Delaware Electrician Exam — ProV Test Logistics and What to Expect

How the Delaware Licensing Exam Works

All Delaware electrician licensing exams are administered by ProV, a third-party testing vendor contracted by the Division of Professional Regulation. The exams are computer-based, open-book, and based on the edition of the National Electrical Code currently adopted by the state — which is the 2023 NEC as of 2026.

You cannot schedule the exam yourself until the Board of Electrical Examiners has reviewed and approved your DELPROS application. After approval, you receive an email notification, and the Board Liaison forwards your registration to ProV within one to two weeks. From there, you contact ProV directly to pick a date and testing location.

Exam Format by License Class

Journeyperson Electrician: 70 questions, 3-hour time limit

Master Electrician: 80 questions, 3-hour time limit

Both exams require a minimum score of 75% to pass. The questions are drawn from the NEC and cover the technical knowledge and code application relevant to each license level. The journeyperson exam focuses on installation practices and code compliance; the master exam adds business-related provisions and supervisory responsibilities.

Residential, Limited, Limited Special, and Master Special classes also require ProV exams, with format details specified in ProV's Candidate Information Bulletin.

What You Can and Cannot Bring

The exam is open-book, but the rules about reference materials are strictly enforced:

Allowed:

• A bound, physical copy of the NEC (the edition currently adopted by Delaware)
• Permanent commercial tabs (gummed, self-adhesive, or printable)
• Highlighting and underlining done in pen — but all marking must be completed before entering the testing room
• A basic four-function calculator

Not allowed:

• Loose-leaf pages, printouts, or photocopied sections
• Digital copies of the NEC (tablets, phones, e-readers)
• Removable post-it notes or hand-written paper tabs — these will result in your book being confiscated
• Smartphones, programmable calculators, or graphing calculators

The proctor checks your reference book before you start. If they find prohibited materials, they remove them and you take the exam without that reference. Prepare your book well in advance and use only permanent, commercial tabs.

Test Center Logistics

ProV operates physical testing centers in Wilmington, Newark, and Dover. You can also take the exam remotely through ProV's Examroom online proctoring service.

For in-person testing:

• Arrive at least 15 minutes early. Late arrivals are treated as no-shows and forfeit their exam fee.
• Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID. Paper IDs and temporary IDs are not accepted.
• Personal items (bags, phones, jackets) are stored in a designated area during the exam. You will not have access to them.

For online proctoring, the Examroom platform requires a webcam, microphone, and stable internet connection. A live proctor monitors you remotely throughout the exam. The same reference material rules apply.

Scoring and Results

Unofficial scores appear on screen (or print at the center) immediately after you finish the exam. This gives you an instant pass/fail indication.

Official scores are reported to the Delaware Board within approximately two weeks. The Board will not process your license until they receive the official score from ProV.

What Happens If You Fail

Candidates who score within 10% of passing (65% to 74%) can request a formal test review through ProV.

To retake the exam, you register and pay the $100 fee again directly with ProV. Journeyperson candidates must wait at least seven days before rescheduling. Each attempt costs another $100 and must be scheduled through ProV.

For retest eligibility and any application-period limits, follow ProV's Candidate Information Bulletin.

ADA Accommodations

Candidates who need testing accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act must submit ProV's official Testing Accommodations Form along with supporting medical documentation before scheduling. The request is reviewed by ProV, not by the Board, and must be submitted with enough lead time for processing before your preferred exam date.

Preparing Without Overspending

The exam tests your ability to find and apply NEC provisions, not to memorize them. Since it is open-book, the most valuable preparation is learning to navigate the code book efficiently — knowing which sections cover which topics and how to use the index and cross-references quickly.

Private exam prep courses from vendors like RocketCert ($39+) or 1ExamPrep ($60-$650) are entirely optional. The Board does not endorse or require any commercial study materials. Many candidates pass with nothing beyond their tabbed NEC book and hands-on experience.

What the Board does require is that you actually qualify to sit for the exam — which means getting your DELPROS application approved with all documentation intact. Many applicants invest in exam prep only to discover their application is incomplete or their VOE forms were rejected, delaying their exam date by months.

The Delaware Electrician License Guide covers the full pre-exam document checklist and the Board meeting timeline, so you know exactly when to submit your application to get approved for your target exam date.

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