Nevada doesn't issue an individual "Journeyman Electrician" or "Master Electrician" license at the state level. What the state licenses is a business classification — the C-2 Electrical Contractor license, issued by the Nevada State Contractors' Board (NSCB) and tested through PSI. This guide covers exactly what the C-2 exam requires, corrects a stale claim floating around online about the 2026 NEC, and explains where individual credentials actually come from in Nevada.
Quick Answer: What Do You Need?
| Licensing authority | Nevada State Contractors' Board (NSCB) — licenses electrical contracting businesses, not individual electricians |
| Testing provider | PSI Services LLC |
| Required exams | Contractor Management Survey (CMS — business/law, all applicants) + C-2 Electrical trade exam (or a C-2 subclassification) |
| Books allowed in the exam room | Yes — open book, candidate-supplied, pre-exam highlighting/tabs only |
| NEC edition (C-2 exam) | 2017 — not a more recent edition |
| C-2 exam format | 80 questions, 4 hours, 56/80 (70%) to pass |
| Exam fee | $95 per exam, or $140 if taking two portions (e.g., CMS + C-2) |
Who Regulates Electrical Work in Nevada?
Nevada state law requires contractors to be licensed by the Nevada State Contractors' Board (NSCB), which has contracted with PSI Services LLC to administer its written exams. Critically, Nevada's state-level license is a contractor classification — the C-2 Electrical Contractor license — not an individual journeyman or master electrician credential. Applicants must submit fingerprints for a state and national criminal history check as part of the application.
Correcting a Stale Claim: Nevada Tests the 2017 NEC, Not 2026
You may run across claims online that Nevada's electrical exam is now based on the 2026 NEC, with the codebook supplied at the test center. That's not accurate as of our verification. Per PSI's current bulletin (updated 3/25/2026), the C-2 Electrical Contractor exam and every C-2 subclassification are still built on the National Electrical Code or NEC Handbook, 2017 edition, and it is a candidate-supplied, open-book reference — not something provided to you at the test center. We're flagging this explicitly because getting the wrong code edition into an exam room can cost you the test.
The C-2 Electrical Contractor Exam
The C-2 classification authorizes installing any electrical wires, fixtures, appliances, apparatuses, raceways, and conduits — the broadest electrical contractor scope Nevada offers.
| Questions | 80 |
| Time allowed | 4 hours |
| Minimum passing score | 56 correct (70%) |
Content areas include General Electrical Knowledge, Service/Feeders/Branch Circuits, Grounding and Bonding, Conductors and Cables, Raceways and Boxes, Special Occupancies and Equipment, Electrical Power, Motors, Low Voltage, Lighting, Illuminated Signs, Fire Detection and Alarm Systems, Safety Information, Transmission Lines, and Overcurrent Protection.
C-2 Subclassifications
If your work is narrower than the full C-2 scope, Nevada offers several subclassifications, each with its own exam — all built on the same 2017 NEC:
| Subclass | Scope | Questions / Time / Pass |
|---|---|---|
| C-2a Electrical Wiring | Installation, alteration, repair of wires/fixtures/appliances on existing structures | 60Q / 2.5 hrs / 42 |
| C-2c Fire Detection | Heat/smoke sensors and alarms | 55Q / 2 hrs / 39 |
| C-2d Low Voltage | Systems not exceeding 91 volts (phone, sound, cable, satellite, networking, landscape lighting) | 35Q / 1 hr / 25 |
| C-2e Lines to Transmit Electricity | Overhead/underground secondary lines, poles, towers, transformers, substations | 40Q / 1.5 hrs / 28 |
| C-2f Residential Wiring | ≤600V wiring, structures up to 3 stories | 50Q / 2 hrs / 35 |
| C-2g Photovoltaics | PV cells, batteries, inverters (not wiring beyond the service panel) | 75Q / 150 min / 56 |
All subclassification exams are open book against the same 2017 NEC or NEC Handbook, following the same markup rules described below.
The CMS (Business & Law) Exam
Every Nevada contractor applicant, regardless of trade, must also pass the Contractor Management Survey (CMS) exam: 60 scored items (plus 3 unscored) in 120 minutes, requiring 45 correct (75%) to pass. It covers Licensing, Estimating and Bidding, Lien Law, Financial Management, Tax Laws, Labor Laws, Project Management, Contracts, Risk Management, and Environmental and Safety. It's open book, with one allowed reference: the Construction Business and Law Manual for Nevada, published by PSI.
Reference Material Rules
These rules apply across the CMS exam, the C-2 exam, and every C-2 subclassification:
- Open book for the specific listed reference(s) only.
- Highlighting, underlining, and indexing are allowed — but only if done before the exam session. References may not be written in, either before or during the exam.
- Any candidate caught writing or highlighting in a reference during the exam will have it confiscated and be reported to the department.
- Permanent tabs only. Temporary tabs (e.g., Post-it notes) must be removed before the exam begins.
- No loose or attached papers with your approved reference.
- For the C-2 exam specifically: Ugly's Electrical References, the National Electrical Safety Code, the Lineman's and Cableman's Handbook, and CFR 29 Part 1926 (OSHA) are all explicitly NOT allowed in the exam room, even though they're commonly carried for other states' electrical exams. The NEC/NEC Handbook 2017 is the only permitted reference.
Fees and Retesting
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| One examination portion | $95 |
| Two examination portions (only if the 2nd is the CMS) | $140 |
Registration fees are not refundable or transferable, and expire on the same date as your eligibility. If you fail, you must wait 2 weeks before retaking that portion. After a third unsuccessful attempt, your application becomes void and you must reapply directly with the NSCB.
A Note on Local Individual Licensing
Because Nevada's state license is contractor-level, some cities and counties maintain their own individual electrician credentials on top of it — Clark County (Las Vegas) and Reno are the two most commonly cited examples. We have not yet independently verified those local programs' current exam formats, fees, or requirements against their own primary sources, so we're not going to guess at the details here. If you're working in either metro area, confirm directly with that jurisdiction's licensing department.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get an individual Journeyman or Master Electrician license in Nevada?
Not from the state. Nevada's only state-level electrical credential is the C-2 Electrical Contractor (business) license. Some local jurisdictions, including Clark County and Reno, offer their own individual credentials — check with them directly.
Can I bring an NEC codebook into the Nevada C-2 exam?
Yes — the exam is open book. You may highlight, underline, and permanently tab your codebook before the exam, but you may not write in it before or during the exam.
What NEC edition should I study?
The 2017 NEC, per PSI's current bulletin — not a more recent edition, despite some third-party claims.
Can I bring Ugly's Electrical References to the C-2 exam?
No. Ugly's is explicitly listed as not allowed for the C-2 exam and its subclassifications, along with the National Electrical Safety Code, the Lineman's and Cableman's Handbook, and CFR 1926.
Does Your Book Spot USA guarantee I'll pass?
No. No book or study guide can guarantee an exam result, and we don't claim otherwise.
Study Materials
Because Nevada's C-2 exam is built specifically on the 2017 NEC, and we currently stock 2023 and 2026 editions, we can't offer an exact-edition match for exam day. Our current bundles are useful for learning general electrical theory and code structure, but you'll need to source an actual 2017 NEC or NEC Handbook — plain, or with only permanent factory/publisher tabs — for the exam room itself.
General study reference only — confirm you're using the 2017 NEC for exam day.
Ordering for a crew or training program? Request bulk pricing.
Official Sources
- PSI Services LLC — State of Nevada Contractors "C" Classification Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin (Copyright 2026, Updated 3/25/2026), obtained via test-takers.psiexams.com/nvcon (checked September 5, 2026)
- Nevada State Contractors' Board (checked September 5, 2026)
Your Book Spot USA is not affiliated with the Nevada State Contractors' Board, 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.
