Who can sit it
Two things, both documented: you have held a Texas Journeyman Electrician license for at least two years, and you have 12,000 hours of on-the-job training under a Master Electrician licensed in Texas, signed off by each supervisor on TDLR's experience verification form. TDLR may call your supervisors to check. The application fee is $45, non-refundable.
When TDLR approves the application you get an email saying you may test. From the day TDLR received the application you have one year to pass and finish licensing.
What is on it
The master exam is two separate portions, each passed on its own at 70 percent:
| Portion | Questions | Time | To pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEC Knowledge | 75 (70 scored, 5 unscored) | 150 minutes | 70 percent |
| Calculations | 33 (30 scored, 3 unscored) | 170 minutes | 70 percent |
Spare time from the first portion does not carry into the second. The unscored items are indistinguishable from the scored ones.
Subject counts from PSI's bulletin updated September 15, 2026. The mock exam here uses these exact numbers.
| Subject area | Knowledge | Calculations |
|---|---|---|
| Definitions, theory and plans | 7 | 2 |
| Services, service equipment and separately derived systems | 11 | 8 |
| Feeders | 4 | 3 |
| Branch circuits and conductors | 11 | 4 |
| Wiring methods and materials | 7 | 2 |
| Equipment and devices | 8 | 2 |
| Motors and generators | 7 | 6 |
| Control devices and disconnecting means | 3 | 1 |
| Special occupancies, equipment and conditions | 8 | 1 |
| Renewable energy technologies | 4 | 1 |
Where the master exam differs from journeyman: services and motors carry the calculations portion. Eight of the 30 calculation items are service and transformer work, six are motors. If you are going to lose points anywhere, it is there, so that is where our drills point first.
PSI's two standing rules: conductors are copper unless stated, and exceptions and optional methods apply only when the question invokes them.
Which code
The 2026 NEC, since September 1, 2026. Load calculations live in Article 120 now (formerly 220); the transformer article, the service article and Article 430 all have renumbered sections. Every citation in the course is to the 2026 text, and the lessons flag each move from 2023.
What you can bring
Open book, one book:
- A soft-bound 2026 NEC. Loose-leaf, spiral or ring-bound copies are not allowed in the room.
- Highlighting, underlining and notes made before the exam are fine. Nothing may be written during it.
- Only publisher-made permanent index tabs. DIY tabs come off at the door.
- No Handbook, no loose paper. PSI gives you an electronic notepad.
- A non-programmable, silent, battery-powered calculator without an alphabet keyboard or paper tape.
Everything else goes in a locker. Arrive 30 minutes early with a valid government photo ID matching TDLR's records exactly.
How to book
After TDLR's approval email, schedule at PSI's TDLR page or call (833) 333-4741. $78 covers both portions; retaking one or both is $78. Sixteen PSI sites across Texas, from El Paso to Harlingen. English or Spanish at no extra cost; choose when you schedule. Cancel or reschedule at least two days ahead or the fee is forfeited.
Questions people ask
I passed one portion and failed the other. Do I retake both?
No. You retake only the failed portion, for $78, inside your one-year eligibility window. There is no limit on attempts within that window.
Does the master exam include business or law questions?
No. The Texas master exam is entirely NEC: ten subject areas, knowledge and calculations. There is no law, business or contracting section. The Electrical Contractor license is a separate TDLR application that requires a master on staff and insurance; it has no exam of its own.
How long do I have per question?
Two minutes each on the knowledge portion, a little over five on calculations. The calculations portion is where candidates run out of time, which is why our timed mock keeps the same pace.
Is the exam in Spanish?
Yes, at no additional cost. Choose the language when you schedule with PSI. A bound word-to-word dictionary without pictures or definitions may be brought in.
How often does the license renew?
Yearly, with TDLR, online. Check TDLR's current continuing-education rule before your first renewal.