September 14, 2026
September 14, 2026
When you're studying for your license, you want two things from your prep. A clear picture of where you stand, and nothing getting in the way of practice.
That's what the new Dakota Prep is about. We've redesigned the app and web from the ground up to be cleaner, easier to use and more reliable. It's rolling out now on iOS, Android and web for US Electrical (NEC), Canadian Electrical (CEC), Red Seal Plumbing and IBEW Aptitude.
For CEC, it also comes with a rebuilt curriculum that's more closely aligned with the Red Seal exam.
Dakota Prep has a new look across the app and web. Screens are lighter and less cluttered, and the things you use most, like starting practice or asking the AI Tutor, are front and center. It's the same Dakota Prep, just clearer.
It's also more accessible, with better screen-reader support, large text, reduced motion and keyboard navigation on web.
The biggest question during exam prep is whether you're ready. Your results now answer it directly. A new readiness card shows whether you're ready or not there yet, how your score is trending, how close you are to the passing mark and how many days are left until your exam.
Below that, your performance by topic shows where you're strong and where you're falling short, so you know what to work on next. After each exam, you'll also see how you did compared to your last attempt.
Not every topic carries the same weight on your exam. Dakota Prep now shows you how much each one is worth, from the moment you pick your exam through practice, results, Question Guides and the AI Tutor. That makes it easier to put your study time where it counts.
Setting up practice is simpler too. Before you start, you can see what a session covers and roughly how long it will take.
The AI Tutor is easier to find your way around, with topics organized by exam section and weighting. Your past conversations are saved, so you can go back to an earlier explanation or start a new conversation anytime. On web, you can search your chat history.
Longer answers are also cleaner and easier to read, with better formatting for lists and step-by-step explanations.
Getting started takes fewer steps. Choosing your exam is faster, and before you begin you'll see what's on it: the number of questions, the passing score, the time allowed and the topic breakdown. Sign-in is simpler, and first-time users get a short tour of the app.
Taking an exam is cleaner too. Answer choices are larger and clearer, the explanation shows the code reference right after you answer, and reviewing the questions you missed is quicker.
We also put a lot of work into the things you shouldn't have to think about. Timed exams submit cleanly when time runs out. Double taps don't submit twice. Screens that used to go blank now give you a way to retry. Sign-out and account deletion are more reliable, and the AI Tutor chat no longer jumps around while you scroll.
Alongside the redesign, we've overhauled the CEC curriculum. The new question bank is more closely aligned with what's on the Red Seal exam, with:
The Red Seal exam covers more than the code book, and your practice should too. The updated CEC curriculum is built so what you study lines up with the exam you'll write.
What hasn't changed is what's underneath: questions written by people who work in the trade. NEC has 3,000 questions on the 2026 code cycle and CEC has 2,500 on the 2024 code. Plumbing and IBEW are built the same way.
Update the app or log in on web to see the new Dakota Prep. And if something's missing, tell us through Request a Feature. We read every request and ship the popular ones.
Download now to access thousands of practice questions across electrical & plumbing for US and Canada
