TX-JE Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass

Two Portions, Two Separate Passing Scores

If you are searching for a single "passing score" for the Texas Journeyman Electrician License Exam, the first thing to understand is that there is no single score. Since March 11, 2025, the exam has been delivered as two computer-based, multiple-choice written portions through PSI Services LLC under the authority of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Those portions are NEC Knowledge and Calculations, and each has its own timer, its own question count, and its own passing requirement of 70%.

That structure changes how you should think about preparation. You are not trying to reach one blended number. You are clearing two independent hurdles, and a strong result on one does not rescue a weak result on the other. The Calculations portion is not a hands-on practical assessment either; it is a written, multiple-choice portion in which you work numerical problems using a permitted calculator and your NEC.

For a broader look at how the portions fit into the overall licensing process, see our TX-JE study guide, and for the content outline behind each portion, review the TX-JE exam domains guide.

What 70% Actually Means in Items

Because the bulletin publishes scored-item counts, you can translate 70% into a practical target. Percentages of small numbers round in ways that matter, so it is worth working them out explicitly and then confirming against the current bulletin and your score report.

Applied to the scored items, 70% of 56 is 39.2, which means you should plan on getting at least 40 of the 56 scored NEC Knowledge items correct as a conservative working target. For Calculations, 70% of 24 is 16.8, so plan on at least 17 of the 24 scored items. These are planning figures derived from the published item counts and the 70% requirement; the score report you receive from the testing provider is the authoritative statement of your result.

The practical lesson: on Calculations, every single item is worth roughly 4% of the portion. Missing a handful of problems to arithmetic slips, wrong table lookups, or a misread conductor material assumption can be the difference between passing and failing. We cover how hard that portion tends to feel in how hard the TX-JE exam is.

Unscored Items and Timers

Each portion includes a small number of unscored questions: three in NEC Knowledge and two in Calculations. You will not be told which ones they are, so the correct strategy is to give every question your full attention rather than guessing which items "don't count."

How the clocks work

• Each portion has its own timer: 130 minutes for NEC Knowledge and 110 minutes for Calculations.
• Unused time does not roll over from one portion to the other.
• The tutorial, which can take up to 15 minutes, is outside examination time.
• Electronic notepads are supplied for scratch work, so you do not bring your own paper.

Because unused time does not carry over, there is no benefit to rushing through NEC Knowledge to bank minutes for Calculations. Pace each portion against its own clock. Roughly speaking, NEC Knowledge gives you a little over two minutes per question and Calculations gives you a little over four minutes per question, which reflects how much longer a worked problem takes than a code lookup.

Where the Scored Items Sit by Domain

The bulletin publishes how many scored items fall under each subject area. These are item counts, not percentage weights, and the bulletin does not claim twenty unique weighted domains. The twenty rows are two ten-heading outlines, one for each portion, and several names repeat because the same subject is tested once in NEC Knowledge and once in Calculations. Knowing where the items cluster tells you where a few missed questions hurt most.

One caution: the largest allocations tell you where the most items live, not that those domains are "worth" more per question. Every scored item counts the same toward your 70%. Use the allocation to prioritize time, but do not skip small domains entirely, since a portion with 24 scored items can be lost on a handful of questions. The full breakdown is in our complete domains guide.

Reference Rules That Protect Your Score

This is an open-book exam, but only within strict limits. Violating the reference rules can cost you time or access, which is a score problem in practice. Here is what the current bulletin says candidates may and may not use.

Also remember the assumption built into the questions: assume copper conductors unless a question directs otherwise, and use exceptions or optional calculation methods only when the question tells you to. Many missed Calculations items come from applying an optional method nobody asked for.

The 2026 NEC and Your Score

The tested reference is NFPA 70, the 2026 National Electrical Code, which the currently linked bulletin identifies as effective September 1, 2026. That date is an explicit dated notice in the bulletin, and it supports preparing from the 2026 edition.

There are two wrinkles worth knowing about, and we would rather show them than hide them. The visible cover of the bulletin says "Updated 7/9/2026," while the text extracted from the same PDF says "Updated 9/15/2026." Likewise, on printed page 8, the rendered allowed-reference line still reads "2023 Edition" while the extracted text reads "2026 Edition." Both representations display the September 1, 2026 transition to the 2026 NEC. We are not going to manufacture a tidy revision label that the source does not give us.

Also note that an older TDLR-hosted bulletin, updated March 30, 2023, is still searchable online. It describes a superseded combined examination and older references, and it should not override the current linked bulletin. If a study resource still describes the 2023 combined format, treat it as a version-check red flag rather than an authority. Our exam dates and scheduling guide covers how to confirm timing around the edition change.

Reading the Fiscal Year 2025 Results Carefully

TDLR publishes results for Fiscal Year 2025, and they are sobering. They also need careful handling, because they are easy to misuse.

These are distinct historical attempt-level cohorts. They are not unique first-time candidates, they are not a combined-license passing probability, and they are not results for the 2026 NEC examination. Do not multiply the two component rates to estimate an overall chance, and do not substitute the legacy unsplit row for the component rows. The cohorts are not compatible, and combining them would produce a number the data cannot support.

What you can fairly take from the table is qualitative: both written components have been demanding on an attempt-by-attempt basis, and Calculations showed the lower reported rate of the two components. That is a reason to give numerical practice dedicated time rather than treating it as an afterthought. For more on interpreting the data, read our pass rate analysis.

Fees, Retakes, and What a Fail Costs

The exam fee is USD 78 for both portions. If you need to retake one portion or both, the fee is again USD 78, not USD 39 per portion. That means retaking a single portion costs the same as retaking both, which is worth factoring into your decision about when to sit each one.

• Exam fee for both portions: USD 78.
• Retake of one or both portions: USD 78.
• Separate initial TDLR application fee: USD 30.
• Attempts are unlimited within the eligibility period.
• Cancellation or rescheduling requires at least two days' notice.

Because the retake price does not drop when you retake only one portion, a sensible approach is to avoid sitting the exam before both portions are reasonably ready. For a fuller view of all costs, see the certification cost breakdown. On test day, bring matching government identification and arrive 30 minutes early. The exam is offered in English and Spanish at PSI test centers.

A Score-Driven Prep Plan

Generic study advice is easy to find; here is a plan built around the item counts above. It assumes you already have your publisher-tabbed 2026 NEC and a compliant calculator.

Keep the two portions separate in your practice. Drill NEC Knowledge at about two minutes per question and Calculations at over four, since mixing the pacing hides the difference. Our cheat sheet is useful for last-day review, and you can test yourself on original, independently authored questions at the TX-JE Exam Prep practice test site. Those questions are supplementary knowledge preparation, not actual PSI questions or an official mock examination.

Passing Is Not the Same as Being Licensed

Clearing both portions with 70% does not by itself give you a license. Eligibility to test and eligibility for a license are different things. TDLR may approve early testing at 7,000 verified qualifying on-the-job hours under a Texas-licensed Master Electrician, but license issuance requires 8,000 approved hours, supervisory verification, an application, and a background review. Each supervising Master Electrician must verify the applicable experience.

All requirements must be completed within one year after TDLR receives your application. Once licensed, the term is one year; annual renewal is USD 30 with four hours of TDLR-approved continuing education covering the NEC, Texas electrician law and rules, and NFPA 70E safety. Those renewal subjects are not additional exam domains. For the full eligibility picture, see the requirements guide, and to weigh the investment, read whether the certification is worth it. Test preparation does not grant eligibility, demonstrate field competence, or issue a license.

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