ICC F49 Electrical Contractor (2014 NEC) Exam: A Practical Study Guide
The ICC F49 Electrical Contractor (2014 NEC) exam tests the rules and the reference books behind the work. This guide lays out the job: the key facts from the official bulletin, what the exam covers, the books you need, sample questions with answers, and how to get ready. Pearson VUE gives the exam.
The ICC F49 Electrical Contractor (2014 NEC) Exam at a Glance
Here's the rundown from the official bulletin:
| Questions | 80 questions |
| Time limit | 210 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% correct |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $120 |
On exam day
- The F49 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 (NEC) (2014)
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.
What the ICC F49 Electrical Contractor (2014 NEC) Exam Covers
The official content outline breaks the exam into 8 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| General Requirements | 8 | 10% |
| Services | 14 | 17% |
| Branch Circuit and Feeder Calculations | 15 | 19% |
| Wiring Methods and Distribution Systems | 15 | 19% |
| General Use Equipment | 10 | 12% |
| Special Occupancies | 7 | 9% |
| Special Equipment | 6 | 7% |
| Special Systems | 5 | 7% |
How to Get Ready for the ICC F49 Electrical Contractor (2014 NEC) Exam
Treat your reference books like your tools. On an open-book exam you don't need every rule memorized. You need to know which book holds it and where to find it.
Buy the books the bulletin lists, in the editions it names. An older or newer edition can put the answer on a different page, or change it.
Learn your way around each book before you study anything else. The table of contents and the index are your layout.
Highlight what you look up most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Do the big jobs first. Branch Circuit and Feeder Calculations and Wiring Methods and Distribution Systems make up 38% of the exam.
Put in the reps with timed practice exams. The clock trains you to find answers at the pace the real exam needs: about 2 minutes 38 seconds per question.
Measure twice. When you miss a practice question, find the section in your book, read it and mark it. Keep at it until you pass practice exams consistently.
The Books for the ICC F49 Electrical Contractor (2014 NEC) Exam
The only reference listed for the F49 open-book exam is the 2014 National Electrical Code (NEC).
Working the Exam on Test Day
Work the exam in two passes. On the first pass, answer everything you know and bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions, though some lock the ones you've seen once you take a break. On the second pass, go back to your bookmarks and take them one at a time.
Don't get hung up on one question. You have 210 minutes for 80 questions, which is about 2 minutes 38 seconds per question. Before you finish, make sure nothing is left blank.
Study Tips
Our practice exam is specifically designed to mimic the testing conditions at all exam centers. While untimed PDF study guides might help with studying, they don’t prepare you for the challenge of managing your time during an actual test.
Know your way around each book's index and table of contents. Open-book exams reward speed: you need to find specific items quickly.
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.
On an open-book exam, work through every question once: answer the ones you know and skip the ones you don't. Then go back to the ones you flagged. You can bookmark questions for later review, just like on our exams — and don't sink too much time into any single question. The clock is still running.
Sample ICC F49 Electrical Contractor (2014 NEC) Questions
These come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and the reference behind it.
Sample 1 — General Use Equipment
Question: During a rough-in inspection you find recessed luminaires in an attic ceiling that are not identified for contact with insulation. The insulation contractor is scheduled to blow in loose-fill insulation. What minimum clearance must be maintained between the thermal insulation and the luminaire enclosure, wiring compartment, and driver?
- A. 38 mm (1-1/2 in.)
- B. 150 mm (6 in.)
- C. 75 mm (3 in.)
- D. 13 mm (1/2 in.)
Correct Answer: C
Per NEC 410.116(B), thermal insulation shall not be installed above a recessed luminaire or within 75 mm (3 in.) of the luminaire's enclosure, wiring compartment, ballast, transformer, LED driver, or power supply unless the luminaire is identified as Type IC. The 13 mm (1/2 in.) value in 410.116(A)(1) is the spacing of non-Type IC recessed parts from combustible materials, and 38 mm (1-1/2 in.) appears in 410.136(B) for surface-mounted luminaires on combustible low-density cellulose fiberboard.
Reference: NEC 2014 Section 410.116(B)
Sample 2 — General Requirements
Question: An unused opening in a nonmetallic enclosure is being closed with a metallic plug. The plug must be recessed at least how far from the outer surface of the enclosure?
- A. 1/8 in.
- B. 3/8 in.
- C. 1/2 in.
- D. 1/4 in.
Correct Answer: D
NEC 2014, 110.12(A) requires unused openings to be closed to afford protection substantially equivalent to the wall of the equipment, and where metallic plugs or plates are used with nonmetallic enclosures they shall be recessed at least 6 mm (1/4 in.) from the outer surface.
Reference: NEC 2014 Section 110.12(A)
Sample 3 — Special Occupancies
Question: A recreational vehicle has its power-supply cord point of entrance on the side of the vehicle, and the cord entrance is 1.5 m (5 ft) above the ground. What is the minimum exposed usable length required for the power-supply cord?
- A. 9.8 m (32 ft)
- B. 8.2 m (27 ft)
- C. 9.0 m (30 ft)
- D. 7.5 m (25 ft)
Correct Answer: B
NEC 2014, Section 551.46(B) requires a minimum exposed usable cord length of 7.5 m (25 ft) for a side entrance. Where the cord entrance is more than 900 mm (3 ft) above the ground, the minimum length is increased by the vertical distance above 900 mm (3 ft): 5 ft − 3 ft = 2 ft, so 25 ft + 2 ft = 27 ft.
Reference: NEC 2014 Section 551.46(B)
Sample 4 — Special Equipment
Question: The structural reinforcing steel of a gunite pool you are wiring has been encapsulated in a nonconductive compound, so a copper conductor grid must be installed for equipotential bonding. Using minimum 8 AWG bare solid copper bonded at all points of crossing, what grid spacing and tolerance are required?
- A. 12 in. by 12 in. network, 6 in. tolerance
- B. 6 in. by 6 in. network, 2 in. tolerance
- C. 12 in. by 12 in. network, 4 in. tolerance
- D. 18 in. by 18 in. network, 4 in. tolerance
Correct Answer: C
Per NEC 2014, 680.26(B)(1)(b), the copper conductor grid shall be constructed of minimum 8 AWG bare solid copper bonded at all crossings, conform to the pool contour, be arranged in a 300-mm (12-in.) by 300-mm (12-in.) network in a uniformly spaced perpendicular grid pattern with a tolerance of 100 mm (4 in.), and be secured within or under the pool no more than 150 mm (6 in.) from the outer contour of the pool shell.
Reference: NEC 2014 Section 680.26(B)(1)(b)
Why Practice Online Instead of With a PDF
A PDF is like reading about a job instead of doing it. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers with the clock running. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results break your score down by topic so you know where to put in more work.
Get Started
Take the free ICC F49 Electrical Contractor (2014 NEC) practice exam to see where you stand, then put your time into the topics that need it. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.