ICC T17 Journeyman Electrician (2020 NEC) Exam Study Guide
This guide covers what you need for the ICC T17 Journeyman Electrician (2020 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 T17 Journeyman Electrician (2020 NEC) Exam at a Glance
Here are the exam's key facts from the official bulletin:
| Questions | 80 questions |
| Time limit | 4 hours |
| Passing score | 70% 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) (2020)
- 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 T17 Journeyman Electrician (2020 NEC) Exam Covers
The official content outline has 9 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| General Knowledge | 5 | 6% |
| Services and Service Equipment | 9 | 11% |
| Feeders | 3 | 4% |
| Branch Circuits and Conductors | 15 | 19% |
| Wiring Methods and Materials | 21 | 26% |
| Equipment and Devices | 10 | 12% |
| Control Devices | 3 | 4% |
| Motors and Generators | 5 | 6% |
| Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions | 9 | 11% |
Services and Service Equipment: Services and Fault Current; Service Load Calculations; Service Equipment & Service Conductors; Transformers; System Grounding and Bonding; Temporary Service Wiring; Service disconnect requirements and ratings (Article 230); Overhead and underground service conductor clearances and installation methods.
Wiring Methods and Materials: Raceway Installations; Underground Wiring Methods; Boxes and Enclosures; Cabinets, Panelboards, & Switchboards; Clearance and Guarding; Flexible Cords and Cables; Conduit Fill Calculations and Conductor Count Tables; Cable Wiring Methods (NM, AC, MC, MI, SE, UF, TC, FC, FCC).
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 Location Classification (Classes, Divisions, and Zones).
How to Prepare for the ICC T17 Journeyman Electrician (2020 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.
Spend most of your time on the biggest topics. Wiring Methods and Materials and Branch Circuits and Conductors make up 45% of the exam.
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 T17 Journeyman Electrician (2020 NEC) Exam
The listed references are the 2020 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 4 hours for 80 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 T17 Journeyman Electrician (2020 NEC) Practice Questions
These questions come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.
Sample 1 — Services and Service Equipment
Question: What is the minimum size for line and grounding conductors used to connect a surge-protective device (SPD) rated 1000 volts or less?
- A. 18 AWG copper or 16 AWG aluminum
- B. 14 AWG copper or 12 AWG aluminum
- C. 12 AWG copper or 10 AWG aluminum
- D. 10 AWG copper or 8 AWG aluminum
Correct Answer: B
NEC 242.28 states that line and grounding conductors for SPDs shall not be smaller than 14 AWG copper or 12 AWG aluminum.
Reference: NEC 2020 Section 242.28
Sample 2 — Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions
Question: According to the NEC, what is the maximum secondary-circuit current rating for transformers and electronic power supplies used in electric signs?
- A. 150 mA
- B. 200 mA
- C. 300 mA
- D. 500 mA
Correct Answer: C
Per NEC 600.23(D), transformers and electronic power supplies shall have a secondary-circuit current rating of not more than 300 mA.
Reference: NEC 2020 Section 600.23(D)
Sample 3 — General Knowledge
Question: One kVA is equal to how many volt-amperes?
- A. 250 VA
- B. 500 VA
- C. 750 VA
- D. 1,000 VA
Correct Answer: D
Kilo means 1,000, so 1 kVA = 1,000 volt-amperes. Transformer and service capacities are commonly rated in kVA.
Reference: Metric prefixes (kilo = 1,000)
Sample 4 — Motors and Generators
Question: As a master electrician, you are troubleshooting a motor installation where the overload device keeps tripping during startup but the motor is rated at more than 1 HP with a service factor of 1.0 and temperature rise of 50°C. The overload device is currently set at 125% of nameplate full-load current. According to the NEC, what is the maximum percentage to which the overload trip current can be increased?
- A. 115%
- B. 140%
- C. 125%
- D. 130%
Correct Answer: D
Per NEC 430.32(C), when the overload device selected in accordance with 430.32(A)(1) is not sufficient to start the motor or carry the load, higher settings are permitted provided the trip current does not exceed 140% for motors with service factor 1.15 or greater or temperature rise 40°C or less, and 130% for all other motors. Since this motor has a service factor of 1.0 and temperature rise of 50°C, it falls under 'all other motors' at 130%.
Reference: NEC 2020 Section 430.32(C)
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 T17 Journeyman Electrician (2020 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.