ICC G16 Master Electrician (2017 NEC) Exam Study Guide
This guide covers what you need for the ICC G16 Master Electrician (2017 NEC) exam: the key facts from the official bulletin, the topics it tests, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a plan to prepare. Pearson VUE gives the exam.
ICC G16 Master Electrician (2017 NEC) Exam at a Glance
Here are the exam's key facts from the official bulletin:
| Questions | 100 questions |
| Time limit | 5 hours |
| Passing score | 75% correct |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $120 |
On exam day
- Questions are four-option multiple choice with one correct answer.
- 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) (2017)
- Ugly's Electrical Reference (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 September 27, 2026. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
What the ICC G16 Master Electrician (2017 NEC) Exam Covers
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.
How to Prepare for the ICC G16 Master Electrician (2017 NEC) Exam
Start with the books. This is an open-book exam, so the references on the bulletin's list are your main study tool. Get the editions the bulletin names.
Learn where things are. Read the table of contents and the index of each book until you know where every major subject lives. On test day, finding an answer fast matters more than memorizing it.
Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Take timed practice exams. The clock trains you to find answers at the pace the real exam needs: about 3 minutes per question.
Aim to pass more than once. One passing score can be luck. Several in a row means you're ready.
Reference Books for the ICC G16 Master Electrician (2017 NEC) Exam
The listed references are the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) and Ugly's Electrical Reference (any edition).
Where to get them:
On Test Day
- Go through the whole exam first. Answer every question you know and bookmark the ones you don't. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions.
- Then go back to your bookmarks and work them out.
- Don't let one question eat your time. You have 5 hours for 100 questions, which is about 3 minutes per question.
- Before you finish, answer anything you skipped. A blank can't earn a point.
Study Tips
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.
Know your way around each book's index and table of contents. Open-book exams reward speed: you need to find specific items quickly.
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.
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.
Practicing against a ticking clock is the best way to beat exam-clock anxiety. Use these timed tests to build your pacing, so you learn to move steadily and never burn too long on a single question. By test day, the format feels routine.
This practice exam mirrors the real Pearson VUE exam — the same number of questions, drawn from the same topics. Practicing in that format now means no surprises when you sit for the real thing.
Sample ICC G16 Master Electrician (2017 NEC) Practice Questions
These questions come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.
Sample 1 — General Knowledge
Question: What is the NEC definition of a 'continuous load'?
- A. A load where the maximum current is expected to continue for 1 hour or more
- B. A load where the maximum current is expected to continue for 4 hours or more
- C. A load where the maximum current is expected to continue for 2 hours or more
- D. A load where the maximum current is expected to continue for 3 hours or more
Correct Answer: D
Per NEC Article 100, a continuous load is defined as 'a load where the maximum current is expected to continue for 3 hours or more.' This is important for sizing conductors and overcurrent protection devices, as continuous loads typically require conductors and devices rated at 125% of the continuous load current.
Reference: NEC 2017 Article 100 — Continuous Load definition
Sample 2 — Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions
Question: Per NEC 720.5, standard lampholders used in circuits operating at less than 50 volts shall have a rating of not less than:
- A. 300 watts
- B. 500 watts
- C. 750 watts
- D. 660 watts
Correct Answer: D
Per NEC 720.5, standard lampholders that have a rating of not less than 660 watts shall be used for circuits and equipment operating at less than 50 volts.
Reference: NEC 2017 Section 720.5
Sample 3 — Equipment and Devices
Question: A 20-ampere, 120-volt ac general-use snap switch (not horsepower rated) is being used to control a small fractional-horsepower motor load at the switch's rated voltage. The motor load shall not exceed what percentage of the ampere rating of the switch?
- A. 50 percent
- B. 80 percent
- C. 100 percent
- D. 125 percent
Correct Answer: B
NEC 404.14(A)(3) permits an ac general-use snap switch to control motor loads not exceeding 80 percent of the ampere rating of the switch at its rated voltage. The 50 percent figure in option A applies to inductive loads on ac/dc general-use snap switches under 404.14(B)(2).
Reference: NEC 2017 Section 404.14(A)(3)
Sample 4 — Motors and Generators
Question: You are an electrical contractor installing a 50-HP, 480-volt, 3-phase motor (Design B) on a commercial project. The full-load current from NEC Table 430.250 is 65 amperes. You plan to use a nontime-delay fuse for branch-circuit short-circuit and ground-fault protection. After calculating 300% of full-load current, you get 195 amperes, which does not correspond to a standard fuse size. What is the correct fuse size to install?
- A. 175-ampere fuse
- B. 200-ampere fuse
- C. 225-ampere fuse
- D. 250-ampere fuse
Correct Answer: B
According to Ugly's Electrical References (Page 42), for a 50-HP, 480-volt, 3-phase motor at 65 amps full-load current, a nontime-delay fuse is calculated at 300% × 65 = 195 amps. Per NEC 430.52(C)(1) Exception No. 1, the next standard size per NEC Table 240.6(A) is permitted, which is the 200-ampere fuse.
Reference: Ugly's Electrical References 2020, Pages 38 and 42
Why Practice Online Instead of With a PDF
A PDF shows you questions. It doesn't show you the clock. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers under time pressure, not just reading them. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results break the score down by outline topic so you know what to study next.
Start Practicing
Take the free ICC G16 Master Electrician (2017 NEC) practice exam to see where you stand, then work through the topics that need attention. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.