Who's the old electrician?
"The Old Electrician" is our guide's voice: the patient journeyman who explains things over coffee before the shift. The facts aren't folklore. Every rule, hour count and code edition on this site links to the official state board page, rule or bulletin it came from.
We built this because apprentices and career-changers keep asking the same questions. How many hours do I need? Who gives the test? Why does the exam use an older code book than the job site? The answers are buried across state agencies, rule books and testing-company bulletins.
How we keep it honest
- We add a state only after checking its official sources.
- If an official page doesn't say something, such as which code edition an exam uses, we say so instead of guessing.
- We don't reproduce code text or tables.
Independence
We are not affiliated with any state licensing board, NCSBN, IBEW, NFPA, any union or contractor association, or any testing company. Some links go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. That never changes what we report.
Facts last checked Nov. 10, 2026.