South Dakota Journeyman Electrician Exam (ICC 531, 2023 NEC) Practice Exam
Free Practice Exam
Test your knowledge with 10 questions from our pool of 20 free questions.
- 10 questions per attempt
- 30 minute time limit
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Full Practice Exam
Complete exam simulation matching the real Pearson VUE test format.
- 80 questions (same as real exam)
- 240 minute time limit
- 9 topic areas covered
- 366 questions in pool
- Detailed explanations
Texts preferred · 9am–9pm Central
South Dakota Journeyman Electrician (ICC 531, 2023 NEC) Practice Exam Guide
What's on the exam
Questions per topic, out of 80This practice exam is built around the official content outline for the South Dakota Journeyman Electrician (ICC 531, 2023 NEC) exam: General Knowledge, Services and Service Equipment, Feeders, Branch Circuit Conductors, Wiring Methods and Materials, Equipment Devices, Control Devices, Motors and Generators, Special Occupancies, Equipment and Conditions.
There are two ways to practice. The free practice exam gives you 10 questions per attempt, and you can take it as many times as you like. The full practice exam gives you 80 questions on a 4 hours clock, with a new draw from our question bank each time.
General Knowledge 5 items
Our study plan for this topic: Electrical Theory and General Electrical Load Calculations; Code Definitions and Terms; Plan Reading; AC Circuit Properties: Impedance, Reactance, and Inductance; Power Factor, Power Factor Correction, and Capacitors; NEC Purpose, Scope, and Code Arrangement (Article 90); Series, Parallel, and Combination Circuit Analysis; Electrical Distribution Systems and Wiring Diagrams.
Services and Service Equipment 9 items
The outline lists: Services and Fault Current; Service Load Calculations; Service Equipment & Service Conductors; Transformers; System Grounding and Bonding; Temporary Service Wiring; Service disconnecting means requirements and ratings; Overcurrent protection for services and ground-fault protection of equipment.
Feeders 3 items
Our study plan for this topic: Load Calculations; Equipment Grounding; Feeder conductor sizing (minimum ampacity and continuous vs. noncontinuous loads); Overcurrent protection for feeders; Feeder neutral conductor sizing; Demand factors for dwelling and non-dwelling loads; Outside feeder installation requirements (clearances, supports, and wiring methods); Feeder disconnecting means requirements (rating, location, and number).
Branch Circuit Conductors 15 items
Our study plan for this topic: Branch Circuit Calculation; Overcurrent Protection; Conductors; Required Outlets & GFCI/AFCI Protection; Equipment Grounding; Voltage Drop Calculations for Branch Circuits; Conductor Ampacity Correction and Adjustment Factors; Conductor Insulation Types and Applications.
Wiring Methods and Materials 21 items
The outline lists: Raceway Installations; Underground Wiring Methods; Boxes and Enclosures; Cabinets, Panelboards, & Switchboards; Clearance and Guarding; Flexible Cords and Cables; Cable Wiring Methods (NM, AC, MC, MI, SE, UF, TC, ITC, and specialty types) — Uses Permitted and Not Permitted; Conduit Bending Calculations and Techniques.
Equipment Devices 10 items
Our study plan for this topic: Luminaires; Receptacles, Switches and Other Devices; Appliances and Other Equipment; Other Utilization Equipment; Heating and Cooling Equipment; Fixture Wire Types, Ampacity, and Installation Requirements; Lighting Track Installation, Construction, and Restrictions; Low-Voltage Lighting System Requirements and Voltage Limitations.
Control Devices 3 items
Our study plan for this topic: Switches, Disconnects and Controllers; Motor controller ratings, markings, and horsepower requirements; Motor control circuit overcurrent protection and wiring methods; Motor disconnecting means types, location, and current ratings; Motor overload protection devices and settings; Stop-start stations, jogging circuits, and hand-off-automatic control schemes; Industrial control panel overcurrent protection, short-circuit current rating, and marking; Class 1 power-limited remote-control and signaling circuit requirements.
Motors and Generators 5 items
Our study plan for this topic: Motors; Generators; Motor branch-circuit conductor sizing (125% rule and special motor types); Motor overload protection selection and trip current percentages; Motor branch-circuit short-circuit and ground-fault protective device ratings (Table 430.52); Motor disconnecting means requirements and location; Motor controllers — ratings, types, and marking requirements; Motor control centers — overcurrent protection, grounding, and busbar arrangements.
Special Occupancies, Equipment and Conditions 9 items
The outline lists: Special Occupancies; Swimming Pools and Similar Installations; Mobile Home and RV Parks; Data Processing Equipment; Miscellaneous Special Equipment; Emergency Systems; Signaling and Fire Alarm Systems; Hazardous Location Classification (Classes, Divisions, and Zones).
Sample 1 — Wiring Methods and Materials
Question: A 480V switchboard has exposed live parts front and rear. What is minimum working clearance required?
- A. 3 ft
- B. 4 ft
- C. 5 ft
- D. 6 ft
Correct Answer: B
Exposed live parts on both sides = Condition 3; Table 110.26(A)(1), 151–600V → 4 ft.
Reference: NEC 2023 Table 110.26(A)(1)
Sample 2 — Branch Circuit Conductors
Question: A single-family dwelling with a 120/240-volt, single-phase service has a calculated load of 154 amps. Using 75°C rated copper THWN-2 conductors, what is the minimum service conductor size?
- A. 1 AWG
- B. 1/0 AWG
- C. 2/0 AWG
- D. 3/0 AWG
Correct Answer: B
Step 1: A 154 A calculated load needs a service rated at least 154 A; the next standard rating is 175 A (240.6(A)).
Step 2: For a one-family dwelling supplied by a 120/240-volt, single-phase service, the NEC permits service conductors with an ampacity of not less than 83% of the service rating (310.12(A); 310.15(B)(7) in the 2017 NEC): 175 A × 0.83 = 145.25 A.
Step 3: In the 75°C copper column of Table 310.16, 1 AWG = 130 A (too small) and 1/0 AWG = 150 A, so 1/0 AWG copper is the minimum. Table 310.12(A) likewise lists 1/0 AWG copper for a 175 A dwelling service.
2/0 AWG (175 A) is what you get by sizing for the full 154 A with Table 310.16 alone, without the dwelling allowance.
Reference: NEC 2023 Section 310.12(A) and Table 310.12(A) (2017 NEC: 310.15(B)(7)); Table 310.16; 240.6(A); NEC 2023 Table 310.12(A)
Sample 3 — Equipment Devices
Question: Which type of fluorescent ballast is NOT required to have thermal protection?
- A. A simple reactance ballast with straight tubular lamps
- B. A ballast in a surface-mounted luminaire
- C. A ballast in a pendant-mounted luminaire
- D. A ballast in a recessed luminaire
Correct Answer: A
Per NEC 410.130(E)(2), a simple reactance ballast in a fluorescent luminaire with straight tubular lamps shall not be required to be thermally protected. Additionally, per 410.130(E)(3), a ballast in a fluorescent exit luminaire is also exempt, but among the choices given, the simple reactance ballast is the correct answer.
Reference: NEC 2023 Section 410.130(E)(2)
Your first score is just a starting point. After every attempt, the results page shows how you did on each outline topic, so you can see what to work on next. Compare your score with the real exam's passing score, a minimum score of 70, and keep at it until you pass consistently.
- Start with the questions you know. Go through the whole exam once and bookmark anything you're unsure about. Our practice exams let you bookmark and come back.
- Circle back to your bookmarks on the second pass.
- Keep an eye on your pace. The real exam works out to about 3 minutes per question.
- Turn every miss into a lesson. After each attempt, look up each missed question's reference in your book and read the section.
| Questions | 80 questions |
| Time limit | 4 hours |
| Passing score | a minimum score of 70 |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $115 |
- Results for exams taken electronically are available immediately after you finish the exam.
- A failed exam may be retaken after 30 days, and after a second failure there is a 90-day wait before each later attempt.
Source: South Dakota Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin, PUBLISHED August 19, 2025. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.