Two exams, not one
Florida certifies electrical contractors in two parts, both at a Pearson VUE center: the Technical/Safety exam for your certification (this page) and the Business exam, which every one of DBPR's eight electrical certifications has to pass. You need 75 percent on each part. They are booked separately and you can take them in either order once DBPR approves your application.
Who can sit it
You apply to DBPR first; Pearson VUE will not book you without the department's approval. Florida Statute 489.511 and Board rule 61G6-5.003 give four experience paths, each with a look-back window:
- 3 years of proven management experience in the trade within the last 6 years (an educational equivalent can cover up to half of it).
- 4 years as a foreman, supervisor or contractor in the trade within the last 8 years.
- 6 years of comprehensive training, technical education or broad experience within the last 12 years.
- 3 years licensed as a professional engineer within the last 12 years.
For the Unlimited certification at least 40 percent of that experience has to be three-phase service work. The application also asks for financial responsibility (a credit report dated within 12 months, and a financial statement showing at least $10,000 net worth if you apply as a business). An application not completed within one year of filing is closed, so gather the paperwork before you file.
What is on it
One hundred scored questions in nine subjects. The Candidate Information Booklet prints a range for each; the midpoint is what our mock exam uses.
| Subject | Questions |
|---|---|
| General Theory and Electrical Principles | 19 to 21 |
| Plan and Specification Reading and Interpretation | 7 to 9 |
| Wiring and Protection | 13 to 15 |
| Wiring Methods and Materials | 11 to 13 |
| Special Occupancies and Situations | 13 to 15 |
| OSHA, Safety, Procedures for Testing and Use of Tools and Equipment | 8 to 10 |
| Life Safety and Americans with Disabilities Act | 4 to 6 |
| Electrical Signs, Outline Lighting, and Structural Considerations | 2 to 4 |
| Alarms / Limited Energy | 14 to 16 |
The exam may also include five or more pilot questions that are not scored. All scored questions carry equal weight. Every question is multiple choice with four options, and the CIB is blunt about how they are written: the wrong options are common misconceptions and plausible nonsense, so a candidate who cannot use the NEC will find them hard to guess.
The books you bring
The exam is open book, and only the editions on DBPR's reference list count. For the Unlimited exam that is: the Florida Contractors Manual (2021), the OSHA regulations 29 CFR Parts 1926, 1910 and 1904 (July 2020 edition), the 2023 National Electrical Code, NFPA 72 (2019), NFPA 780 (2017), NFPA 101 (2018), the Fire Alarm Signaling Systems Handbook, UL 681 and UL 365, Engineering Sign Structures, NEON Techniques and Handling, Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Telecommunication Wiring (2001) and the NTC Blue Book (2020).
The rules on those books trip more people than the questions do. Permanently attached tabs are fine; Post-it flags, removable tabs and pull-off labels are not. Handwritten notes must be completely blacked out. One copy of each reference. Photocopies are not allowed unless DBPR and the publisher gave written permission. A PDF reference has to be printed and bound in a spiral notebook or a three-hole binder.
The edition changes on August 21, 2027. From that date the exam uses the 2026 NEC, the 2025 NFPA 72, the 2025 OSHA edition and the 2025 Contractors Manual. Until then, the 2023 NEC is the book. Our content is locked to it and shows the date it was last reviewed.
How to book
After DBPR approves you, schedule with Pearson VUE online or at 1-888-204-6230. You can book as far ahead as you like; DBPR recommends calling at least five business days before the date you want. To cancel or move a date you must contact Pearson VUE two days before the appointment, or you may lose the fee.
Exam day
Report thirty minutes early. Bring two forms of signature identification, one of them government issued, with a name and address that match your application. A silent, hand-held, non-printing calculator without an alphabetic keypad is allowed. A word-for-word translation dictionary is allowed after the staff inspect it; an electronic one usually is not. No phones, bags, notes or loose paper in the room. The tutorial takes up to fifteen minutes and does not count against your five hours. Your score report prints before you leave.
If you do not pass
You can review only the questions you missed, within 21 days of the exam, for one hour, at a Pearson VUE center, and you can challenge a question in writing during that review. For the Technical/Safety exam, each failed attempt means reapplying to DBPR for a new authorization to test. After three unsuccessful attempts the Board may require college-level or technical courses in the weak areas before another try.
Questions people ask
Do I need the Business exam as well?
Yes. All eight electrical certifications, Unlimited included, have to pass the 50-question Business exam. It is a separate booking at Pearson VUE, 2½ hours, open book, 75 percent to pass, and you get three attempts before you have to 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 test date is after that, study the 2026 book.
Is the exam in Spanish?
No. The exam is in English, but DBPR allows a word-for-word translation dictionary in the room once the staff inspect it. Our course is in both languages so you can learn a rule in Spanish and still recognise it in English on exam day.
How long is the exam?
Five hours for one hundred scored questions plus any unscored pilot items. The CIB says the time limits are generous, and most people finish with time to check calculations.
Can I bring an older or newer code book?
DBPR says you can, at your own risk. The answers are keyed to the editions on the list, so a different edition can cost you questions.