NM-EE98 Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass

The Actual Passing Score for Part 1

Under the PSI candidate information bulletin revised April 3, 2026, the EE-98 Part 1 exam (Commercial and Industrial) consists of 80 questions administered in 200 minutes. The passing requirement is 75% correct, which equals 60 of the 80 questions. There is no partial credit tier and no curve - you either land on 60 correct answers or above, or you don't pass that sitting.

This number is the single most important planning figure for anyone preparing for the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department's Construction Industries Division (CID) trade exam. It tells you exactly how much margin you have for error: 20 questions, spread across ten domains, before you drop below the threshold. If you're still mapping out what those ten domains actually cover, the NM-EE98 Exam Domains 2026 guide walks through each one in detail.

How 80 Questions Break Down by Domain

PSI's official question allocation for Part 1 is not evenly distributed. Some domains carry far more weight than others, and knowing the exact split changes how you should allocate study hours. Here is the published breakdown across the ten domains:

Domain 1 alone accounts for more than 16% of the exam, making it the single largest content area. Combined, Domains 1, 2, 4, and 7 - General Knowledge, Services/Feeders/Branch Circuits, Grounding and Bonding, and Hazardous Locations/Special Occupancies - make up 43 of the 80 questions. That's more than half your score sitting in just four of the ten domains.

Why 75% Feels Harder Than It Sounds

A 75% pass mark sounds achievable on paper, but in practice it demands consistent performance across every domain - not just strength in one or two favorites. Because the smallest domains (Overcurrent Protection at 5 questions, New Mexico State Code at 4 questions) still contribute directly to your final tally, a candidate who ignores "minor" sections can lose points they didn't plan for.

Consider the math: if you score perfectly on Domains 1, 2, and 4 (33 questions) but miss half of everything else (23-24 questions out of 47), you land well below 60 correct. There's no way to compensate for broad weakness by over-mastering a narrow slice of content. This is exactly why candidates who ask how hard the NM-EE98 exam actually is often underestimate the breadth requirement more than the depth requirement.

Scoring Mechanics and What PSI Reports

The exam is computer-administered through PSI and delivered as multiple choice, open book. You'll know your pass/fail result at the testing center once you complete the 200-minute session. Because the format is open book, the scoring model assumes you're navigating your code books efficiently - the clock is running the entire time, including the minutes spent flipping to NEC Article 250 for a grounding question or cross-referencing the 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code for a state-specific amendment.

A silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator is permitted, which matters for load calculation and conductor sizing questions scattered through Domains 2, 3, 5, and 9. Practicing those calculations until they're automatic protects your time budget - roughly 2.5 minutes per question on average across 80 questions and 200 minutes, though some questions will take far longer than others.

Which Domains Decide Your Score

Given the fixed 60-correct target, prioritizing study time by question count is the most defensible strategy. Here's how the ten domains rank by point value, from highest to lowest stakes:

• Highest priority (10 questions each): Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits; Grounding and Bonding; Hazardous Locations, Special Occupancies, and Special Equipment
• Very high priority (13 questions): General Knowledge and Electrical Installation Requirements
• Medium priority (8 questions each): Conductors and Cables; Raceways and Boxes
• Moderate priority (6 questions each): Lighting, Signs, and General-Use Equipment; Motors, Transformers, and Generators
• Lower priority but still decisive (4-5 questions each): Overcurrent Protection; New Mexico State Code

Notice that Domain 10, New Mexico State Code, is the smallest at only 4 questions, but it's also the domain most candidates from other states or general contracting backgrounds underestimate. It covers amendments and provisions specific to New Mexico rather than baseline NEC content, so generic electrical knowledge won't carry you through it. The full NM-EE98 Study Guide for 2026 breaks out state-specific study resources separately from national code material for exactly this reason.

The Retake Math if You Fall Short

If you score below 60 correct, you don't need to retake all three parts of the trade exam - only the failed part. A Part 1 retake costs $89.69, compared to the $269.06 initial fee that covers Parts 1, 2, and 3 together. That's a meaningful cost difference, and it's worth internalizing before your first attempt: a rushed, underprepared sitting that fails by two or three questions is an avoidable expense.

Your passing exam scores remain valid for one year, which gives some flexibility if you pass Part 1 but need another attempt at Part 2 (Residential, 40 questions, 100 minutes) or Part 3 (Specialties, 50 questions, 135 minutes). For a full breakdown of every fee involved in the qualifying-party process, see the NM-EE98 Certification Cost breakdown for 2026.

Building a Study Schedule Around the Score Target

Because the passing score is fixed and known in advance, you can reverse-engineer a study plan directly from the question allocation rather than guessing at generic study advice. Spend more calendar time on domains with more questions, but never skip the small ones entirely - Overcurrent Protection and New Mexico State Code combined are still 9 questions, more than enough to swing a borderline score.

A short spaced-repetition pass in the final week, reviewing flagged questions from full-length practice runs on our NM-EE98 practice test platform, tends to be more effective than cramming new material two days before your PSI appointment.

How Your Reference Books Affect Your Score

Because Part 1 is open book, the score target of 60 correct assumes you're testing with the approved references: the 2020 NEC or NEC Handbook, the 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code, and the 2007 National Electrical Safety Code. These must be bound - highlighting, underlining, and permanent tabs are allowed, but handwritten notes, loose papers, and temporary tabs are prohibited and can be flagged at check-in.

Candidates who prepare their reference books in advance - consistent tabbing by article, clean highlighting for frequently cited sections - routinely move faster through the 200-minute window, leaving more time for the harder calculation-based questions in Domains 2, 3, 5, and 9. If you haven't finalized your reference setup yet, the NM-EE98 Cheat Sheet lists the must-know article numbers worth tabbing first.

It's also worth understanding where Part 1 fits into the bigger licensing picture. Passing this part alone doesn't complete your EE-98 trade qualification - Part 2 (Residential) and Part 3 (Specialties) are also required unless CID grants an approved exemption, and Business and Law is satisfied separately, either by exam or an approved course. For a full picture of what's required beyond the passing score itself, review the NM-EE98 Requirements guide and the broader first-attempt study guide. Once you've locked in your target score, running timed sets on our practice test site is the most direct way to confirm you're consistently clearing 60 out of 80 before you book your PSI appointment.

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