Montana Residential Electrician
Practice exams for the Montana Residential Electrician exam, on the 2023 NEC, in the exam’s format and time limit.
Every plan includes
- 130+ practice questionsOn the 2023 NEC, across all 10 topic areas
- Unlimited 50-question timed exams2 h 30 min, 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, and calculations are worked step by step.
- 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: 50 questions in 2 h 30 min.
You need 70% (35 of 50). PSI lists only two content areas, the National Electrical Code and General Trade Knowledge & Theory, with no question counts, so the counts below are our own blueprint, not an official one: weighted by NEC chapter, with calculations, general trade knowledge and theory, and a few questions on Montana’s amendments to the NEC. Our residential questions stick to dwelling work.
Residential Electrician exam
50 scored · 150 min- Branch Circuits, Feeders, Services and Overcurrent Protection10
- Wiring Methods and Materials9
- General Trade Knowledge and Theory6
- Grounding and Bonding5
- General Requirements and Definitions4
- Equipment for General Use4
- Calculations4
- Special Occupancies and Equipment3
- Montana Amendments and Rules3
- Special Conditions and Communications Systems2
About the Montana Residential Electrician
Granted by Montana State Electrical Board (Department of Labor & Industry)
Montana State Electrical Board Residential Electrician exam (PSI): 50 open-book questions in 2.5 hours, 70% to pass, on the National Electrical Code and general trade knowledge and theory. Exams move to the 2023 NEC with Montana amendments on January 1, 2027.
Eligibility Requirements
One of: an approved residential electrician apprenticeship; 4,000 hours of practical experience in residential construction of fewer than five living units in a single structure; a bona fide union or trade-association training program; or 20,000 hours in electrical maintenance with employer certification (MCA 37-68-305).
Montana moves to the 2023 NEC on January 1, 2027
Montana’s electrician exams move to the 2023 NEC on January 1, 2027. If you test before then, you are tested on the 2020 NEC. Our question pool is built on the 2023 NEC as Montana amends it (Montana adopted it on September 26, 2026), so if you test in 2026 with the 2020 book, know where these rules sit in each edition:
| Topic | 2020 NEC (exams through Dec. 31, 2026) | 2023 NEC (exams from Jan. 1, 2027) |
|---|---|---|
| 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) 746-8173
- Scheduling window
- Once the State Electrical Board approves your application, it mails or emails an admission letter. Then pay and schedule with PSI online (24 hours a day) or by phone, at a Montana PSI center (Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Kalispell, Missoula) or any PSI center in the U.S.
- Reschedule policy
- Free to cancel or reschedule if PSI receives notice at least two days before the exam (for a Monday exam, by the previous Saturday). Missing the appointment, arriving late or cancelling later forfeits the fee. PSI fees are non-refundable and valid for one year.
- Retake policy
- You need 70% on the Residential and Journeyman exams and 75% on the Master. If you fail, you can pay and take the next exam; after a second failure you must attend a Board-approved 8-hour electrical code seminar before a third attempt. You have one year from Board approval to pass, or you file a new application (ARM 24.141.503).
Fees
- Application for a license by exam (State Electrical Board; includes the original license fee)
- $190
- Residential exam fee, each attempt (PSI)
- $75
Keeping Your Certification Active
Renewal requirements
- Cycle
- Every two years ($140 renewal for master, journeyman or residential)
- Continuing education
- 32 hours — Sixteen hours of continuing education for each year of the two-year renewal cycle, at least 8 hours a year on NEC updates, in Board-approved courses (ARM 24.141.2102). New apprenticeship graduates are exempt for their first renewal.
Reciprocity
Montana licenses by substantial equivalency. Its list accepts residential licenses from Alaska, Arkansas, Oregon and Utah ($190 application). Confirm with the Board before you apply.
Sources: PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, Montana State Electrical Board (bulletin 8561) · Montana State Electrical Board: exam information · Montana State Electrical Board: statutes and rules (MCA 37-68, ARM 24.141) · DLI Professional and Occupational Licensing report FY24-FY25 (State Electrical Board: exams move to NEC 2023 on January 1, 2027) · Montana Building Codes Program: current codes (2023 NEC effective September 26, 2026) · MAR Notice No. 2026-95: 2026 updates to the State Building Code (ARM 24.301.401, Montana’s 2023 NEC amendments) · Montana Substantial Equivalency Determinations
Frequently asked questions
How is the Montana Residential exam structured?+
One computer exam of 50 questions in 2.5 hours, open book, and you need 70% (35 correct). PSI lists two content areas, the National Electrical Code and General Trade Knowledge & Theory, without question counts. State law sets 50 questions as the minimum (MCA 37-68-305).
What do I need before I can sit the exam?+
One of: an approved residential electrician apprenticeship; 4,000 hours of practical experience in residential construction of fewer than five living units in a single structure; a training program run by a bona fide union or trade association; or 20,000 hours in electrical maintenance with your employer’s certification, at least 8,000 of them practical experience (MCA 37-68-305).
What work does a residential license cover?+
Wiring residential construction of fewer than five living units in a single structure, and only while employed by a licensed electrical contractor (ARM 24.141.2301). Commercial and larger multifamily work needs a journeyman or master license.
Does Montana accept a residential license from another state?+
Montana licenses by substantial equivalency rather than reciprocity agreements. Its current list accepts residential licenses from Alaska, Arkansas, Oregon and Utah. Confirm with the Board before you apply.
Which code edition is the exam on?+
It depends on your exam date. Montana’s exams move to the 2023 NEC on January 1, 2027. If you test before then, you are tested on the 2020 NEC, with Montana’s 2020 amendments, and you bring the 2020 book. Our question pool is built on the 2023 NEC as Montana amends it (Montana adopted the 2023 NEC on September 26, 2026), so it matches exams from January 1, 2027; for an exam in 2026, expect some rules to carry different section numbers in your 2020 book. Check PSI’s bulletin for the edition on your exam date.
Is it open book? What can I bring?+
Yes. You may bring the NEC edition your exam is on (tabs or indexes allowed), Montana’s building codes amendments, copies of Montana’s statutes and rules for electricians, “Printreading” by David L. Hittinger for that NEC edition, and a silent, non-programmable calculator that is not built for electrical calculations (an “Electrical Estimate Pal” is not allowed). Your own highlights, underlining and notes in those books are fine; writing in them during the exam, or bringing loose papers, is not (ARM 24.141.503(5)).
Where do I take it?+
By computer at a PSI test center: Montana sites are in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Kalispell and Missoula, and you can also use any PSI center elsewhere in the U.S. The Board approves your application first and sends an admission letter; then you pay and schedule with PSI online or at (855) 746-8173. Remote testing for these exams is not confirmed.
What does it cost?+
A $190 application to the Board for a license by exam (it includes the original license fee), plus PSI’s exam fee: $75 for Residential or Journeyman, $85 for Master. PSI fees are non-refundable and good for a year; cancel or reschedule at least two days before your appointment to keep the fee.
What score do I need, and can I retake it?+
You need 70% on the Residential and Journeyman exams and 75% on the Master (ARM 24.141.503). Your score shows on screen when you finish. If you fail, you can pay and take the next exam; after a second failure, you must attend a Board-approved 8-hour code seminar before a third try. You have one year from Board approval to pass, or you apply again. PSI may also add a few unscored experimental questions, which count against your time but not your score.
Does Montana amend the NEC?+
Yes. With the 2023 NEC, ARM 24.301.401 drops GFCI protection for kitchen refrigerators and freezers in dwellings and the 250-volt receptacle references in 210.8(A) and (B), excludes outdoor outlets for septic alarms and wells, takes kitchens out of the AFCI rule and adds unfinished basements, allows up to six service disconnects (230.71), lets the feeder surge protector sit in the distribution board (215.18(B)), and allows SER cable to a manufactured home with outside service equipment (550.33(A)). Our code questions avoid the sections Montana changes, and a separate set of questions covers the amendments.
How often do I renew?+
Every two years; the renewal fee is $140 for a master, journeyman or residential license. You need 16 hours of continuing education for each year of the renewal cycle, at least 8 of them on NEC updates (ARM 24.141.2102). New apprenticeship graduates are exempt for their first renewal.
What is the pass rate?+
Neither the State Electrical Board nor PSI publishes pass rates for the Montana electrician exams.
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