you get certified in Nashville somewhere, not sure exactly.
All you have to do is get a current NEC(National Electrical Code) code book and study until you know where EVERYTHING is at without it takig too ling to look it up. probably best to memorize the table of contents and know where everything is. The test is open book but the book is VERY long and if you dont know where to find it at you will waste your time looking for one thing. You have a certain amount of time to finish the test.
Do NOT get the handbook and expect to use it on the test, NOT ALLOWED. However, I would suggest nothing but the Handbook for when you start to use it in the field.
I have looked into this but just havent gotten down to nashville and scheduled a test yet, talked to the electrical inspectors and other guys that have taken it to know what to expect.
I believe its the 2008 code that we are working off from right now. I know TN skipped the 2005 set of codes altogether. They went from 2003 to the 2008 codes. There were so many changes the the local power companies offered a 1-day class taught by the electrical inspectors to explain all the changes to the licensed electricians. I attended as a guest of another electrician.
I looked and I dont have my information anymore. go and ask your local power co. for some paperwork to get a LLE(limited licensed electrician), means that you can do jobs up $25,000 of labor. Talk to an electrical inspector if possible. They usually get to the power company at 8am and usually leave at about 830am to start inspecting on the days they inspect.