- The AL-JE is 80 questions, four hours, open book, with a 75% passing score.
- Conductors and Cables, General Electrical Knowledge, and Raceways and Boxes each carry 10 questions - the biggest domains.
- Exam fee is $115 to the Board; initial license is $35; credit cards add a 4% service charge.
- You need 8,000 documented hours, though approved education can offset up to 2,000 of them.
Quick Facts Snapshot
If you only have five minutes before test day, this is the section to read. Every number below applies specifically to the Alabama Electrical Journeyman Exam (AL-JE) administered through the Alabama Electrical Contractors Board and delivered by Prov, Inc. - not any other credential that happens to share an acronym.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Governing body | Alabama Electrical Contractors Board |
| Testing provider | Prov, Inc. |
| Question count | 80 multiple-choice questions |
| Time limit | 4 hours |
| Format | Computer-based, open book |
| Passing score | 75% |
| Exam fee | $115 to the Board |
| Initial license fee | $35 |
| Credit card surcharge | 4% service charge |
| Current bulletin | July 22, 2026 |
For a deeper breakdown of every fee category, see the full AL-JE Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. If you want a plain-language explanation of the credential itself before diving into logistics, start with What Is AL-JE?.
Registration & Fee Mechanics
The AL-JE application process runs through the Board, not through Prov directly. Applicants submit notarized experience documentation along with supporting tax records to verify hours worked. Candidates coming through a registered apprenticeship program use a separate documentation route rather than the standard notarized-experience path.
Once your application is approved, you don't test immediately - Prov scheduling eligibility opens 90 days after approval. That gap is intentional: it gives the Board time to finalize your file and gives you a firm runway to prepare. For a full walkthrough of deadlines and testing windows, check AL-JE Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
The 14 Domains at a Glance
The AL-JE draws its 80 questions from 14 content areas defined in the official exam blueprint. Three domains are tied for the largest share of the exam at 10 questions each - meaning nearly 40% of your score depends on mastering just three topics.
Conductors and Cables (10 questions)
Covers conductor sizing, ampacity, insulation types, and cable applications - one of the three largest domains on the exam.
- Know ampacity tables and derating scenarios cold
General Electrical Knowledge (10 questions)
Broad code fundamentals and terminology that show up in scenario-style questions across the rest of the test.
- Review definitions and general NEC application rules
Raceways and Boxes (10 questions)
Conduit fill calculations, box sizing, and support requirements - heavily calculation-based, which matters since the exam is open book.
- Practice fill and box-fill math using your permitted calculator
The remaining 11 domains - Electrical Power, Fire Detection and Alarm Systems, Grounding and Bonding, Illuminated Signs, Lighting, Low Voltage, Motors, Overcurrent Protection, Safety Information, Service, Feeders, and Branch Circuits, and Special Occupancies and Equipment - round out the other roughly 50 questions. Each carries meaningful weight even without being the single largest domain, and skipping any of them is a common reason candidates fall short. For a question-by-question breakdown of how points are distributed across all 14 areas, read AL-JE Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 14 Content Areas.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize Conductors and Cables, General Electrical Knowledge, and Raceways and Boxes first - they're tied for the most questions - then work through the remaining 11 domains methodically rather than skimming them.
What You Can Bring Into the Exam Room
The AL-JE is open book, which changes how you should prepare compared to a closed-book credential. But "open book" doesn't mean anything goes.
- Permitted: a simple four-function calculator, highlighting in your code book, and permanent tabs affixed to your reference materials.
- Prohibited: loose notes of any kind, and movable/removable tabs.
If you're still unsure how tough the format feels in practice, the analysis in How Hard Is the AL-JE Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 walks through what open-book, timed conditions actually demand from candidates.
Code Editions and References
The current bulletin, dated July 22, 2026, references the 2023 NEC and the American Electrician's Handbook, 17th edition. These are the materials you should be tabbing and studying from - not older or newer editions.
Eligibility & Experience Cheat Sheet
Before you can even schedule with Prov, you need to clear the Board's experience threshold.
- Standard path: 8,000 documented hours of electrical installation work.
- Education/apprenticeship credit: approved programs substitute at a rate of 1,000 hours per year, capped at 2,000 hours total.
- Documentation: notarized experience records plus supporting tax records for the standard route; a separate documentation path for registered apprenticeship candidates.
This means even a candidate who completes the maximum 2,000 hours of education credit still needs 6,000 hours of verified field experience - the substitution doesn't replace the bulk of hands-on work. For the complete eligibility breakdown, including how the documentation gets verified, see AL-JE Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Scheduling, Deadlines, and Retakes
Approval doesn't mean instant testing. Prov scheduling eligibility opens 90 days after your application is approved, so plan your study timeline around that window rather than around your application submission date.
Key Takeaway
Your underlying journeyman application expires after two years if you haven't passed and obtained the license - use that window deliberately rather than letting it lapse.
If you don't pass on the first attempt, you can reapply to test again, but the two-year application clock keeps running. Candidates who fail and delay retesting risk running out the clock on their original application. For a realistic picture of what separates candidates who pass on the first try from those who need multiple attempts, see AL-JE Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows and the strategy-focused AL-JE Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
License Renewal Basics
Once you've passed and hold the Journeyman Electrician license, renewal is straightforward:
- Renew annually before the end of the quarter in which the license was originally issued.
- Renewal fee is $35.
- No continuing education is currently required for journeyman electricians in Alabama.
That last point surprises a lot of candidates who assume CE hours are mandatory the way they are in many other states. Right now, the Board doesn't impose that requirement on journeyman renewals - though it's worth checking the Board's site periodically in case that changes.
One-Week Review Plan by Domain
If your Prov appointment is a week out, spend your remaining days on the domains most likely to move your score rather than reviewing everything evenly.
Heavy-Weight Domains
- Drill Conductors and Cables, General Electrical Knowledge, and Raceways and Boxes - the three domains tied at 10 questions each
- Work practice calculations for ampacity and conduit/box fill using your four-function calculator
Safety and Protection Topics
- Review Overcurrent Protection, Grounding and Bonding, and Safety Information
- Tab your 2023 NEC permanently around these sections since they'll be your fastest open-book lookups
Remaining Systems Domains
- Cover Electrical Power, Motors, Lighting, Illuminated Signs, Low Voltage, Fire Detection and Alarm Systems, Service/Feeders/Branch Circuits, and Special Occupancies and Equipment
- Focus on recognizing scenario keywords rather than memorizing every subsection
Simulate Test Conditions
- Take a full 80-question, four-hour practice run with only your permitted materials - highlighted code book, permanent tabs, and calculator
- Review missed questions by domain to catch any last gaps
Running full-length timed sessions on our AL-JE practice test platform before test day is the closest you can get to replicating the actual four-hour, 80-question format, and it's a good way to confirm your tabbing system actually works under time pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
The exam has 80 multiple-choice questions with a four-hour time limit, delivered on computer through Prov, Inc.
Yes. You may use a simple four-function calculator, highlighting, and permanent tabs in your reference materials. Loose notes and movable tabs are not allowed.
You need to score 75% or higher. See AL-JE Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass for how that's calculated across the 80 questions.
Conductors and Cables, General Electrical Knowledge, and Raceways and Boxes are tied for the largest share at 10 questions each out of 80.
Prov scheduling eligibility opens 90 days after your application is approved by the Board. Note also that your underlying application expires after two years if you haven't passed and obtained the license.
Keep this page bookmarked as your quick reference, and pair it with the deeper dives linked above - from domain breakdowns to eligibility rules - as you build out your full AL-JE preparation plan on the main practice test site.