Preparing for the Delaware Journeyperson Electrician exam? This guide explains who actually needs to test (some applicants don't), how to apply through the Division of Professional Regulation (DPR), how the exam is scheduled through Prov, the NEC edition currently listed, and the exact rules for tabs, highlighting, and notes.
Quick Answer: What Do You Need?
| Licensing authority | Delaware Division of Professional Regulation (DPR), Board of Electrical Examiners |
| Testing provider | Prov, Inc. (in-person or at-home via Prov's Examroom remote-proctoring service) |
| Do you need the exam? | Not always — completing a Registered/Sponsored apprenticeship (DOL/IBEW) waives the exam entirely; see below |
| Experience needed (exam path) | 8,000 hours full-time as a Licensed Apprentice Electrician under a Master Electrician, plus completion of an Apprenticeship Related Technical Instruction/School Program |
| Exam fee | $100 flat, per attempt |
| Journeyperson exam format | 70 questions, 3 hours, 75% to pass, open book |
| NEC edition | 2020 NEC (all electrical license exams) |
| Tabs/notes | Permanent tabs and pre-exam pen highlighting/underlining allowed; handwritten notes are NOT allowed |
Which Delaware Electrical License Do You Need?
| License | Scope | Exam Format |
|---|---|---|
| Journeyperson Electrician | Works under supervision of a Master Electrician | 70 Q, 3 hrs, 75% |
| Residential Electrician | One-, two-, and multi-family dwellings | 60 Q, 3 hrs, 75% |
| Limited Electrician | One-, two-, and three-family dwellings | 70 Q, 3 hrs, 75% |
| Master Electrician | Plan, estimate, layout, perform, or supervise any electrical installation | 80 Q, 3 hrs, 75% |
| Elevator Mechanic | Electrical portion of elevator/escalator/moving-walk installation and service | 50 Q, 2 hrs, 75% |
A sourcing note worth flagging: Prov's own bulletin describes the Elevator Mechanic scope "as regulated under Florida Statute" — almost certainly copy-paste language left over from another state's bulletin rather than an actual reference to Florida law governing Delaware licensees. If you're pursuing this specific credential, confirm the governing statute directly with DPR rather than relying on that line.
Do You Even Need to Take the Exam?
This is the most important thing to understand before you start studying: Delaware waives the exam entirely for candidates who complete a Registered/Sponsored apprenticeship program (such as one through the Department of Labor or IBEW). If that's you, you apply for your Journeyperson Electrician license via certification — submitting your Journey Papers/Journeyman Certificate as proof — and skip testing altogether.
The exam is only required if you completed an Un-Registered/Not-Sponsored apprenticeship (or no apprenticeship at all, relying on the equivalent-experience path). In that case, you must apply via examination, documenting your hours and technical instruction as described below.
Journeyperson Eligibility (Examination Path)
- Completion of an Apprenticeship Related Technical Instruction/School Program — examples cited by DPR include NCC VoTech, Sussex Tech AED, and POLYTECH Adult Ed programs.
- 8,000 hours of full-time experience performing electrical work as a Licensed Apprentice Electrician, under the supervision of a licensed Master Electrician.
- Affidavit(s) from your supervisor(s) — DPR's Verification of Employment Form — documenting those hours.
- Note that you must hold an Apprentice Electrician License to legally rack up those hours in the first place; performing electrical work as an unlicensed apprentice is not permitted under Delaware Statute §1407(a), even if your employer has "registered" or "sponsored" you informally.
- Once DPR/the Board of Electrical Examiners approves your documentation, you'll receive approval to sit for the exam.
Master Electrician eligibility is handled on a separate DPR page we could not fully verify in primary detail here — third-party sources describe roughly six years of qualifying experience (or four years plus a relevant degree). Confirm the exact current requirement directly with DPR before assuming this applies to you.
How to Apply
- Enroll in an Apprenticeship Related Technical Instruction/School Program and obtain an Apprentice Electrician License from DPR (required before performing any electrical work as an apprentice).
- Accumulate your 8,000 hours under a licensed Master Electrician, with Verification of Employment Forms completed by your supervisor(s).
- Submit your Journeyperson Electrician application via examination, with all required documentation, to DPR.
- Once the Board approves you to sit for the exam, your information is shared with Prov — you'll receive an Application ID (also visible on the DELPROS portal) to use when scheduling.
- Schedule and pay for your exam directly with Prov (online, phone, or Examroom remote testing).
What Is on the Journeyperson Exam?
| Subject Area | Items |
|---|---|
| Wiring Methods & Materials | 22 |
| Wiring & Protection | 14 |
| General Electrical Theory & Principles | 9 |
| Equipment for General Use | 6 |
| Plan Reading | 4 |
| Communication Systems | 4 |
| Motors & Controls | 3 |
| Special Conditions | 3 |
| Special Equipment | 3 |
| Special Occupancies | 2 |
| Total | 70 items, 3 hours, 75% to pass |
The exam is delivered by computer, either at a Prov testing center or, if your setup qualifies, at home through Prov's Examroom remote-proctoring service. You'll get your score on-site with no additional charge for scoring, and results are shared with DPR automatically.
What NEC Edition Does Delaware Use?
Every Delaware electrical license exam — Journeyperson, Residential, Limited, and Master — references the National Electrical Code, 2020 Edition, confirmed directly in Prov's June 2025 Candidate Information Bulletin.
Your exam may require or permit additional references. This product includes only the books/options listed on the product page — always confirm your exact exam's required edition with Prov before purchasing.
What Books Are Allowed?
All Delaware electrical exams are open book. For Journeyperson, Residential, and Limited Electrician, the allowed references are the American Electrician's Handbook (17th Edition) and the 2020 NEC. The Master Electrician exam additionally allows Ugly's Electrical References (2020). The Elevator Mechanic exam allows the American Electrician's Handbook, the 2020 NEC, and ASME A17.1-2010 and A17.3-11 (the elevator/escalator safety codes).
Not allowed, under any circumstances: photocopied books or added photocopied pages, practice exams, and test-prep study guides of any kind.
Tabs, Highlighting, and Notes
- Permanent tabs: allowed.
- Movable tabs: never permitted, including Post-it notes/flags.
- Highlighting and underlining: allowed if done before the exam; underlining specifically must be done in pen, not pencil.
- Handwritten notes: not allowed in any portion of a reference book, at any time — they'll need to be erased before you can use the material.
- During the exam: you may not highlight, underline, mark, or write anything in your materials.
Reference materials that don't meet these rules will be rejected at check-in, and using unauthorized materials during testing results in confiscation, termination of your exam, and forfeiture of your fee.
Fees & Test Locations
Every Prov exam in Delaware costs a flat $100, regardless of license type or whether it's a first attempt or a retest. Delaware has three fixed Prov testing centers — Dover (Eastside Career Development Center) and Wilmington (Delaware State University and a second Eastside Career Development Center location) — plus nationwide Prov centers and the at-home Examroom remote-proctoring option for qualifying candidates.
Retesting
- You must wait a minimum of 7 days from your previous attempt before retesting.
- For electrical exams, there is no limit on the number of retake attempts (this differs from Plumbing/HVACR exams, which cap at 3 attempts before requiring a new application).
- After failing the same exam category twice, and scoring within 10 points of the passing threshold, you may request a 90-minute proctored review of your missed questions for the same fee as a full exam attempt.
- A Hand Score re-check is available for $25 within 90 days of your exam date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to take the PSI/Prov exam to become a Journeyperson Electrician in Delaware?
Not necessarily. If you completed a Registered/Sponsored apprenticeship (DOL or IBEW), you can apply via certification using your Journey Papers and skip the exam entirely. The exam is only required for the Un-Registered/Not-Sponsored apprenticeship or equivalent-experience path.
What NEC edition does Delaware test?
The 2020 NEC, across all electrical license exams.
Can I write notes in my NEC before the exam?
No. Delaware does not allow handwritten notes in reference books at any time — only permanent tabs and pre-exam pen highlighting/underlining are permitted.
Do I need an Apprentice Electrician License even if my employer says I'm "registered"?
Yes. Delaware Statute §1407(a) requires an Apprentice Electrician License to legally perform electrical work as an apprentice, regardless of whether your apprenticeship program itself is registered/sponsored.
Does Your Book Spot USA guarantee I'll pass?
No. We sell official, correctly-prepared reference materials — no book or study guide can guarantee an exam result, and we don't claim otherwise.
Get the Correct Codebook
Once you've confirmed your license type, shop our current Delaware-ready NEC codebooks:
See All Exam-Ready Preparation Options →
Master Electrician candidates should also confirm whether they need a copy of Ugly's Electrical References (2020) alongside their NEC. Ordering for a crew or apprenticeship program? Request bulk pricing.
Official Sources
- Prov, Inc. — Delaware Division of Professional Regulation Candidate Information Bulletin, dated 2025.06.24
- Delaware Division of Professional Regulation — Electrical Licensing FAQ and Journeyperson Electrician Licensure pathway flowchart
Your Book Spot USA is not affiliated with the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, the Board of Electrical Examiners, Prov, Inc., or NFPA. Candidate bulletins and licensing rules change — this page reflects our verification as of the date above. Spot something outdated? Let us know and we'll correct it.
