New Jersey Electrical Contractor Exam: Step-by-Step Study Guide
Preparing for the New Jersey Electrical Contractor exam is easier one step at a time. This guide starts with the key facts from the official bulletin, then covers the topics on the exam, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a simple way to prepare. PSI gives the exam.
New Jersey Electrical Contractor Exam Overview
Start with the facts. Here's what the official bulletin says:
| Questions | 100 questions |
| Time limit | 255 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% correct |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $84 |
On exam day
- One valid, unexpired photo and signature bearing ID matching the registration name is required, such as a state driver's license or ID card, US passport, US military ID, US alien registration card, or Canadian government issued ID.
- Candidates should arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment.
- The NEC is supplied at the test center, may not be written on, highlighted, underlined or indexed, and candidates may not use their own copy.
- The NEC provided for the Electrical Contractor examination may not be written on, highlighted, underlined or indexed.
- An on-screen online calculator is available to candidates during the examination.
- PSI provides a piece of scratch paper and a pencil plus an online calculator, while personal items such as electronic devices, outerwear, hats, bags, writing devices, food and drinks must be stored outside the testing room.
References you may bring
- NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (2023 Edition)
Scheduling, changes and retakes
- Candidates schedule and pay for the examination with PSI online at https://test-takers.psiexams.com/njel or by phone at (855) 340-3713.
- Board approval is required before scheduling, the first attempt must be made within 2 years of the eligibility date, and all three examinations must be passed within 5 years of the eligibility date or the candidate must re-apply.
- An appointment may be cancelled and rescheduled without forfeiting the fee if notice is received 2 days before the examination date, and voice mail is not an acceptable cancellation.
- Missing the appointment, failing to cancel 2 days ahead, arriving after the examination start time, or not presenting proper ID means you cannot test and you forfeit the examination fee.
- Scores are given immediately after the examination, with a successful score report for passers and a diagnostic report of strengths and weaknesses for those who do not pass.
- Candidates retake only the failed examination(s), must wait 6 months from the previous testing date after a first or second failed attempt, and must pass all three examinations within three attempts.
- A candidate must pass all three examinations to qualify for licensure as a New Jersey Electrical Contractor, and results are transmitted to the Board.
Source: Electrical Contractor Licensure Examination Candidate Information Bulletin — New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors, Updated 3/5/2026. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
Topics on the New Jersey Electrical Contractor Exam
Next, the content. The official content outline has 12 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| General Electrical Knowledge | 10 | 10% |
| Raceways and Enclosures | 10 | 10% |
| Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits | 10 | 10% |
| Overcurrent Protection | 5 | 5% |
| Conductors and Cables | 9 | 9% |
| Grounding and Bonding | 16 | 16% |
| Equipment for General Use | 9 | 9% |
| Special Occupancies | 5 | 5% |
| Special Equipment and Conditions | 5 | 5% |
| Motors and Controls | 12 | 12% |
| Low Voltage and Communications Circuits | 6 | 6% |
| Safety | 3 | 3% |
A Simple Plan to Prepare for the New Jersey Electrical Contractor Exam
Step one is the books. This is an open-book exam, so the references on the bulletin's list are what you'll work from, while you study and in the exam room. Get the editions the bulletin names.
Step two is learning your way around them. Go through each book's table of contents and index until you know where the major subjects are. You don't need to memorize the books. You need to find things in them.
Step three is marking them up. Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Step four is timed practice. Our practice exams run on a clock, so you get used to the real exam's pace: about 2 minutes 33 seconds per question.
Along the way, give the most time to the biggest topics. Grounding and Bonding and Motors and Controls make up 28% of the exam.
The last step is consistency. Keep practicing until you pass several practice exams in a row. That's the signal you're ready.
Reference Books for the New Jersey Electrical Contractor Exam
The only reference allowed in the examination center is the NFPA 70 National Electrical Code, 2023 Edition, which is provided at the test center.
Where to get them:
On Test Day
Go through the exam at a steady pace. On your first pass, answer the questions you know and bookmark the ones you don't. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions.
On your second pass, return to your bookmarks one at a time. You have 255 minutes for 100 questions, which is about 2 minutes 33 seconds per question, so keep moving and don't let one question hold you up. 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.
Sample New Jersey Electrical Contractor Practice Questions
Here are a few questions from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.
Sample 1 — Raceways and Enclosures
Question: According to NEC Article 300, all conductors of the same circuit must be contained within the same raceway, conduit body, auxiliary gutter, cable tray, or cable unless otherwise permitted. Which of the following is an exception to this requirement?
- A. Paralleled installations where each portion complies with requirements
- B. Conductors over 500 kcmil
- C. Conductors in wet locations only
- D. Conductors in different buildings
Correct Answer: A
Per NEC 300.3(B)(1), conductors shall be permitted to be run in parallel in accordance with 310.10(G). The requirement to run all circuit conductors within the same raceway shall apply separately to each portion of the paralleled installation.
Reference: NEC 2023 Section 300.3(B)(1)
Sample 2 — Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits
Question: When applying adjustment or correction factors per 310.15, the minimum branch-circuit conductor ampacity shall be not less than:
- A. 125% of the maximum load
- B. The calculated load before applying factors
- C. The nominal load to be served
- D. The maximum load to be served after applying factors
Correct Answer: D
Per NEC 210.19(A)(2), the minimum branch-circuit conductor size shall have an ampacity not less than the maximum load to be served after the application of any adjustment or correction factors in accordance with 310.15.
Reference: NEC 2023 Section 210.19(A)(2)
Sample 3 — Conductors and Cables
Question: Which of the following flexible cord types is NOT permitted for hard service applications?
- A. Type SO
- B. Type SJ
- C. Type SPT-1
- D. Type S
Correct Answer: C
According to NEC Table 400.4, Type SPT-1 is classified as a thermoplastic parallel cord for pendant or portable use in dry locations and is rated for 'not hard usage.' Types S and SO are rated for extra-hard usage, and Type SJ is rated for hard usage (junior hard service). All three (S, SO, and SJ) are suitable for hard-use applications, while SPT-1 is not.
Reference: NEC 2023 Table 400.4
Sample 4 — Equipment for General Use
Question: For heavy-duty lighting track exceeding 20 amperes, what protection is required for each fitting?
- A. Ground-fault protection
- B. Individual overcurrent protection
- C. Arc-fault protection
- D. Surge protection
Correct Answer: B
Per NEC 410.153, each fitting attached to a heavy-duty lighting track shall have individual overcurrent protection.
Reference: NEC 2023 Section 410.153
Practicing Online vs. With a PDF
A PDF lets you read questions at your own pace. The real exam runs on a clock. 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 show your score by topic, so you always know what to study next.
Your Next Step
Take the free New Jersey Electrical Contractor practice exam to see where you stand. Then study the topics that need the most attention, one at a time. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.