ICC G17 Journeyman Electrician Exam (2017 NEC)

ICC G17 Journeyman Electrician Exam: Complete 2026 Study Guide

If you're preparing for the ICC G17 journeyman electrician exam, you already know what's at stake: a credential that many jurisdictions across the country use to evaluate your competency before issuing a license. This exam is built entirely on the 2017 National Electrical Code, administered at a Pearson VUE test center, and — importantly — it's open book. That last detail changes how you need to study. This guide covers exactly what's on the exam, what to expect on test day, which reference books to bring, and how to build a study plan that actually works.

ICC G17 Exam Overview

The ICC National Standard journeyman electrician exam consists of 80 multiple-choice questions, each with four answer choices. You have 240 minutes (4 hours) to complete it. The passing score is 70%, which means you need to answer at least 56 of the 80 questions correctly.

The exam is delivered electronically at a Pearson VUE test center. Results are reported as pass or fail and are available immediately after you finish — no waiting for a mailed score report. The exam fee is $120, paid through Pearson VUE when you register.

Because the exam is open book, you're permitted to bring two approved references into the testing room: the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC) and Ugly's Electrical Reference (any edition). No other references are approved for this exam. Knowing how to move through those books quickly is as important as knowing the code itself.

For full exam policies, scheduling details, and any updates, review the official exam bulletin and visit the ICC credentialing page.

Topics Covered on the ICC G17 Journeyman Electrician Exam

The exam is organized into nine content areas. Item counts reflect actual scored questions on the exam.

Wiring Methods and Materials (21 items — 26%) is the single heaviest topic. Expect questions on raceway installations, underground wiring methods, boxes and enclosures, panelboards and switchboards, and clearance and guarding requirements.

Branch Circuits and Conductors (15 items — 19%) covers branch circuit calculations, overcurrent protection, conductor sizing and identification, required outlets, and GFCI/AFCI protection rules.

Services and Service Equipment (9 items — 11%) tests your knowledge of service load calculations, fault current, service conductors, transformers, and system grounding and bonding.

Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions (9 items — 11%) covers swimming pools, mobile home and RV parks, data processing equipment, and other special installations.

Equipment and Devices (10 items — 13%) addresses luminaires, receptacles, switches, appliances, and heating and cooling equipment.

General Knowledge (5 items — 6%) includes electrical theory, Ohm's Law calculations, code definitions, plan reading, and NEC structure and scope (Article 90).

Motors and Generators (5 items — 6%) focuses on conductor sizing under the 125% FLC rule, short-circuit and ground-fault protection per Table 430.52, and overload protection device selection.

Control Devices (3 items — 4%) covers motor controllers, disconnecting means, control circuit overcurrent protection, and stop-start and jogging circuits per NEC Article 430.

Feeders (3 items — 4%) tests feeder load calculations, equipment grounding, conductor sizing per Article 215, overcurrent protection, and conductor identification.

Focus your prep time where the exam allocates the most questions — Wiring Methods and Branch Circuits alone account for 45% of the exam.

Sample ICC G17 Journeyman Electrician Exam Questions

These questions are representative of what you'll see on the actual exam. Work through them, but we won't reveal the answers here — take our free practice exam to check your work and get immediate feedback.

Question 1 — Wiring Methods and Materials (Hard)

Which row governs the box dimension from the bottom-wall entries to the top wall, and what is that minimum distance? (Figure EP-4)

A) The left-wall row — 24-1/2 in
B) The bottom row — 26 in
C) The straight pull — 24 in
D) The bottom row — 21 in

This question requires reading a pull-box diagram and applying the NEC pull-and-junction box sizing calculations. It tests your ability to identify which entry type governs the minimum dimension — exactly the kind of code application question where knowing your way around a table quickly matters.

Question 2 — Wiring Methods and Materials (Medium)

What is the maximum number of No. 14 AWG conductors permitted in a 4 x 2-1/8 inch round or octagonal metal box?

A) 7
B) 10
C) 12
D) 15

Box fill calculations appear regularly on the exam. You need to know the volume allowances from NEC Table 314.16(A) and how to apply them.

Question 3 — General Knowledge (Medium)

Using Ohm's Law, what is the resistance of a circuit that draws 8 amperes from a 240-volt source?

A) 20 ohms
B) 25 ohms
C) 30 ohms
D) 35 ohms

A straightforward electrical theory calculation — the kind of question you should answer without opening the book. Speed matters.

Question 4 — Equipment and Devices (Hard)

You are replacing a failed snap switch in an older dwelling. The existing wiring method provides no equipment grounding conductor and there is no grounding means within the switch box. The switch has a metal mounting yoke, the circuit is not GFCI protected, and the box is located about 5 ft above a concrete basement floor. What does the Code require for this replacement?

A) Bond the metal yoke to the neutral conductor
B) Install a listed AFCI device ahead of the switch
C) Use a nonmetallic faceplate with nonmetallic screws
D) Extend a grounded conductor to the switch box

This is a scenario-based question requiring you to apply a specific NEC provision for replacing devices in existing installations without an equipment grounding conductor. These questions distinguish candidates who understand how to apply the code, not just recall it.

Question 5 — Equipment and Devices (Medium)

When sizing conductors for a hermetic motor-compressor, using the full-load amperage (FLA) instead of the rated-load amperage (RLA) is acceptable if it results in a larger conductor size.

A) True
B) False

This true/false format tests a precise code rule about hermetic motor-compressor conductor sizing. Read the NEC section carefully — small wording distinctions change the answer.

What Types of Questions to Expect

Here's a topic-by-topic breakdown of the skills and problem types you'll encounter, drawn from our full question bank.

• General Knowledge: Ohm's Law and basic load calculations, code definitions from Article 100, reading electrical plans, understanding NEC scope and enforcement under Article 90, and equipment listing and labeling requirements.

• Services and Service Equipment: Service load calculations using demand factors, fault current analysis, service conductor sizing, transformer applications, and system grounding and bonding per NEC Article 250.

• Feeders: Load calculations for feeder sizing, equipment grounding conductor requirements, minimum feeder conductor ampacity per Article 215, overcurrent protection rules, and grounded/ungrounded/EGC conductor identification.

• Branch Circuits and Conductors: Branch circuit load calculations, overcurrent protection device sizing and ratings, conductor ampacity and sizing rules, GFCI and AFCI protection requirements, required outlet placement, and equipment grounding.

• Wiring Methods and Materials: Raceway installation rules, underground wiring method requirements, box and enclosure fill calculations and sizing, panelboard and switchboard installation, and clearance and guarding requirements. This is the largest topic on the exam.

• Equipment and Devices: Luminaire installation and clearance requirements, receptacle and switch installation rules for new and existing construction, appliance load and wiring requirements, and heating and cooling equipment code compliance.

• Control Devices: Motor controller selection and marking per Article 430, control circuit overcurrent protection and wiring, disconnecting means location and ratings, and stop-start and jogging circuit configurations.

• Motors and Generators: Motor branch-circuit conductor sizing under the 125% FLC rule, short-circuit and ground-fault protection selection using NEC Table 430.52, overload protection device selection and trip settings, and generator installation requirements.

• Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions: Swimming pool bonding and wiring requirements, mobile home and RV park service calculations, data processing equipment wiring rules, and other special installation requirements under NEC Chapters 5 and 8.

Required Study Materials

This is an open-book exam with two approved references. Both are required — bring them to the test center.

National Electrical Code 2017 — This is the code the entire exam is based on. Every question on the ICC G17 journeyman electrician exam is answered by something in this book. The 2020 and 2023 editions are used for other ICC exam codes; for the G17, only the 2017 NEC is approved. Organize it so you can locate any article quickly.

Ugly's Electrical References 2023 — Ugly's is a compact field reference packed with electrical formulas, conduit fill tables, wire and conduit sizing charts, and motor data. On exam day, it functions as a fast-lookup companion to the NEC. For general knowledge and motors questions especially, Ugly's lets you pull a formula or table in seconds.

Beyond the two approved references, use this guide and our practice exams to build your test-taking process. The ICC exam bulletin is available through the ICC credentialing page and is worth reading before you register.

Study Tips for the ICC G17 Exam

Speed through your books is a core skill. On an open-book exam, the fastest book-users have a structural advantage. Work with your NEC and Ugly's daily — use the index and table of contents repeatedly until locating any article or table is automatic. The exam bulletin does not restrict tabbing or highlighting, but check current policies in the official bulletin before test day.

Work through questions in two passes. On test day, answer every question you know on the first pass, and flag the ones you're unsure about. Return to flagged questions after the first pass. Our practice exams support the same bookmark-and-return workflow. Don't let any single question consume five or ten minutes — the clock runs for everyone.

Practice under timed conditions. The 4-hour limit sounds generous until you're mid-exam and behind pace. Our full practice exam matches the real format: 80 questions, the same time limit, the same topic distribution. Repeating that format in practice makes the real exam feel routine rather than stressful.

Focus where the exam focuses. Wiring Methods and Materials (21 items) and Branch Circuits and Conductors (15 items) together make up over 45% of the scored exam. Know those topics cold before spending significant time on the lighter-weighted sections.

Start with the free exam, then go deeper. Our free practice exam gives you 10 questions at no cost — no account required. It's a fast way to gauge where you stand. When you're ready for full-length prep, the full practice exam provides a complete 80-question attempt with a topic-by-topic score breakdown, so you can see exactly which areas need more work.

Conclusion

The ICC G17 journeyman electrician exam is demanding, but its structure is predictable. Eighty questions, four hours, two reference books — and a clear topic breakdown that tells you exactly where to concentrate. Build your code-navigation speed, prioritize Wiring Methods and Branch Circuits, and practice in exam format before test day.

Start now with our free practice exam — 10 questions, no account required. When you're ready for full-length preparation, the full practice exam mirrors the real Pearson VUE ICC journeyman electrician experience: same question count, same time limit, same topic distribution, with a score report that shows you exactly where to focus next.