- Identity Check: Which 2A This Is
- Format, Fee and Rules at a Glance
- The 50-Question Allocation by Domain
- The NEC and IRC Edition Question
- Domain-by-Domain Must-Know Topics
- Open-Book Mechanics: Tabbing and Calculator
- A Domain-Ordered Review Timeline
- After the Exam: Licensing, E1 Transition, Employers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The exam is 50 four-option, open-book, computer-based questions in two hours, with an official cut-score of 70.
- Wiring Methods and Service Equipment/Supply-Side Conductors carry nine questions each, the largest allocations.
- Calculations of Load and Calculations of Wire Size together carry only four questions; do not over-invest there.
- Confirm the NEC edition for your booked form with Prov before buying code-specific materials.
Identity Check: Which 2A This Is
This cheat sheet covers one credential only: the NCPCCI Electrical Inspector One- and Two-Family Dwellings (2A) examination, a legacy IAEI-associated exam now administered by Prov. It is not the ICC E1 exam, not the IAEI CEI-R residential program, and not a state license such as Nevada's C-2A. If you are still sorting out terminology, start with What Is 2A? and What Is 2A Certification?, then come back here for the one-page facts.
A note on the issuer: the International Association of Electrical Inspectors now does business as the Independent Alliance of the Electrical Industry. The current Prov candidate bulletin keeps the 2A exam but no longer lists IAEI as a partner, so treat the bulletin, not older web pages, as the authority on exam rules.
Format, Fee and Rules at a Glance
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Administrator | Prov, with testing centers and ExamRoom.AI remote proctoring |
| Delivery | Computer-based written examination |
| Questions | 50, four-option multiple choice |
| Time | Two hours |
| Reference policy | Open book; approved references only |
| Official cut-score | 70 |
| Fee | USD 130 per attempt, retakes included |
| Retake wait | 30 days after a failed attempt |
| Prequalifications | None imposed by NCPCCI to sit the exam |
| Local licensing | Passing alone does not confer a local license or certification |
Two points deserve emphasis. First, the fee is per attempt, so a retake means paying USD 130 again; budget accordingly using the 2A certification cost breakdown, which also separates exam fees from study purchases. Second, the cut-score is a score threshold, not an empirical pass rate. No authoritative current pass rate has been verified for this exam, and the 2A pass rate article explains how to think about that gap. For the scoring detail, see 2A passing score, and for eligibility questions see 2A requirements.
The 50-Question Allocation by Domain
The Prov bulletin publishes item counts, not percentage weights. Do not convert these to percentages in your notes; use the counts as published. In official domain order:
| # | Domain | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cabinets, Panelboards, Switchboards, Boxes, and Conduit Bodies | 6 |
| 2 | Calculations of Load | 2 |
| 3 | Calculations of Wire Size | 2 |
| 4 | Conductors and Overcurrent Protection on the Load Side of the Service | 8 |
| 5 | Lighting and Utilization Equipment | 6 |
| 6 | Service Equipment and Conductors on the Supply Side of the Service | 9 |
| 7 | Special Installations or Constructions | 5 |
| 8 | Switches, Disconnects and Controllers | 3 |
| 9 | Wiring Methods | 9 |
The allocations total 50. The pattern is the most useful thing on this page: Domains 6 and 9 (nine each) plus Domain 4 (eight) account for 26 of 50 questions. The two calculation domains together account for just four. Many candidates fear the math and over-drill it, while the installation-and-protection domains decide most outcomes. For a deeper walkthrough of each area, see the 2A exam domains guide.
The NEC and IRC Edition Question
This is the single biggest trap on the exam-prep landscape. The bulletin lists a 2017 Code form (2017 NEC and 2018 IRC) and a newer form labelled 2A (2021 Code), which specifies the 2021 IRC. But the NFPA 70 reference in the newer listing contains conflicting 2017/2020 wording, and its ISBN (9781455922970) is labelled NEC 2020 elsewhere in the same bulletin. That ISBN-to-edition mapping is corroborated by a Cengage product listing for the National Electrical Code 2020. The title conflict remains unresolved.
- Before buying anything code-specific, confirm the NEC edition for your booked examination with Prov.
- The specified edition governs the answers. Other editions of the same reference title may be brought, but a question is keyed to the specified edition.
- IAEI's NEC 2023 study guide is a preparation resource. It is not proof that an NEC 2023 form of the 2A exam exists.
Key Takeaway
Email or call Prov to confirm the code edition tied to your appointment, write it on the inside cover of every reference, and tab only the matching edition. A mismatched book is the most avoidable way to miss an open-book question.
Domain-by-Domain Must-Know Topics
The nine subject areas below are official exam subject areas, not a preparation curriculum. The bullets are the kinds of topics worth confirming you can locate and apply in your references; verify specifics against your governing code edition.
Domain 9: Wiring Methods (9 questions)
The joint-largest domain. Expect questions on selecting, supporting and protecting the cable and raceway types used in one- and two-family dwellings.
- Which wiring methods are permitted in which locations
- Support, securing and protection requirements for cables and raceways
- Installation details inspectors routinely verify during rough-in
Domain 6: Service Equipment and Conductors on the Supply Side of the Service (9 questions)
Also nine items. This is where grounding and bonding, service entrance conductors and service equipment placement live.
- Service entrance conductors and their protection
- Service disconnect location and grouping rules
- Grounding electrode system and bonding at the service
Domain 4: Conductors and Overcurrent Protection on the Load Side of the Service (8 questions)
Third-largest. Pairs conductor ampacity with the device that protects it.
- Matching conductor size to overcurrent device rating
- Branch-circuit and feeder protection rules
- Protection requirements specific to dwelling circuits
Domain 1: Cabinets, Panelboards, Switchboards, Boxes, and Conduit Bodies (6 questions)
Includes box selection and fill, which overlaps with the original calculation practice that open-book candidates should rehearse.
- Box fill: count conductors, devices and fittings from the table and article for your edition
- Panelboard installation and working-space concerns
- Conduit body and enclosure use
Domain 5: Lighting and Utilization Equipment (6 questions)
Covers installation of luminaires and equipment common in dwellings.
- Luminaire installation and clearance concerns
- Appliance and utilization equipment connection requirements
- Where this domain connects to dwelling-specific rules
Domain 7: Special Installations or Constructions (5 questions)
Five items covering installations outside the standard dwelling wiring pattern. Prepare by reading the table of contents of your NEC to see which special-installation articles apply to residential work.
Domain 8: Switches, Disconnects and Controllers (3 questions)
A small domain concerned with how switching and disconnecting means are installed and rated.
Domains 2 and 3: Calculations of Load and Wire Size (2 questions each)
Only four combined items, but each is a multi-step problem that eats clock time. Know where the load-calculation and conductor-sizing tables sit in your reference so the calculator and tabs do the work.
- Work residential load problems step by step and keep a worked example tabbed
- Practice wire-size problems that involve ampacity adjustments and termination limits
For a candid look at how these domains translate to difficulty, see How Hard Is the 2A Exam?
Open-Book Mechanics: Tabbing and Calculator
Open book does not mean easy. With 50 questions in two hours you have roughly two and a half minutes per item on average, which is tight if you are hunting through an index. The bulletin's reference rules allow you to prepare your books before test day:
- Highlighting and permanent tabbing of approved references is permitted before testing.
- The applicable NEC Handbook is a permitted reference.
- An on-screen calculator with square root is provided in the exam interface.
- The reference-rules appendix and administration rules in the bulletin (see the Prov candidate information bulletin linked from provexam.com) define exactly what is approved; read it before you tab.
Because the Domain 6, Domain 9 and Domain 4 questions are largely look-up-and-apply items, your tabbing strategy should be built around them first. Run timed sets on the 2A practice test to find out whether your tabs actually save time.
A Domain-Ordered Review Timeline
Generic scheduling advice is everywhere; the useful move is to order your weeks by the published question counts. This is one example, not a prescription. A fuller plan lives in the 2A study guide.
Edition and reference setup
- Confirm the NEC edition with Prov and obtain matching books
- Tab core articles and table locations
Domains 9 and 6 (18 questions)
- Wiring methods, then service equipment and supply-side conductors
- Timed look-up drills
Domains 4, 1 and 5 (20 questions)
- Load-side protection, boxes and panelboards, lighting and utilization equipment
- Box-fill practice
Domains 7, 8, 2 and 3 plus full timed run
- Special installations, switches and disconnects, then the calculation domains
- One full 50-question, two-hour simulation and review of every miss
After the Exam: Licensing, E1 Transition, Employers
Passing is not a license. The exam result alone does not confer a local license or certification. Your jurisdiction decides what it accepts, so check with your employer or authority having jurisdiction before you book. The 2A certification overview and ROI analysis cover how to weigh this.
ICC E1 transition. ICC's NCPCCI Reciprocity page (updated November 6, 2025) permits an E1 transition application using NCPCCI 2A, a supporting score report and a current license. It carries a separate fee and requires approval. Do not assume it is automatic, and keep that fee separate from your USD 130 exam fee.
| Credential | How it relates to 2A |
|---|---|
| NCPCCI 2A | The exam this article covers |
| ICC E1 | Separate ICC credential; transition application possible from 2A with approval and a separate fee |
| IAEI CEI-R | Separate residential program with its own practicum rules; does not define 2A |
| State licenses (for example Nevada C-2A) | Separate licensing; not the same as this exam |
Employer checklist:
- Ask whether the employing jurisdiction recognizes NCPCCI 2A directly.
- Keep your score report; the E1 transition requires it.
- Confirm any renewal route separately; do not borrow CEI-R practicum rules.
- Check scheduling windows in 2A exam dates.
For hiring context see 2A jobs, and for earnings context the 2A salary guide. Occupation-wide salaries describe the job, not necessarily a certification effect, so read those figures carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions
The exam has 50 four-option multiple-choice questions to complete in two hours, delivered by computer. It is open book with approved references only.
The official cut-score is 70. It is a score threshold, not a pass-rate statistic. No authoritative current empirical pass rate has been verified for this exam.
The exam fee is USD 130 per attempt, retakes included. After a failed attempt you must wait 30 days before retaking. Study materials and any ICC transition fee are separate costs.
The bulletin has an unresolved edition conflict between 2017 and 2020 wording for the newer form, so confirm the edition for your booked exam with Prov first. The specified edition governs answers.
By published item count, Service Equipment and Conductors on the Supply Side of the Service and Wiring Methods have nine questions each, followed by load-side conductors and overcurrent protection with eight. Practice them on the 2A practice test.