The laws section is its own test
17 questions on RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B: supervision ratios, permits, inspection deadlines, contractor bonds, renewal. A separate 70% gate that fails strong electricians.
Washington (01) Journeyman Electrician Exam Prep
Pass the Washington general journeyman exam.
The L&I (01) exam is two sections you pass separately: 60 NEC and theory questions, then 17 Washington laws and rules questions, 70% on each. It is open book on the 2020 NEC. Find out where you stand before you book it.
The short answer
What is the Washington General Journey Level Electrician (01) exam?
The Washington general journey level (01) exam is a 77-question PSI test in two sections: NEC and Theory (60 questions, 3 hours) and Washington Laws and Rules (17 questions, 1 hour). You pass each at 70 percent. It is open book on the 2020 NEC, not the 2023 field code.
Key facts
- Exam
- Washington General Journey Level Electrician (01) exam
- License
- General Journey Level (01)
- Authority
- Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)
- Delivered by
- PSI Services
- Questions
- 77 in two sections: NEC & Theory (60) + Washington Laws & Rules (17)
- Time
- 3 hours (NEC & Theory) + 1 hour (Laws & Rules)
- Pass score
- 70% on each of two sections, scored separately
- NEC edition
- 2020 NEC (exam edition)
- Reference rule
- Open book. Bring your own 2020 NEC, printed RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B, and Q&A books; permanent tabs and highlighting allowed, no handwritten notes.
- Retake
- Wait 14 days to retest. After a third failed attempt, wait 3 months between attempts. You retest only the section you failed, and you have one year from approval to pass both sections.
Official sources · last reviewed June 2026
77 (2 sections)Questions
4 hoursTime
70% eachTo pass
2020 NECCode
Why good electricians fail this one
Two sections. Two separate 70% gates.
You do not pass the Washington exam. You pass two of them, and you can ace the code and still go home because you never studied the Washington laws and rules.
Wrong NEC edition
Washington's field code is the 2023 NEC, but the exam still tests the 2020 NEC. Study the edition the test actually cites.
Open book, won on speed
You bring your own tabbed code and law books. The candidates who pass know where the answer lives before they open the binder.
Start here
A free diagnostic across both sections
Fifteen questions across the NEC chapters and the Washington laws and rules the (01) exam tests. No signup, no card. At the end you get a readiness report and the exact areas costing you the most points, so you study the right thing instead of everything.
Washington exam, straight answers
Washington requirements
8,000 hours, 96 classroom hours, fees, and retake rules.
Practice test
Original Washington practice questions in the real exam format, with worked answers.
Exam simulator
Timed practice split across NEC and Washington Laws and Rules.
Free diagnostic
Find your weak sections before paying for prep.
Online prep
How to judge Washington prep before you buy.
Failed the exam
Retake rules and a recovery plan for the section you missed.
Open-book rules
What PSI allows for the 2020 NEC, RCW 19.28, WAC 296-46B, and reference tabs.
Calculations practice
NEC and Theory calculation work without losing sight of the separate law section.
Failed one section
If only one section failed, you only retake that section and can stay on plan immediately.
Laws & Rules section
The 17-question RCW 19.28 + WAC 296-46B section you have to pass.
Exam format
Two scored sections, 77 questions, 70% on each, open book on the 2020 NEC.
Exam cost
The $107.60 L&I fee, the $75 PSI sitting fee, and retake costs.
Passing score
70% on each section, scored separately, and what that means for prep.
How hard is it
The difficulty, the two-section trap, and where the time goes.
Verified against the source · June 2026
Where these facts come from
- L&I Electrical Examination Information. Confirms PSI administration, the 70%-per-section pass mark, open-book rules, and that the exam uses the 2020 NEC.
- L&I Electrician Licensing & Requirements. The 8,000-hour (4,000 industrial/commercial) + 96-hour classroom requirement, 3-year renewal, and 24-hour CE rule.
- WAC 296-46B (Washington electrical code adoption). Washington's electrical administrative code. Adopts the NEC with state amendments; the Laws & Rules exam section tests RCW 19.28 + WAC 296-46B.
Where do you stand right now?
Fifteen minutes tells you your readiness report and your weakest areas across both sections. Then you know exactly what to drill.
Free. No signup yet. 15 minutes to your weak-area report.
See the actual work, free
This is what every Washington question looks like inside.
Take a real one. Pick your answer, then watch a master walk the exact codebook flip path and the math, step by step. No signup to try it.
Grounding electrode conductorNEC Table 250.662020 NEC
A service is fed with 3/0 AWG copper service-entrance conductors. Per Table 250.66, what minimum size copper grounding electrode conductor is required?
Know your exam
What test day actually looks like in Washington.
You sit the PSI general journey level (01) exam open book and bring your own materials: the 2020 NEC, printed RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B in a binder, even Q and A books. It comes in two separately scored sections.
What you sit
NEC & Theory, 60 questions, 3 hours
The code and theory section, on the 2020 NEC.
Washington Laws & Rules, 17 questions, 1 hour
RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B: licensing scopes, permits, inspection, supervision.
On the clock
You must pass each section at 70 percent on its own. The exam tests the 2020 NEC, not Washington's 2023 field code, so study the edition the test actually cites.
Where the points are
About a fifth of the exam is the Washington Laws and Rules section, and generic NEC prep skips it entirely. Ace the code and skip that section and you still fail.
Verified June 2026 against Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) and the current exam bulletin
Where to start, free
You do not need 200 hours. You need these, in this order.
Overwhelmed by where to begin for the Washington exam? Tell us your situation and we will lay out the exact next steps. Free, no signup. Check them off as you go.
This is my
My exam is
Test date
Four to eight weeks is the sweet spot. Here is the order that puts your hours where they count.
0/7 done
Want this built around YOUR weak spots?
This list is the path. The diagnostic makes it personal: 15 questions, 90 seconds to start, and we rebuild this around the exact Washington sections you are losing points on.
Take the free diagnosticWhat you get for Washington
One place to get ready, built for the Washington exam.
Washington weak spots named. Next drills ready. The work stays focused.
- 170+ exam questions
Both sections covered: the 2020 NEC and theory, plus original Washington laws and rules questions citing RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B.
- Study guides
Plain-English coverage of grounding and bonding, wiring methods, equipment and devices, motor controls, wiring and protection, and a Washington exam strategy guide.
- 4 working calculators
Voltage drop, box fill, conduit fill, and dwelling load demand. The same NEC math the exam tests.
- 30-day daily roadmap
One task a day. Builds streaks. Tracks completion. Pin rewards at 7, 14, 21, and exam day.
- Exam Readiness Score
Weighted math tells you exactly how ready you are. Updates after every session.
- Spaced repetition
Questions you missed come back at the right interval. SM-2 lite, calibrated for retention before test day.
- Mobile + desktop access
Practice on the truck, the bus, the couch. Works everywhere a browser does.
- Clear billing
Pro Monthly can be canceled from your account. Pro+ is one payment for 3 months and does not auto-renew.
Two plans. Pick the one that fits your test date.
Same full access on both. Check out right here, the diagnostic is always free.
Pro Monthly renews until canceled · Pro+ is one-time 3-month access
Common questions
How many questions are on the Washington journeyman electrician exam?
The general journeyman (01) exam has 77 scored questions in two sections: 60 NEC and theory questions in 3 hours, and 17 Washington Laws and Rules questions in 1 hour.
What score do you need to pass the Washington electrician exam?
You need 70% on each section separately. If you fail one section you retake only that section.
Which NEC edition is the Washington exam based on?
The 2020 NEC, per the current PSI bulletin and the L&I exam page. Washington's field code is the 2023 NEC, but the exam still tests the 2020 edition, so study the 2020 NEC.
Is the Washington electrician exam open book?
Yes, and you bring your own materials, including the NEC, the printed Washington laws and rules, and even question-and-answer books. Permanent tabs and highlighting are fine, but no handwritten notes and you cannot write in the book.
What is the Washington Laws and Rules section?
A separate 17-question section on RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B, covering licensing scopes, permits, inspection, and supervision. It is about a fifth of the exam and you must pass it on its own.