One exam, 50 questions
You need 70%. Iowa publishes this outline as percentages only, and at 50 questions five of them come to half a question. The counts below are our rounding of the published percentages.
Residential Electrician exam
50 scored · 120 min- General Electrical Knowledge5
- Wiring and Protection13
- Wiring Methods and Materials12
- Equipment for General Use10
- Special Occupancies3
- Special Equipment3
- Special Conditions2
- Communication Systems2
55 items on the paper; 5 are unscored pretest items.
On the 2023 NEC since January 1, 2024
Study material written for the previous edition teaches these wrong. Every question here is grounded in the 2023 NEC.
| Topic | Previous edition | 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) |
What's Included
Every plan gets the same full-access study library.
Frequently asked questions
How is the Iowa Residential Electrician exam structured?+
One PSI exam of 50 scored questions in 2 hours, plus 5 unscored pretest questions with 15 minutes added for them. You need 70%. Wiring and protection and wiring methods and materials make up half the exam, and equipment for general use another fifth.
Which code edition is the exam on?+
The 2023 NEC. PSI has tested the 2023 NEC since January 1, 2024, and the bulletin allows only the 2023 NEC or the 2023 NEC Handbook. It names the code as NFPA publishes it, not Iowa's own changes to GFCI, AFCI and countertop receptacle rules, so our questions stay away from the sections Iowa amends. Iowa has proposed adopting the 2026 NEC, but no date has been announced for the exams.
Is it open book? What can I bring?+
Yes: your own copy of the 2023 NEC or the 2023 NEC Handbook, and nothing else. Ugly's Electrical References is not allowed. Highlighting, underlining and indexing must be done before the exam, and only permanent tabs are allowed. PSI provides an online calculator, and you may bring a silent, non-programmable one.
Is there an Iowa law section?+
No. No area of any Iowa outline covers Iowa law or rules; every scored question is on the NEC.
What does it cost, and what if I fail?+
The PSI exam fee is $87, and you need 70%. The Board's authorization letter is good for two attempts or six months. After two failures you wait six months and complete 12 hours of Board-approved NEC continuing education before you get two more attempts.
How often do I renew?+
Iowa licenses run three-year terms; the current cycle is 2026–2028. A term costs $375 for a master or residential master license and $75 for a journeyman or residential electrician license, and you need 18 hours of continuing education per term, at least 6 of them on the NEC.
What do I need before I can sit the exam?+
Any one of: 6,000 hours as an apprentice (you may test at 5,000 hours, but the license is issued at 6,000); 4,000 supervised hours plus one academic year of approved trade school; 8,000 hours as a licensed unclassified person, including 2,000 residential hours; or a completed registered residential apprenticeship.
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