Texas - Maintenance Electrician

Texas Maintenance Electrician Exam: Study Guide & Practice Test (2026)

You've put in the hours on the job. Now you need the license to show for it. The Texas maintenance electrician license lets you perform electrical maintenance work under a Master Electrician's supervision — and passing the licensing exam is the hurdle standing between you and that credential. This article breaks down exactly what's on the exam, how to prepare, and what to expect on test day. Start by taking our free practice exam to see where you stand right now.

Texas Maintenance Electrician Exam Overview

The exam is administered by PSI on behalf of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Here's what you're working with:

• Scored questions: 60
• Non-scored questions: 5 (these are pilot items that don't count toward your score)
• Time: 180 minutes for the scored portion, plus an additional 20 minutes for the non-scored questions
• Passing score: 70% — that's 42 out of 60 scored questions correct
• Format: Computer-based, open book
• Exam fee: $64

Yes, it's open book. You can bring your NEC 2023. But don't let that fool you into thinking you can just look everything up from scratch. You'll need to find answers fast. More on that in the study tips section.

For full registration details and scheduling, check the official exam bulletin or the state licensing website.

What Topics Are on the Texas Maintenance Electrician Exam?

The exam pulls from nine topic areas. Here they are, ranked by how many questions they represent on the real exam — focus your prep time accordingly.

Branch Circuit Calculations and Conductors (10 items)
Conductor sizing, OCPD ratings, ampacity tables, temperature correction and bundling derating factors, plus GFCI and AFCI requirements by location. This is tied for the most heavily tested area.

Electrical Equipment and Devices (10 items)
Switches, receptacles, panelboards, motor circuits, and luminaire installation. Also tied for the top slot — know Articles 404, 406, 408, 410, and 430.

Electrical Services, Service Equipment, and Separately Derived Systems (8 items)
Service conductor sizing, disconnecting means rules, overcurrent protection, grounding electrode systems, and separately derived system bonding.

Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions (8 items)
Hazardous location classifications, protection techniques, permitted wiring methods, sealing requirements, and equipment marking. This section catches a lot of people off guard — it's worth your time.

Electrical Wiring Methods and Electrical Materials (9 items)
Cable types and their permitted uses, underground burial depths, securing and support intervals, and physical protection requirements.

Definitions, Calculations, Theory, and Plans (5 items)
Load calculations using demand factors, grounding and bonding concepts, OCPD rules, NEC code structure, and GFCI/AFCI requirements.

Motors and Generators (4 items)
Motor conductor sizing, short-circuit protection device ratings, overload protection, and disconnecting means requirements.

Electrical Feeders (3 items)
Feeder ampacity, the 125% rule for continuous loads, demand factor calculations, and ground-fault protection for feeders at 1000 amperes or more.

Electrical Control Devices and Disconnecting Means (3 items)
Switch connection rules, grounded conductor rules, motor and service disconnect requirements, and enclosure rules for damp or wet locations.

Sample Texas Maintenance Electrician Practice Exam Questions

Here are five questions drawn from the same topic areas as the real exam. Work through them — but we're not giving you the answers here. See how you do, then take the free practice exam to check your thinking.

Question 1 — Electrical Wiring Methods and Electrical Materials (Easy)

What is the minimum free conductor length required at outlets, junctions, and switch points?

• A) 4 inches (100 mm)
• B) 6 inches (150 mm)
• C) 8 inches (200 mm)
• D) 10 inches (250 mm)

Question 2 — Branch Circuit Calculations and Conductors (Easy)

What is the minimum ampacity requirement for branch-circuit conductors supplying more than one receptacle for cord-and-plug-connected portable loads?

• A) Not less than the maximum load to be served
• B) Not less than the rating of the branch circuit
• C) Not less than 125% of the load
• D) Not less than 80% of the branch circuit rating

Question 3 — Motors and Generators (Medium)

According to NEC 430.6(A), for most motor applications, what values should be used to determine the ampacity of conductors, ampere ratings of switches, branch-circuit short-circuit and ground-fault protection?

• A) The motor nameplate current rating
• B) The values given in Tables 430.247, 430.248, 430.249, and 430.250
• C) 125% of the motor full-load current
• D) The locked-rotor current from the motor nameplate

Question 4 — Electrical Equipment and Devices (Medium)

Metal parts of a building are permitted to be used as a secondary return conductor for neon tubing installations.

(True or False — take the practice exam to find out.)

Question 5 — Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions (Easy)

Class I, Group A hazardous locations contain which specific material?

• A) Hydrogen
• B) Ethylene
• C) Propane
• D) Acetylene

Know the answers? Not sure? Either way, a Texas maintenance electrician practice exam is the fastest way to find your gaps before test day.

What Types of Questions to Expect

Our practice question bank covers all nine exam topics — 412 questions total. Here's what each section actually tests, and how many practice questions we have for each:

• Definitions, Calculations, Theory, and Plans (70 practice questions): Load calculations using demand factors, grounding electrode system concepts, OCPD sizing, and reading the NEC's code structure and language.
• Electrical Services, Service Equipment, and Separately Derived Systems (48 practice questions): Service conductor ampacity, overhead vs. underground service rules, disconnecting means grouping, ground-fault protection of equipment, and bonding jumper sizing.
• Electrical Feeders (23 practice questions): Applying the 125% continuous load rule, feeder OCPD sizing, demand factor calculations for dwelling and commercial occupancies, and ground-fault protection thresholds.
• Branch Circuit Calculations and Conductors (60 practice questions): Sizing conductors for continuous and noncontinuous loads, applying Tables 310.16 and 310.17, temperature correction and bundling derating, and GFCI/AFCI location requirements.
• Electrical Wiring Methods and Electrical Materials (58 practice questions): Permitted cable types and their restrictions, minimum burial depths, securing and support intervals, and physical protection through framing members.
• Electrical Equipment and Devices (63 practice questions): Switch ratings and uses, receptacle grounding and replacement rules, panelboard installation requirements, motor circuit conductors, and luminaire support and grounding.
• Motors and Generators (24 practice questions): Applying Table 430.52(C)(1) for OCPD sizing, calculating overload protection trip currents, and disconnecting means location and rating requirements.
• Electrical Control Devices and Disconnecting Means (18 practice questions): Grounded conductor switching rules, switch ratings for inductive loads, and enclosure requirements for damp and wet locations.
• Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions (48 practice questions): Classifying hazardous locations by Class and Division, selecting protection techniques, permitted wiring methods per location, sealing requirements, and reading equipment T-code temperature markings.

Required Study Materials

This is an open-book exam. One book is allowed.

NEC 2023 — This is the only reference permitted in the exam room. The Texas exam is based on the 2023 edition of the National Electrical Code. Get this book. Full stop.

A few things to know about what you can and can't bring:

• Your copy may be pre-highlighted, underlined, or annotated — that's fine.
• Tabs are allowed, but they must be manufacturer-produced NEC tabs. No homemade tabs.
• Loose-leaf, spiral-bound, or ring-bound copies are not allowed.
• The NEC Handbook is not permitted.
• Any soft-bound edition of the NEC is acceptable.

Buy your copy early and start marking it up as you study. The more familiar you are with the layout, the faster you'll move on exam day.

You can also download the Maintenance Electrician License Application directly from TDLR when you're ready to apply.

Study Tips for the Texas Maintenance Electrician Exam

Tab and index your NEC before exam day. On an open-book exam, the winners aren't the ones who know the most — they're the fastest at finding answers. Learn the index and table of contents until you can land on any article in seconds. That speed is what separates a pass from a fail.

Work through questions in two passes. Answer what you know, flag what you don't, and move on. Don't burn five minutes on a single question while the clock runs. Come back to flagged questions after you've cleared the easy ones.

Focus your study time on the high-weight topics. Branch Circuit Calculations, Electrical Equipment and Devices, and Electrical Wiring Methods together account for 29 of your 60 scored questions. Get solid on those first.

Use a real practice exam — not just a PDF. Our Texas maintenance electrician practice exam is built to match the real test: same question count, same time limit, same topic breakdown. A static PDF won't train you to manage the clock. Timed practice will. Start with the free practice exam to get a feel for it, then move to the full paid version for serious prep.

Know your motor tables cold. Article 430 shows up across multiple topic areas. Table 430.52(C)(1) and the full-load current tables (430.247–430.250) are worth memorizing the layout of.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Texas Maintenance Electrician exam cost?
The exam fee is $64. Pay this when you register through PSI.

How many questions are on the Texas Maintenance Electrician exam and how long do I have?
The exam has 60 scored questions plus 5 non-scored pilot items. You get 180 minutes for the scored portion and an additional 20 minutes for the non-scored questions.

What is the passing score for the Texas Maintenance Electrician exam?
You need to answer 70% of the scored questions correctly — that's 42 out of 60.

Is the Texas Maintenance Electrician exam open book?
Yes. You can bring the NEC 2023 to the exam site. You must bring your own copy — no copies are provided at the test center.

What version of the NEC can I bring, and are there any restrictions?
Any soft-bound edition of the NEC is allowed. It may be highlighted, underlined, or contain notes. Publisher-manufactured NEC tabs are permitted; homemade tabs are not. Loose-leaf, spiral-bound, or ring-bound copies and the NEC Handbook are all prohibited.

How do I register for the Texas Maintenance Electrician exam?
After TDLR approves your eligibility, you'll receive instructions to schedule your exam. You can register at the exam registration page, by phone at (833) 333-4741, or by mailing a completed registration form with payment to PSI.

What ID do I need to bring?
One valid, government-issued photo ID — driver's license, state ID, or passport — showing your printed name, photo, signature or fingerprint, date of birth, and expiration date. The name must match what TDLR submitted to PSI.

Can I use a calculator?
Yes, but only a non-programmable calculator that is silent, battery-operated, has no paper tape printing capability, and has no alphabetic keyboard.

What if I need to cancel or reschedule?
You can cancel or reschedule without losing your fee if you give at least 2 days' notice. Cancel late, miss your appointment, arrive after the start time, or show up without proper ID, and you forfeit the fee.

When do I get my results?
Your score shows on screen immediately after you finish. An official score report is printed at the exam site. If you don't pass, you'll receive a diagnostic report broken down by subject area so you know exactly where to focus next time.

Get Started

The Texas maintenance electrician license is a real credential that expands what you're authorized to do on the job. The exam is 60 questions, open book, and very passable with the right preparation. Get your NEC 2023, mark it up, and practice under timed conditions.

Start today with our free practice exam — 10 questions, no account needed. It'll show you where you're solid and where you need work. When you're ready to go deeper, the full practice exam gives you the complete experience: same format, same timing, same topic breakdown as the real thing.