Journeyman
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Wisconsin journeyman electrician exam

Updated · Written for the 2023 NEC

Short answer

Wisconsin journeyman electricians are licensed by the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). The exam has 100 questions in 4 hours, is open book and needs 70% to pass. You can take it at a DSPS exam site or on computer at a Pearson VUE center, and you bring the 2023 NEC plus Wisconsin's SPS 305 and SPS 316 codes. To qualify you need a 3-year approved apprenticeship or 48 months with at least 8,000 hours of electrical experience.

Who licenses journeyman electricians in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) issues the Journeyman Electrician credential under Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter SPS 305. It is a statewide license.

You apply through the state's online system, LicensE. DSPS reviews your qualifications, then sends exam scheduling instructions. Separate Residential and Industrial journeyman credentials also exist; this page covers the standard license.

The Wisconsin journeyman electrician exam

The Wisconsin journeyman exam is a 100-question, 4-hour, open book exam with a 70% passing score, per the DSPS trades exam schedule and licensure by examination page.

ItemDetails
Licensing agencyWisconsin DSPS
Testing optionsDSPS exam sites (paper) or Pearson VUE centers in Wisconsin (computer)
Questions100
Time limit4 hours
Open bookYes, limited to the approved references
Passing score70%
NEC edition2023 NEC, plus Wisconsin SPS 305 and SPS 316
Exam fee$30 to DSPS; $95 to Pearson for the computer-based exam
ResultsDSPS sites: within 21 days. Pearson: score report at the test center

DSPS allows only three reference items into the exam room at both DSPS and Pearson sites:

  1. One three-ring binder holding SPS 305, SPS 316 and your printed notes
  2. The 2023 NEC or the NEC Handbook
  3. Up to two printed, bound reference books, such as Ugly's or a code index

Loose paper, removable tabs, sticky notes and paperclips are not allowed, and practice exams do not count as notes. At DSPS sites you also bring No. 2 pencils and a non-programmable calculator. For Pearson ID rules and the 48-hour reschedule policy, see the Pearson candidate handbook.

Requirements to take the exam

You qualify for the Wisconsin journeyman exam with either an approved apprenticeship or documented experience, according to the DSPS licensure by examination page:

  • Apprenticeship: completion of a construction electrician apprenticeship of at least 3 years approved by the U.S. Department of Labor or the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. You upload a letter from the Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards.
  • Experience: at least 48 months installing, repairing and maintaining electrical wiring, with at least 8,000 hours over that period, documented on the Trades Experience Form signed by your witnesses.
  • School credit: a 2-year electrical engineering or accredited technical school program counts as 12 months and 2,000 hours of that experience.

Licensed journeymen from Iowa or New Hampshire who got their license through a state exam can apply by reciprocity instead. After you pass, the DSPS fee list shows a $100 credential fee and a $35 application fee. The license runs on a 4-year term and needs 24 hours of continuing education to renew.

Wisconsin journeyman electrician exam pass rate

Wisconsin DSPS does not publish pass rates for the journeyman electrician exam. We found no official figures on the DSPS or Pearson VUE pages for Wisconsin, so treat any number you see online as unofficial.

For context only, Texas does publish its numbers: the Texas FY2025 journeyman pass rate was 27.52%. That is a different exam in a different state, but it shows that a large share of candidates fail journeyman exams.

How hard is the Wisconsin journeyman electrician exam?

The Wisconsin exam is hard mainly because of time and the state code layer. You get 4 hours for 100 questions, or about 2.4 minutes each, and that time has to cover looking things up, doing calculations and checking your answers.

Open book helps less than people expect: searching the NEC for every question will run you out of time. You also need to know Wisconsin's own rules: the exam covers SPS 305 (licensing) and SPS 316 (the state electrical code), and both go in your binder. DSPS says the state code moved to the 2023 NEC on September 1, 2025, and that exam questions have reflected the change since October 1, 2025.

How to pass the Wisconsin journeyman electrician exam

The best way to pass is to know the 2023 NEC layout well and practice under a 4-hour, 100-question clock.

  1. Study the right edition. Wisconsin tests the 2023 NEC with state changes in SPS 316. If your apprenticeship materials were based on the 2017 NEC, update your notes.
  2. Build your binder early. Print SPS 305 and SPS 316 from the Wisconsin Legislature, three-hole punch them and add your printed notes. Study with that exact binder so you know where everything is.
  3. Master the index. Practice finding articles fast, especially Article 310 ampacity, Chapter 9 conduit fill and Article 220 load calculations.
  4. Drill the math. Voltage drop, box fill, motor calculations and demand factors are core journeyman calculation topics. Our exam calculations guide walks through each type.
  5. Take timed tests. Start with a free practice test to find weak areas, then work full-length timed sessions.
  6. If you fail, review it. DSPS offers a $15, one-hour review of exams taken at DSPS sites, held monthly in Madison, within three months of your exam date.

For a general study plan, read how to pass the journeyman electrician exam.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the Wisconsin journeyman electrician exam?

The exam has 100 questions and a 4-hour time limit, according to the DSPS trades exam schedule. You need 70% to pass.

Is the Wisconsin journeyman electrician exam open book?

Yes. You can bring one binder with SPS 305, SPS 316 and printed notes, the 2023 NEC or NEC Handbook, and up to two bound reference books. Loose paper, sticky notes and removable tabs are not allowed.

Which NEC edition does the Wisconsin exam use?

The exam uses the 2023 NEC. Wisconsin's electrical code, SPS 316, adopted the 2023 NEC with state changes effective September 1, 2025, and DSPS said exam questions would reflect the change starting October 1, 2025.

How many hours do you need to take the Wisconsin journeyman exam?

You need at least 8,000 hours over at least 48 months of electrical wiring experience, or completion of an approved construction electrician apprenticeship of at least 3 years. A 2-year electrical program counts for 2,000 hours.

What happens if I fail the Wisconsin journeyman exam?

You reapply for the exam through DSPS, and your result letter or LicensE account explains how to schedule the retake. You can schedule only one exam session at a time for the credential.

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