# Texas Master Electrician Exam: Format, Fees and How to Pass

> The Texas Master Electrician exam is two separate PSI portions, NEC Knowledge (75 items, 150 minutes) and Calculations (33 items, 170 minutes), with 70% needed on each. It costs $78 for both, it is open book with your own 2026 NEC, and fewer than 1 in 5 passed Master Calculations in FY2025.

Updated: 2026-11-09

The Texas Master Electrician exam is given by PSI for TDLR and has been based on the 2026 NEC since September 1, 2026. It comes in two portions scored separately. Of the Journeyman, Master and Residential Wireman exams, Master Calculations had the lowest pass rate in every year from FY2022 to FY2025.

## Key facts

- Two portions: NEC Knowledge (75 items, 150 minutes) and Calculations (33 items, 170 minutes).
- You need 70% on each portion, passed separately.
- The fee is $78 for both portions. A retake is $78 whether you failed one portion or both.
- Open book with your own soft-bound NEC and only the publisher's permanent index tabs.
- English or Spanish at no extra cost, chosen when you schedule.
- FY2025 pass rates: 22.21% Master NEC, 19.08% Master Calculations.

## Exam format, part by part

Both portions are multiple choice, on a computer, at a PSI center in Texas. Each portion contains non-scored pilot items. PSI says their time is already built into the time allowed.

| Portion | Items (scored + non-scored) | Minutes | Minutes per item |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEC Knowledge | 75 (70 + 5) | 150 | about 2.0 |
| Calculations | 33 (30 + 3) | 170 | about 5.2 (5.7 per scored item) |

Leftover time on the first portion does not carry over to the second. TDLR statistics list Master NEC and Master Calculations as separate exams from FY2022 on, so the split is older than that. Neither TDLR nor PSI gives the exact start date.

Master Calculations gives you more time per item than the journeyman version, about 5.2 minutes compared with about 4.2. The outline also leans harder on services and motors, and those problems usually take several steps: a commercial or multifamily load, a feeder for several motors, a transformer and its protection.

## What the content outline covers

Scored items per subject area, from the PSI bulletin. Area names are paraphrased.

| Subject area | NEC Knowledge | Calculations |
|---|---|---|
| Definitions, theory and plan reading | 7 | 2 |
| Services and separately derived systems (load, fault current, grounding and bonding, transformers) | 11 | 8 |
| Feeders (load and overcurrent protection) | 4 | 3 |
| Branch circuits and conductors (GFCI, AFCI, OCP, grounding conductors) | 11 | 4 |
| Wiring methods and materials | 7 | 2 |
| Equipment and devices (A/C, appliances, workspace) | 8 | 2 |
| Motors and generators | 7 | 6 |
| Controls and disconnecting means | 3 | 1 |
| Special occupancies (pools, RVs, mobile homes, marinas, emergency systems) | 8 | 1 |
| Renewable energy (PV, EV chargers) | 4 | 1 |
| **Total scored** | **70** | **30** |

The Calculations outline is lopsided. Services (8) and motors and generators (6) are 14 of the 30 scored items. If you can do service load calculations and motor circuits without hesitating, you are close to halfway to a pass before you touch anything else.

Two PSI instructions apply to every question: ignore code exceptions and optional calculation methods unless the question asks for them, and treat conductors as copper unless the question says otherwise.

## Fees and eligibility

- **Exam fee:** $78 for both portions, paid to PSI.
- **TDLR application fee:** $45.
- **Experience:** a journeyman license held for 2 years, plus 12,000 hours under a Master Electrician. Hours worked as a Journeyman Industrial do not count. See [master license requirements](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/texas-master-electrician-license-requirements/).
- **Eligibility window:** one year from the date TDLR receives your application to meet every requirement, the exam included.
- **Cancel or reschedule** at least 2 days before your appointment, or the fee is lost.

## Open-book and calculator rules

Bring your own soft-bound NEC. Highlighting, underlining and notes are fine if you add them before the exam. Only permanent index tabs made or supplied by the NEC publisher are allowed. Homemade tabs, spiral or ring binding, loose-leaf copies, the NEC Handbook and extra paper are not. Read [open-book NEC rules and tabs](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/open-book-nec-rules-and-tabs/) before you set up your book.

The calculator must be silent, battery-powered, non-programmable, with no paper tape and no letter keyboard. See [calculator rules](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/calculator-rules/).

## Pass rates

From TDLR's yearly statistics. "Taken" counts passes plus fails and leaves out no-shows. There is no first-time column.

| Fiscal year | Master NEC taken | Master NEC pass rate | Master Calculations taken | Master Calculations pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2022 | 2,433 | 26.26% | 2,876 | 20.72% |
| FY2023 | 3,090 | 25.83% | 3,644 | 21.71% |
| FY2024 | 2,934 | 26.01% | 3,487 | 19.96% |
| FY2025 | 3,472 | 22.21% | 3,946 | 19.08% |

In every year, Calculations was taken more times than NEC and passed at a lower rate. Roughly 1 in 5 attempts at Master Calculations pass. See our [pass rates page](https://texaselectricianexam.com/pass-rates/) for every exam.

## How to study the NEC Knowledge portion

At about 2 minutes per item, the knowledge portion is the tighter clock. Most of it is lookup speed.

1. Practice finding sections from the index under time pressure in our [code lookup drills](https://texaselectricianexam.com/code-lookup/).
2. Spend the most time on services and on branch circuit conductors (11 items each), then special occupancies and equipment (8 each).
3. Know what moved in the 2026 edition. TDLR's November 2026 newsletter notes that dwelling load calculations are now in Article 120. Our [2026 NEC changes](https://texaselectricianexam.com/nec-2026-changes/) page tracks this.
4. Run full timed sets on the [master practice test](https://texaselectricianexam.com/practice-test/master/).

## How to study the Calculations portion

You need about 21 of the 30 scored items. Build your study plan from the outline weights:

- **Services (8 items):** [dwelling standard load](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/dwelling-standard-load/), [dwelling optional load](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/dwelling-optional-load/), [multifamily optional](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/multifamily-optional/), [commercial lighting load](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/commercial-lighting-load/), [receptacle load](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/receptacle-load/), [GEC sizing](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/gec-sizing/), [transformer current](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/transformer-current/), [transformer protection](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/transformer-protection/)
- **Motors and generators (6 items):** [motor full-load current](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/motor-full-load-current/), [motor branch circuit](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/motor-branch-circuit/), [motor OCPD](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/motor-ocpd/), [motor overloads](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/motor-overloads/), [motor feeder](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/motor-feeder/)
- **Feeders and branch circuits (7 items):** [neutral load](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/neutral-load/), [OCPD sizing](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/ocpd-sizing/), [kitchen equipment demand](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/kitchen-equipment-demand/), [conductor sizing](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/conductor-sizing/), [ampacity correction](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/ampacity-correction/), [voltage drop](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/voltage-drop/), [continuous loads](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/continuous-loads/)
- **Theory, raceways, appliances (6 items):** [three-phase power](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/three-phase-power/), [power factor and efficiency](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/power-factor-efficiency/), [conduit fill](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/conduit-fill/), [pull box sizing](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/pull-box-sizing/), [appliance demand](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/appliance-demand/)

A note on optional methods: PSI tells you not to use optional calculation methods unless the question says so. Learn the optional dwelling and multifamily methods anyway, because a question may name them. Just never reach for them on your own.

Every drill on this site is generated with new numbers and full worked steps. Repeat each topic until you can do it in under 5 minutes with your code book open. Use the [formula sheet](https://texaselectricianexam.com/formula-sheet/) while learning, then put it away. The [calculations exam guide](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/how-to-pass-the-calculations-exam/) covers time budgets and common traps.

## Before you test

Check the ID and check-in rules in [exam day at PSI](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/exam-day-at-psi/). If one portion goes badly, [retaking the exam](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/retaking-the-texas-electrician-exam/) covers the $78 retake fee and the open question of whether a passed portion carries over.

TexasElectricianExam is an independent study site, not affiliated with TDLR, PSI or NFPA.

## Questions people ask

### How many questions are on the Texas master electrician exam?

108 across two portions. NEC Knowledge has 75 items (70 scored, 5 non-scored) in 150 minutes. Calculations has 33 items (30 scored, 3 non-scored) in 170 minutes. Source: PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, updated 9/15/2026.

### What score do I need to pass the master exam?

70% on each portion, and each portion is passed separately. On the 30 scored calculation items, 70% works out to about 21 correct.

### How much does the master exam cost?

$78 for both portions, paid to PSI. A retake is $78 whether you failed one portion or both. The TDLR application fee of $45 is separate.

### Who can take the Texas master electrician exam?

TDLR requires a journeyman license held for 2 years and 12,000 hours of experience under a Master Electrician. Hours as a Journeyman Industrial do not count.

### What is the master exam pass rate?

In FY2025, 22.21% passed Master NEC (3,472 taken) and 19.08% passed Master Calculations (3,946 taken), per TDLR exam statistics.

## Sources

- [PSI, TDLR Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin (English), updated 9/15/2026](https://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/1682) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Electrician Exam Information](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecexam.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Master Electrician license application](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/apply/individuals/master-electrician.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Electrician exam statistics FY2025](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecExamStats2025.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Electrician exam statistics FY2024](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecExamStats2024.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Electrician exam statistics FY2023](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecExamStats2023.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Electrician exam statistics FY2022](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecExamStats2022.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR newsletter, November 2026 (2026 NEC load calculations in Article 120)](https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/TXDLR/bulletins/4318917) (checked 2026-11-09)

Page: https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/texas-master-electrician-exam/