Michigan licenses electricians through the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), with exams administered by PSI. This guide covers Journeyman and Master eligibility, exam content, an important gap in the official NEC-edition guidance worth knowing about before you buy a codebook, and a reference-material rule stricter than almost anything else we've covered in this series.
Quick Answer: What Do You Need?
| Licensing authority | Michigan LARA, Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC) |
| Testing provider | PSI Services LLC |
| Experience needed (Journeyman) | 4 years / 8,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training; minimum age reported as 20 |
| Application fee | Reported at $40 to LARA/BCC, separate from the PSI exam fee |
| Exam fee | $100 for every license type (Journeyman, Master, Contractor, Fire Alarm, Sign) |
| Exam format | Journeyman: 80 questions, 150 min. Master: 76 questions, 180 min. Both require 75% to pass. |
| NEC edition | Genuinely unclear as of our last check — see the dedicated section below before buying anything |
Michigan's Electrical License Types
PSI administers exams for eight distinct BCC electrical credentials: Electrical Contractor, Master Electrician, Electrical Journeyman, Fire Alarm Contractor, Fire Alarm Specialty Technician, Sign Specialty Contractor, Sign Specialist, and Facility Electrical Non-Contractor. This guide focuses on Journeyman and Master, the two most electricians pursue.
Journeyman & Master Eligibility
Only the State of Michigan (not PSI) determines your eligibility for examination. Based on the application guidance we could locate:
- Journeyman: minimum age 20, 8,000 hours (approximately 4 years) of supervised on-the-job training, documented via notarized employer statements
- Master: additional experience/supervisory requirements beyond Journeyman — confirm the current specifics directly with BCC, since the official application materials (not the PSI exam bulletin) govern eligibility
PSI's bulletin is explicit that it covers the exam only — it is not the source of truth for who qualifies to sit for one.
How to Apply
- Request examination application instructions from LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes (P.O. Box 30254, Lansing, MI 48909; 517-241-9316; michigan.gov/bcc → "Examinations and Licensing/Continuing Education").
- Complete and submit the application with supporting documentation and the application fee.
- Once BCC approves your eligibility, you'll receive a notification letter with instructions to pay and schedule with PSI. If denied, BCC will tell you what's missing.
- Register and pay the $100 exam fee at psiexams.com or by phone, then schedule at one of Michigan's PSI centers (Dearborn, Holt-Lansing, Southfield, Grand Rapids, Gaylord, or Marquette) or another PSI location nationwide.
Attempt limits matter here: Journeyman, Master, and Sign Specialist candidates get only 2 attempts within 1 year before having to reapply with the state from scratch. Contractor and Fire Alarm Specialty Technician candidates have unlimited attempts within their year.
What Is on the Exam?
| Exam | Questions | Passing Score | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Journeyman | 80 | 75% | 150 min |
| Master Electrician | 76 | 75% | 180 min |
| Electrical Contractor | 40 | 75% | 90 min |
| Fire Alarm Specialty Technician | 36 | 75% | 90 min |
| Sign Specialist | 32 | 75% | 60 min |
Journeyman and Master exams both cover: grounding and bonding, overcurrent protection, wiring methods and installations, boxes and cabinets, services, feeders, motors and motor controls, special occupancies, load calculations, lighting, appliances, box and raceway fill, power-limited circuits, general electrical trade knowledge, and electrical theory. The Master exam adds knowledge specific to planning and supervising installations. Both also draw on Michigan's Skilled Trades Regulation Act, the current Electrical Code Rules (Part 8), and the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act.
What NEC Edition Does Michigan Use? (A Real Gap)
This deserves more attention than most "what edition" sections in this guide series, because the sourcing itself is a problem. The only PSI candidate bulletin we could locate for Michigan is dated "Last Revised 5/1/2019" and states plainly: "Other editions of the NEC may be used during the examination, but the items are based on the 2017 edition." That's the 2017 NEC — four full code cycles behind the 2026 edition, in a document that is itself over seven years old with no newer version we could find publicly.
Separately, third-party exam-prep sources claim Michigan now tests the 2023 NEC. We have no way to confirm that claim against an official BCC or PSI document, and it directly contradicts the only primary source we could locate. Do not guess on this one. Call PSI at (800) 733-9267 or BCC at (517) 241-9316 and ask directly which NEC edition your specific exam will reference before you buy or prepare a codebook. This is one of the clearer cases in our guide series where official public documentation genuinely hasn't kept pace with the state's own code adoption cycle.
What Books Are Allowed?
Per the located bulletin, for Journeyman, Master, Contractor, Fire Alarm, and Sign exams alike:
- National Electrical Code — the plain Code, not the Handbook
- 2016 PA 407 (Michigan's electrical licensing statute)
- 1972 PA 230 (Contractor exam only — the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Construction Code Act)
- Michigan Electrical Code Rules Part 8
The NEC Handbook is explicitly banned from the exam room for every license type covered in this bulletin. If you're comparing codebook editions, make sure whatever you buy is the plain Code, not a Handbook version, regardless of which edition you ultimately confirm is correct.
All reference materials must be bound; anything printed from the BCC website must be bound with 3 staples along the left edge, each document separate. A straight-edge ruler (without printed calculations on it) is also allowed. You'll be given scratch paper, a pencil, and either an on-screen calculator or you may bring a basic four-function, non-programmable, silent calculator.
The Factory-Tabs-Only Rule
This is stricter than any other state we've covered in this series. Michigan's rule reads: "the code book may have factory markings or highlights with factory tabs only." That means:
- No user-applied tabs — not even permanent ones. Only tabs the publisher printed into the book at the factory are allowed.
- No highlighting, underlining, or indexing done by you, at any time, before or during the exam — only factory-applied highlighting counts.
- No handwritten notes, ever.
- A candidate caught writing, highlighting, underlining, or indexing their own references will be reported to the BCC.
Practically: if you want a codebook with built-in navigation aids for this exam, look for an edition where the publisher has already printed the tabs and index markers into the book — a book you personally tab or highlight after purchase will not be exam-legal in Michigan.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| LARA/BCC application fee | Reported at $40 (confirm current amount with BCC) |
| PSI exam fee, all license types | $100 |
Exam fees are non-refundable, non-transferable, and valid for one year from the date of payment.
Retesting Rules
Journeyman, Master, and Sign Specialist candidates get 2 attempts within 1 year of approval before they must reapply with the state entirely from scratch. There's no stated mandatory waiting period between the first and second attempt in the located bulletin — confirm current scheduling rules with PSI directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What NEC edition should I study for the Michigan exam?
We genuinely can't tell you with confidence. The only official PSI bulletin we located (dated 2019) says exam items are based on the 2017 NEC; third-party sources claim 2023. Call PSI or BCC directly before buying a codebook.
Can I use a tabbed or highlighted NEC codebook?
Only if the tabs and highlighting were applied by the publisher at the factory. Anything you tab, highlight, underline, or write in yourself is prohibited and will be reported to the BCC if discovered.
Can I bring the NEC Handbook instead of the plain Code?
No. The Handbook is explicitly excluded from the exam room for every Michigan electrical license exam covered in this guide.
How many times can I retake the Journeyman exam?
Two attempts within one year of your approval date. After that, you must reapply with the state to become eligible again.
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 Right Reference Materials
Because Michigan's official NEC-edition guidance is genuinely unclear as of our last check, and because only factory-tabbed/highlighted editions are exam-legal here, confirm your exact edition with PSI or BCC before ordering. Once confirmed, browse our full NEC selection below — just make sure to choose the plain Code, not a Handbook edition.
Ordering for a crew or training program? Request bulk pricing.
Official Sources
- PSI Services LLC — Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes Candidate Information Bulletin, last revised 5/1/2019 (via proctor2.psionline.com)
- Michigan LARA, Bureau of Construction Codes (michigan.gov/bcc)
Your Book Spot USA is not affiliated with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, 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.
