- Passing score is 70%; exam runs 1 hour closed book plus 3.5 hours open book (4.5 hours total).
- NDSEB supplies codebooks, calculators, and pencils - do not bring your own.
- Class B covers only farmstead or one- and two-family residential wiring in towns of 2,500 or fewer.
- Rules effective July 1, 2026 shift the exam to the 2026 NEC.
Quick Facts Snapshot
This is the condensed, print-it-and-pin-it version of everything you need to know about the North Dakota Class B Electrician Exam. For deeper context on any line item, the ND-ELEC-B Study Guide 2026 walks through full preparation strategy, while this page stays focused on the raw facts you should be able to recall cold before test day.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Administering body | North Dakota State Electrical Board (NDSEB) |
| Application fee | $40 |
| Initial license fee | $40 |
| Annual renewal fee | $40 |
| Passing grade | 70% |
| Closed-book portion | 1 hour |
| Open-book portion | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Total testing time | 4 hours 30 minutes |
| License expiration | Annually on April 30 |
| Code edition (effective 7/1/2026) | 2026 NEC |
Fees, Timing, and Format
Every dollar amount tied to the North Dakota Class B Electrician Exam is $40 - the application fee, the initial license issuance fee, and the annual renewal fee are all the same figure. There is no separate "exam fee" line beyond what's built into the application process, so budgeting is straightforward. A full breakdown of how these costs stack up over a multi-year licensing period is available in the ND-ELEC-B Certification Cost 2026 guide.
On format: the exam is split into two distinct blocks totaling four and a half hours. The first hour is closed book - no codebook, no notes - and tests recall of fundamentals and rules you're expected to know without reference material. The remaining three and a half hours are open book, where NDSEB provides the codebook, a calculator, and pencils. You do not need to bring your own copy of the NEC or a calculator; using an unapproved one could create problems during proctoring.
Key Takeaway
Memorize formulas and code section numbers you'll need in the closed-book hour; save calculation-heavy, reference-dependent problems for the open-book block where the codebook is already in your hands.
Eligibility Recap
Before you can sit for the exam, NDSEB requires at least 18 months and 3,000 hours of qualifying experience in farmstead or one- and two-family residential wiring, performed under the supervision of a master or Class B electrician. Commercial wiring hours simply don't count toward this total, no matter how extensive.
An approved two-year electrical school program can supply 1,000 hours of experience credit toward that 3,000-hour requirement. If the majority of your practical experience was earned in North Dakota, you'll also need to satisfy an approved electrical-school, related-training, or apprenticeship-program component, plus provide employer verification of your hours. The full eligibility breakdown - including how school credit interacts with on-the-job hours - is covered in the ND-ELEC-B Requirements 2026 article.
Domain-by-Domain Cheat Sheet
The exam is organized around three subject areas defined by the board. Treat each one as a separate study track rather than one undifferentiated pile of electrical knowledge. For a full walkthrough of subtopics and weighting logic, see the ND-ELEC-B Exam Domains 2026 guide. Below is the condensed version.
Domain 1: Fundamental Electricity
This covers the core electrical theory every Class B candidate must know before touching code books or state rules - circuits, calculations, and basic principles that underlie residential and farmstead wiring work.
- Ohm's law and power calculations you can perform without a reference
- Series, parallel, and combination circuit behavior
- Basic transformer and motor principles as applied to residential-scale equipment
Domain 2: Laws, Rules, and Wiring Standards of North Dakota
This is the state-specific layer that distinguishes North Dakota licensing from generic electrical knowledge. It draws directly from the board's own rules document, so treat it as required reading rather than optional background.
- Scope limitations of the Class B license (population threshold, wiring type restrictions)
- Licensing, renewal, and continuing-education rules as codified by NDSEB
- State-specific wiring and conveyance standards effective under the 2026 rule update
Domain 3: National Electrical Code
This is the open-book heavy lifter. With rules effective July 1, 2026 adopting the 2026 NEC, candidates need fluency navigating the current edition's article structure and index quickly under time pressure.
- Article organization and index navigation speed
- Residential and farmstead-relevant sections: services, grounding, overcurrent protection, dwelling unit requirements
- Cross-referencing table data (conductor sizing, ampacity) efficiently during the open-book window
Key Takeaway
Domain 2 is the one section you cannot cram from general electrician experience - it's unique to North Dakota, so give it dedicated study time even if you feel strong on code and theory.
Day-of-Exam Checklist
Because the North Dakota Class B Electrician Exam has a specific supplied-materials policy, showing up with the wrong assumptions can cost you time. Keep this short list handy:
- Confirm your testing appointment falls within six months of your NDSEB invitation.
- Do not bring your own codebook or calculator - NDSEB supplies codebooks, calculators, and pencils.
- Review the board's examination invitation letter closely; it specifies exactly what materials and instructions apply to your sitting.
- Plan your pacing around the 1-hour closed-book segment followed by the 3.5-hour open-book segment.
- Know the passing threshold going in: 70%, applied across the combined exam.
If you're still unsure how demanding this exam feels in practice, the How Hard Is the ND-ELEC-B Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 article and the ND-ELEC-B Pass Rate 2026 breakdown give useful context before you finalize your prep timeline.
Retake Waiting Periods
Not everyone passes on the first attempt, and the waiting period after a failed exam depends entirely on your score band. Memorize this table - it determines how quickly you can try again.
| Score Range | Waiting Period Before Retake |
|---|---|
| 60-69 | None - reapply immediately |
| 50-59 | Three months |
| 0-49 | Six months |
In every case, a new application and a new $40 fee are required for the retake. There's no discount or carryover from your previous attempt. If your first score falls in the 50-59 or 0-49 range, use the mandatory waiting period productively - this is exactly the scenario the ND-ELEC-B Passing Score 2026 guide addresses in more detail, including how the 70% threshold applies across the full exam.
Renewal and CE Facts
Once licensed, Class B electricians in North Dakota face an annual renewal cycle rather than a multi-year one. Two facts matter most here:
- Licenses expire every year on April 30, regardless of when during the year you were originally licensed.
- Renewal requires eight continuing-education hours, with at least four of those hours in code-specific content.
The $40 renewal fee mirrors the initial issuance fee, so plan for a recurring annual cost rather than a one-time investment. If you're weighing whether the ongoing renewal and CE obligations make the license worthwhile relative to the work it authorizes, the Is the ND-ELEC-B Certification Worth It? analysis and the ND-ELEC-B Salary Guide 2026 are useful companion reads.
Final-Week Review Plan
In the last stretch before your scheduled sitting, resist the urge to study everything evenly. Instead, sequence your remaining time around the exam's actual structure and your own weak spots.
Fundamental Electricity Drill
- Rework Ohm's law and power calculations until they're automatic - this is closed-book material
- Time yourself on quick circuit problems without a reference sheet
North Dakota Laws, Rules, and Wiring Standards
- Re-read the scope restrictions defining Class B (farmstead, 2,500-or-fewer population towns)
- Review renewal, CE, and retake-waiting-period rules - they show up as testable facts, not just admin trivia
2026 NEC Navigation
- Practice locating grounding, service, and dwelling-unit sections quickly in the open-book codebook
- Run through conductor sizing and ampacity table lookups under a timer
Full Simulation
- Run a timed 1-hour closed-book set followed immediately by a 3.5-hour open-book set
- Review missed questions by domain, not just by raw count
For structured practice questions mapped to these same three domains, the exam simulator on the main practice test site lets you rehearse the closed-book/open-book split under realistic timing before your actual appointment.
FAQ
You need 70% overall across the combined closed-book and open-book portions of the North Dakota Class B Electrician Exam.
No. NDSEB supplies codebooks, calculators, and pencils for the exam; follow the instructions in your examination invitation for specifics.
Total testing time is 4 hours 30 minutes, split into 1 hour closed book and 3 hours 30 minutes open book.
Waiting periods depend on score: none for 60-69, three months for 50-59, and six months for 0-49. A new application and $40 fee are required either way.
No. Only farmstead or one- and two-family residential wiring hours under a master or Class B electrician count toward the 3,000-hour, 18-month requirement.
Keep this cheat sheet next to your notes, but don't treat it as a substitute for full preparation - pair it with the ND-ELEC-B Exam Dates 2026 scheduling guide and the domain-specific resources above so nothing on exam day catches you off guard.