Kentucky
Kentucky Journeyman Electrician Exam Prep: Format, Code Book, and Study Plan
The Kentucky journeyman electrician exam is 80 multiple-choice questions on the 2023 NEC in three hours, open book. This guide explains the format, what you may bring, and how to turn the outline into a study plan.
The exam at a glance
| Questions | 80 questions in 3 hours |
|---|---|
| Passing | 70% correct |
| Book policy | Open book: you bring the reference and look things up during the exam. |
| Reference | NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023 edition |
| Exam fee | $80. Exam fee paid to Prov at registration. Free reschedule or cancel at least 3 days before; otherwise the fee is forfeited. Board application and license fees are separate and not in the bulletin. |
| Given by | Prov, Inc. for Commonwealth of Kentucky Electrical Licensing Board (Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction) |
Which edition to study
The official outline names NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023 edition. Study from that edition: questions are written against it, and section numbers and values differ between editions.
What you can bring
Bring the 2023 NEC. Before the exam you may highlight and underline it in pen and add permanent tabs; repositionable tabs, added sheets and indexes are not allowed, and you may not mark the book during the exam. Ugly's Electrical References is also allowed.
You test at a Prov testing center or remotely online, in English or Spanish.
Kentucky's delayed NEC rules
Kentucky enforces the 2023 NEC through the Kentucky Building Code (815 KAR 7:120) and the Kentucky Residential Code (815 KAR 7:125, effective December 3, 2024), with mandatory enforcement from January 1, 2025. For one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses under the Kentucky Residential Code, two GFCI rules are still delayed, per the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction notice for July 15, 2026: GFCI protection for dwelling receptacles over 125 volts in 210.8(A), and GFCI protection for electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units and clothes dryers in 210.8(D)(8) through (11). Apartments and commercial buildings under the Kentucky Building Code are not delayed. The delays on 210.52(C), 230.67 and 314.27(C) ended on July 15, 2026.
The candidate bulletin says only that items comply with the 2023 NEC; it does not say whether questions follow Kentucky's delays. So the course leaves out the few questions whose answer would change under Kentucky's rule, and the GFCI lessons note what Kentucky delays. On the job, check which rules your inspector enforces.
Free practice for this exam
- Kentucky journeyman practice test: 30 questions on the 2023 NEC across every outline area.
- NEC code practice test, 2023 edition: timed lookups.
- Which NEC edition each state tests.
- Kentucky electrician license requirements: every license level, hours, fees, renewal and the official lookup.
What the exam covers
The official outline gives the number of questions in each subject area. Spend the most time where the most questions are.
- General Electrical Theory & Principles7 questionsGeneral Electrical Theory & Principles
- Plan Reading5 questionsPlan Reading
- Wiring & Protection15 questionsWiring & Protection
- Wiring Methods & Materials17 questionsWiring Methods & Materials
- Motors & Controls11 questionsMotors & Controls
- Equipment for General Use10 questionsEquipment for General Use
- Special Occupancies5 questionsSpecial Occupancies
- Special Equipment4 questionsSpecial Equipment
- Special Conditions3 questionsSpecial Conditions
- Communication Systems3 questionsCommunication Systems
What changed
- January 1, 2025: Mandatory enforcement of the 2023 NEC in Kentucky began (DHBC notice of 2024-10-07), with some dwelling provisions delayed.
- July 15, 2026: Delayed 2023 NEC dwelling provisions 210.52(C), 230.67 and 314.27(C) became enforceable under the Kentucky Residential Code; the 210.8(A) over-125-volt and 210.8(D)(8) to (11) GFCI provisions remain delayed (DHBC notice).
How to prepare
Start by attempting questions across the exam subjects. Separate the problems you can solve independently from those where you need help.
For calculations, work on the setup as well as the arithmetic. Identify the unknown, select the method, use the correct units, and check the result.
For code questions, practice locating and applying the relevant sections with your own book. Keep track of questions that take too long, even when you get them right.
As you improve, mix topics and use fresh timed practice to check whether you can choose the right approach without a lesson guiding you.
If you are retaking the exam
Use your score report to identify subjects that need attention. Then work out whether the difficulty is understanding the topic, setting up the calculation, finding the code section, or finishing in time. Each calls for different practice.
Revisit the underlying skills, then check your progress with questions you have not already memorized.
The course
A starting assessment finds what you already know. Each day you get a short list of work: new skills taught with a lesson and a worked example, practice until they stick, review of earlier skills, and mixed questions. Timed practice exams follow the official outline's weights.
$149 for six months of access.
Pass-or-refund guarantee. If you complete your study plan and do not pass your journeyman electrician exam, we will refund what you paid for the course. You have completed your study plan when, from the day your access starts to your exam date: (1) you finished at least 80 percent of the daily study lists the course assigned you; and (2) in your final 30 days of study you sat at least one full timed practice exam for each part of the exam. To claim, tell us within 30 days after your exam date, from the Guarantee page in your account, and include your score report. The course checks your study record when you claim and shows you the result. A person reviews every refund; we reply by email within five business days. One refund per person per purchase. Seats bought by an organization are covered for each learner on the same terms, with the refund paid to the organization for that learner's seat.
Official sources
- Electrical Licensing Board, Candidate Information Bulletin (KY CIB), Prov, Inc. Dated October 31, 2026.
- DHBC memo: 2023 National Electrical Code, Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. Dated October 7, 2024.
- DHBC notice: July 15, 2026 NEC update, Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction.
- 2018 Kentucky Building Code, Fourth Edition, Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction.
- 815 KAR 7:125, Kentucky Residential Code, Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Dated August 13, 2024.
This page was checked against these documents on November 11, 2026. We compare every fact on this page with these documents each week; the last comparison, on November 11, 2026, found no change.