District of Columbia Master Electrician 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. 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.

2. 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)'.

3. Other electrician classes

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

District of Columbia master 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 That is the outdated figure in 17 DCMR 218.1.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