Texas Maintenance Electrician Practice Exam
Code edition notice: Since September 1, 2026, the Texas electrical exams reference the 2026 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC). In the 2026 edition, the load-calculation rules moved from Article 220 to Article 120. For example, 220.52(A) and Table 220.45 in the 2023 NEC are 120.52(A) and Table 120.45 in the 2026 NEC. Our practice questions use the 2026 numbering. If your code book has load calculations in Article 220, it is the 2023 edition or older.
Free Practice Exam
Test your knowledge with 10 questions from our pool of 20 free questions.
- 10 questions per attempt
- 30 minute time limit
- Unlimited attempts
- A new mix each time
- Instant results
Full Practice Exam
Complete exam simulation matching the real PSI test format.
- 60 questions (same as real exam)
- 180 minute time limit
- 9 topic areas covered
- 341 questions in pool
- Detailed explanations
Texts preferred · 9am–9pm Central
Texas Maintenance Electrician: Practice Exam Guide
What's on the exam
Questions per topic, out of 60The Texas Maintenance Electrician licensing exam is 60 scored questions with a 180-minute time limit, plus 5 non-scored items with 20 additional minutes. You need a 70% — 42 correct — to pass. Questions pull from nine topic areas that span NEC code interpretation, load calculations, wiring methods, motor circuits, and special occupancies such as swimming pools, RVs and mobile homes, data processing and communications equipment, and emergency systems.
Two practice options are available here:
Free practice exam — 10 questions per attempt, drawn from a limited pool. You can retake it as many times as you want. It is a solid way to get a feel for question style and pacing before you commit to serious prep.
Full practice exam — 60 questions, 180-minute timer, structured exactly like the real exam. Questions are pulled from a pool of 341 questions, so each attempt gives you a different set. No two runs are identical. This is where actual preparation happens.
Start with the free version. If you are scoring well and want broader coverage, move to the full exam.
Definitions, Calculations, Theory, and Plans — 5 items
These questions test whether you can calculate branch-circuit, feeder, and service loads using demand factors and unit loads. You also need to know grounding and bonding requirements — electrode systems, conductor sizing, bonding jumpers — and overcurrent protection device ratings and placement rules. GFCI and AFCI protection requirements by location show up here, along with NEC code structure: how chapters and articles relate to each other, what "shall" versus "shall be permitted" means, and what authority the AHJ carries. Know NEC 90.3 and NEC 90.5(A) cold — exam questions test mandatory versus permissive language directly.
Electrical Services, Service Equipment, and Separately Derived Systems — 8 items
This is a heavy topic. Questions cover service conductor ampacity for both overhead and underground runs, disconnecting means location and grouping, and overcurrent protection for service conductors. Grounding and bonding at the service is tested in detail: the grounding electrode system, main bonding jumper sizing, and grounding electrode conductor sizing. Separately derived systems have their own bonding and grounding rules that differ from standard service rules — know the distinction. NEC, Section 250.24(B) and NEC, Section 250.28(B) are in the citable question bank.
Electrical Feeders — 3 items
Feeder questions focus on the 125% rule for continuous loads, demand factor calculations for dwelling and commercial occupancies, and ground-fault protection requirements for feeders rated 1000 amperes or more. Know NEC, Section 215.2(A)(1) and NEC, Section 215.3. Ampacity correction and adjustment factors for temperature and bundling apply here too.
Branch Circuit Calculations and Conductors — 10 items
The largest topic on the exam. Expect conductor sizing questions using the 125% rule for continuous loads, GFCI and AFCI requirements by location and occupancy, and branch-circuit load calculations. NEC 210.8, NEC 210.8(A), and NEC 210.8(B) are cited directly in this exam's question bank. Know which locations require GFCI in both dwelling and non-dwelling settings. Overcurrent protection ratings and sizing, plus ampacity table usage with correction and adjustment factors, are tested repeatedly.
Electrical Wiring Methods and Electrical Materials — 9 items
Questions here test conductor ampacity using NEC tables, physical protection requirements through and parallel to framing members per NEC 300.4(A)(1) and NEC 300.4(A)(2), and minimum burial depths under NEC Table 300.5(A). Permitted and prohibited uses of cable types — NM, NMC, AC, MC, MI, SE, USE, UF — are tested directly. Securing and supporting intervals, conductor insulation markings, and conduit fill using NEC Table 1, Chapter 9 all appear in this section.
Electrical Equipment and Devices — 10 items
Tied with branch circuits as the heaviest topic. Switch ratings and permitted uses, receptacle grounding and replacement rules, and panelboard installation requirements under NEC, Section 408.36(A) and NEC, Section 408.37 are all tested. Motor disconnecting means and overload protection appear here as well as in the Motors section. Luminaire installation — support, grounding, wiring — and A/C equipment branch circuits and disconnecting means round out this topic.
Motors and Generators — 4 items
Know motor branch-circuit conductor sizing under NEC 430.22, short-circuit and ground-fault protective device ratings per NEC 430.52(C)(1), and overload protection trip percentages under NEC 430.32(A)(1). NEC Table 430.250 gives full-load current values you calculate from. Generator conductor ampacity rules fall under NEC, Section 445.13(A). Disconnecting means location and rating requirements are tested.
Electrical Control Devices and Disconnecting Means — 3 items
Questions focus on switch connection rules, grounded conductor handling, and the specific ratings required for different load types. Motor controller ratings and motor disconnecting means location come up here too. NEC, Section 404.2(B) and NEC, Section 404.14(A) are in the question bank.
Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions — 8 items
This topic covers special occupancies, swimming pools, RVs and mobile homes, data processing and communications equipment, and emergency systems. All questions are referenced to the 2026 NEC; the NEC Handbook is not allowed in the examination room.
Question 1 — Branch Circuit Calculations and Conductors
A 120/240V single-phase service has 200A unbalanced load. What is the minimum neutral size if the calculated load is 60%?
- A. 1/0 AWG
- B. 2/0 AWG
- C. 3/0 AWG
- D. 4/0 AWG
Correct answer: A — 1/0 AWG
The math is straightforward: 200A × 60% = 120A. A 1/0 AWG copper conductor is rated 150A, which covers the 120A calculated neutral load. Candidates lose this question by sizing to the full 200A instead of applying the demand percentage first.
Question 2 — Electrical Equipment and Devices
What is the minimum width of working space for panelboards?
- A. 24"
- B. 30"
- C. Width of equipment
- D. Equipment width or 30", whichever is greater
Correct answer: D — Equipment width or 30", whichever is greater
Per NEC 110.26(A)(2), the working space width must be at least 30 inches or the width of the equipment — whichever is larger. A narrow panelboard does not get you a narrower workspace. Many candidates pick B thinking 30 inches is always the answer, but if the equipment is wider than 30 inches, the equipment width controls.
Question 3 — Electrical Wiring Methods and Electrical Materials
A 2" EMT conduit contains (4) 3/0 THHN copper conductors. Is this within code?
- A. Yes
- B. No
Correct answer: A — Yes
Per NEC Table 1, Chapter 9, conduit fill for more than two conductors is limited to 40%. Four 3/0 THHN conductors in 2" EMT fall within that 40% fill limit. This type of question requires you to actually use the fill tables — answer B is a trap for anyone who guesses without checking.
Passing requires 70% — 42 out of 60 questions correct.
Your first practice attempt is a diagnostic. It tells you where your gaps are, not whether you will pass. A score of 55–65% on a first run does not mean you are far off — it means you have identified the topics to work.
Pay attention to which topics you miss, not just your total score. The full practice exam breaks results down by topic area. If you are dropping points in Branch Circuit Calculations (10 items) or Special Occupancies (8 items), that is where your study time goes next. Those two topics alone account to nearly one-third of the exam.
Scoring 70–75% on practice does not mean you are ready. Exam day conditions differ, and the real question pool may hit subtopics your practice runs did not emphasize. Target 80%+ consistently across multiple full-length attempts before you schedule the real exam.
Wrong table for the situation. Ampacity questions require you to pick the right NEC table, apply the right temperature column, and then apply correction and adjustment factors in the right order. Skipping a derating step is one of the most common errors in Branch Circuit Calculations and Electrical Wiring Methods.
Ignoring the 125% rule for continuous loads. The rule appears in feeders, branch circuits, and service calculations. Missing it by one step — calculating to 100% instead of 125% — drops you to the wrong conductor size every time.
Blurring the special occupancy rules. Special Occupancies questions cover special occupancies, swimming pools, RVs and mobile homes, data processing and communications equipment, and emergency systems — a section that carries 8 items.
Misreading the disconnecting means rules. Service disconnect requirements and motor disconnect requirements share similar language but have different conditions. Candidates who blur those distinctions lose points in both Electrical Services and Electrical Control Devices.
Running out of time. 180 minutes for 60 questions is 3 minutes per question. Calculation-heavy items in Branch Circuit and Feeder topics can eat 5–6 minutes each if you are not practiced. Use the full practice exam under timed conditions.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total questions | 60 |
| Time limit | 180 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% (42 correct) |
| Number of topic areas | 9 |
| Heaviest topics | Branch Circuits (10 items), Electrical Equipment (10 items) |
| Practice pool (full exam) | 341 questions |