After you pass - step 7
The Business and Law Exam You May Still Have to Take
Updated September 2026
The NASCLA electrical exams test the code, theory and installation - the trade. They do not test your state's lien law, payroll rules, licensing statutes or safety regulations, and several boards want proof you know those before an electrical contractor license issues.
Boards that still require a business and law exam or course
From the board pages verified for our state guides:
- Alabama - the Alabama Business and Law exam (through Prov)
- Arizona - the Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam
- Louisiana - a mandatory business law course
- Mississippi - the Mississippi Business and Law exam
- South Carolina - the S.C. Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors exam
- Tennessee - the Tennessee Business and Law exam (plus a reviewed or audited CPA financial statement)
- Utah - the Utah Law and Rule exam (as part of its endorsement route)
- West Virginia - the West Virginia Business and Law exam
Boards where the remaining hurdle is experience, not a business exam
Washington DC, Idaho, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia verify experience - years as a journeyman or documented hours - rather than testing business law separately. Nebraska and Vanderburgh County require you to test locally. New Mexico wants a letter of good standing from a state where you have been licensed at least a year. Each state guide spells out the exact requirement and the official link.
What these exams look like
Most are open book, computer-based, shorter than the NASCLA (often 50-90 questions in one to two hours) and built around the state's contractor law manual plus federal payroll, OSHA and lien-law basics. Pass marks sit around 70-75%. They are not hard the way the NASCLA is hard - but they are unforgiving about state-specific details. Exam fees are generally in the $60-$150 range, paid to the testing vendor; confirm the current fee and scheduling on your board's page.
Check your board's exact requirements
Every state guide lists what the board still requires after the NASCLA - the business exam, the experience proof, the insurance - with the official link.
Keep reading
WiremanPrep is an exam-prep company, not a law firm, insurance agency or licensing service. Figures were checked in September 2026 against the sources named; your board's current page is the final word.