Electrician exam prep
South Carolina electrical contractor license: the NASCLA exam route
South Carolina’s Contractor’s Licensing Board licenses commercial electrical contractors under the Electrical subclassification of the Mechanical Contractor license. You can pass PSI’s Electrician trade exam or take the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Electrical Contractors instead, plus the Business Management and Law exam either way.
Practice for the exam South Carolina accepts
NASCLA Electrical Contractor
100 questions, 270 min · 2023 NEC
The NASCLA Electrical Contractor exam that the Board accepts in place of its Electrician trade exam, on the 2023 NEC.
The license and the exam
- License
- Mechanical Contractor license, Electrical subclassification
- Issued by
- South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board (LLR)
- Who needs it
- Businesses that contract commercial electrical work in South Carolina. The Board requires at least 2 years of commercial experience within the last 5 years, documented after you pass the exams.
- Accepted exam
- NASCLA Accredited Examination for Electrical Contractors (in place of the Board’s Electrician trade exam)
- 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
- Fee
- $116 to PSI
- NEC editions accepted
- 2020 NEC, 2023 NEC
Steps to the license
- Pass the NASCLA Electrical Contractor exam at a PSI center (75 of 100), or the Board’s own Electrician exam.
- Pass the Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors exam (50 questions, open book on the NASCLA South Carolina Commercial Contractors guide, 70% to pass).
- Apply to the Board and file your experience affidavit.
Before you book
- NASCLA scores must be within three years to be accepted.
- The Business Management and Law exam is still required; this practice exam does not cover it.
- The Residential Builders Commission’s Residential Electrical license accepts a different exam, NASCLA Residential Electrical, which we do not offer.
- 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
Can I take the NASCLA exam instead of the South Carolina Electrician exam?+
Yes. PSI’s Contractor’s Licensing Board bulletin lists the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Electrical Contractors as the alternative to the Board’s Electrician trade exam for the Electrical subclassification. You still take the Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors exam.
How is the NASCLA exam different from the South Carolina Electrician exam?+
The Board’s Electrician exam is 80 questions in 5 hours with 70% to pass. The NASCLA exam is 100 questions in 270 minutes with 75 to pass, and adds safety, theory and project documents. NASCLA scores transfer to other participating states, which suits contractors who work across state lines.
Does this cover the residential electrical license?+
No. The Residential Builders Commission accepts NASCLA Residential Electrical, a different exam built on the IRC as well as the NEC. This page and practice exam are for the commercial Electrical subclassification.
Sources
- PSI, South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board Commercial Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin (NASCLA alternative, fees) (updated 2026-09-15)
- NASCLA, participating agency: South Carolina Contractors’ Licensing Board (scores within three years) (fetched 2026-11-13)
- PSI, NASCLA Accredited Examination for Electrical Contractors bulletin (2026 and 2027 outlines) (pages dated 2026-11-11)