What the license lets you do
A Residential Electrical Contractor can wire, and install fixtures, appliances, raceways and conduit in, one- to four-family residences of no more than two stories plus their accessory structures, with the service limited to single-phase, 400 ampere, single service (Board rule 61G6-7.001). If your work includes three-phase or commercial jobs, the Unlimited certification is the one you want.
Two exams, not one
Florida certifies electrical contractors in two parts at Pearson VUE: this Technical/Safety exam and the Business exam that all eight certifications must pass. 75 percent on each. They are booked separately, in either order, once DBPR approves your application.
Who can sit it
Apply to DBPR first. Florida Statute 489.511 and rule 61G6-5.003 give four experience paths: 3 years of proven management experience in the last 6 years; 4 years as a foreman, supervisor or contractor in the last 8 years; 6 years of comprehensive training, technical education or broad experience in the last 12 years; or 3 years licensed as a professional engineer in the last 12 years. You also show financial responsibility: a credit report dated within 12 months, and, for a business organization, a financial statement showing the required net worth. An application not completed within one year of filing is closed.
What is on it
One hundred scored questions in fourteen subjects. Note how much of it is calculation: box fill, demand loads, conduit fill, neutral loads, appliance loads, service sizing and voltage drop together are 36 to 50 questions.
| Subject | Questions |
|---|---|
| General Theory and Electrical Principles | 13 to 15 |
| Plan and Specification Reading and Interpretation | 12 to 14 |
| Wiring and Protection | 6 to 8 |
| OSHA, Safety, Procedures for Testing and Use of Tools and Equipment | 8 to 10 |
| Residential Life Safety and ADA | 4 to 6 |
| Motors | 4 to 6 |
| Box Fill | 4 to 6 |
| Demand Loads | 5 to 7 |
| Conduit Fill | 2 to 4 |
| Grounding Conductors | 7 to 9 |
| Neutral Loads | 3 to 5 |
| Appliance Loads | 6 to 8 |
| Service | 8 to 10 |
| Voltage Drop | 4 to 6 |
Five or more unscored pilot questions may be mixed in. Every question is multiple choice with four options and equal weight. Our Residential mock draws by these same subjects, so a mock has the same shape as the real thing.
The books you bring
Open book, list editions only. For the Residential exam: the Florida Contractors Manual (2021), OSHA 29 CFR Parts 1926, 1910 and 1904 (July 2020 edition), the 2023 National Electrical Code, NFPA 72 (2019), NFPA 780 (2017) and NFPA 101 (2018).
Permanently attached tabs are allowed. Post-it flags, removable tabs, pull-off labels and any handwritten notes are not; existing notes must be blacked out completely. One copy of each book, no photocopies without written permission, and a PDF reference must be printed and bound in a spiral notebook or a three-hole binder.
The edition changes on August 21, 2027, when the exam moves to the 2026 NEC, 2025 NFPA 72, 2025 OSHA edition and 2025 Contractors Manual. Until then the 2023 NEC is the book, and our content is locked to it.
How to book
After DBPR approves you, schedule with Pearson VUE online or at 1-888-204-6230, ideally five or more business days ahead. Cancel or reschedule at least two days before the appointment or the fee may be forfeited.
Exam day
Arrive thirty minutes early with two forms of signature identification, one government issued, matching the name and address on your application. A silent, hand-held, non-printing calculator without an alphabetic keypad is allowed. A word-for-word translation dictionary is allowed after inspection. The fifteen-minute tutorial does not count against your five hours. You leave with your score report.
If you do not pass
You may review only the questions you missed, within 21 days, for one hour, at a Pearson VUE center, and challenge a question in writing during that review. Each failed Technical/Safety attempt means reapplying to DBPR for a new authorization. After three unsuccessful attempts the Board may require coursework in the weak areas before another try.
Questions people ask
Do I need the Business exam as well?
Yes. All eight electrical certifications, Residential included, have to pass the 50-question Business exam: a separate booking at Pearson VUE, 2½ hours, open book, 75 percent to pass, three attempts before you must reapply.
Which NEC edition do I study?
The 2023 edition until August 20, 2027. From August 21, 2027 the exam uses the 2026 NEC. If your date falls after that, study the 2026 book.
Why so many calculation subjects?
Because the license is about houses. Sizing a 200-ampere service, a range circuit, a dryer neutral or a box with twelve conductors is the daily work, so the outline gives those subjects a third to a half of the exam. Our calculation questions show the worked steps and the table each number came from.
Is the exam in Spanish?
No. The exam is in English; a word-for-word translation dictionary is allowed once staff inspect it. Our course is in both languages so the rule is familiar in Spanish and recognisable in English.
Can I upgrade to Unlimited later?
Yes, by applying to DBPR for the Unlimited certification (the experience for it must include at least 40 percent three-phase service work) and passing its Technical/Safety exam. Ask DBPR whether your Business exam pass carries over before you book; the CIB does not say.