Colorado journeyman candidates spend months building the perfect code book — colour tabs on every article, notes in the margins, Table 310.16 dog-eared. Then they walk into the PSI test centre and are handed a clean NEC they have never touched. Colorado does not let you bring your own book at all.
That single rule changes how you should study for the Colorado journeyman electrician exam. So does the code switch: Colorado moved to the 2026 NEC on August 1, 2026, and the exam followed. Study from the wrong edition with the wrong habits and four hours is not as generous as it sounds.
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This guide covers who can sit the Colorado journeyman exam, how it compares to the residential wireman and master exams, the format and question breakdown, the reference rules at the test centre, how to apply, and how to study.
Quick Answer
The Colorado journeyman electrician exam is a PSI exam for the Colorado State Electrical Board with 90 scored questions (plus up to 10 unscored) in 240 minutes. You need 70% — 63 correct — to pass. It is open book, but PSI provides the NEC at the test centre and you may not bring your own or write in theirs.
To qualify under C.R.S. 12-115-110 you need four years of apprenticeship or practical experience — at least two of them in commercial, industrial or similar work — plus 288 hours of classroom training in safety and the NEC during the last four years. Since August 1, 2026, questions follow the 2026 NEC.
Key Takeaways
- The Colorado journeyman exam has 90 scored questions, a 240-minute limit and a 70% passing score
- PSI supplies the code book — you cannot bring your own, and you cannot mark the one provided
- Colorado adopted the 2026 NEC effective August 1, 2026, and the exam moved with it
- Eligibility needs four years of experience, two in commercial or industrial work, plus 288 classroom hours
- Grounding and bonding is the largest single topic, at 14 of the 90 scored questions
- Your contractor must register you as an apprentice within 30 days of hiring you
- Licenses renew every three years with 24 CE hours, at least 4 on NEC changes
The Colorado journeyman electrician exam — who can sit it
Colorado licenses electricians through the State Electrical Board, part of the Division of Professions and Occupations at DORA. The requirements are in C.R.S. 12-115-110, and the board decides eligibility before PSI will let you book a seat.
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- Registered apprentice. Under C.R.S. 12-115-115, your electrical contractor must register you with the board within 30 days of hiring you, and report your practical and classroom hours by January 1 each year. You work under the direct supervision of a licensed electrician.
- Residential wireman. At least two years of accredited training or practical experience wiring one- to four-family dwellings.
- Journeyman electrician. At least four years of apprenticeship or practical experience, with at least two years in commercial, industrial or substantially similar work, plus 288 hours of training in safety and the NEC during the last four years.
- Master electrician. One extra year of planning, layout and supervision beyond the journeyman requirement — or an electrical engineering degree with one year of experience, or a trade school or community college program with four years of experience.
The 288 classroom hours
The classroom requirement has applied since January 1, 2011. The 288 hours must cover safety, the National Electrical Code and its applications, and they must fall within the last four years of your training or experience. Most registered apprenticeship programs build it in. If you learned the trade on the job without a program, you need to find approved classes separately before you apply.
The apprentice supervision ratio
C.R.S. 12-115-115 has long capped direct supervision at three apprentices per licensed electrician on a job site, and recent legislation tightens that on nonresidential sites. Denver inspectors check ratios and can issue a stop-work order when a site is out of compliance. Ask your employer which ratio applies to your jobs — hours worked outside it put your eligibility at risk.
Colorado journeyman vs residential wireman vs master
All three exams are run by PSI. The journeyman and master exams share the same 90-question, 240-minute format; the difference is in who can sit them and what they cover.
| Requirement | Residential wireman | Journeyman | Master |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experience | 2 years, 1–4 family dwellings | 4 years, 2 commercial/industrial | Journeyman + 1 year planning and layout |
| Classroom hours | None specified | 288 in the last 4 years | Via journeyman route |
| Scope | One- to four-family dwellings | All electrical work under a contractor | Adds planning, layout and supervision |
| Statute | C.R.S. 12-115-110(3) | C.R.S. 12-115-110(2) | C.R.S. 12-115-110(1) |
The code book trap: Colorado is not a bring-your-own-book state. PSI provides the NEC and a formula page at the test centre, and you may not write in, highlight, underline or tab the book you are given. Candidates who learned to navigate by their own colour tabs lose minutes on every question. Practise in an untabbed NEC so the one at the test centre feels familiar.
Colorado journeyman exam format and question breakdown
PSI publishes the content outline, which tells you exactly where to spend study time. Grounding and bonding alone is worth more than calculations, transformers and photovoltaics combined.
| Content area | Scored questions | Share of exam |
|---|---|---|
| Grounding and bonding | 14 | 16% |
| General electrical knowledge | 11 | 12% |
| Services, feeders and branch circuits | 9 | 10% |
| Electrical calculations | 9 | 10% |
| Conductors and cables | 8–9 | 9–10% |
| Overcurrent protection | 6 | 7% |
| Motors | 6 | 7% |
| Special equipment | 5–6 | 6% |
| Raceways and boxes | 5 | 6% |
| Special occupancies | 5 | 6% |
| Electrical devices | 5 | 6% |
| Transformers | 4 | 4% |
| Photovoltaics | 2 | 2% |
With 14 questions, Article 250 grounding and bonding is where to start. Calculations questions lean on load calcs such as range demand and on voltage drop, and conductor questions on ampacity by wire size.
Where the master exam differs
The master exam uses the same 90-question, 240-minute, 70% format, but shifts weight toward design-level topics. Special occupancies and special equipment each rise from about 5 questions to 9, motors from 6 to 8, and services, feeders and branch circuits from 9 to 11. General electrical knowledge drops from 11 to 6 and conductors and cables to 4. Grounding and bonding stays the single largest area at 14 questions on both exams. If you plan to sit the master exam later, the journeyman prep carries over — you add depth in Chapters 5 and 6 of the NEC rather than starting again.
How to apply and schedule, step by step
Step 1 — confirm your hours. Check that you have four years of experience, at least two in commercial or industrial work, and 288 classroom hours inside the last four years. Your registered hours are on your board account.
Step 2 — apply to the board. Submit the exam application through DORA with an affidavit of experience completed by your supervising electrical contractor. The board approves eligibility before PSI will schedule you.
Step 3 — book with PSI. Once approved, schedule a seat with PSI and pay the exam fee.
Step 4 — practise in an untabbed 2026 NEC. Train yourself to find articles from the index and table of contents, because that is all you will have on test day.
Step 5 — manage the clock. 240 minutes for 90 scored questions is about 2 minutes 40 seconds each — generous compared with most states, but only if you are fast in an unfamiliar book.
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The one that catches everyone: Colorado adopted the 2026 NEC effective August 1, 2026, and exam questions now follow it. Study guides, practice books and borrowed code books built on the 2023 NEC are out of step with the book PSI hands you. Our summary of the top NEC 2026 changes covers what moved.
Practise against the clock
NEC Exam Prep drills timed journeyman and master questions by NEC article — grounding and bonding included — so you can find your weak areas before test day (iPhone · Android).
What you can use in the Colorado exam — and what you cannot
Colorado’s rules are simpler than most bring-your-own states, because almost everything is supplied for you.
Provided or allowed
- The 2026 NEC, supplied by PSI at the test centre
- A formula page, supplied by PSI
- Searching the provided book by its index and table of contents
- Marking questions on screen to review later
Not allowed
- Bringing your own NEC or any other reference
- Writing in, highlighting or underlining the provided book
- Adding tabs or indexing the provided book
- Phones, smart watches and other electronic devices
After you pass — renewal and CE
Residential wireman, journeyman and master licenses renew every three years. Each term needs 24 hours of CE from attested providers, with at least 4 hours on NEC changes and no more than 4 hours credited for safety courses. Your first renewal after passing the exam is exempt.
Colorado license reciprocity and other routes
| Route to a Colorado journeyman license | Exam needed? | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Standard path | Yes | Four years’ experience plus 288 classroom hours |
| Reciprocity | No | Journeymen licensed by state exam in a reciprocal state, such as Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah or Wyoming |
| Grandfathered out-of-state license | Yes | Licenses not earned by a state exam do not qualify |
Confirm reciprocity with the board before you move — agreements change. If you are studying from scratch, start with our NEC exam prep guide for a plan, then check where you stand with the free NEC practice test.
Is a Colorado prep class worth it?
Pros
- Classes often count toward the 288 classroom hours
- Instructors teach navigation in an untabbed book
- Structured coverage of the 2026 NEC changes
Cons
- The most expensive way to prepare
- Fixed class times clash with work schedules
Passing the Colorado journeyman exam
Do
- Practise in a clean, untabbed 2026 NEC
- Spend the most time on grounding and bonding
- Confirm your 288 classroom hours before applying
- Check your registered hours on your board account
- Learn the NEC index well enough to skip the tabs
Avoid
- Relying on your own tabs and notes to find answers
- Studying only 2023 NEC material
- Working unregistered — hours may not count
- Assuming all your experience was commercial
- Rushing — you have over two and a half minutes per question
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the Colorado journeyman electrician exam?
90 scored multiple-choice questions plus up to 10 unscored ones. You get 240 minutes for the scored portion, and you need 70% — 63 correct — to pass.
Is the Colorado master exam harder than the journeyman exam?
It has the same length, time limit and 70% pass mark, but more questions on special occupancies, special equipment, motors and services, and fewer on general knowledge. Most candidates find it harder because those areas take more lookups.
Can I bring my own code book to the Colorado exam?
No. PSI provides the NEC and a formula page at the test centre, and you may not write in, highlight or tab the provided book.
What NEC edition is the Colorado exam based on?
The 2026 NEC. Colorado adopted it effective August 1, 2026, and exam questions follow the adopted edition.
How many hours do you need for a Colorado journeyman license?
Four years of apprenticeship or practical experience, with at least two years in commercial, industrial or similar work, plus 288 hours of classroom training in safety and the NEC during the last four years (C.R.S. 12-115-110).
What is the hardest part of the Colorado journeyman exam?
For most candidates, finding answers fast in an untabbed book. Grounding and bonding is the biggest content area at 14 questions, followed by general electrical knowledge at 11.
Does Colorado have electrical license reciprocity?
Yes, with several states including Minnesota, Utah, Iowa, Nebraska and the Dakotas, for licenses earned by passing a state exam. Confirm the current list with the State Electrical Board.
How many CE hours do Colorado electricians need?
24 hours every three-year license term, with at least 4 on NEC changes. The first renewal after you pass the exam is exempt.
The bottom line
The Colorado journeyman exam gives you more time per question than most states — 240 minutes for 90 — and a 70% bar, but it takes away your own code book. The two things that decide most results are practising in an untabbed 2026 NEC so the PSI book feels familiar, and having your four years, two commercial, and 288 classroom hours properly documented before you apply.
Get registered, track your hours on your board account, and study grounding and bonding first. For how the code changed between editions, see our guide to NEC code book editions.
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