- What the CT-E2 Certification Actually Is
- Who Issues and Administers the Exam
- Exam Format and Question Style
- The 16 Domains You'll Be Tested On
- Registration, Fees, and Eligibility Mechanics
- Allowed References and Open-Book Rules
- How E-2 Fits Into a Connecticut Electrical Career
- Building a Study Plan Around the Domain Weights
- Frequently Asked Questions
- CT-E2 is the Connecticut E-2 Unlimited Electrical Journeyperson license exam, administered by PSI Services LLC for DCP.
- The exam is 80 scored questions (plus up to 10 unscored) in 210 minutes, open-book, computer-based.
- Passing requires 70%, or 56 of 80 scored questions correct.
- PSI fee is $59 per attempt; DCP application is $90; annual renewal is $120.
What the CT-E2 Certification Actually Is
The CT-E2 certification refers to the Connecticut E-2 Unlimited Electrical Journeyperson License Exam, the trade competency test that the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) and the Electrical Work Examining Board require before someone can be licensed to perform unlimited-scope electrical work as an employee of a licensed contractor in the state. Unlike a contractor license, the E-2 does not require passing a separate Business and Law examination - candidates only need to pass the trade knowledge exam itself.
If you're still sorting out terminology, our companion pieces on What Is CT-E2? and CT-E2 Meaning walk through the acronym and license category in more depth. This article focuses on what the certification covers, how the exam is built, and what it takes to hold it once you pass.
Who Issues and Administers the Exam
DCP's Electrical Work Examining Board sets licensing policy and eligibility standards, while PSI Services LLC is the third-party testing provider that develops the item bank, publishes the candidate bulletin, and delivers the computer-based exam at its test centers. The most recent PSI bulletin for this exam was revised February 4, 2026, so candidates should always check the current bulletin version before scheduling rather than relying on older printouts or secondhand summaries.
DCP approval of a candidate's eligibility application always happens first. Only after DCP confirms eligibility can a candidate register and schedule a seat with PSI. This two-step gate - DCP first, PSI second - trips up candidates who try to book an exam date before their paperwork clears.
Exam Format and Question Style
The E-2 exam is computer-based and open-book, meaning you bring approved printed references into the testing room rather than memorizing every code section cold. The structure is straightforward:
- 80 scored questions
- Up to 10 additional unscored (pretest) questions mixed in, indistinguishable from scored items
- 210 minutes total time limit, covering both scored and unscored items
- Passing score: 70%, equal to 56 of 80 scored questions
Because unscored items look identical to scored ones, treat every question on screen with equal seriousness - there is no way to identify or skip the pretest items. For a full breakdown of how the passing threshold is calculated and what a realistic pacing plan looks like across 210 minutes, see CT-E2 Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Key Takeaway
Pace yourself against 80 scored questions in 210 minutes - that's roughly two and a half minutes per question, but open-book lookups eat into that time, so know your references before test day rather than searching cold.
The 16 Domains You'll Be Tested On
PSI's published outline organizes the 80 scored questions across sixteen content domains. Question counts aren't distributed evenly - some domains carry far more weight than others, which should directly shape how you allocate study time.
Domain 5: Raceways and Boxes
The single largest domain on the exam at eight questions. Expect coverage of conduit fill, box sizing, support spacing, and raceway selection rules.
- Prioritize this domain first when building a review schedule
Domain 16: Photovoltaics
Carries six questions, reflecting the growing presence of solar installation work in Connecticut's electrical trade. This domain draws on dedicated PV references rather than the NEC alone.
- Review rapid shutdown, PV system sizing, and inverter-related requirements
The remaining domains - General Electrical Knowledge, Service, Feeders, and Branch Circuits, Grounding and Bonding, Conductors and Cables, Special Occupancies and Equipment, Electrical Power, Motors, Low Voltage, Lighting, Illuminated Signs, Fire Detection and Alarm Systems, Safety Information, Overcurrent Protection, and High Voltage - round out the remaining scored items. A candidate preparing seriously should not skip any domain, since even a two- or three-question domain can be the difference between a 55 and a 56 on exam day.
For an item-by-item walk through every content area, including how each domain typically shows up in question wording, read CT-E2 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 16 Content Areas.
Registration, Fees, and Eligibility Mechanics
Money and paperwork mechanics matter as much as trade knowledge when you're planning your path to licensure. Here's what's confirmed:
| Cost Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| PSI exam fee (per attempt) | $59 |
| DCP application fee | $90 |
| Annual license renewal fee | $120 |
Eligibility comes from either an approved apprenticeship program or DCP's documented equivalency route, which requires 8,000 on-the-job hours and 720 classroom hours. Once DCP approves your eligibility, that approval is valid for one year, during which you may sit for the exam an unlimited number of times - though each attempt still costs the $59 PSI fee. This structure rewards candidates who use their eligibility window to retest quickly if needed, rather than letting the clock run out. For a complete rundown of every prerequisite and how the equivalency hours are documented, see CT-E2 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify, and for a full cost breakdown across application, testing, and renewal, see CT-E2 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Once licensed, the E-2 expires annually on September 30. Maintaining it requires four approved continuing education hours due by June 30 each year - though your very first renewal cycle is exempt from that CE requirement.
Allowed References and Open-Book Rules
The open-book format is one of the most distinctive features of this exam, but "open-book" comes with strict limits on what you can bring and how it can be marked. Approved references include:
- NEC or NEC Handbook, 2020 or 2023 edition
- Ugly's Electrical References, 2020 or 2023 edition
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926 (with latest amendments) or PSI's listed selections
- NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm Code, 2013 edition
- Photovoltaic Systems, third edition
- Convert Your Home to Solar Energy, 2010 edition
- National Electrical Safety Code, 2012 edition
Notably, the Solar Photovoltaic Systems Installer Trainee Guide (NCCER, 2012) is a study-only resource - it is not permitted inside the exam room, even though it's a recommended way to prepare for the Photovoltaics domain.
Books may already have highlighting, underlining, or permanent tabs from prior study. What's prohibited: written question-and-answer notes, loose or attached papers, temporary sticky tabs, and any writing added during the exam itself. Candidates must bring their own copies - nothing is provided at the test center. A silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator is also permitted.
Key Takeaway
Tab and highlight your NEC and Ugly's before test day - you cannot add sticky notes or handwritten cheat sheets once you're seated, so pre-exam organization of your books is part of your study strategy.
How E-2 Fits Into a Connecticut Electrical Career
The E-2 Unlimited Electrical Journeyperson license is aimed at electricians who want to work across the full range of residential, commercial, and industrial electrical tasks in Connecticut, rather than a limited or restricted scope license. Because E-2 holders must work as employees of licensed contractors, the credential is typically pursued by tradespeople progressing through an apprenticeship or equivalency pathway toward eventually holding their own contractor license down the line.
Employers hiring for E-2-licensed positions generally include electrical contracting firms handling new construction, renovation, industrial maintenance, and increasingly, solar installation crews - which explains why Photovoltaics earned its own dedicated domain on the exam. If you're weighing whether pursuing this license lines up with your career goals, our guides on CT-E2 Jobs and Is the CT-E2 Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 go deeper into where the license opens doors. For those still building toward eligibility, CT-E2 Training outlines apprenticeship and classroom-hour paths that satisfy DCP's requirements.
Building a Study Plan Around the Domain Weights
Generic study advice - spaced repetition, timed practice sets, breaking sessions into focused blocks - works best when it's mapped directly onto the CT-E2 outline rather than applied evenly across all sixteen domains. Because Raceways and Boxes carries eight questions and several other domains carry far fewer, your review calendar should weight time accordingly rather than splitting hours equally.
Heaviest Domains First
- Raceways and Boxes (8 questions)
- Service, Feeders, and Branch Circuits
- Grounding and Bonding
Photovoltaics and Specialty Domains
- Photovoltaics (6 questions) using the PV references and Solar Energy text
- Fire Detection and Alarm Systems with NFPA 72
- Special Occupancies and Equipment
Timed Practice and Reference Speed
- Full-length timed runs against the 210-minute limit
- Practice locating code sections quickly in your tabbed NEC
- Review Safety Information and Overcurrent Protection
Running full-length, timed practice sessions is the closest simulation you can get to the real 210-minute, 80-question format before test day. You can build that habit using realistic questions on the CT-E2 Exam Prep practice test platform, which mirrors the domain distribution described above. For a day-by-day framework that ties these domain weights to a full prep calendar, see CT-E2 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Candidates may bring approved references such as the NEC or NEC Handbook, Ugly's Electrical References, OSHA 29 CFR 1926, NFPA 72, and specific photovoltaic and solar texts. Books may have prior highlighting and permanent tabs, but no added notes or temporary tabs are allowed during the exam.
There are 80 scored questions, plus up to 10 additional unscored questions mixed in, all within a 210-minute time limit.
A passing score is 70%, which equals 56 correct answers out of the 80 scored questions.
No. The E-2 Unlimited Electrical Journeyperson license requires only the trade examination, not a separate contractor Business and Law exam.
DCP eligibility approval is valid for one year, and during that year you may take the PSI exam an unlimited number of times, paying the $59 PSI fee for each attempt.
Understanding exactly what the CT-E2 certification measures - its domains, its open-book rules, its fee structure, and its renewal cycle - is the foundation for any realistic prep plan. From here, dig into the domain-specific breakdown, run timed practice sets on the practice exam platform, and track your readiness against the 56-question passing benchmark rather than a vague sense of "feeling ready."