Louisiana Electrical Statewide

Louisiana Electrical Statewide Exam: Complete Prep Guide (2026)

The Louisiana Electrical Statewide classification is one of the most valuable licenses a contractor can hold in this state. Pass the Louisiana electrical statewide exam, and you're authorized to bid, contract, and perform electrical work of any scale or scope — anywhere in Louisiana. No territorial limits, no job-size ceiling. That's a serious credential, and the exam reflects it.

This guide covers everything you need to walk into that test room ready: what's on the exam, how it's scored, what books to bring, and how to study smart. Let's get into it.

Louisiana Electrical Statewide Exam Overview

Here are the numbers that matter:

• Questions: 100 scored questions
• Time limit: 240 minutes (4 hours)
• Passing score: 70 — meaning 70 correct out of 100
• Format: Open book
• Administered by: PSI Exams

This is an open-book exam, which sounds like a safety net — and it is, but only if you've prepared your books correctly. More on that in the study tips section. The exam spans 13 content areas, from basic electrical theory all the way through hazardous locations, lighting, and motor calculations. You can review the full official exam bulletin for complete details, or check the state licensing website for licensing requirements. When you're ready to register, use the exam registration page.

Topics Covered on the Louisiana Electrical Contractor Exam

The exam pulls questions from 13 topic areas. Here's how the weight breaks down, from heaviest to lightest:

10 questions each (the big five):
- General Electrical Knowledge — Ohm's Law, voltage drop, AC circuit analysis, impedance, reactance
- Electrical Installation Requirements — branch circuit ratings, grounding, overcurrent sizing, service entrance conductors, load calculations
- Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits — feeder/service load calcs, demand factors, GFCI/AFCI requirements, overcurrent protection placement
- Grounding and Bonding — electrode systems, conductor sizing (Table 250.66), equipment grounding, bonding jumpers
- Special Occupancies and Equipment — swimming pool bonding, hazardous location classification, wiring methods for classified locations
- Lighting and Signs — luminaire installation, recessed fixture clearances, lighting track, electric signs, neon wiring

9 questions:
- Overcurrent Protection — standard ampere ratings (Table 240.6), conductor protection rules, tap rules (240.21), motor protection (Table 430.52)

8 questions:
- Conductors and Cables — insulation types, ampacity tables, correction/adjustment factors, cable type applications

7 questions:
- Raceways and Boxes — conduit fill, support intervals, permitted uses by raceway type, box fill calculations

6 questions:
- Motors and Transformers — conductor sizing, protective device ratings, overload protection, disconnecting means

4 questions each:
- General Knowledge — foundational circuit theory, Kirchhoff's Laws, three-phase power
- Safety — lockout/tagout, approach boundaries, arc-flash PPE, working clearances

2 questions:
- Low Voltage, Alarms, Signaling Systems, and Communications — fire alarm wiring, Class 2/3 circuits, communications cable substitution

When you're deciding where to spend study time, follow the exam weight — the six 10-question topics alone account for 60% of your score.

Sample Louisiana Electrical Contractor Practice Exam Questions

Here's a look at the types of questions you'll face on the LSLBC electrical license test. Work through these — but we're not giving away the answers here. That's what the practice exam is for.

Question 1 — Motors and Transformers (Hard)
On a three-phase, four-wire wye system, phase A carries 50 amperes, phase B carries 50 amperes, and phase C carries no load. What is the approximate neutral current?
- A) 0 A
- B) 100 A
- C) 50 A
- D) 71 A

This one tests your understanding of vector math in unbalanced three-phase systems — not something you can look up quickly without knowing what you're looking for.

Question 2 — General Electrical Knowledge (Medium)
You are a limited electrical contractor called to troubleshoot a three-phase, 460-volt motor that draws 52 amps with a power factor of 80%. The building owner wants to know the kilowatt consumption to estimate energy costs. What is the kilowatt load of this motor?
- A) 23.9 kW
- B) 33 kW
- C) 19.1 kW
- D) 41 kW

Three-phase power formula plus power factor — straightforward if you know the formula and can set it up fast.

Question 3 — Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits (Easy)
What is the minimum clearance that overhead service conductors must maintain from windows designed to be opened, doors, porches, and balconies?
- A) 450 mm (18 in.)
- B) 1.8 m (6 ft)
- C) 900 mm (3 ft)
- D) 1.2 m (4 ft)

A code-lookup question. Fast if your NEC is tabbed; slow if it isn't.

Question 4 — Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits (Medium)
Each feeder disconnect rated at what ampere threshold or more, installed on solidly grounded wye electrical systems of more than 150 volts to ground but not exceeding 1000 volts phase-to-phase, is required to have ground-fault protection of equipment?
- A) 1000 amperes
- B) 1200 amperes
- C) 800 amperes
- D) 1500 amperes

Specific NEC threshold — another tab-and-find situation.

Question 5 — Motors and Transformers (Medium)
A generator directly connected to a single load does not require overcurrent protection if there is an overcurrent protective device on the generator side.
- A) True
- B) False

Sounds straightforward, but this one trips up a lot of people. Know your generator overcurrent rules.

Not sure how you'd answer these? Start with our free practice exam and find out where you stand.

What Types of Questions to Expect (Practice Question Breakdown)

Our Louisiana electrical contractor practice exam covers all 13 topic areas with 793 total practice questions. Here's what you'll work through in each area:

• General Knowledge (26 questions) — Ohm's Law, Kirchhoff's Laws, series/parallel circuits, three-phase and single-phase power calculations
• General Electrical Knowledge (142 questions) — voltage drop formulas, AC impedance and reactance, kVA and horsepower calculations, power factor problems
• Electrical Installation Requirements (46 questions) — branch circuit sizing, grounding and bonding rules, overcurrent device placement, load calculations
• Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits (80 questions) — feeder demand factor calculations, GFCI/AFCI requirements by location, service conductor ampacity, overcurrent tap rules
• Overcurrent Protection (58 questions) — standard ampere ratings, small conductor protection (240.4), transformer tap rules (240.21), motor OCPD selection (Table 430.52)
• Grounding and Bonding (78 questions) — electrode system requirements (NEC 250.52–250.54), Table 250.66 sizing, equipment grounding conductors, bonding jumper requirements
• Conductors and Cables (57 questions) — ampacity tables (310.16–310.21), temperature correction and adjustment factors, insulation types, NM/MC/AC/UF and other cable applications
• Raceways and Boxes (55 questions) — conduit fill calculations, support intervals by raceway type, permitted and prohibited uses for RMC/IMC/EMT/PVC/FMC and others, box fill calculations
• Special Occupancies and Equipment (Including Swimming Pools) (77 questions) — pool bonding and GFCI requirements, underwater luminaire rules, hazardous location classification (Class I/II/III, Division 1/2, Zones 0/1/2), sealing requirements
• Low Voltage, Alarms, Signaling Systems, and Communications (13 questions) — fire alarm circuit types, Class 2/3 power-limited circuits, communications cable substitution hierarchy
• Lighting and Signs (65 questions) — wet/damp location luminaire rules, recessed fixture thermal protection, lighting track prohibited locations, sign branch circuit and disconnecting means requirements, neon secondary-circuit wiring
• Safety (26 questions) — lockout/tagout procedures, shock protection approach boundaries, arc-flash PPE categories, working clearance minimums
• Motors and Transformers (70 questions) — 125% conductor sizing rule, Table 430.52 device ratings, overload trip percentages (430.32), disconnecting means ratings and location, multiple-motor feeder sizing

Required Study Materials for the Louisiana Electrical Statewide Exam

This is an open-book exam, so your references aren't optional — they're your tools. Here's what you need:

Required Books:

• NEC 2023 — The 2023 National Electrical Code is the primary reference for this exam. Most exam questions tie back to the NEC, so this is the book you'll be in most often.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926 — Required for the safety portion of the exam. Know where to find the lockout/tagout and PPE sections.
• Ugly's Electrical References 2020 — A compact, field-tested quick reference that covers formulas, tables, and common calculations. Fast to search, easy to use under pressure.

Prep Supplies That Make a Difference:

• Sharpie Tank Highlighters — Get the assorted 12-pack. Use different colors by topic (yellow for NEC tables, green for grounding, etc.). Bright fluorescent ink stands out clearly, and the chisel tip works well for both highlighting and writing margin notes. These resist smearing once dry.
• Redi-Tag Permanent Colored Tabs — These are exactly what the exam allows. Permanent adhesive only — no Post-It notes permitted. The 100-count pack in five colors gives you enough to tab every major article and table you'll need to find quickly.

Set up your books before you start serious studying. Tab everything first, then highlight as you work through practice questions.

Study Tips for the Louisiana Electrical Statewide Exam

Master your books, not just the material. On an open-book exam, the winners aren't the smartest people in the room — they're the fastest at finding answers. Tab your NEC, highlight key tables, and work the index until you can land on any article in seconds. That speed is what separates a pass from a fail.

Use a two-pass strategy. Work through every question once — answer what you know, flag what you don't. Then go back to the flagged questions. Don't sink too much time into any single question on the first pass. The clock runs whether you're moving or stuck.

Give yourself three to six weeks minimum. Use the official exam bulletin (called the Candidate Information Bulletin, or CIB) as your roadmap. Spend your energy on finding-it-fast skills, not rote memorization. Aim for consistent 80%+ scores on practice runs — setting your bar above 70% gives you a comfortable cushion on test day.

Practice under timed conditions. Exam-clock anxiety is real. Running timed practice sessions builds pacing instincts so the format feels routine by test day, not stressful.

Prioritize by exam weight. The six topics with 10 questions each make up 60% of your score. Focus there first — General Electrical Knowledge, Grounding and Bonding, Services/Feeders/Branch Circuits, Special Occupancies, Lighting and Signs, and Electrical Installation Requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the Louisiana Electrical Statewide exam?
The exam contains 100 scored questions.

What is the passing score?
You need 70 correct out of 100 — a 70% passing score.

How long do I have to complete the exam?
240 minutes, or 4 hours. That's about 2.4 minutes per question on average, which is workable if you've practiced pacing.

Is the Louisiana Electrical Statewide exam open book?
Yes. You can bring approved reference materials into the test room and use them during the exam.

What books am I allowed to bring?
Three references are approved: OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 with latest amendments, NFPA 70 National Electrical Code 2023 Edition, and Ugly's Electrical References (2011, 2014, or 2017 edition). You're responsible for bringing your own copies to the exam center.

Can I write notes in my books before the exam?
Yes — before the exam. You may highlight, underline, annotate, and add tabs ahead of time. During the exam, you cannot write in your references. Anyone caught doing so will have their books confiscated and will be reported to the department.

Can I use Post-It notes or loose papers as tabs?
No. Only permanent tabs are allowed. Temporary tabs like Post-It notes must be removed before the exam starts. No additional loose or attached papers are permitted with your references. Pick up the Redi-Tag Permanent Colored Tabs — they're exactly what you need.

What topics does the exam cover?
Thirteen content areas: General Knowledge, General Electrical Knowledge, Electrical Installation Requirements, Services/Feeders/Branch Circuits, Overcurrent Protection, Grounding and Bonding, Conductors and Cables, Raceways and Boxes, Special Occupancies and Equipment, Low Voltage/Alarms/Signaling Systems, Lighting and Signs, Safety, and Motors and Transformers.

Ready to Pass the Louisiana Electrical Statewide Exam?

The Electrical Statewide classification opens every door in Louisiana — any job, any size, anywhere in the state. It's worth doing right.

Start by taking our free practice exam to get a feel for the question style and identify where your gaps are. When you're ready to prep seriously, the full practice exam mirrors the real test — 100 questions, 240-minute timer, same topic breakdown — with a detailed score report by topic so you know exactly where to focus next. With 793 practice questions in the pool, you won't see the same exam twice.

Get your books tabbed, get your highlighters out, and get to work. You've got this.