E1 · area 04 · subtopic 0402
Branch Circuit Required Outlets
4 percent of the E1 Residential Electrical Inspector exam. At 60 questions, that is roughly 2 to 3 questions, each with about 120 seconds of budget including the lookup.
- Exam
- E1
- Area
- Wiring Methods and Power and Lighting Distribution
- Weight
- 4%
- Questions
- ~2 to 3
What this subtopic covers
Receptacle and lighting outlets and switches provided in all required locations.
How to drill it
- Find the chapter of the International Residential Code that carries this subject and read it once for structure, not retention: what lives here, what gets sent elsewhere, which tables exist.
- Write your own plain-language phrases for what this subtopic covers, then note the code's terms beside them. Mismatches between the two columns are exactly where exam questions cost you time.
- Run timed lookups: pick a requirement named in the descriptor above, start a stopwatch, find the governing text in your book, stop. Log the seconds. Past two minutes is a miss even when the answer is right.
- Weight your reps to the number above. Roughly 2 to 3 questions means this subtopic deserves repeated timed reps inside its area session.
2024 IRC Fast-TabsPre-printed tabs for the 2024 edition. Place them yourself; the placement is the study.Check priceNearby traps in area 04
GFCI outlets in a bathroom is filed under branch circuits, gfci, subtopic 0403.
The rest of area 04: Wiring Methods and Power and Lighting Distribution (21%)
| Subtopic | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| 0401 | Installation Methods | 4% |
| 0403 | Branch Circuits, GFCI | 4% |
| 0404 | Boxes and Enclosures | 3% |
| 0405 | Equipment Grounding | 3% |
| 0406 | Flexible Cords | 2% |
| 0407 | Class 2 Circuits | 1% |
The kit that goes on the table
2024 IRCThe book itself
2021 IRCIf you register on 20212024 Fast-TabsPlace them yourself
Construction Master ProFeet-inch math, no errorsMatch the book and tabs to the edition you register for.Confirm which, first.
The 120-second study sheet
One page: every topic weight on all four residential exams, the plain-language to code-language glossary, and the two-week study sequence. Free, straight to your inbox.
No spam, no selling your address. One useful sheet and occasional exam-prep notes.