How to Pass the North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Plumbing and Heating (SP-PH) Exam
You don't have to guess how to prepare for the North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Plumbing and Heating (SP-PH) exam. This guide lays it out: the key facts from the official bulletin, the topics on the test, the books you need, sample questions with answers, and a study plan you can follow. PSI gives the exam.
North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Plumbing and Heating (SP-PH) Exam Basics
Here's what the official bulletin says about the exam:
| 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.
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's on the North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Plumbing and Heating (SP-PH) Exam
The official content outline splits the exam into 9 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Bonding and Grounding | 4 | 10% |
| Overcurrent Protection | 5 | 12% |
| Wiring Methods and Terminations | 8 | 20% |
| Boxes and Fittings | 2 | 5% |
| Motors and Control Wiring | 5 | 12% |
| Load Calculations | 2 | 5% |
| Appliances, Equipment, and Lighting | 4 | 10% |
| General | 3 | 8% |
| Laws, Rules, Basic Business Practices, and Practical Applications | 7 | 18% |
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; Permitted usages and ampacity ratings; Characteristics.
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; Disconnects/controllers; Size; Type; Location.
Load Calculations: Branch circuits; Total computed load; Conductor ampacity requirements; Overcurrent protective device sizing; Low-voltage.
Appliances, Equipment, and Lighting: Air conditioners; Residential, commercial, and industrial equipment; Space heating equipment and boilers.
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; Lighting and Power Plans; Estimating and General Knowledge.
Your North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Plumbing and Heating (SP-PH) Study Plan
Your books are your best friend on this exam. It's open book, so the references on the bulletin's list are what you'll use on test day. Get your own copies in the editions the bulletin names.
Get to know them early. Spend time with each book's table of contents and index until you can find any major subject quickly. On an open-book exam, finding answers fast is the skill that counts.
Make the books yours. Highlight the sections you keep coming back to. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Put your energy where the points are. Wiring Methods and Terminations and Laws, Rules, Basic Business Practices, and Practical Applications make up 38% of the exam, so start there.
Practice with the clock running. Our timed practice exams help you build the pace the real exam needs: about 4 minutes 30 seconds per question. Every attempt is another rep.
Keep going until you pass practice exams consistently. One good score is a great start. A few passing scores in a row is how you know you're ready.
Books You'll Need for the North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Plumbing and Heating (SP-PH) Exam
Where to get them:
Test Day Tips
Start with a quick pass through the whole exam. Answer every question you're sure about and bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you return to bookmarked questions, so nothing is lost by moving on.
Then come back to your bookmarks and work through them one at a time. Keep an eye on the clock: you have 3 hours for 40 questions, which is about 4 minutes 30 seconds per question. Before you finish, make sure every question has an answer. 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.
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.
Try These North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Plumbing and Heating (SP-PH) Practice Questions
Give these a try. They come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.
Sample 1 — Motors and Control Wiring
Question: According to the NEC, remote-control circuits for safety-control equipment shall be classified as Class 1 if the failure of the equipment to operate introduces what type of hazard?
- A. A direct fire or life hazard
- B. An environmental contamination hazard
- C. A property damage hazard
- D. An electrical shock hazard
Correct Answer: A
Per NEC 725.31(A), remote-control circuits for safety-control equipment shall be classified as Class 1 if the failure of the equipment to operate introduces a direct fire or life hazard. Room thermostats and similar controls are specifically excluded from being considered safety-control equipment.
Reference: NEC 2020 Section 725.31(A)
Sample 2 — Bonding and Grounding
Question: A concrete-encased electrode must consist of at least how many feet of reinforcing bar or bare copper conductor?
- A. 8 ft
- B. 10 ft
- C. 15 ft
- D. 20 ft
Correct Answer: D
Per NEC 250.52(A)(3), a concrete-encased electrode shall consist of at least 20 ft of either bare or zinc galvanized steel reinforcing bars not less than 1/2 inch in diameter, or bare copper conductor not smaller than 4 AWG, encased by at least 2 inches of concrete.
Reference: NEC 2020 Section 250.52(A)(3)
Sample 3 — Appliances, Equipment, and Lighting
Question: What is the maximum length of flexible cord permitted for a cord-and-plug-connected in-sink waste disposer?
- A. 24 inches
- B. 36 inches
- C. 48 inches
- D. 72 inches
Correct Answer: B
Per NEC 422.16(B)(1), the length of the cord for an electrically operated in-sink waste disposer shall not be less than 18 inches and not over 36 inches.
Reference: NEC 2020 Section 422.16(B)(1)
Sample 4 — General
Question: What is the definition of 'ampacity' as it applies to electrical conductors?
- A. The maximum voltage a conductor can withstand without insulation breakdown
- B. The maximum current, in amperes, that a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating
- C. The total resistance of a conductor measured in ohms per thousand feet
- D. The minimum current required to trip the overcurrent protection device for that conductor
Correct Answer: B
Per NEC Article 100, 'Ampacity' is defined as the maximum current, in amperes, that a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating. This is a fundamental definition used throughout the Code for conductor sizing.
Reference: NEC 2020 Article 100 (Definitions)
Why Practice Online?
Reading questions in a PDF is a start, but it doesn't prepare you for the clock. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you build speed along with knowledge. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results show your score by topic so you know where to focus next.
Ready to Start?
Take the free North Carolina Electrical Contractor - Plumbing and Heating (SP-PH) practice exam and see where you stand today. Then focus on the topics that need the most work. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.