Electrician exam prep
Philadelphia electrical contractor license exam (ICC 211, 2020 NEC)
Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections requires ICC exam 211, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) Standard Master Electrician, for the Electrical Contractor License. Since March 15, 2026 it has been on the 2020 NEC: 100 questions in 5 hours, open book, with the same nine content areas and weights as ICC’s national T16 master exam.
Practice for the exam Philadelphia, PA accepts
ICC Master Electrician (T16, 2020 NEC)
100 questions, 300 min · 2020 NEC
ICC’s 2020-NEC master electrician exam. Philadelphia’s 211 uses the same nine areas and weights, the same code and the same references.
The license and the exam
- License
- Electrical Contractor License
- Issued by
- City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I)
- Who needs it
- Anyone doing electrical work in Philadelphia, low-voltage wiring included. Philadelphia has no journeyman or apprentice electrical license: the contractor license is its one exam-based electrical license.
- Accepted exam
- ICC 211 Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) Standard Master Electrician
- Given by
- ICC (Pearson VUE)
- Format
- 100 questions, 5 hours, open book on the 2020 NEC with Ugly’s Electrical References (any edition)
- To pass
- 75% (ICC master electrician exams)
- Fee
- $115 to ICC
- NEC editions accepted
- 2020 NEC
Steps to the license
- Build four years of electrical work for a licensed company (two years of electrical education count as one year, and education can replace up to two).
- Book ICC exam 211 with Pearson VUE ($115) and pass it. The code edition is set by the date you take the exam, not the date you book it.
- Complete 8 hours of NEC coursework from a Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry-approved provider in the 12 months before you apply.
- Apply to L&I with your exam result, insurance (general liability $500,000, auto $300,000, workers’ compensation) and tax registrations. The license is $262, including a $60 nonrefundable application fee.
Before you book
- Your exam must reference the current Philadelphia code, or you must apply within 12 months of passing.
- Exam 211 is Philadelphia’s own exam number: book 211, not the national T16, unless L&I tells you otherwise. Our practice exam follows the ICC master outline the two share, on the 2020 NEC.
- Since July 1, 2026, the contractor on any EV-charger permit must have an EVITP certification on file.
- Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code adopted the 2021 International Codes, which reference the 2020 NEC, effective January 1, 2026. The next code cycle (2024 I-Codes, 2023 NEC) has not been announced.
Frequently asked questions
Which exam does Philadelphia require for an electrical license?+
ICC exam 211, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) Standard Master Electrician: 100 questions in 5 hours, open book, given at Pearson VUE centers for $115.
Which NEC edition is the Philadelphia exam on?+
The 2020 NEC, since March 15, 2026, when ICC moved Philadelphia’s exams to the 2021 International Codes and their referenced standards. Before that date the exam was on 2017-era references, so older study material may cite rules under different numbers.
Is there a Philadelphia journeyman electrician license?+
No. L&I issues one exam-based electrical license, the Electrical Contractor License, which covers all electrical work in the city, including low-voltage wiring.
How much does the license cost to renew?+
The Electrical Contractor License renews every year for $202.
Sources
- ICC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin (exam 211) (published 2026-03-15)
- City of Philadelphia, Get an Electrical Contractor License (read 2026-11-12)
- Philadelphia L&I Changes Log (ICC exams on the 2020 NEC from March 15, 2026; 2021 I-Codes from January 1, 2026) (October 2026)
- ICC National Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin, p. 30 (T16 Master Electrician, 2020 NEC) (published 2026-06-30)