South Carolina Commercial Electrical Contractor
Practice exams for the South Carolina Commercial Electrical Contractor exam, on the 2023 NEC, weighted like the real outline.
Every plan includes
- 450+ practice questionsOn the 2023 NEC, across all 13 content areas
- Unlimited 80-question timed exams5 h, the same length as the real exam
- Every answer cites the 2023 NECExplained, with the section it comes from
What’s included
Every plan includes all of it. Plans differ only in how long you have access and how you are billed.
- Custom study sessionsPick how many questions and which areas to drill, and study untimed.
- Explanations that cite the codeEvery answer says why, with the 2023 NEC section it comes from.
- Weak-area analyticsYour results by area show what to study next.
- Real human supportEmail us any time and a person answers.
Choose your plan
Same full access on every plan. Pick how long you want it; cancel anytime.
How the real exam is built
The real exam: 80 questions across 13 areas in 5 h. Our timed exams use the same areas and weights.
You need 70% (56 of 80). These are the question counts in PSI’s bulletin; PSI may add a few unscored experimental questions, and on this exam their time is added to the 5 hours. Our full-length practice exam draws from each area in the same proportions.
Electrician trade exam
80 scored · 300 min- General Electrical Knowledge9
- Service, Feeders, and Branch Circuits9
- Grounding and Bonding9
- Conductors and Cables9
- Raceways and Boxes9
- Special Occupancies and Equipment2
- Electrical Power7
- Motors7
- Low Voltage2
- Lighting5
- Illuminated Signs2
- Fire Detection and Alarm Systems2
- Safety Information8
About the South Carolina Commercial Electrical Contractor
Granted by South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board (LLR)
South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board Electrician trade exam (Mechanical Contractor, Electrical subclassification; PSI): 80 questions in 5 hours, open book on the NEC, NFPA 72, the American Electricians' Handbook and 29 CFR 1926, 70% to pass.
Eligibility Requirements
At least 2 years of commercial experience within the last 5 years in the electrical classification, documented on an experience affidavit filed with your license application after you pass the exams. A financial statement or bond sets your license group.
2023 NEC, with the 2020 book allowed until July 1, 2027
PSI lets you bring the 2023 or the 2020 NEC to South Carolina’s electrical exams from November 1, 2026, and only the 2023 edition after July 1, 2027. Our question pool is built on the 2023 NEC, the one edition that works on every exam date. If you test before July 2027 with the 2020 book, know where these rules sit in each edition:
| Topic | 2020 NEC (allowed through June 30, 2027) | 2023 NEC |
|---|---|---|
| Non-dwelling general lighting unit loads220.42 | Table 220.12 | Table 220.42(A) |
| Lighting load demand factors220.45 | Table 220.42 | Table 220.45 |
| Non-dwelling receptacle demand factors220.47 | Table 220.44 | Table 220.47 |
| EV charging load in a load calculation220.57 | No rule | 7,200 VA or the nameplate, whichever is larger |
| Class 1 remote-control and signaling circuitsArticles 722, 724 | Article 725 | Article 724 (general rules in Article 722) |
Scheduling & Fees
Where to take it
- Administered by
- PSI
- Phone
- (855) 340-3701
- Scheduling window
- PSI’s registration is valid for one year, or until you fail the trade exam twice in that period.
- Reschedule policy
- Free to cancel or reschedule if PSI hears from you at least two days before the exam (by phone or online; voicemail and email do not count). A missed appointment, a late cancellation or arriving late forfeits the fee.
- Retake policy
- You need 70% (56 of 80). The Electrician trade exam may be taken only twice in 12 months, then once every six months; Business and Law has no limit. You pay the PSI fee for each attempt.
Fees
- Electrician trade exam (PSI)
- $78
- Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors (PSI)
- $78
- NASCLA Accredited Electrical Contractor exam, instead of the trade exam (PSI)
- $116
- Initial license (Contractor’s Licensing Board)
- $350
- Renewal, every two years
- $135
Keeping Your Certification Active
Renewal requirements
- Cycle
- Every two years: mechanical contractor licenses, including the electrical classification, expire October 31 of odd-numbered years, with late fees from November 1
Reciprocity
LLR’s annual report lists Contractor’s Licensing Board endorsement or reciprocity with Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. Ask the Board whether it applies to the electrical classification and which exams it waives.
Sources: PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board Commercial Contractor (updated 9/15/2026) · South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board — fees · South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board · SC Building Codes Council — 2024 code modifications (NEC 2023 01–03) · SC LLR Annual Report FY2025
Frequently asked questions
How is the South Carolina Electrician exam structured?+
One PSI trade exam of 80 questions in 5 hours, open book, and you need 56 correct (70%). Five areas carry 9 questions each: general electrical knowledge, services, feeders and branch circuits, grounding and bonding, conductors and cables, and raceways and boxes. Safety (8), electrical power (7), motors (7) and lighting (5) follow, with 2 each on special occupancies, low voltage, illuminated signs and fire alarm systems.
Is it open book? What can I bring?+
Yes. The references are the NEC (2023, or 2020 until July 1, 2027), NFPA 72 (2019) for fire alarm questions, the American Electricians’ Handbook (17th edition), OSHA’s construction standards (29 CFR 1926), Tom Henry’s Key Word Index and the South Carolina 811 Excavator Manual. You may highlight, underline and add permanent tabs; Post-it tabs, loose papers and writing in the books are not allowed. Bring a silent, non-programmable calculator.
Do I also take a business and law exam?+
Yes. Every commercial contractor also passes Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors: 50 questions in 125 minutes, 35 correct to pass, on the NASCLA Contractor’s Guide for South Carolina Commercial Contractors (9th edition). It is a separate exam that we do not cover yet; our practice exam is the Electrician trade exam only. Business and Law may be retaken as often as you like.
How many times can I take it?+
The Electrician trade exam may be taken only twice in a 12-month period, and after that only once every six months. PSI’s registration is good for one year, or until you fail twice in that window. That cap is why it pays to be ready on the first attempt.
What do I need before I can sit the exam?+
At least 2 years of commercial experience within the last 5 years in the electrical classification. You document it on an experience affidavit with your license application after you pass the exams. The license also needs a financial statement or bond, which sets your license group (the project size you may contract for).
Can I take the NASCLA exam instead?+
Yes. South Carolina accepts the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Electrical Contractors (100 questions, 4.5 hours, 75 correct, $116) in place of this trade exam; you still pass Business and Law. NASCLA is accepted by several states but covers a different outline. We have a separate NASCLA practice exam.
What does it cost?+
PSI charges $78 for the Electrician exam and $78 for Business and Law ($116 for the NASCLA exam). After you pass, the Contractor’s Licensing Board charges $350 for the initial license. Mechanical contractor licenses, which include the electrical classification, renew every two years by October 31 of odd-numbered years for $135.
Does this license cover residential work too?+
Yes, a Mechanical Contractor license with the electrical classification also allows residential electrical work. A licensee by exam for at least a year can get the Residential Builders Commission’s Residential Electrician license without its technical exam, though the residential Business and Law exam still applies.
Which code edition is the exam on?+
From November 1, 2026, PSI allows the 2023 or the 2020 NEC (or the NEC Handbook of the same edition). After July 1, 2027, only the 2023 edition may be used. Our questions cite the 2023 NEC, so they match the exam on any date; if you test before July 2027 with the 2020 book, some rules carry different section numbers. South Carolina adopted the 2023 NEC with its 2024 building codes, which local jurisdictions enforce from January 1, 2027.
Does South Carolina amend the NEC?+
Yes, in three places. South Carolina’s Building Codes Council rewrites the dwelling GFCI list in 210.8(A) (receptacles in walk-out basements are excluded), the outdoor-outlet GFCI rule in 210.8(F) (for dwellings, with a listed-HVAC exception that expired September 1, 2026), and the dwelling AFCI list in 210.12(B), which drops kitchens and laundry areas. PSI says a state code overrides a national one when they conflict. Our questions stay off those three sections.
Can I take the exam online?+
No remote option is offered. You test by computer at a PSI center: South Carolina sites include Columbia, Greenville, North Charleston, Beaufort and Myrtle Beach. Schedule online with PSI or at (855) 340-3701, and cancel or reschedule at least two days ahead to keep your fee.
What is the pass rate?+
Neither LLR nor PSI publishes pass rates for South Carolina’s electrical exams.
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