California General Electrician Exam (2026)
California has no license called "journeyman": the equivalent is the General Electrician certification from the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). The exam has 100 questions in 4 hours 30 minutes, you need 70%, and the references — NEC 2023, NFPA 70E (2024) and a Cal/OSHA pocket guide — are on screen: you can't bring your own book.
| Item | California |
|---|---|
| Certifying agency | California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), Electrician Certification Unit |
| Exam vendor | CPS HR Consulting, at Pearson VUE test centers (from June 1, 2026) |
| Questions and time | 100 questions, 4 hours 30 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Code edition | NEC 2023 (the basis of the 2025 California Electrical Code) |
| References | Provided on screen: NEC, NFPA 70E 2024, Cal/OSHA pocket guide; no personal books |
| Fees | $75 application; $100 for each exam or retest |
| Experience | 8,000 hours for the General Electrician category |
What changes with an on-screen Code
Because you can't use your own tabbed book, speed comes from knowing where rules live: the article numbers for grounding (250), overcurrent protection (240), branch circuits (210), wiring methods (300 and the 3xx raceway articles), motors (430) and the Chapter 9 tables. Practice searching a digital NEC the way you will on test day.
Start with our free practice test (NEC 2023, each answer with its section) and the calculations guide.
Get new questions and our journeyman guide first
We add new practice questions and state pages every month, and Prep Master Digital is preparing a complete Journeyman Electrician study guide with full-length tests and an audiobook. Leave your email and we will tell you when they are out.