Is the NCEES PE Power Reference Handbook enough?
Not enough on its own. In the computer-based PE Power exam you get the NCEES PE Power Reference Handbook plus six codes and standards at fixed editions, all as searchable PDFs on screen, and nothing else. Each code opens one chapter at a time, and answers that rely on a code are scored against those editions only. So learn the handbook, the codes and how to search both fast, using the same PDFs and editions you will get on exam day.
Last checked October 17, 2026 against ncees.org, the Power specification and the NCEES Examinee Guide. PhasorPrep is not affiliated with NCEES. NCEES and your state board have the final word; check the current version of the handbook in your MyNCEES account.
What you get on screen
The handbook and these editions, and only these. Answers that rely on a standard are scored against these editions, so study from the same ones (full list on the exam facts page).
- NFPA 70-2020: National Electrical Code (NEC)
- NFPA 70E-2021: Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace
- NFPA 30B-2023: Code for the Manufacture and Storage of Aerosol Products
- NFPA 497-2021: Recommended practice for classifying flammable liquids, gases or vapors and hazardous (classified) locations
- NFPA 499-2021: Recommended practice for classifying combustible dusts and hazardous (classified) locations
- NESC (ANSI C2) 2017: National Electrical Safety Code
What the handbook does not cover: the code questions, by area
Calculation questions start in the handbook. Questions about code requirements are scored against the code editions above, so you answer them from the codes. The NCEES specification lists topics only; the codes column is our guide to where to search first, and the articles named are a place to start reading, not the whole answer.
| Knowledge area | Topics (NCEES specification) | Codes to search |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Safety | Wiring methods and installations, hazardous locations, special occupancies and systems, shock and burns | Mostly code questions. NEC Chapters 2–7 for wiring methods, grounding, equipment, special occupancies, special equipment and systems, and hazardous locations (Article 500 onward); NFPA 70E Article 130 for shock and arc-flash work; NFPA 497 and 499 to classify gas and dust locations; NFPA 30B for aerosol storage; the NESC for utility lines and stations. |
| Protection | Overcurrent protection, protective relaying, protective devices, coordination | NEC Article 240 for overcurrent protection, plus the protection rules inside Article 430 (motors) and Article 450 (transformers). |
| General Applications | Lightning and surge protection, lighting, energy management and demand, grounding | NEC Article 250 for grounding and bonding, and Article 220 for load calculations. |
| Electric Power Devices | Transformers, capacitors, energy storage, alternative generation such as PV and wind, testing | NEC Article 450 (transformers), Article 460 (capacitors) and Article 690 (PV systems). |
| Rotating Machines | Machine types and applications, motor starting | NEC Article 430 for motor circuits, conductors and their protection. |
| Transmission and Distribution Analysis | Voltage drop, voltage regulation, power factor correction, power quality, fault current, transformer connections, power flow, stability | Mostly calculation. NEC Chapter 9 tables for conductor properties; the NESC for overhead and underground line rules. |
| Circuit Analysis | Three-phase circuits, symmetrical components, per-unit system, phasor diagrams, single-phase and DC circuits | Calculation. Codes are rarely needed. |
| Measurement and Instrumentation | Instrument transformers and metering, insulation testing, ground resistance testing | Mostly calculation and test methods. Codes are rarely needed. |
| Power Electronic Circuits and Control Devices | Converters, inverter-based resources, variable frequency drives, relays, switches, Boolean and ladder logic | Calculation and logic. Codes are rarely needed. |
How to practise searching
- Download the handbook from your MyNCEES account now and study from that PDF, not from notes or a printout. NCEES does not sell printed copies.
- Search with the PDF viewer's search box, never by scrolling. In the exam you use the search box on the left of the reference; Ctrl + F does not work.
- Keep a list of search terms that worked, for example the exact words the handbook uses for a formula. If a term finds nothing, try a synonym or a symbol name.
- Learn which NEC chapter holds each article you use. The codes open one chapter at a time, so you need to know the chapter before you can search it.
- Buy or borrow the exact editions on the list. NCEES supplies them during the exam only, and answers are scored against those editions, not newer ones.
- Time yourself: from reading a question to the right page should take about a minute. Then work timed questions with the references open.
NCEES shows the onscreen references in two short videos: how to search the onscreen reference handbook and the design codes and standards library. Pearson VUE has a demo test of the test software.
Which calculator, and how to enter phasors
Only models on the NCEES calculator policy are allowed. Two common choices for complex-number work:
- TI-36X Pro: Press mode and pick DEG; the guidebook also says to keep DEC mode for complex numbers. Type the angle sign from 2nd, complex, item 1 (∠), for example 100 ∠ −30; i is the third press of the π e i key. Set results to a+bi or r∠θ on the mode screen, or end an expression with ▶r∠θ (item 4) or ▶a+bi (item 5) from the same menu. Maker's manual.
- Casio fx-991EX: Press MENU, choose Complex and press =, and check that SHIFT, MENU (SETUP) has the angle unit set to Degree before you start. Type ∠ with SHIFT, ENG and i with ENG, for example 100 SHIFT ENG −30. Pick a+bi or r∠θ results in SETUP, or convert with OPTN, ▼, then 1 (▶r∠θ) or 2 (▶a+bi). Angles come out between −180° and 180°. Maker's manual.
Practise every phasor problem on the calculator you will take, in degree mode, until the keystrokes are automatic. The free symmetrical components and per-unit calculators are a quick way to check your answers.
Computer-based exam tips
- The handbook and codes appear on a 24-inch monitor next to the question. References usually read best at 100% zoom.
- Watch the NCEES videos on searching the onscreen handbook and on the design standards library before exam day.
- You may bring one approved calculator, without its cover. An onscreen TI-30XS is also available, so practise on your own.
- Pearson gives you 2 reusable booklets and 3 markers for scratch work. You cannot bring paper, pens or notes; raise your hand at any time to swap a booklet for a new one.
- Use flag for review. After about half of the questions you review and submit the first part, and you cannot return to it after that.
- Wrong answers cost nothing, so answer every question before you submit each part.
Frequently asked questions
Is the NCEES Reference Handbook enough for the PE Power exam?
Can I bring my own books or notes into the PE Power exam?
Where do I get the PE Power Reference Handbook, and which version is used?
Can I use Ctrl + F to search the handbook in the exam?
Which calculator can I use in the PE Power exam?
Which code editions are used in the PE Power exam?
Practise with the references
Work timed questions with your own copy of the handbook and codes open beside you, the way the exam runs.