Tennessee Electrical Contractor (CE)
Practice exams for the Tennessee Electrical Contractor (CE) exam, on the 2017 NEC, weighted like the real outline.
Every plan includes
- 300+ practice questionsOn the 2017 NEC, across all 12 content areas
- Unlimited 100-question timed exams5 h, the same length as the real exam
- Every answer cites the 2017 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 2017 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: 100 questions across 12 areas in 5 h. Our timed exams use the same areas and weights.
You need 73% (73 of 100). These are the question counts in Prov’s Tennessee bulletin (August 18, 2026). Our full-length practice exam draws from each area in the same proportions. The separate Business & Law exam is not included.
CE Electrical Contractor trade exam
100 scored · 300 min- General Electrical Knowledge14
- Plan Reading2
- Code Reading5
- Wiring and Protection23
- Wiring Methods and Materials15
- Equipment for General Use6
- Motors and Controls10
- Communication Systems7
- Special Occupancy4
- Special Equipment4
- Hazardous Locations4
- OSHA Safety6
About the Tennessee Electrical Contractor (CE)
Granted by Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors
Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors CE Electrical Contractor trade exam (Prov): 100 open-book questions in 5 hours, 73% to pass. Questions follow the 2017 NEC.
Eligibility Requirements
No Board approval is needed to schedule the CE exams. The license is issued to a company through a qualifying agent, with a reviewed or audited financial statement (or a surety bond of at least half the requested limit), a letter of reference from a past client, employer or code official who can speak to your construction experience, insurance and a notarized affidavit.
On the 2017 NEC
Tennessee’s state electrical exams are written on the 2017 NEC, which is still the state’s adopted code, even though Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga now enforce newer editions locally. Prov lets you bring an older or newer book, but scores every question on the 2017 edition, and most newer study material is written for 2020 or 2023, which renumbered several of these rules. Every question here cites the 2017 section.
| Topic | 2023 NEC (not on your exam) | 2017 NEC |
|---|---|---|
| Conductor ampacity table310.15(B)(16) | Table 310.16 | Table 310.15(B)(16) |
| Conductor types and insulation tables310.104 | Table 310.4(1) | Table 310.104(A) |
| Dwelling GFCI receptacles210.8(A) | All 125–250 V receptacles in the listed locations | 125 V, 15 and 20 A receptacles in the listed locations |
| Dwelling general lighting load (3 VA per ft² in both)220.12 | 220.41 | Table 220.12 |
Scheduling & Fees
Where to take it
- Administered by
- Prov
- Phone
- (866) 720-7768
- Scheduling window
- Register and pay Prov online or by phone, then test at a Prov center (five in Tennessee, or any in the country) or at home through Examroom, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Reschedule policy
- Free to reschedule or cancel at least three business days before the exam, online or by phone. A no-show, a later change or arriving after the session has started forfeits the fee.
- Retake policy
- You need 73%. Retake as often as you need with no waiting period, at $53 per attempt. Failing candidates get a diagnostic report by content area, and after two failures within 10 points of passing you can pay $53 to review the questions you missed.
Fees
- CE trade exam, each attempt (Prov)
- $53
- Business & Law exam, each attempt (Prov)
- $53
- Contractor license application
- $250
- Renewal, every two years
- $200
Keeping Your Certification Active
Renewal requirements
- Cycle
- Every two years, with a balance sheet or compiled financial statement and current insurance; up to 12 months late with a $20 monthly penalty
- Continuing education
- Tennessee requires no continuing education for the CE classification (only the residential BC-A classifications need 8 hours).
Reciprocity
Tennessee waives the CE trade exam for electrical contractors actively licensed in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina (commercial) or West Virginia, and accepts the NASCLA Electrical Contractor exam in its place. The Business & Law exam is still required.
Sources: Prov Candidate Information Bulletin, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (August 18, 2026) · TDCI: Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license · TDCI: contractor license requirements · TDCI: Board for Licensing Contractors fees · TDCI: license renewal · TDCI: LLE application and electrical licensing resource (exempt jurisdictions)
Frequently asked questions
How is the Tennessee CE exam structured?+
One Prov trade exam of 100 questions in 5 hours, open book on the 2017 NEC, and you need 73%. Wiring and protection is the largest area (23 questions), then wiring methods and materials (15), general electrical knowledge (14) and motors and controls (10). Prov’s outline replaced PSI’s building code area with plan reading (2) and code reading (5), and its safety area is OSHA only.
Do I also need the Business & Law exam?+
Yes. Every new contractor passes Tennessee’s Business and Law exam as well: 50 questions in 2.5 hours on the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Tennessee 4th edition, also $53 with Prov. It is a separate exam that we do not cover yet; our practice exams cover the CE trade exam only. The company’s qualifying agent can take both, or up to two people can split them.
What else does the CE license need?+
A CE license is held by a company, through a qualifying agent who is an owner, officer or full-time employee. Besides the exams, the Board wants a reviewed or audited financial statement (or, since July 1, 2026, a surety bond of at least half the limit you request), a letter of reference, general liability and workers’ compensation insurance, a notarized affidavit and a $250 application fee. Your monetary limit is 10 times the lesser of working capital or net worth. Exam scores are typically valid for two years.
What references can I bring?+
The 2017 NEC, Ugly’s Electrical References (2020), OSHA’s construction standards (29 CFR 1926) and the American Electrician’s Handbook, 17th edition. Until January 1, 2027, Prov also allows the books PSI listed: NFPA 70E (2017) and its handbook, and the 2021 International Building Code. Our OSHA safety questions cite 29 CFR 1926.
How do you cover Plan Reading?+
Plan reading is 2 of the 100 questions. Our questions on it are text only, written from the American Electrician’s Handbook’s sections on drawing symbols, meter markings, ANSI device numbers and scaling circuit lengths from plans; we do not show drawings.
Does Tennessee accept a license or exam from another state?+
For the trade exam, yes. Tennessee waives the CE trade exam for electrical contractors actively licensed in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina (commercial only) or West Virginia, and it accepts the NASCLA Electrical Contractor exam in place of the trade exam. Waivers never cover the Business & Law exam.
Which code edition is the exam on?+
The 2017 NEC. Prov’s bulletin lists NFPA 70 (2017), and the State Fire Marshal’s adopted statewide code is still the 2017 edition. You may bring an older or newer NEC, but where the editions differ the exam is scored on 2017. Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga enforce the 2023 NEC on their own jobs; that does not change the state exam.
Who gives the exam, and can I take it at home?+
Prov, which took over from PSI on July 1, 2026. You register and pay $53 at provexam.com or (866) 720-7768, then test at a Prov center (Tennessee sites are in Murfreesboro, Memphis, Greeneville, Tullahoma and Chattanooga), at any Prov center in the country, or at home through Examroom, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on your own computer with a webcam.
What can I mark in my books?+
Highlighting and permanent tabs only. Handwritten notes, moveable tabs, Post-it notes, photocopied pages and copied books are not allowed, and neither are study guides or practice exams. Bring a simple 4-function calculator, or use the one built into the test.
Can I take a break?+
Yes, but the clock keeps running, and every question you saw before the break is locked when you come back, answered or not. Finish and check your current questions before you click Break.
What happens if I fail?+
You get your score by email as soon as you finish, and a diagnostic report of the content areas you were weak in. You can retake as often as you need with no waiting period, at $53 per attempt. After failing twice within 10 points of 73%, you can pay $53 for a review of the questions you missed.
What is the pass rate?+
Tennessee and Prov do not publish pass rates for the Board’s exams.
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