California General Electrician Certification Exam Pass Rate, Format & Study Guide

The California General Electrician exam is the written certification examination for the General Electrician certificate issued by the Electrician Certification Unit of the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), part of the California Department of Industrial Relations. The exam is a 100-question multiple-choice computer-based test with a 270-minute time limit and a 70 percent minimum score; it is open-reference with the 2023 NEC (NFPA 70), NFPA 70E 2024 and the Cal/OSHA Pocket Guide for the Construction Industry (DLSE Candidate Information Bulletin, July 2026).

California law requires most electricians who install, construct or maintain electrical systems to be certified by the DLSE. Passing this exam is the step that turns approved experience into a certificate.

Electrical trainees and workers who have completed their qualifying hours and are preparing for the California General Electrician exam, and candidates retesting.

The certifying body does not publicly publish an official pass rate for this exam. Be wary of third-party sites citing a specific number here — treat any pass-rate claim you see elsewhere for this exam as unverified.

The US$100 exam fee applies again each time you retest, and you must sit the exam within one year of your eligibility notice or reapply and pay the fees again (DLSE).

Passing standard: the minimum passing score is 70 percent (DLSE Candidate Information Bulletin). The exam is a 100-question multiple-choice computer-based test with a 270-minute time limit and a 70 percent minimum score; it is open-reference with the 2023 NEC (NFPA 70), NFPA 70E 2024 and the Cal/OSHA Pocket Guide for the Construction Industry (DLSE Candidate Information Bulletin, July 2026). No official pass rate is available for this exam, so none is quoted here.

The exam is a 100-question multiple-choice computer-based test with a 270-minute time limit and a 70 percent minimum score; it is open-reference with the 2023 NEC (NFPA 70), NFPA 70E 2024 and the Cal/OSHA Pocket Guide for the Construction Industry (DLSE Candidate Information Bulletin, July 2026). Format: 100 multiple-choice questions · 270 minutes · computer-based at Pearson VUE · open reference (NEC 2023, NFPA 70E 2024, Cal/OSHA Pocket Guide). Passing standard: the minimum passing score is 70 percent (DLSE Candidate Information Bulletin).

• Safety6%
• Determination of Electrical System Requirements22%
• Installation66%
• Maintenance and Repair6%

The content areas and weights are: Safety (6%); Determination of Electrical System Requirements (22%); Installation (66%); Maintenance and Repair (6%).

The DLSE requires qualifying electrical work experience (for General Electrician, 8,000 hours of on-the-job work for a C-10 electrical contractor under the National Electrical Code) and an approved application before you can schedule; confirm the current requirements with the DLSE.

The certification fee is US$175: a US$100 exam fee plus a US$75 administration fee, non-refundable (DIR Electrician Certification Unit). The US$100 exam fee applies again each time you retest.

After you are certified, the DLSE sets renewal and continuing education requirements; check the DLSE for the current rules.

Start with the heaviest areas of the content outline: Installation (66%); Determination of Electrical System Requirements (22%); Safety (6%). Then work through the remaining areas and finish with timed full-length practice runs (100 questions in 270 minutes).

Content outlines, fees and passing standards change; this guide follows the materials listed under Verification as of October 2026. Check the certifying body or hiring authority before you register.