Preparing for the Idaho Journeyman or Master Electrician exam? This guide explains how the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) structures its electrical licenses, how the three Journeyman pathways work, how the PSI-administered exam is scored, which NEC edition and reference books are currently allowed, and the exact rules for tabs, highlighting, and notes — including a real inconsistency we found buried in Idaho's own exam bulletin.
Quick Answer: What Do You Need?
| Licensing authority | Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), Idaho Electrical Board |
| Testing provider | PSI Services LLC |
| Journeyman pathways | Idaho Apprenticeship School (8,000 hrs), Work Experience (16,000 hrs), or Reciprocity |
| DOPL application fee | $70 (Journeyman) / $80 (Master) — non-refundable |
| PSI exam fee | $75 (separate from the DOPL application fee; non-refundable, valid 1 year from payment) |
| Exam format | Journeyman: 100 items, 270 minutes, 70% to pass. Master: 100 items, 270 minutes, 75% to pass. |
| NEC edition | Candidate's choice of 2020 NEC or 2023 NEC — both currently accepted |
| Required references | NEC (2020 or 2023) plus 2023 Ugly's Electrical References — both required together |
| Tabs / highlighting / notes | Pre-exam highlighting, underlining, and permanent indexing allowed. No writing during the exam. No loose papers or Post-its. |
Who Regulates Electricians in Idaho?
The Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), through the Idaho Electrical Board, licenses electricians statewide. DOPL sets eligibility requirements, reviews applications, and issues licenses; it contracts with PSI Services LLC to administer the written exams. Like most PSI-administered states, this means two separate fees and two separate steps: a DOPL processing fee tied to your application, and a PSI exam fee tied to scheduling and sitting the test.
Idaho's Electrical License Types
DOPL issues a wide range of electrical credentials, each with its own PSI exam. This guide focuses on the two most common — Journeyman and Master Electrician — but Idaho also licenses:
- Provisional Journeyman Electrician (a separate application track for applicants still completing full experience requirements)
- Electrical Contractor / Limited Electrical Contractor (business-and-law exam, no NEC involved — see below)
- Limited Electrical installer categories: Photovoltaic, Limited Energy, Elevator, Refrigeration/Heating/Air Conditioning, Sign, Irrigation Sprinkler, Manufacturing Equipment, Well Driller, and Water Pump installers — each a separate, narrower PSI exam (see the inconsistency we flag below)
Three Paths to a Journeyman License
DOPL's Electrical Journeyman Application Instructions (revised July 11, 2024) lay out three distinct pathways. All three require a passing PSI exam score before you submit your application — Idaho does not let you apply first and test later.
| Pathway | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Idaho Apprenticeship School | Completion of a board-approved 4-year apprenticeship program (College of Southern Idaho, College of Western Idaho, College of Eastern Idaho, Idaho State University, Lewis-Clark State College, North Idaho College, Porter House Inc., IEC Idaho, Southwest Idaho Electrical JATC, Eastern Idaho Electrical JATC, DC Electric Inc., Treasure Valley Community College, or Faith Technologies Incorporated) plus 8,000 hours of supervised electrical installation work under an active Idaho Electrical Apprentice Registration. You may sit the exam after completing the 4-year program, but the license itself won't issue until the full 8,000 hours are verified. |
| Work Experience | 16,000 hours of supervised electrical installation work, verified via a Work Verification Form (a separate form is required per employer/state). Work in appliance repair, motor winding, or communications does not count. |
| Reciprocity | A License Verification Form from your licensing state showing an active license issued by examination, with underlying requirements equivalent to either 4 years of apprenticeship school + 8,000 hours, or 16,000 hours of work experience. |
What Is on the ID Journeyman Electrician Exam?
Per PSI's current Idaho bulletin (effective July 9, 2026), the Journeyman exam is 100 questions, 270 minutes, 70% to pass, broken out across seven content areas:
| Topic | Items |
|---|---|
| General Electrical Knowledge | 13 |
| Wiring and Protection | 25 |
| Wiring Methods and Materials | 19 |
| Equipment for General Use | 19 |
| Special Occupancies | 12 |
| Special Equipment | 6 |
| Special Conditions | 6 |
The exam is delivered by computer at a PSI test center (Boise, Lewiston, Moscow, Twin Falls, and Idaho Falls in-state, plus Spokane, WA and other regional PSI centers). You'll see your score on screen immediately, and a diagnostic breakdown by content area if you don't pass. A silent, non-printing, non-programmable calculator is permitted.
DOPL's own application form describes this credential as "the applicable NASCLA examination through PSI" — PSI's current bulletin simply labels it the "ID Journeyman Electrician Exam." We haven't found a document that reconciles this naming difference directly, but nothing suggests they're different exams; treat it as DOPL's shorthand for the same PSI-administered test.
What NEC Edition Does Idaho Test?
Idaho's Journeyman and Master exams currently accept either the 2020 NFPA 70 or the 2023 NFPA 70 — PSI's bulletin lists both editions as valid, with no stated cutover date. The bulletin also states plainly: "For Code-based questions, only the specific editions listed will be used. While you may use earlier or later editions of other references, you do so at your own risk; any answer conflicts resulting from version differences are not valid grounds for appeal." In practice, most candidates should bring the newer 2023 edition unless they already own a 2020 copy.
What Books Are Allowed?
Unlike states that allow only the NEC itself, Idaho's Journeyman and Master exams require a second reference alongside the code book:
- 2020 NFPA 70 (ISBN-13: 9781455922970) or 2023 NFPA 70 (ISBN-13: 9781455929368) — National Electrical Code
- 2023 Ugly's Electrical References (ISBN-13: 9781284275919) — required alongside the NEC, not optional
Two additional index-style references are permitted but optional (the exam wasn't built from them, so they're navigation aids only, not scored content):
- Ferm's Fast Finder Index (2020 or 2023 edition)
- Key Word Index by Tom Henry (2020 or 2023 edition)
Candidates are responsible for bringing their own copies of every reference to the test center — PSI does not supply them.
Tabs, Highlighting, and Notes
Pre-exam highlighting, underlining, and permanent indexing are permitted on all Idaho electrical exam references. The rules are consistent across every Idaho electrical exam we reviewed:
- Mark up your books — highlight, underline, add permanent tabs/index — before your scheduled exam date.
- No writing is allowed during the exam session, in the NEC, Ugly's, or any other reference.
- Additional loose papers and temporary markers (e.g., Post-it notes) are strictly prohibited and will be confiscated on sight.
- Candidates caught writing in references during the exam, or found with unauthorized materials, will have their materials seized and be reported to the Division.
One Idaho-specific wrinkle: for exams that also test the Contractor's Business and Law Reference Manual (used on the Electrical Contractor, Public Works Contractor, and several other exams, not the NEC-based Journeyman/Master exams), that manual "MUST be printed, hole-punched, and placed into a three-ring loose-leaf binder, prior to the scheduled examination date." That specific binder-assembly requirement applies to the DOPL-published Business and Law manual — it does not apply to a bound NEC codebook, which candidates bring in its normal published form.
Master Electrician: The Next Step
Per DOPL's Master Electrician License Application Instructions (revised June 15, 2024), Master Electrician has two pathways:
- Experience Pathway: held an active Idaho Journeyman Electrician license for at least 4 years.
- Reciprocity Pathway: a License Verification Form from another state showing licensure by examination, a Journeyman license held at least 4 years, active Master status, and the date the license was originally issued.
Initial applicants must pass the PSI-administered ID Master Electrician Exam before submitting their application (same rule as Journeyman). The Master exam uses the same 2020/2023 NEC + 2023 Ugly's reference set as the Journeyman exam, but is scored differently:
| Topic | Items |
|---|---|
| General Electrical Knowledge | 10 |
| Wiring and Protection | 25 |
| Wiring Methods and Materials | 20 |
| Equipment for General Use | 20 |
| Special Occupancies | 11 |
| Special Equipment | 6 |
| Special Conditions | 5 |
| Communication Systems | 3 |
100 questions, 270 minutes, 75% required to pass — five points higher than the Journeyman exam. The DOPL Master application carries an $80 processing fee, versus $70 for Journeyman.
Idaho's own bulletin requires the NEC and Ugly's Electrical References together — this bundle pairs both in one order. Confirm 2020 vs. 2023 is still current for your exam date directly with PSI before you test.
A Real Inconsistency: Idaho's Limited Electrical Exams Still Reference the 2017 NEC
Here's something worth flagging plainly, because it's easy to miss and could send someone to the exam with the wrong book. While the Journeyman and Master Electrician exams use the 2020 or 2023 NEC, every one of Idaho's narrower Limited Electrical installer exams — Photovoltaic, Limited Energy, Elevator, Refrigeration/Heating/Air Conditioning, Sign, Irrigation Sprinkler, Manufacturing Equipment, Well Driller, and Water Pump Installer — still list the 2017 NFPA 70 (ISBN-13: 9781455912773) as their only accepted reference, six years behind the main electrician exams, in the same bulletin, effective the same date (July 9, 2026).
This may simply reflect that these specialty exams haven't been refreshed on the same schedule as the core Journeyman/Master exams — but if you're sitting for one of these Limited Electrical categories, do not assume the 2023 NEC applies. Confirm your specific exam's reference edition against PSI's current bulletin before buying a book.
Electrical Contractor License
The Electrical Contractor / Limited Electrical Contractor exam is a different animal entirely: 100 questions, 240 minutes, 70% to pass, drawn entirely from DOPL's Contractor's Business and Law Reference Manual — no NEC content at all. That manual must be printed, hole-punched, and assembled into a three-ring binder before the exam date (see the Tabs section above). If you only need a Contractor license and not a Journeyman/Master electrician credential, you won't need an NEC codebook for this specific exam.
How to Apply
- Choose your pathway (Apprenticeship School, Work Experience, or Reciprocity) and gather the required verification forms.
- Register for and pass the applicable PSI exam before submitting your DOPL application — Idaho requires proof of a passing score at the time of application.
- Submit the completed DOPL application with the non-refundable processing fee ($70 Journeyman / $80 Master) by email, mail, or in person at DOPL's Boise, Coeur d'Alene, or Blackfoot offices.
- Note the one-year clock: DOPL applications state you have one year from the date of application to take and pass the required exam, after which you must reapply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Idaho electrician exam open book?
Yes. You bring your own copy of the NEC (2020 or 2023) plus 2023 Ugly's Electrical References to the PSI test center.
Do I need both the NEC and Ugly's Electrical References?
Yes — PSI's bulletin lists both as required references for the Journeyman and Master exams, not an either/or choice.
Can I use the 2017 NEC for the Journeyman exam?
No. The Journeyman and Master exams currently accept only the 2020 or 2023 NEC. The 2017 edition is listed for the separate Limited Electrical installer exams (see the inconsistency section above), not for the main electrician exams.
Do I pass the exam before or after I apply to DOPL?
Before. Idaho requires a passing PSI exam score as part of your application packet — you cannot apply first and test later.
What's the difference between the DOPL fee and the PSI fee?
They're separate charges to separate organizations: DOPL's $70 (Journeyman) or $80 (Master) processing fee covers your license application; PSI's $75 exam fee covers scheduling and sitting the test itself.
Does Your Book Spot USA guarantee I'll pass?
No. We sell official, correctly-referenced study materials — no book or bundle can guarantee an exam result, and we don't claim otherwise.
Get the Correct Codebook
Once you've confirmed 2020 vs. 2023 NEC for your specific exam category, shop our current Idaho-ready bundles — NEC paired with Ugly's Electrical References, exactly as PSI's bulletin requires.
Ordering for a crew, apprenticeship class, or training program? Request bulk pricing.
Official Sources
- DOPL — Electrical Journeyman License Application Instructions (revised July 11, 2024; checked August 31, 2026)
- DOPL — Master Electrician License Application Instructions (revised June 15, 2024; checked August 31, 2026)
- DOPL — Electrical Program Information and Exams (checked August 31, 2026)
- PSI Services LLC — Idaho Examination Scheduling Procedures & Examination Guide, effective July 9, 2026 (obtained via test-takers.psiexams.com/idcon)
Your Book Spot USA is not affiliated with DOPL, PSI Services LLC, 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.
