Alabama journeyman electrician exam
The Alabama Electrical Contractors Board licenses journeyman electricians statewide, and Prov, Inc. runs the exam. The Alabama Electrical Journeyman exam has 80 questions in 240 minutes, is open book with the 2023 NEC, and takes 75% to pass. You need 8,000 hours of documented electrical experience to sit for it, and up to 2,000 of those hours can come from approved schooling or apprenticeship.
Who licenses journeyman electricians in Alabama
The Alabama Electrical Contractors Board (AECB) issues the statewide journeyman electrician license. You apply to the Board first, and once it approves your application you schedule the exam with Prov.
State law also lets counties and cities license and test electricians locally. A person who holds a valid statewide license is treated as qualified in any county or city, as long as they have the local permit and business license (Code of Alabama 34-36-13, reproduced in the state sunset report).
The Alabama journeyman electrician exam
The exam is a computer-based, open-book test given at 19 Prov testing centers in Alabama or remotely from home through Examroom.ai, according to the Prov candidate information bulletin (AL CIB 2026.10.31).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Testing vendor | Prov, Inc. |
| Questions | 80 |
| Time limit | 240 minutes |
| Open book | Yes |
| Passing score | 75% |
| NEC edition | NFPA 70, National Electrical Code 2023 |
| Other permitted book | American Electrician's Handbook, 17th edition |
| Exam fee | $115, paid to the Board |
| License fee | $35, renewed yearly for $35 |
The fees come from the Board's fee rule, Ala. Admin. Code 303-X-3-.10. The Board adds a 4% service fee to card payments.
The largest content areas are Raceways and Boxes (10 questions), Conductors and Cables (10), General Electrical Knowledge (10), Service, Feeders, and Branch Circuits (9) and Grounding and Bonding (8). The full outline is in the Prov Alabama exam page.
The Board also accepts the NASCLA Journey-level Electrician exam, which Prov lists at 110 questions in 300 minutes. The bulletin notes that this NASCLA version retires at the end of 2026.
Requirements to take the exam
You need a minimum of 8,000 hours of experience installing electrical wiring, apparatus or equipment for lighting or power, or their controls, in commercial, industrial or residential work (Ala. Admin. Code 303-X-3-.03).
- Each year of an accredited electrical curriculum or recognized apprenticeship can replace 1,000 hours, up to 2,000 hours total.
- The journeyman exam application (Form JCE-1) asks for notarized employer affidavits showing at least four years in the electrical contracting industry within the past eight years, plus W-2 or 1099 forms.
- US Department of Labor registered apprentices submit a work affidavit (Form JCE-5) instead, without W-2s.
- A long certificate from a public Alabama two-year or community college counts as 2,000 hours.
You can apply on paper or online through the Board. An approved application to sit for the journeyman exam expires two years after approval if you have not passed.
Alabama journeyman electrician exam pass rate
Alabama does publish pass rates, through the state Examiners of Public Accounts sunset reports on the Board.
| Exam | Period | Taken | Passed | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Electrical Journeyman (state exam) | 2023 | 203 | 139 | 68% |
| Alabama Electrical Journeyman (state exam) | 2024, through Sept. 30 | 246 | 163 | 66% |
| Alabama Electrical Journeyman (state exam) | FY2025, through May 14, 2025 | 150 | 109 | 73% |
| NASCLA Journey-level Electrician | 2023 | 226 | 38 | 17% |
| NASCLA Journey-level Electrician | 2024, through Sept. 30 | 67 | 29 | 43% |
| NASCLA Journey-level Electrician | FY2025, through May 14, 2025 | 39 | 14 | 36% |
Sources: the October 2024 sunset report and the September 2025 sunset report. The reports say the figures came from the Board and were not audited.
How hard is the Alabama journeyman electrician exam?
The state exam is passable with preparation: roughly two out of three takers passed in each reported period, but about one in three failed.
The challenge is time and lookup speed. With 80 questions in 240 minutes you have 3 minutes per question, and most topics are NEC-based. The national NASCLA exam has had much lower pass rates in Alabama, so the published numbers favor the state exam. Ask the Board which exam fits your situation.
How to pass the Alabama journeyman electrician exam
Study the 2023 NEC, because that is the edition the current bulletin lists for this exam. If you test in 2027 or later, download the bulletin again before you book, since the referenced edition and the NASCLA option can change.
- Tab your 2023 NEC. Prov allows permanent tabs and highlighting or underlining in pen, but not sticky notes, handwritten notes, formula sheets or added indexes in the book.
- Weight your study to the outline. Raceways and boxes, conductors and cables, services and feeders, and grounding and bonding make up nearly half the exam.
- Practice finding answers fast. Time yourself at 3 minutes per question and get used to going straight to the right article.
- Drill the math, such as motor, box fill, conduit fill, voltage drop and load calculations. Use our exam calculations guide.
- Answer every question. The bulletin says there is no penalty for a wrong answer.
- Take timed mock exams. Start with our free practice test, and read how to pass the journeyman electrician exam for a full study plan.
If you fail, you must wait 30 days, file the Board's re-examination form (ERT-5) and pay $115 again. Prov requires a new Board approval before each attempt.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the Alabama journeyman electrician exam?
The Alabama Electrical Journeyman exam has 80 multiple-choice questions and a 240-minute time limit, per the Prov candidate bulletin. You need 75% to pass.
Is the Alabama journeyman electrician exam open book?
Yes. You may bring the 2023 NEC and the American Electrician's Handbook, 17th edition. Books can be tabbed and highlighted ahead of time, but handwritten notes, sticky notes and added formula sheets are not allowed.
What is the pass rate for the Alabama journeyman electrician exam?
State sunset reports show 68% in 2023, 66% in 2024 through September 30, and 73% in fiscal 2025 through May 14, 2025. The national NASCLA journey-level exam had lower rates in the same periods.
How many hours do I need for an Alabama journeyman license?
You need 8,000 hours of documented electrical experience. Approved schooling or apprenticeship can cover up to 2,000 of those hours.
Can I take the Alabama journeyman exam online?
Yes. Prov offers remote testing through Examroom.ai, or you can use one of its 19 Alabama testing centers, after the Board approves your application.
Sources
- Alabama Electrical Contractors Board: How to Get Licensed, checked November 2026
- Prov: Electrical Contractors Board Candidate Information Bulletin, AL CIB 2026.10.31, checked November 2026
- Prov: Alabama Electrical Contractors Board exam information, checked November 2026
- AECB Electrical Journeyman Examination Application, Form JCE-1, checked November 2026
- AECB Request for Re-examination, Form ERT-5, checked November 2026
- Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 303-X-3, Licensing and Fees, checked November 2026
- Examiners of Public Accounts: Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors Sunset Report, October 2024, checked November 2026
- Examiners of Public Accounts: Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors Sunset Report, September 2025, checked November 2026