District of Columbia Electrician Licensing Exam Prep

Code edition: the exam vs. the installation code

Who licenses electricians in District of Columbia, and the license path

Licensing authority: DC Board of Industrial Trades, staffed by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing Administration.

1. Apprentice Electrician

   Registered without an exam, no experience needed.

2. Journeyman Electrician (called 'Electrician' in 17 DCMR 218)8,000 hours

   Statute §47-2853.92(b) requires a class on Title 12C DCMR (DC Electrical Code) or an equivalent code completed within 2 years before applying, plus one of: (1) at least 8,000 hours as an apprentice over at least 4 years; (2) an electrical engineering degree plus 2 years of practical experience certified by a licensed master; or (3) Board-approved equivalent experience.

3. Master Electrician

   Statute §47-2853.92(c): meet all journeyman requirements in (b), including the 12C code class within 2 years, plus at least 4 years working as a journeyman electrician.

4. Master Electrician Limited (Low Voltage) / Master Electrician Specialist

   Statute §47-2853.92(b) applies the journeyman eligibility rules to the 'master electrician limited (low voltage)'.

5. Other electrician classes

   Residential Maintenance Electrician (PSI #824: 60 questions, 3 hours, open book).

District of Columbia exam content outline

Key District of Columbia amendments

• The 12-C DCMR (2017 DC Electrical Code) amends NFPA 70-2014.
• The DC Electrical Code amendments are not among the approved exam references.

Common misconceptions about the District of Columbia exam

• That the DC exam is on the 2020, 2023 or 2017 NEC. The PSI bulletin and DLCP both say the 2011 NEC.
• That DC enforces the 2020 or 2023 NEC. It still enforces the 2014-NEC-based 2017 DC Construction Codes.
• That the DC exams are closed book. All the electrician exams are open book.
• Using the wrong question counts or times: master is 100 questions in 5 hours and journeyman is 80 questions in 4 hours. Do not mix these up with other states' PSI numbers (for example 3-hour or 4.5-hour exams).
• Inventing a published passing score such as 70% or 75%. The PSI DC bulletin gives no percentage, and passing candidates see only 'PASS'.
• That the journeyman needs 4,000 hours. That is the outdated figure in 17 DCMR 218.1.

Official sources for District of Columbia

Facts verified Oct 19, 2026 against these official sources.

• test-takers.psiexams.com /api/content/bulletin/5572
• dlcp.dc.gov /sites/default/files/dc/sites/DLCP/publication/attachments/Electrician.pdf
• code.dccouncil.gov /us/dc/council/code/sections/47-2853.92
• code.dccouncil.gov /us/dc/council/code/sections/47-2853.91
• code.dccouncil.gov /us/dc/council/code/sections/47-2853.93
• dcregs.dc.gov /Common/DCMR/RuleList.aspx?ChapterNum=17-2
• dlcp.dc.gov /page/boardindustrialtrades
• dlcp.dc.gov /node/1619081
• dlcp.dc.gov /node/1792796
• dob.dc.gov /page/dc-construction-codes
• dob.dc.gov /release/dc-department-buildings-quicken-pace-dc-construction-code-development-under-organ
• dob.dc.gov /release/dc-department-buildings-advances-modernization-district-construction-codes