Sparky
Get Started
2023 NEC · Exam-day setup
Tab Your Code Book Like It's Test Day
The exam is a race against the clock, and every second spent flipping pages is a second not answering. Twenty tabs — on the articles the test actually lives in — turn your Code book into a navigation system.
Get the gear
Tabs & Books, Matched to Your Edition
Tabs are printed for a specific NEC edition — article numbers move between editions, so 2023 tabs land on the wrong articles in a 2026 book. Find your edition below and grab the matching book and tabs. Most states test on 2020 or 2023 right now, with 2026 rolling in.
Not sure which edition your state tests on? Check the state-by-state NEC chart →
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The tab map
The 20 Tabs That Matter
Tab the articles the journeyman exam draws from heaviest — roughly two-thirds of the test comes from Section C, and these are its home addresses. Label each tab with the article number plus two or three words.
Testing on the 2026 NEC? This map follows the 2023 book — the big move is your load-calc tab: Article 220 becomes Article 120. Inside the Sparky app, pick your edition and every drill and tab reference follows it.
| Tab | Article | Why it earns a tab |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Definitions | Half of all trick questions die here — "identified," "readily accessible," "damp location." |
| 110 | Requirements for Electrical Installations | Working space 110.26, dedicated space 110.26(E) — exam favorites. |
| 200 | Use and Identification of Grounded Conductors | What the white wire is allowed to do (and not do). |
| 210 | Branch Circuits | GFCI 210.8, AFCI 210.12, receptacle spacing 210.52 — the most-tested article in the book. |
| 220 | Branch-Circuit, Feeder & Service Load Calculations | Dwelling calcs live here. Pair with the formula sheet. |
| 230 | Services | Service drops, clearances, disconnects — including the 230.85 emergency disconnect. |
| 240 | Overcurrent Protection | Breaker sizing, 240.4(D) small-conductor limits, tap rules 240.21. |
| 250 | Grounding and Bonding | The article everyone fears. Tab it and drill it until it's boring. |
| 300 | General Requirements for Wiring Methods | Protection, support, and burial depths (Table 300.5). |
| 310 | Conductors for General Wiring | Ampacity Table 310.16 — you'll visit this table more than any other. |
| 314 | Outlet, Device, Pull & Junction Boxes | Box fill 314.16 — free points once you know the method. |
| 334 | Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable | Romex rules: where it's allowed, how it's secured and protected. |
| 352 / 358 | PVC Conduit / EMT | The two raceways the exam asks about most. One tab covering both. |
| 404 | Switches | Three-ways, neutrals at switch locations 404.2(C). |
| 406 | Receptacles | Receptacle rules beyond 210.52 — tamper-resistant, weather-resistant. |
| 410 | Luminaires | Closet clearances 410.16, recessed fixtures. |
| 430 | Motors | Tables 430.52 and 430.250, disconnect and overload rules — calc-heavy. |
| 440 | Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration | Nameplate vs. table amps — the exam loves this distinction. |
| 450 | Transformers | Overcurrent protection Table 450.3(A) and (B). |
| 680 | Swimming Pools | Bonding grids, GFCI rules — a small article with outsized exam presence. |
Worth adding if you have room: 690 (Solar PV), 700 / 701 / 702 (emergency & standby systems), Chapter 9 Tables (conduit fill), and Annex C (conduit fill tables by wire type).
⚠️ Permanent vs. removable tabs: some states and testing vendors only allow permanent tabs — the kind that can't come off without tearing the page. Others allow anything. Check your candidate bulletin before test day. Showing up with the wrong tabs is a preventable disaster.
Tabs Are Step One. Reps Are Step Two.
Tabs get you to the article. Drills teach you which article to open. Sparky's 1,087 codebook-first questions are lookup reps with your newly tabbed book — that's the method.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tabs should I put in my NEC Code book?
About 20. Tab the articles the exam actually lives in — not every article. Too many tabs is as slow as no tabs.
Can I use removable sticky tabs on the exam?
It depends on your state. Some states and testing vendors only allow permanent tabs that can't be removed without tearing the page. Check your candidate bulletin before test day.
Should I write on my tabs?
Keep it minimal: the article number and a 2–3 word label (e.g. "250 — Grounding"). Most testing rooms prohibit handwritten notes beyond labels — check your bulletin.