- The AZ-EC trade exam has 110 scored questions in 240 minutes; 70% is the passing threshold.
- Trade exam fee is $66; the separate Statutes and Rules Exam is $61 through the ROC.
- Service Feeders and Branch Circuits, Grounding and Bonding, and Special Occupancies and Equipment tie as the heaviest domains at 13 items each.
- Open-book references are limited to the 2017 NEC, NFPA 72 (2016), and the specified 29 CFR 1926 OSHA reference - pre-tabbed and annotated, but no loose papers.
Quick Facts Snapshot
This is the one-page version of everything covered in more depth across AZ-EC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. Keep it open on a second screen while you review, or print it as your final-day refresher.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam | Arizona C-11 (CR-11) Electrical (Commercial) Trade Exam |
| Administered by | Arizona Registrar of Contractors, delivered via PSI Services LLC |
| Format | Computer-based multiple-choice, test center or remote proctoring |
| Question count | 110 scored items (PSI may add 5-10 unscored experimental items, no extra time given) |
| Time limit | 240 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Trade exam fee | $66 |
| Statutes and Rules Exam fee | $61 (separate, through the ROC online process) |
| Bulletin date | February 18, 2026 (general bulletin) |
| Outline last revised | June 8, 2023 (commercial outline) |
Exam Format at a Glance
Every question on the trade exam is multiple-choice, delivered on a computer either at a physical PSI test center or through remote proctoring. There is no essay, no simulation, and no hands-on component - this is a knowledge exam built around the referenced code books, not a practical skills test.
- 110 scored questions spread unevenly across 15 content domains.
- 240 minutes total, which averages out to a little over two minutes per question if you also budget time for flagged review.
- 5-10 unscored experimental questions may be mixed in without warning and without additional time - you cannot identify them, so treat every question as if it counts.
- 70% required to pass, calculated against the scored items only.
If you're still deciding whether this exam matches your current knowledge level, the deeper analysis in How Hard Is the AZ-EC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 walks through what makes the format demanding beyond just the raw question count.
All 15 Domains, Ranked by Weight
PSI's published blueprint allocates the 110 questions across 15 domains in a fixed order. Knowing exactly how many items come from each domain is the single most useful piece of information for allocating your limited study hours. Full domain descriptions live in AZ-EC Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 15 Content Areas; here's the condensed weight table.
| Domain | Items |
|---|---|
| 1. General Electrical Knowledge | 5 |
| 2. Service Feeders and Branch Circuits | 13 |
| 3. Grounding and Bonding | 13 |
| 4. Conductors and Cables | 12 |
| 5. Raceways and Boxes | 10 |
| 6. Special Occupancies and Equipment | 13 |
| 7. Devices | 2 |
| 8. Motors | 5 |
| 9. Low Voltage | 5 |
| 10. Lighting | 3 |
| 11. Illuminated Signs | 1 |
| 12. Fire Detection and Alarm Systems | 5 |
| 13. Safety | 5 |
| 14. Overcurrent Protection | 8 |
| 15. Photovoltaics | 10 |
The Big Three: Service Feeders and Branch Circuits, Grounding and Bonding, Special Occupancies and Equipment
These three domains tie for the largest share at 13 items each, together accounting for 39 of the 110 scored questions - over a third of the exam. If your study time is limited, these are non-negotiable priorities.
- Service Feeders and Branch Circuits: sizing, calculations, and load-related NEC application
- Grounding and Bonding: system grounding, equipment bonding, and bonding path requirements
- Special Occupancies and Equipment: NEC Article rules for commercial-specific occupancy classes and equipment installations
Conductors and Cables, Raceways and Boxes, Photovoltaics
The next tier - 12, 10, and 10 items respectively - still adds up to 32 questions combined. Conductors and Cables covers ampacity and conductor selection; Raceways and Boxes covers fill calculations and installation methods; Photovoltaics covers PV-specific NEC requirements relevant to commercial installations.
Registration, Fees & Eligibility Cheat Sheet
Before you can sit for the C-11 (CR-11) trade exam, the qualifying party generally needs to document four years of practical or management trade experience, including at least two of those years within the preceding ten years. Qualifying education or manufacturer training can offset up to two years of that experience requirement. Application, business, background, bond, and insurance requirements apply on top of the exam itself - the full checklist is in AZ-EC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
- Trade exam fee: $66
- Statutes and Rules Exam fee: $61 (separate process through the ROC)
- Experience requirement: four years total, at least two within the last ten years
- Education/training credit: up to two years toward the experience requirement
- License renewal: two-year cycle, with renewal filing, fee, and maintained bond required to stay active
Key Takeaway
Confirm your qualifying experience documentation before you schedule the exam - the $66 fee is wasted if the ROC later flags an eligibility gap in your application paperwork.
What You Can Bring Into the Exam Room
The C-11 (CR-11) trade exam is open-book, but only for three specific references: the 2017 National Electrical Code, NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm Code (2016 edition), and the specified 29 CFR 1926 OSHA reference. These are the only sources you're permitted to consult during the 240-minute window.
- Books may be pre-highlighted, underlined, and annotated before test day.
- Permanent tabs are allowed - build your tab system around the domain weights above.
- Loose papers, sticky notes that fall out, or writing added during the exam itself are prohibited.
- A basic non-scientific, non-programmable calculator meeting PSI's rules is permitted.
- Remote testing does not allow breaks or scratch paper, so factor that into whether you choose a test center or remote proctoring.
Retake Rules & License Timeline
If you don't pass on the first attempt, you must wait 30 days before retesting. After a third failed attempt (and any subsequent failures), the waiting period extends to 90 days. Once you do pass, that passing result must be applied toward your license application within two years - don't let a pass expire while you finish other requirements.
- First/second retake wait: 30 days
- Third and later retake wait: 90 days
- Use-it-or-lose-it window: two years from passing to license application
- Renewal cycle after licensing: every two years, with fee and bond maintenance
For a broader look at how these numbers compare to candidate outcomes generally, see AZ-EC Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows and the scoring mechanics explained in AZ-EC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
A Final-Week Review Plan Built Around Item Counts
Generic study techniques only help if they're pointed at the right material. In the final stretch before your scheduled date, allocate review days proportionally to domain weight rather than evenly across all 15 domains.
The 13-Item Tie
- Review Service Feeders and Branch Circuits, Grounding and Bonding, and Special Occupancies and Equipment - 39 combined questions
- Confirm NEC tabs align with these three domains first
Conductors, Raceways, Photovoltaics
- Conductors and Cables (12 items), Raceways and Boxes (10 items), Photovoltaics (10 items)
- Practice fill and ampacity calculations under time pressure
Overcurrent Protection and Safety
- Overcurrent Protection (8 items) and Safety (5 items) - cross-reference the OSHA 29 CFR 1926 reference for Safety questions
The Mid-Weight Cluster
- General Electrical Knowledge, Motors, Low Voltage, Fire Detection and Alarm Systems - 5 items each
- Fire Detection questions draw on NFPA 72 (2016)
Low-Weight Domains and Full Review
- Lighting (3), Devices (2), Illuminated Signs (1)
- Run a full 240-minute timed practice on the practice test platform to simulate exam-day pacing
This weighting approach is the compressed version of the multi-week plan in AZ-EC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. If you have more than a week available, stretch each block out but keep the same proportional emphasis.
Mistakes That Cost Candidates Points
- Under-tabbing the code books. Since annotations and permanent tabs are allowed before the exam, arriving with an un-marked NEC wastes precious minutes of your 240-minute window on every reference lookup.
- Ignoring low-weight domains entirely. Illuminated Signs and Devices are small, but zero preparation on a combined 3 items is still 3 potentially free points left unclaimed.
- Treating experimental questions as skippable. Because the 5-10 unscored items are unmarked and unidentifiable, spending less effort on questions that "feel odd" risks missing scored items instead.
- Choosing remote proctoring without accounting for no-break, no-scratch-paper rules. If you rely on scratch work for load calculations, a test center may suit you better.
- Letting a pass expire. Passing the trade exam doesn't guarantee licensure - the result must be applied to your application within two years.
If you're weighing whether pursuing this license fits your career trajectory at all, Is the AZ-EC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 covers the cost-versus-benefit picture in more depth, and the AZ-EC practice test platform is the fastest way to see how your current knowledge maps against these exact 15 domains before you commit to a test date.
FAQ
The C-11 (CR-11) Electrical (Commercial) trade exam has 110 scored questions with a 240-minute time limit. PSI may also insert 5-10 unscored experimental questions without adding time.
You need 70% correct on the scored questions to pass. This applies only to the 110 scored items, not any unscored experimental questions mixed in.
Service Feeders and Branch Circuits, Grounding and Bonding, and Special Occupancies and Equipment tie for the heaviest weight at 13 items each, totaling 39 of the 110 questions.
Only the 2017 National Electrical Code, NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm Code (2016), and the specified 29 CFR 1926 OSHA reference are permitted, and they may be pre-tabbed and annotated but not supplemented with loose papers.
You must wait 30 days before retesting. After a third failed attempt, the wait extends to 90 days. Once you pass, you must use that result on a license application within two years.