Steven Rotan

My name is Steven. I've been in the electrical trade since 1996 and a licensed journeyman since 1999.

My journey began in 1996 when I started my electrical apprenticeship with my father's company, Mt. Hood Electric Inc., in Portland, Oregon. My father was an electrical contractor, and growing up around the trade gave me an early appreciation for the skill, responsibility, and attention to detail that quality electrical work requires.

Over the years, I've worked my way through the trade as an apprentice, journeyman electrician, and electrical contractor. Along the way, I've gained extensive hands-on experience in residential service, troubleshooting, remodels, new construction, electrical upgrades, and the many unexpected problems that come with working on homes.

Why this site exists

The journeyman exam is open book, and that fools a lot of people. Having the code book in front of you doesn't help much if you can't find the answer before the clock runs out. Most people who sit for this test already know how to wire a house. What trips them up is finding the right section fast, working the calculations under time pressure, and knowing the state laws and rules that never come up on a jobsite.

I built AskTheJourneyman.com to fix that. Each study pack is written for one state's exam: the code edition that state tests on, the number of questions and time limit, and the state law and rules where the exam covers them. You learn where things live in the code book, work practice questions that show the code section and the full worked answer, and then take timed practice exams set up like the real thing.

I'd rather do one state right than cover all fifty halfway. Everything here is written and checked by me, a licensed journeyman who has been in the trade since 1996. If I get something wrong, I fix it and list it on the corrections page.

Not sure where you stand? Take a free practice test and find out.

Who this site is for

• Apprentices finishing their hours— start studying before you're eligible to test, so the exam isn't the first time you've tabbed and worked through the code book under a clock.
• Electricians taking the residential or journeyman exam— including anyone going in for a second try. The study packs cover the Oregon Limited Residential, Texas Residential Wireman, and Texas Journeyman exams, with more states on the way.
• Electricians testing in a new state— the work is the same, but the code edition, the amendments, and the licensing law aren't. Learn what that state actually tests.
• Working electricians— keep up with 2026 NEC changes and use the field calculators and reference material to stay sharp.

Homeowners, the home electrical guides are still here. But my focus now is helping people get their license.

The one rule: safety first

The NEC is a safety document. A lot of its rules are there because somebody got hurt, or a house burned, before it was written. I don't teach the code as a list of numbers to memorize for test day. I teach why the rule exists, because that's what makes it stick, and it's what you'll lean on when you're standing in front of a panel with nobody to ask.

Passing the exam means people will trust your work with their homes and their families. Electricity doesn't give second chances, so study like it matters, because it does.

A note on accuracy

Electrical codes and best practices change, and they vary by location. Everything here reflects decades of hands-on experience and current references, but your local code and permitting requirements always come first. When in doubt, ask your local inspector or a licensed electrician in your area.