North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Elevator (SP-EL) Exam: A Practical Study Guide
The North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Elevator (SP-EL) exam tests the rules and the reference books behind the work. This guide lays out the job: the key facts from the official bulletin, what the exam covers, the books you need, sample questions with answers, and how to get ready. PSI gives the exam.
The North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Elevator (SP-EL) Exam at a Glance
Here's the rundown from the official bulletin:
| Questions | 40 questions |
| Time limit | 3 hours |
| Passing score | 70% correct |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $125 |
On exam day
- Questions are multiple choice with four suggested answers and only one correct answer.
- Two valid, non-expired signature-bearing IDs are required, one with a photograph, matching the name under which the candidate registered.
- Candidates should arrive 30 minutes before the appointment time.
- References must be softbound, spiral, or hardbound with no loose-leaf or partial books, must be candidate-supplied, may not be written in during the exam, and may not contain additional papers.
- Highlighting, underlining and handwritten notes made before the exam are allowed (pencil notes must be highlighted), and only permanent tabs may be used.
- Calculators are provided at the test center.
- Scratch paper, pencils and calculators are provided, while notes, briefcases, backpacks, hats, cell phones, pagers and children are prohibited in the examination area.
References you may bring
- National Electrical Code (2020 edition)
- NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management: North Carolina Electrical Contractors' Edition (current edition)
Study references listed in the bulletin (not allowed in the exam room)
- Electrical Contractors Licensing Law (General Statutes Chapter 87, Article 4)
- The Board's Rules for the Implementation of the Electrical Contractors Licensing Law (Title 21, North Carolina Administrative Code, Chapter 18B)
Scheduling, changes and retakes
- Candidates register for the examination by calling PSI at (855) 746-8173 or online at https://test-takers.psiexams.com/ncbeec.
- Board approval is required before scheduling, and the approval allows one examination attempt within a 90-day authorization period.
- Candidates who miss the appointment or arrive after the examination start time lose their examination fees and may be refused admission.
- Results are given immediately at the test center, with a diagnostic report of strengths and weaknesses for candidates who do not pass.
- A candidate who fails must wait 3 months before retaking the same classification and must re-apply to the Board for each attempt.
- A passing candidate must complete a License Application with the Board to obtain and activate the license.
Source: NCBEEC Examination Information Handbook (North Carolina Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors), July 2026. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
What the North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Elevator (SP-EL) Exam Covers
The official content outline breaks the exam into 8 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Bonding and Grounding | 5 | 12% |
| Overcurrent Protection | 4 | 10% |
| Wiring Methods and Terminations | 10 | 25% |
| Boxes and Fittings | 2 | 5% |
| Motors and Control Wiring | 5 | 12% |
| Load Calculations | 3 | 8% |
| General | 2 | 5% |
| Laws, Rules, Basic Business Practices, and Practical Applications | 9 | 22% |
Bonding and Grounding: Systems and equipment requiring grounding and ground-fault protection; Location of connection and required interconnections; Grounded, grounding, and grounding electrode conductors; Conductor identification and color coding; Bonding jumpers; Equipment grounding conductors; Methods of grounding and bonding, equipment and conductor specifications; Low-voltage specifications.
Overcurrent Protection: Location in circuit; Sizing requirements; Circuit breakers; Plug and cartridge fuses; Enclosures and locations.
Wiring Methods and Terminations: Permitted applications and usages; Characteristics; Conduit and wireway fill; Permitted applications and usages; Characteristics; Protection from damage; Traveling cables and controls; Permitted usages and ampacity ratings.
Boxes and Fittings: General information; Sizing requirements.
Motors and Control Wiring: General information; Branch circuit and feeder ampacity; Overload protection; Short-circuit and ground-fault protection; Size; Location; Separation of conductors.
Load Calculations: Branch circuits; Conductor ampacity requirements; Overcurrent protective device sizing; Low-voltage.
General: Definitions; Installation requirements.
Laws, Rules, Basic Business Practices, and Practical Applications: Electrical Contractors Licensing Law (General Statutes Chapter 87, Article 4); Board’s Rules for the Implementation of the Electrical Contractors Licensing Law (Title 21, North Carolina Administrative Code, Chapter 18B); NASCLA Contractors’ Guide to Business, Law and Project Management -North Carolina Electrical Edition.
How to Get Ready for the North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Elevator (SP-EL) Exam
Treat your reference books like your tools. On an open-book exam you don't need every rule memorized. You need to know which book holds it and where to find it.
Buy the books the bulletin lists, in the editions it names. An older or newer edition can put the answer on a different page, or change it.
Learn your way around each book before you study anything else. The table of contents and the index are your layout.
Highlight what you look up most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Do the big jobs first. Wiring Methods and Terminations and Laws, Rules, Basic Business Practices, and Practical Applications make up 48% of the exam.
Put in the reps with timed practice exams. The clock trains you to find answers at the pace the real exam needs: about 4 minutes 30 seconds per question.
Measure twice. When you miss a practice question, find the section in your book, read it and mark it. Keep at it until you pass practice exams consistently.
The Books for the North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Elevator (SP-EL) Exam
SP-EL candidates bring the 2020 National Electrical Code and the current NASCLA Contractors Guide (the 2013 National Fire Alarm Code is required only for Limited, Intermediate, Unlimited, SP-SFD and SP-FA/LV), and the exam also covers the Licensing Law and the Board's Rules as study material.
Where to get them:
Working the Exam on Test Day
Work the exam in two passes. On the first pass, answer everything you know and bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions. On the second pass, go back to your bookmarks and take them one at a time.
Don't get hung up on one question. You have 3 hours for 40 questions, which is about 4 minutes 30 seconds per question. Before you finish, make sure nothing is left blank.
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.
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 North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Elevator (SP-EL) Questions
These come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and the reference behind it.
Sample 1 — Motors and Control Wiring
Question: You are wiring a feeder that supplies both a 50-HP and a 30-HP, 480-volt, three-phase motor. What is the minimum conductor ampacity required for the feeder conductors?
- A. 105 amperes
- B. 121.25 amperes
- C. 131.25 amperes
- D. 140 amperes
Correct Answer: B
Per NEC 430.24, feeder conductors must have an ampacity of not less than 125% of the highest-rated motor plus the sum of full-load currents of the other motors. The 50 HP motor at 480V = 65A (largest), and 30 HP at 480V = 40A. Calculation: (125% × 65A) + 40A = 81.25A + 40A = 121.25 amperes.
Reference: NEC 2020 Section 430.24
Sample 2 — Overcurrent Protection
Question: According to NEC 240.87, arc energy reduction requirements apply when the highest continuous current trip setting of a circuit breaker is rated or can be adjusted to what value or higher?
- A. 800 amperes
- B. 1000 amperes
- C. 1200 amperes
- D. 1600 amperes
Correct Answer: C
Per NEC 240.87, where the highest continuous current trip setting for which the actual overcurrent device installed in a circuit breaker is rated or can be adjusted is 1200 A or higher, arc energy reduction requirements in 240.87(A) and (B) shall apply.
Reference: NEC 2020 Section 240.87
Sample 3 — Load Calculations
Question: For dwelling units, the minimum branch-circuit rating for household electric ranges rated 8¾ kW or more shall be:
- A. 20 amperes
- B. 30 amperes
- C. 40 amperes
- D. 50 amperes
Correct Answer: C
Per NEC 210.19(A)(3), for ranges of 8¾ kW or more rating, the minimum branch-circuit rating shall be 40 amperes.
Reference: NEC 2020 Section 210.19(A)(3)
Sample 4 — Boxes and Fittings
Question: For angle or U pulls in pull boxes containing conductors 4 AWG or larger, the distance between each raceway entry inside the box and the opposite wall shall not be less than ______ times the trade size of the largest raceway in a row.
- A. 6
- B. 8
- C. 4
- D. 10
Correct Answer: A
Per NEC 314.28(A)(2), where angle or U pulls are made, the distance between each raceway entry inside the box and the opposite wall shall not be less than six times the metric designator (trade size) of the largest raceway in a row.
Reference: NEC 2020 Section 314.28(A)(2)
Why Practice Online Instead of With a PDF
A PDF is like reading about a job instead of doing it. 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 break your score down by topic so you know where to put in more work.
Get Started
Take the free North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Elevator (SP-EL) practice exam to see where you stand, then put your time into the topics that need it. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.