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Maryland Journeyperson Electrician — Practice Exam

What This Practice Exam Covers

The Maryland Journeyperson Electrician licensing exam consists of 70 questions answered in 210 minutes, with a 70% passing score (49 correct answers). The exam spans seven topic areas drawn from the NEC 2020 and core electrical theory.

This practice exam gives you two ways to prepare:

Free practice exam: 10 questions per attempt, pulled from a limited pool. You can retake it as many times as you like — it costs nothing and is a solid way to get comfortable with question style and format before committing to full prep.

Full practice exam (paid): 70 questions, 210-minute time limit — a true mirror of the real exam. Questions are drawn from a pool of 327+ items, so each attempt produces a different mix. No two attempts are identical, which means repeated sessions give you broad coverage across all seven topic areas rather than the same questions recycled.

Start with the free exam to get your bearings, then use the full exam for serious preparation.

What You'll Be Tested On

Electrical Theory — 20 Items

This is the largest topic block and the one with the widest range of question types. Expect questions on definitions (e.g., ampacity per NEC Article 100, continuous load), Ohm's Law calculations (E = IR, I = E/R, R = E/I), and power formulas (P = EI, P = I²R, I = P/E). You'll need to work through series-parallel resistance combinations, understand AC theory basics, and apply unit conversions — including metric prefixes (kilo = 1,000; milli = 1/1,000) and the electrical conversion constant of 1 hp = 746 W.

The techniques and troubleshooting subtopics test practical knowledge: how to use a clamp-on ammeter correctly, how insulation resistance testing works, and the proper method for resistance measurement. The equipment/devices and instruments subtopics ask you to identify what a piece of equipment does and when to use a specific instrument.

Conductor properties appear here too — relative conductivity of materials, how resistance changes with length, and temperature coefficients. Know conductor sizing units (kcmil) and insulation type letters such as THHN.

Wiring and Protection — 20 Items

This block ties with Electrical Theory for the most items on the exam, and it is almost entirely NEC-driven. Questions cover grounding and bonding (a heavy area), overcurrent protection, service entrance requirements, and circuit calculations.

Key sections tested include grounding electrode requirements under NEC 250.52(A)(1), 250.52(A)(3), and 250.52(A)(5); grounded conductor rules under NEC 200.2(B), 200.6(A), and 200.6(D); and service entrance provisions including NEC 230.24(B)(2), 230.70(A)(1), and 230.79(C). Overcurrent protection questions draw on NEC 240.4(B), 240.21(B)(1), 240.21(B)(2), and 240.24(A). Bonding and grounding conductor sizing references NEC 250.66(A) and 250.28(B).

Also tested: feeder sizing under NEC 215.2(A)(1)(a), load calculation basics under NEC 220.5(A), and conductor ampacity rules. The definition of a continuous load (from NEC Article 100) affects overcurrent device sizing — a detail that trips up candidates who skip the definitions.

Wiring Methods and Materials — 12 Items

This topic focuses on physical installation rules for raceways and cables. Expect questions on protection of conductors through wood framing (NEC 300.4(A)(1), 300.4(B)(1), 300.4(D)), conductor grouping requirements (NEC Handbook 300.3(B)(1), 300.3(B)(3)), and box and fitting requirements (NEC Handbook 300.15(A), 300.16(A)).

Underground installation depths come from NEC Handbook Table 300.5. Flexible metal conduit rules appear under NEC 348.12(1), 348.12(6), and 348.30(A). Electrical metallic tubing requirements reference NEC 358.12 and 358.30(A). MI cable bending and support rules appear under NEC 332.24(2) and 332.10(8). High-voltage conductor bending rules (NEC Handbook 300.34) are also tested.

Equipment for General Use — 6 Items

Six questions cover motor circuits, appliance wiring, and heating equipment. Motor branch-circuit conductor sizing draws on NEC 430.22 and 430.24; overload protection on NEC 430.32(A)(1). Appliance disconnecting means rules reference NEC 422.31(A). Fixed electric space heating rules appear under NEC 424.4(A), 424.22(B), and 424.72(A). Luminaire installation is addressed through NEC 410.16(C) and 410.115(B).

Switchboard and panelboard rules, particularly NEC 408.36(A), also appear here. With only 6 items, this section is tight — one or two missed questions has a meaningful impact on your score.

Special Occupancies — 4 Items

Four questions on hazardous locations, agricultural buildings, and mobile homes. Class I locations tested include NEC Handbook 500.5(D)(1), 501.10(A)(1)(3), 501.15(A)(1), and 501.15(C)(2). Know the definition of Division 1 and Division 2 distinctions (NEC Handbook 500.6(B)(1)) and permitted wiring methods. Agricultural building wiring draws on NEC Handbook 547.5(G); mobile home wiring on NEC Handbook 550.10(C).

Special Equipment — 2 Items

Only two questions, but they require precise knowledge. Cranes and hoists (NEC Handbook 610.14(E)(2), 610.21(C), 610.31) and electric signs (NEC Handbook 600.5(A), 600.10(C)(2), 600.23(C)) are the areas tested. With just two items available, guessing here is costly.

Special Communications — 6 Items

Six items on emergency, legally required standby, and optional standby systems, plus interconnected power sources. Emergency system supply requirements reference NEC Handbook 700.12 and 700.12(C); standby systems reference 701.12 and 702.10. Energy storage systems draw on NEC Handbook 706.1 and 706.4. Class 2 circuit wiring rules appear under NEC 725.41(A) and 725.43.

Worked Sample Questions

Question 1 — Electrical Theory: Series-Parallel Resistance

Question: Based on the circuit shown in Figure 5, what is the total resistance the 24 V source sees?

• A. 12 Ω
• B. 6 Ω
• C. 4 Ω
• D. 18 Ω

Correct Answer: C — 4 Ω

Work through the two strings separately, then combine them in parallel. String 1: R1 + R2 = 4 Ω + 8 Ω = 12 Ω. String 2: R3 + R4 = 2 Ω + 4 Ω = 6 Ω. Parallel combination: R_total = (12 × 6) ÷ (12 + 6) = 72 ÷ 18 = 4 Ω. The 24 V source value is a distractor — total resistance in a purely resistive network does not depend on source voltage.

Question 2 — Wiring and Protection: Equipment Bonding Jumper Length

Question: When an equipment bonding jumper is installed on the outside of a raceway or enclosure, what is the maximum permitted length?

• A. 8 feet
• B. 10 feet
• C. 6 feet
• D. 4 feet

Correct Answer: C — 6 feet

Per NEC, Section 250.102(E)(2), when installed on the outside, the bonding jumper shall not exceed 1.8 m (6 ft) and must be routed with the raceway or enclosure. The routing requirement is part of the rule — not just the length limit.

Question 3 — Wiring Methods and Materials: High-Voltage Conductor Bending Radius

Question: For conductors over 1000 volts nominal, what is the minimum bending radius for shielded or lead-covered conductors during or after installation?

• A. 8 times the overall diameter
• B. 12 times the overall diameter
• C. 5 times the overall diameter
• D. 15 times the overall diameter

Correct Answer: B — 12 times the overall diameter

Per NEC Handbook, Section 300.34, nonshielded conductors must not be bent to less than 8 times the overall diameter, while shielded or lead-covered conductors require a minimum bending radius of 12 times the overall diameter. The exam tests whether you know both values and which applies to which conductor type — reading the word "shielded" in the stem is the key to selecting B over A.

How to Read Your Score

The passing threshold is 70% — 49 correct out of 70. On your first practice attempt, treat your score as a diagnostic, not a judgment. A cold first-attempt score tells you which topic areas need work and roughly how much.

If you score well above 70% on your first try, that is a good sign — but verify you can repeat it across multiple attempts with different question sets, since the full exam pool has 327+ questions. A consistent score above 80% across several attempts is a reliable indicator of readiness.

If you score close to 70% — say, 68–73% — that margin is too thin for the real exam. A few unlucky questions or time pressure can push you below passing. Use the topic breakdown to identify your weakest areas: Electrical Theory and Wiring and Protection together account for 40 of 70 questions, so shortfalls there have the largest impact on your total score.

Treat each practice session as a study tool, not a rehearsal. Review every wrong answer, find the relevant NEC section, and read the rule directly.

Where Candidates Lose Points

Misreading units and conversions. Electrical Theory questions regularly mix watts, kilowatts, horsepower, and milliamps. Forgetting that 1 hp = 746 W or fumbling a metric prefix (milli vs. kilo) costs straightforward calculation points.

Confusing series and parallel rules. Multi-step resistance problems in the Electrical Theory block require careful setup. Candidates who rush combine resistors in the wrong order and select a plausible-looking wrong answer.

Wrong NEC section for bonding vs. grounding. The Wiring and Protection block has multiple grounding electrode questions. Mixing up grounded conductor rules (NEC 200-series) with equipment grounding rules (NEC 250-series) leads to wrong answer choices that are internally consistent but cite the wrong code.

Overlooking the routing requirement. Questions like the bonding jumper length question test the full rule — length AND routing. Candidates who memorize only the number (6 ft) without the condition (routed with the raceway) can still choose incorrectly when the distractor options include 6 ft with wrong conditions attached.

Running out of time on heavy sections. At 210 minutes for 70 questions, you have 3 minutes per question. Electrical Theory and Wiring and Protection — 40 questions combined — demand calculation time. Candidates who spend too long on one multi-step problem run short at the end.

Underestimating the small topic areas. Special Equipment has only 2 items. Missing both costs you a full percentage point of your score — a meaningful loss when passing by one or two questions is realistic.

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