Journeyman and master electrician license and test requirements in North Carolina — what the state requires, who gives the exam, which NEC edition it is written on, the fees, and how to sign up. Free — no account needed.
North Carolina has NO statewide journeyman license; the NCBEEC licenses electrical CONTRACTORS (Limited, Intermediate, Unlimited, and specialty classifications). Journeyman/wireman licenses, where required, are issued by individual municipalities. To hold a contractor license you must pass the PSI exam (min score 70) after meeting the board's experience requirements.
No statewide master license as such; the top individual credential is the Unlimited electrical contractor license through NCBEEC (highest classification, unlimited project value). Requires meeting the board's experience and exam requirements via PSI. Some cities issue local master licenses separately.
Kevin's Electrical Prep Course is built by a licensed master electrician, instructor and electrical inspector: 630+ practice questions with every math problem worked out step by step, timed practice exams, video lessons and drive-along audio. Both code books included — NEC 2023 and NEC 2026. So you study the edition North Carolina actually tests on — the NEC 2023. $200 for 6 months, and a pass guarantee.
See the course & take 15 free sample questions → Get 6-month access — $200North Carolina uses PSI as its testing provider. Licensing is handled by North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC).
2020 NEC. Per the NCBEEC examinations page, all Board exams currently use the 2020 NEC edition; the move to the 2023 NEC has been delayed. Confirm the effective change date on ncbeec.org/examinations/ before testing.
No statewide journeyman exam (journeyman is municipal). Contractor exams via PSI: Limited/Intermediate/Unlimited = 100 multiple-choice questions, 6 hours; Fire Alarm/Low Voltage = 50 questions, 3 hours; Special Restricted = 40 questions, 3 hours; Swimming Pool = 25 questions, 1 hour. Partly open-book (may reference the NEC and NFPA books) and partly closed-book (NC laws/rules and the NASCLA Business, Law & Project Management guide are closed-book). Minimum passing grade 70. Source: https://www.ncbeec.org/examinations/
$125.00 application & exam fee (all classifications); exam review $25.00 · License/app: License fee by classification: Limited $100.00, Intermediate $150.00, Unlimited $200.00, Special Restricted $100.00 (late renewal $25.00)
North Carolina has NO statewide journeyman license; the NCBEEC licenses electrical CONTRACTORS (Limited, Intermediate, Unlimited, and specialty classifications). Journeyman/wireman licenses, where required, are issued by individual municipalities. To hold a contractor license you must pass the PSI exam (min score 70) after meeting the board's experience requirements.
No statewide master license as such; the top individual credential is the Unlimited electrical contractor license through NCBEEC (highest classification, unlimited project value). Requires meeting the board's experience and exam requirements via PSI. Some cities issue local master licenses separately.
Journeyman: North Carolina has NO statewide journeyman license; the NCBEEC licenses electrical CONTRACTORS (Limited, Intermediate, Unlimited, and specialty classifications). Journeyman/wireman licenses, where required, are issued by individual municipalities. To hold a contractor license you must pass the PSI exam (min score 70) after meeting the board's experience requirements. Master: No statewide master license as such; the top individual credential is the Unlimited electrical contractor license through NCBEEC (highest classification, unlimited project value). Requires meeting the board's experience and exam requirements via PSI. Some cities issue local master licenses separately.
NCBEEC maintains contractor-license reciprocity with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia (each has its own reciprocity requirements page). Verify at link
State board licenses CONTRACTORS (business-oriented, three tiers plus specialties), not journeymen/masters. Journeyman-level credentials are local/municipal in NC. All board exams are computer-based via PSI ($125 each, same-day results); schedule at test-takers.psiexams.com/ncbeec.
Everything above is kept current, but North Carolina can change a fee, a form or an exam provider at any time — and the state's own site is always the live answer. Before you register, click through and confirm:
These open North Carolina's official pages in a new tab. Nothing on this site replaces what your state board publishes.