Michigan Electrician Exam: PSI Format, References, and What to Expect

You can memorize every NEC article and still fail the Michigan electrician exam if you bring the wrong reference book into the testing room. PSI has disqualified candidates on the spot for carrying the NEC Handbook instead of the code itself — forfeiting the $100 exam fee and generating a report to LARA.

Here is exactly how the exam works, what you can bring, and what happens if you do not pass.

Journeyman vs. Master Exam Format

Both exams are administered by PSI Licensure: Certification at testing centers across Michigan. They are open-book, multiple-choice, and proctored under strict security protocols.

Journeyman Electrician Exam:

• 80 multiple-choice questions
• 150-minute time limit
• 75% passing score (60 correct answers minimum)

Master Electrician Exam:

• 76 multiple-choice questions
• 180-minute time limit
• 75% passing score
• Covers more complex load calculations under NEC Article 220 and administrative law questions

You cannot sit for either exam until LARA approves your application and issues an exam eligibility notice. That approval requires verified experience hours (8,000 for journeyman, 12,000 total for master) and, for journeyman candidates, 576 hours of completed Related Technical Instruction.

Approved Reference Materials

This is where candidates trip up most often. Both exams allow three specific references — and nothing else:

1. 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — the code book itself, not the NEC Handbook (which contains commentary and illustrations)
2. Michigan Electrical Code Rules Part 8 — must be bound with exactly three staples along the left edge
3. Skilled Trades Regulation Act (2016 PA 407) — same three-staple binding rule

Factory-installed tabs on the NEC are fine. Hand-written notes, custom tabs, loose papers, or Post-it flags inside any reference will get you removed from the testing room immediately. Your exam fee is forfeited and PSI files a report with LARA.

Practice navigating your approved references before exam day. The test is open-book, so speed at finding specific code sections matters more than memorization.

How to Register with PSI

Once LARA sends your exam eligibility notice:

1. Create an account on the PSI Test Taker Portal
2. Select the Michigan electrician exam (journeyman or master)
3. Pay the $100 examination fee
4. Choose a testing center and date

The name on your PSI registration must exactly match your government-issued photo ID. Any mismatch — even a middle name discrepancy — can prevent you from testing.

The Two-Failure Lockout Rule

If you fail the same exam twice within a two-year period, you are locked out for one full year. To regain eligibility after the lockout, you must complete a board-approved remedial course covering Michigan electrical code, electrical fundamentals, or electrical theory.

This rule makes your first two attempts genuinely high-stakes. If you are not scoring consistently above 80% on practice exams using only the approved references, consider delaying your test date rather than burning an attempt.

Scheduling and Logistics

PSI operates testing centers throughout Michigan. Available locations and schedules are visible in the PSI portal after you receive LARA's eligibility notice. Review PSI's current arrival and personal-item instructions before exam day. Only your approved references and identification may enter the testing room.

Preparing Without Wasting Money

The Michigan electrician exam tests your ability to find answers in the NEC and apply Michigan-specific rules — it does not test raw memorization. The most effective preparation is timed practice using only the three approved references.

If you are working through the licensing process from apprentice registration through the exam, the Michigan Electrician License Guide walks through each administrative step so you can focus your study time on the technical material.

See more Michigan guides →