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North Carolina Intermediate Electrical Contractor (I) — Practice Exam

What This Practice Exam Covers

The North Carolina Intermediate Electrical Contractor (I) licensing exam is 100 questions. You have 360 minutes to complete it. Passing requires a 70% — 70 correct answers.

This practice exam comes in two versions.

Free practice exam: 10 questions per attempt, drawn from a limited pool. Retake it as many times as you want. It gives you a feel for question style and phrasing before you commit to serious prep.

Full practice exam (paid): 100 questions, 360-minute timer — same format as the real thing. Questions are pulled from a pool of 505+ items, so each attempt is unique. You won't see the same exam twice. Every question maps to the official topic areas provided by the exam provider. Use the full exam to simulate test day and find the gaps in your knowledge before they cost you a license.

Start with the free exam. If you're serious about passing, upgrade to the full version.

What You'll Be Tested On

Laws, Rules, Basic Business Practices, and Practical Applications — 16 items
This is the heaviest single topic on the exam. Questions pull from North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 87 (Article 4), the Board's administrative rules under 21 NCAC 18B, and the NASCLA Contractors' Guide (North Carolina Electrical Edition). Expect questions on license classifications (G.S. 87-43.3), fees and license terms (G.S. 87-44), continuing education requirements (G.S. 87-44.1), grounds for discipline (G.S. 87-45, 87-47), and experience and examination requirements (21 NCAC 18B .0202, .0204, .0211). The NASCLA guide adds business law content: contract types, alternative dispute resolution, business structures, bidding practices, OSHA recordkeeping, bonds, insurance, tax deposits, and scheduling methods. Know the difference between lump-sum and cost-plus contracts. Know how markup is added to a bid. Know what a performance bond requires. This topic rewards candidates who actually read the statutes and the NASCLA guide — not just skim them.

Bonding and Grounding — 11 items
Eleven questions is significant weight. You need to know which systems require grounding (NEC Section 250.20(A)), where grounding connections are made (NEC Section 250.24(A)), how grounding electrode conductors are sized and installed (NEC Section 250.64(A), 250.64(B)(3), 250.64(C)), and what qualifies as a grounding electrode (NEC Section 250.52(A)(3), 250.52(A)(4)). Bonding jumper sizing, equipment grounding conductor requirements, and GFPE thresholds for solidly grounded wye systems (NEC Handbook, Section 230.95) are all tested. Conductor color coding and identification rules also appear here.

Load Calculations — 11 items
Tied with bonding and grounding for the most items. You will calculate branch circuit loads, feeder ampacity, and total computed loads for residential and commercial occupancies. Know the 125% continuous load rule cold. Know how to apply demand factors for dryers (NEC Section 220.54 and Table 220.54) and commercial cooking equipment (NEC Section 220.56). Residential load calculations using the optional method (NEC Section 220.82(B) and 220.82(C)) appear regularly. Conductor ampacity requirements under NEC Section 210.19(A)(1)(a) and Section 215.2(B)(1) will be tested. Bring a calculator and know how to use it efficiently.

Wiring Methods and Terminations — 10 items
Questions test permitted applications for wiring methods, conduit and wireway fill calculations using NEC Chapter 9 (Table 1, Table 4, Table 5, Notes 4 and 7), and protection from physical damage (NEC Section 300.4(A)(1), 300.4(E)). EMT bending rules from Ugly's Electrical References — saddle bends, 90° stub-ups, offset multipliers — are tested here. Know how many bends are permitted in one EMT run (NEC 358.26) and EMT securing and supporting intervals (NEC 358.30). Know the 60% fill rule for nipples (NEC Chapter 9, Notes to Tables, Note 4).

Service Entrance and Equipment — 9 items
Service conductor sizing (NEC Section 230.42(A)(1), 230.42(B)), clearance requirements (NEC Handbook, Section 230.24(A), Section 230.24(B)(4)), service disconnect rules (NEC Section 230.71(A), 230.71(B)), and service entrance cable installation requirements are all on the table. Know the maximum number of service disconnects permitted and what counts as a service disconnect. GFPE requirements under NEC Section 230.95 also overlap with this topic.

Special Occupancies and Hazardous Locations — 9 items
Covers hazardous location classifications (NEC Handbook, Sections 500.7(K), 500.8(D)(2), 500.8(E)(1)), commercial garages (NEC Handbook, Section 511.3(E)(1), 511.7(B)(1)(a)), spray finishing (NEC Handbook, Sections 516.4(3), 516.5), swimming pools (NEC Sections 680.10, 680.21(C), 680.22(A)(1), 680.23(A)(1)), health care facilities (NEC Handbook, Section 517.2), and mobile homes (NEC Sections 550.10(D), 550.32(A)). NFPA 72 definitions — ceiling types, alarm box types, detector types, and frequency definitions — are tested in the fire alarm portion of this topic.

Overcurrent Protection — 9 items
Know standard OCPD sizes (NEC Section 240.6(A)), next-size-up rules (NEC Section 240.4(B)), and small conductor protection limits (NEC Section 240.4(D)(2), 240.4(D)(4)). Tap rule distances and conditions (NEC Section 240.21(B)(1), 240.21(C)(2)), cartridge fuse requirements (NEC Section 240.60(C)), and circuit breaker ratings (NEC Section 240.83(B), 240.85) appear regularly. High-voltage overcurrent protection under NEC Section 240.101(A) and NEC Section 240.91(B) is included.

Motors and Control Wiring — 8 items
You need to size branch circuits for motors using nameplate FLA and NEC Table 430.250 values (NEC Section 430.6(A)(1)). Overload protection sizing (NEC Section 430.32(A)(1), 430.32(C)), short-circuit and ground-fault protection (NEC Section 430.52(C)(1), Exception No. 2), and disconnect requirements (NEC Section 430.109(C)(2), 430.110(A)) are tested. For multiple motors on a single feeder, know NEC Section 430.24.

Boxes and Fittings — 7 items
Box fill calculations using NEC 314.16(B) and Table 314.16(B) (conductor, device, fitting, and equipment grounding conductor volumes) are a regular source of exam questions. Pull box and junction box sizing under NEC Section 314.28(A)(1) and 314.28(A)(2) — straight pulls vs. angle pulls — requires a calculation. Know the difference and practice both.

Appliances, Equipment, and Lighting — 7 items
Air conditioner branch circuit sizing (NEC Section 440.22(A), 440.32), appliance overcurrent protection (NEC Section 422.11(E)(3), 422.11(F)(3)), and lighting fixture installation requirements (NEC Handbook, Sections 410.10(D), 410.117(C)) are tested. Transformer and space heating topics (NEC Section 424.72(A)) also appear.

General — 3 items
Definitions from NEC Article 100 and basic installation requirements. These are often the quickest three points on the exam — don't give them away.

Worked Sample Questions

Question 1 — Laws, Rules, Basic Business Practices, and Practical Applications

In collaborative law as a form of alternative dispute resolution, which statement best describes the process?
- A. A neutral mediator facilitates discussion between the parties
- B. An arbitrator renders a legally binding decision after hearing both sides
- C. The parties use their advocates, typically lawyers, to negotiate a mutually beneficial result without a neutral mediator or arbitrator
- D. A panel of retired judges reviews evidence and issues a final ruling

Correct answer: C

Collaborative law is a negotiation-based process where each party retains an advocate — usually an attorney — and all parties commit upfront to reaching a mutually beneficial outcome. No neutral third party runs the process. That distinguishes it from mediation (a neutral mediator facilitates) and arbitration (a third party decides). Options A, B, and D each describe a different ADR method. Only C accurately describes collaborative law.

Source: NASCLA Contractors Guide, Contract Management chapter — Alternative Dispute Resolution section

Question 2 — Bonding and Grounding

At what service size is GFPE required for solidly grounded wye systems 150V to ground?
- A. 600A
- B. 800A
- C. 1000A
- D. 1200A

Correct answer: C

NEC Section 230.95 sets the threshold: ground-fault protection of equipment (GFPE) is required for solidly grounded wye electrical services of more than 150 volts to ground but not exceeding 600 volts phase-to-phase, where the service disconnect is rated 1000A or more. Know that number exactly — the exam uses 600A and 800A as distractors.

Source: NEC Handbook, Section 230.95

Question 3 — Load Calculations

A panelboard has a continuous load of 80A. What is the minimum OCPD size?
- A. 80A
- B. 90A
- C. 100A
- D. 110A

Correct answer: C

Continuous loads must be sized at 125% of the load: 80A × 1.25 = 100A. Then check NEC Section 240.6(A) for standard OCPD sizes — 100A is a standard size, so no rounding up is needed. The trap here is stopping at 80A (the actual load) or picking 90A (not a standard size). Always apply the 125% factor first, then confirm against the standard sizes table.

How to Read Your Score

Passing is 70 correct out of 100. On this practice exam, treat your first attempt as a diagnostic, not a final judgment. A 55% on attempt one tells you where the gaps are — that's useful information.

Topic-by-topic breakdown matters more than the overall number. If you're scoring well on General and struggling on Load Calculations (11 items) or Laws and Rules (16 items), you know exactly where your study time goes next. Those two topics alone represent 27% of the exam.

Scoring in the low 70s on practice is not comfortable margin. The real exam has pressure and distractors that cost points. Candidates who pass reliably score 80% or better on practice before they sit. If you're hovering near 70%, work the weak topics again, then take another full practice attempt.

Use every wrong answer. Look up the code section. Read the actual language. That's what closes the gap.

Where Candidates Lose Points

Skipping the 125% rule. On Load Calculations and Overcurrent Protection questions, failing to apply the continuous load multiplier before sizing an OCPD or conductor is one of the most common errors. The answer choices are designed to catch this mistake.

Wrong table for the job. Box fill calculations (NEC 314.16(B) and Table 314.16(B)) require the right volume per conductor size. Motor calculations require NEC Table 430.250 values, not nameplate FLA alone. Pulling from memory instead of the correct table loses points.

Conduit fill errors. Using the wrong percent fill (for example, applying the two-conductor fill percentage to a three-conductor run), or missing the nipple exception (60% fill per NEC Chapter 9, Notes to Tables, Note 4), turns a solvable calculation into a wrong answer.

Laws and Rules misses. Many candidates under-prepare for the 16-item Laws and Rules topic. Specific thresholds — exam waiting periods (21 NCAC 18B .0211), fee amounts (G.S. 87-44), license classification details (G.S. 87-43.3) — require you to have read the statutes, not just general knowledge of contractor licensing.

Running out of time on calculations. With 360 minutes for 100 questions, you have 3.6 minutes per question. Multi-step load calculations and motor sizing problems eat time. Practice the calculations until they're fast.

Exam Quick Facts