Journeyman Exam Prep · State licensing board (varies by state)
Pass journeyman on the first try.
Journeyman pays $25K+ more than apprentice. Free practice quiz to see where you stand.
The journeyman electrician license is the single biggest pay multiplier in the trade — and the toughest exam in most states. The 80-question test covers NEC code application, motor circuits, grounding, transformers, and troubleshooting. VoltPal's training mirrors the most common state exam blueprint and adds AI tutoring on every wrong answer, with NEC 2026 references built in.
What's on the Journeyman exam
Domain breakdown by question count and weight. VoltPal mirrors this structure exactly so your study time maps to what's actually tested.
1. Advanced NEC Code Application
16 questions · 20%Article 210 branch circuits · Article 220 load calcs · Article 250 grounding · Chapter 9 tables
2. Motor Circuits and Controls
16 questions · 20%Article 430 sizing · FLA + locked rotor · Overload + short-circuit protection · Motor disconnects
3. Commercial and Industrial Wiring
16 questions · 20%Feeders + branch circuits · Panelboards + switchboards · Conduit fill · Voltage drop
4. Grounding and Bonding
16 questions · 20%Service grounding · Equipment grounding conductor sizing · Bonding jumpers · Ground-fault paths
5. Transformers and Power Distribution
8 questions · 10%Single + 3-phase · Delta vs wye · Transformer sizing · Secondary connections
6. Troubleshooting and Testing
8 questions · 10%Megger + insulation · Ground continuity · Voltage testing · Motor diagnostics
Sample Journeyman questions
Real-style questions at the level of difficulty you'll see on exam day. Try them, then take the full free practice quiz.
Question 1
An electrician is installing a main bonding jumper for a 400-amp service with three sets of 500 kcmil copper service entrance conductors run in parallel. What is the minimum size copper main bonding jumper required?
Why
Per NEC 250.28(D) and Table 250.102(C)(1), the main bonding jumper must be sized based on the area of the largest service entrance conductor on the line side of the service disconnect. With three sets of 500 kcmil in parallel, the total area is 1500 kcmil. The table requires a copper main bonding jumper of 350 kcmil for that area.
Ref: NEC 250.28(D), Table 250.102(C)(1)
Question 2
A contractor is installing a feeder tap connection to an existing 800-ampere busway system. The tap conductors are 25 feet long and will supply a 200-ampere panelboard. What is the minimum ampacity required for the tap conductors?
Why
Per NEC 368.17(C), busway tap conductors must have an ampacity of not less than one-third the rating of the overcurrent device protecting the busway, or not less than the ampacity of the load-side conductor — whichever is greater. One-third of 800 A equals 267 A, which governs over the 200 A panelboard load.
Ref: NEC 368.17(C)
Question 3
According to NEC Article 392, what is the maximum allowable sag for cable tray spans between supports?
Why
NEC Article 392 specifies that cable trays shall not have a sag exceeding 1 inch in 12 feet between supports. This is a structural-integrity rule to prevent cable damage from prolonged stress. The other answers represent common distractors — knowing the actual ratio is a quick-recall point on the exam.
Ref: NEC Article 392
What Journeyman is worth
Journeyman license is the single biggest pay multiplier in the trade — +$25K/yr over apprentice. Master electricians earn $75K–$100K+, especially in renewable energy and industrial. IBEW union electricians earn ~$10/hr more than non-union peers, with total comp 30–40% higher in gateway markets. With 81,000 openings per year through 2034, licensed techs are in a seller's market.
Apprentice
$30K–$55K
Journeyman
$55K–$75K
Source: BLS SOC 47-2111 (2024 median $62,350) + IBEW/NECA state wage surveys
How VoltPal prepares you
Free public quiz to see where you stand, then unlimited timed mocks, weak-area drills, and per-domain readiness scoring inside the app.
Take the free practice quiz
10 questions, 5 minutes. Get a snapshot of where you stand against the 70% pass mark and which domains need work.
Get your weak-area drills
VoltPal routes you to targeted practice in the domains you scored lowest on — no time wasted reviewing what you already know.
Run full timed mocks
Full 80-question, 120-minute simulations under exam conditions. Track your readiness score until you're consistently above the pass mark.
FAQs about the Journeyman exam
How long does it take to prep for the journeyman exam?
Most apprentices study 8–16 weeks while finishing the on-the-job hours required by their state (typically 4,000–8,000 hours). VoltPal's readiness scoring tells you when you're consistently above the 70% pass mark in each domain — particularly NEC code application and grounding, the two domains that trip up the most candidates.
How much does the journeyman exam cost?
Exam fees range $75–$200 depending on the state. Prep courses run $300–$1,000. Total typical out-of-pocket is $500–$1,500. VoltPal Pro is $12.95/mo or $89.95/yr — less than a single prep-course session, with unlimited practice and AI tutoring on NEC code questions.
Is the journeyman exam different in each state?
Yes. Most states use a variant of the ICC or PSI national exam with state-specific amendments. Texas, California, and Florida have their own state-administered tests. Core NEC content is the same everywhere; VoltPal's training focuses on the universal NEC + the most common state amendment patterns.
Do I need IBEW or union affiliation to take the journeyman exam?
No. The license is state-issued and doesn't require union membership. That said — IBEW journeymen earn ~$10/hr more on average and have access to better benefits packages in unionized markets (NYC, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco). The license is what unlocks the union job, not the other way around.
Does NEC 2026 affect the exam?
Yes — when your state adopts NEC 2026 (most states adopt within 1–2 years of publication), the exam updates to the new code. VoltPal automatically updates the question bank when each NEC cycle ships, so you're always studying against the version your state is testing on.
Start your Journeyman prep today
Free practice quiz first. Full study tools, mock exams, and weak-area drills inside VoltPal.