maryland or Virginia can be licensed in DC by reciprocity, without an exam.
Sources
- NASCLA, participating agency: DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (accepted: Electrical Contractor/Master Electrician; Journeyman Electrician) (as of February 2021; fetched 2026-11-13)
- DLCP, Board of Industrial Trades (application checklist; MD/VA reciprocity) (fetched 2026-11-12)
- DLCP, Electrician License Application Instructions (experience requirements) (fetched 2026-11-12)
- PSI, Washington D.C. Contractor/Trades Candidate Information Bulletin (220 Master Electrician, 2011 NEC) (updated 2022-08-25)
- PSI, NASCLA Accredited Examination for Electrical Contractors bulletin (2026 and 2027 outlines) (pages dated 2026-11-11)