ICC F16 Master Electrician (2014 NEC) Exam Prep Checklist
Everything for the ICC F16 Master Electrician (2014 NEC) exam in one place: the bulletin's key facts, the topics and how many questions each carries, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a prep checklist. Pearson VUE gives the exam.
ICC F16 Master Electrician (2014 NEC) Exam Facts
From the official bulletin:
| Questions | 100 questions |
| Time limit | 5 hours |
| Passing score | 70% correct |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $120 |
On exam day
- The F16 exam's questions are in four-option, multiple-choice format with one answer scored as correct.
- You may bring copyrighted, bound books to the test administration, including those specifically listed as approved references. However, training materials such as presentations, study guides, or practice questions are not permitted. All exam questions are based solely on the approved reference list, and only those references may be used as the basis for appealing exam questions.
References you may bring
- National Electrical Code (2014)
- Ugly's Electrical References (any edition)
Scheduling, changes and retakes
- Exams are scheduled through PearsonVUE at www.pearsonvue.com/ICC, where candidates can create an account, schedule an exam, locate a test center, purchase vouchers and request accommodations.
- Results for examinations taken electronically are available immediately after the examination is completed.
- You must wait 10 days before retaking a failed exam.
- After passing, contact the jurisdiction in which you wish to be licensed for any other requirements, because ICC is not a licensing agency.
Source: National Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin, PUBLISHED June 30, 2026; ICC Exam Catalog, checked October 23, 2026. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
ICC F16 Master Electrician (2014 NEC) Exam Topics
The official content outline has 9 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| General Knowledge | 12 | 12% |
| Services and Service Equipment | 16 | 16% |
| Feeders | 4 | 4% |
| Branch Circuits and Conductors | 16 | 16% |
| Wiring Methods and Materials | 19 | 19% |
| Equipment and Devices | 10 | 10% |
| Control Devices | 3 | 3% |
| Motors and Generators | 8 | 8% |
| Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions | 12 | 12% |
Services and Service Equipment: Services and Fault Current; Service Load Calculations; Service Equipment & Service Conductors; Transformers; System Grounding and Bonding; Temporary Service Wiring; Service entrance conductor installation methods and clearances; Service disconnecting means requirements and ratings.
Wiring Methods and Materials: Raceway Installations; Underground Wiring Methods; Boxes and Enclosures; Cabinets, Panelboards, & Switchboards; Clearance and Guarding; Flexible Cords and Cables; Cable Wiring Methods (NM, AC, MC, MI, SE, UF, TC, MV, FCC, FC, IGS cable types); Conduit and Tubing Types (RMC, IMC, EMT, FMC, LFMC, PVC, HDPE, RTRC, ENT, LFNC, FMT).
Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions: Special Occupancies; Swimming Pools and Similar Installations; Mobile Home and RV Parks; Data Processing Equipment; Miscellaneous Special Equipment; Emergency Systems; Signaling and Fire Alarm Systems; Hazardous (Classified) Locations — Class I, II, and III Division and Zone Classification.
ICC F16 Master Electrician (2014 NEC) Exam Prep Checklist
- Get the reference books the bulletin lists, in the editions it names.
- Learn each book's table of contents and index first.
- Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
- Take our timed practice exams until you pass several in a row.
- After each attempt, look up every question you missed in your book.
- Practice at the real exam's pace: about 3 minutes per question.
ICC F16 Master Electrician (2014 NEC) Exam Reference Books
The references listed for the F16 open-book exam are the 2014 National Electrical Code and Ugly's Electrical References (any edition).
Where to get them:
Test Day Checklist
- First pass: answer every question you know. Bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you return to bookmarked questions (some lock them once you take a break).
- Second pass: work through your bookmarks.
- Pace: 5 hours for 100 questions, which is about 3 minutes per question.
- Last step: answer anything still blank. A blank can't earn a point.
Study Tips
Give yourself at least three to six weeks. Use your exam's candidate bulletin as your roadmap for what's tested, and spend your time on finding-it-fast skills over rote memorization. In practice, aim for three clean passes at 80% or higher — setting your practice bar above the real cut score gives you a comfortable margin on test day.
On an open-book exam, the winners aren't the smartest people in the room — they're the fastest at finding answers. Buy the required book, practice with it open, and tab and highlight each section the first time a question sends you there. Learn the index and table of contents until you can land on any topic in seconds. That speed is what separates a pass from a fail.
Before reading the answer choices, try to predict the correct answer based solely on the question. Your thinking is sharpest at this moment, before distractors cloud your judgment. Then scan the choices for your prediction—if it's there, you're likely right. A quick check of the remaining options is still worthwhile, but trust your instinct.
A little anxiety before an exam is completely normal — acknowledge it instead of fighting it. If you feel yourself spiraling on a question, pause and take a few slow breaths to reset. If your test center allows a short break, use it; just remember the clock usually keeps running.
Don't let the clock rattle you. It's easy to feel overwhelmed when facing a page full of questions, a racing mind, and a ticking clock. Stay calm and stick to your planned pace. If you've been monitoring your progress consistently, you'll have enough time to finish. Even if the final minutes feel rushed, as long as you have only as many questions remaining as you should at that point, you're exactly where you need to be.
ICC F16 Master Electrician (2014 NEC) Sample Questions
From our practice question bank, with answers and references:
Sample 1 — General Knowledge
Question: On a low-voltage control installation you intend to request special permission from the authority having jurisdiction to use working spaces smaller than those normally required. Smaller working spaces may be permitted by special permission only where all exposed live parts operate at not greater than which values?
- A. 50 volts rms, 60 volts peak, or 100 volts dc
- B. 30 volts rms, 42 volts peak, or 60 volts dc
- C. 24 volts rms, 36 volts peak, or 50 volts dc
- D. 30 volts rms, 60 volts peak, or 120 volts dc
Correct Answer: B
NEC 2014, 110.26(A)(1)(b) permits smaller working spaces by special permission where all exposed live parts operate at not greater than 30 volts rms, 42 volts peak, or 60 volts dc.
Reference: NEC 2014 Section 110.26(A)(1)(b)
Sample 2 — Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions
Question: As the master electrician on a grain-handling facility, you are reviewing shop drawings for the metal ventilating piping serving a totally enclosed pipe-ventilated motor located in a Class II, Division 1 area. Which seam or joint construction would you reject for that portion of the piping?
- A. Welded joints
- B. Riveted and soldered seams
- C. Tight-fitting slip joints
- D. Bolted and soldered seams
Correct Answer: C
Per NEC 502.128(A), ventilating pipes in Class II, Division 1 locations, including their connections to motors or dust-ignitionproof enclosures, must be dusttight throughout their length, and metal pipe seams/joints must be riveted and soldered, bolted and soldered, welded, or rendered dusttight by some other equally effective means. Tight-fitting slip joints are permitted only in Class II, Division 2 locations under 502.128(B), where flexibility is needed, such as at motor connections.
Reference: NEC 2014 Section 502.128(A)
Sample 3 — Equipment and Devices
Question: You are installing a continuous row of lighting track consisting of three individual 1.2 m (4 ft) sections coupled end to end. The track is not identified for supports at greater intervals. What is the minimum total number of fastenings required for this run?
- A. 4
- B. 3
- C. 6
- D. 5
Correct Answer: A
NEC 2014, 410.154 requires a single section 1.2 m (4 ft) or shorter to have two supports, and where installed in a continuous row, each additional individual section not more than 1.2 m (4 ft) long requires one additional support. Two supports for the first section plus one each for the other two sections equals four.
Reference: NEC 2014 Section 410.154
Sample 4 — Motors and Generators
Question: For a motor used in an alternating-current, adjustable voltage, variable torque drive system where the maximum operating current does not appear on the motor or control nameplate, conductor ampacity and switch and protective device ratings shall be based on what percentage of the applicable full-load current table values?
- A. 175 percent
- B. 125 percent
- C. 115 percent
- D. 150 percent
Correct Answer: D
Per NEC 2014, 430.6(C), for ac adjustable voltage, variable torque drive systems the ratings are based on the maximum operating current marked on the motor or control nameplate; if that current is not marked, the determination shall be based on 150% of the values given in Table 430.249 and Table 430.250.
Reference: NEC 2014 Section 430.6(C)
Online Practice vs. a PDF
- Timed: you practice finding answers under time pressure, not just reading them.
- Bookmarks: flag questions and come back, the way you will on test day.
- New sets: each attempt draws new questions from our bank.
- Scored by topic: your results show which outline topics need more study.
Next Step
- Take the free ICC F16 Master Electrician (2014 NEC) practice exam.
- Study the topics where you scored lowest.
- Read the exam bulletin for the official rules, and see the licensing board's website.