- Part 1 has 90 questions across 14 domains; passing requires 70%, or 63 correct answers.
- Wiring Methods and Devices is the largest domain at 15 of 90 questions.
- Services (11 questions) and Grounding and Bonding plus Special Occupancies and Equipment (10 each) are the next-heaviest domains.
- Transformers carries just 1 question - don't over-invest study time there.
Part 1 Domain Overview
The MA-ME Part 1 technical examination for the Massachusetts Class A Master Electrician license, administered through PSI, is built from 14 distinct content areas. Candidates get 90 questions and a 4-hour limit, and must score 70% - 63 correct answers - to pass. Unlike a generic trade exam, the Massachusetts version has a fixed, published question allocation per domain, which means you can study strategically instead of guessing where your time is best spent.
Understanding exactly how those 90 questions are distributed is the single most useful piece of intelligence a candidate can have before opening a textbook. If you haven't already reviewed the broader eligibility picture, it's worth reading through MA-ME Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify alongside this domain breakdown, since the two topics - what you need to qualify and what you're tested on - go hand in hand.
Why Question Weighting Matters
Massachusetts publishes the exact number of questions per domain, in order, for the 90-question Part 1 exam: 4, 6, 11, 10, 15, 7, 1, 2, 10, 6, 2, 6, 6, and 4. That's not a rough estimate - it's the official allocation candidates should build a study plan around. Three domains alone account for 36 of the 90 questions: Wiring Methods and Devices (15), Services (11), and a tie between Grounding and Bonding and Special Occupancies and Equipment (10 each).
Compare that to Transformers, which carries just a single question, or Low-Voltage Distribution and Alarm Systems, each worth only 2. Spending equal hours on all 14 domains is a common and costly mistake. If you're trying to gauge how difficult the exam will feel overall, this weighting is a major factor - see How Hard Is the MA-ME Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 for a fuller discussion of what makes Part 1 challenging beyond just content volume.
| Domain | Questions | Share of 90 |
|---|---|---|
| 1. State Specific Electrical Requirements | 4 | ~4% |
| 2. Advanced Elec Knowledge and Elec Theory | 6 | ~7% |
| 3. Services | 11 | ~12% |
| 4. Grounding and Bonding | 10 | ~11% |
| 5. Wiring Methods and Devices | 15 | ~17% |
| 6. Motors | 7 | ~8% |
| 7. Transformers | 1 | ~1% |
| 8. Low-Voltage Distribution | 2 | ~2% |
| 9. Special Occupancies and Equipment | 10 | ~11% |
| 10. Overcurrent Protection | 6 | ~7% |
| 11. Lighting | 2 | ~2% |
| 12. Alarm Systems | 6 | ~7% |
| 13. Photovoltaic | 6 | ~7% |
| 14. Energy Storage Systems | 4 | ~4% |
The Big Three Domains
Three domains represent almost 40% of the entire Part 1 exam. Mastering these first - before touching lower-weight material - is the most efficient path to a passing score.
Domain 5: Wiring Methods and Devices (15 questions)
The largest single domain by a wide margin. Candidates should expect deep coverage of conductor types, raceway and cable selection, box and enclosure fill, device ratings, and installation methods as applied under the NEC and the Massachusetts amendments in 527 CMR 12.00.
- Know conductor sizing and ampacity adjustment factors cold
- Be comfortable applying box/conduit fill calculations quickly, since the exam is timed and open-book but not slow-book
- Cross-reference any wiring method question against 527 CMR 12.00 for Massachusetts-specific amendments
Domain 3: Services (11 questions)
Service entrance sizing, service equipment location, disconnecting means, and load calculations form the backbone of this domain. A master electrician is expected to size and specify services correctly on a first pass, not just recognize a code section.
- Practice full dwelling and commercial load calculations by hand
- Know service disconnect and clearance requirements precisely
- Understand how service equipment interacts with grounding and bonding requirements
Domain 4 & Domain 9: Grounding/Bonding and Special Occupancies (10 questions each)
Grounding and Bonding tests electrode systems, bonding jumper sizing, and equipment grounding conductor requirements. Special Occupancies and Equipment covers hazardous locations, health care facilities, and other spaces with heightened code requirements - areas where Massachusetts amendments frequently add specificity beyond the base NEC.
- Memorize grounding electrode conductor sizing tables
- Study bonding requirements for pools, hazardous locations, and health care facilities separately - they're tested distinctly
All 14 Domains Explained
Beyond the heavyweight domains, the remaining 11 areas each carry smaller but non-trivial weight. Skipping any of them entirely is risky since a handful of missed questions can be the difference between passing and retaking.
Domain 1: State Specific Electrical Requirements (4 questions)
Covers Massachusetts licensing law, Board of State Examiners of Electricians procedures, and how state amendments modify national code. Expect questions tied to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 141 and board-specific rules rather than pure NEC content.
Domain 2: Advanced Elec Knowledge and Elec Theory (6 questions)
Ohm's Law applications, power factor, three-phase calculations, and circuit analysis. This is the most "textbook electrical theory" domain on the exam.
Domain 6: Motors (7 questions)
Motor branch-circuit conductor sizing, overload protection, disconnecting means, and control circuit requirements. A perennial trouble spot for candidates who haven't recently worked with motor circuits in the field.
Domain 7: Transformers (1 question)
Just one question, but don't skip it entirely - know basic overcurrent protection sizing for transformers and primary/secondary conductor protection rules.
Domain 8: Low-Voltage Distribution (2 questions)
Low-voltage circuits, Class 1/2/3 circuit requirements, and related installation rules.
Domain 10: Overcurrent Protection (6 questions)
Breaker and fuse sizing, series rating, and selective coordination basics.
Domain 11: Lighting (2 questions)
Branch circuit lighting loads, fixture installation clearances, and control requirements.
Domain 12: Alarm Systems (6 questions)
Fire alarm and signaling system installation rules, with heavy reliance on NFPA 72 in addition to the NEC - one of the few domains pulling from a second reference document.
Domain 13: Photovoltaic (6 questions)
Solar PV system disconnects, rapid shutdown requirements, and interconnection rules - a growing area of Massachusetts electrical work.
Domain 14: Energy Storage Systems (4 questions)
Battery storage system installation, disconnects, and ventilation/location requirements - reflecting the increasing prevalence of residential and commercial battery storage in Massachusetts.
Key Takeaway
Photovoltaic and Energy Storage Systems together account for 10 of 90 questions - as much as Grounding and Bonding alone. Don't treat these as afterthoughts just because they're newer topics.
Where Business and Law Fits
The 14 domains above apply only to the technical Part 1 exam. Massachusetts also requires a separately administered Business and Law Part II exam: 50 questions, a 2-hour limit, and the same 70% passing standard (35 correct answers). Both parts must be passed within 12 months of application approval, but they are scheduled and paid for separately - Part 1 retakes cost $80 and Part II retakes cost $55.
Because Business and Law isn't broken into the 14 technical domains, candidates sometimes underestimate it. For a full breakdown of what that exam actually covers and how to prepare, see MA-ME Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, which treats Part 1 and Part II as the two distinct hurdles they are.
Sequencing Your Study by Domain Weight
Given the fixed 90-question distribution, the most defensible study sequence starts with the heaviest domains and works down. A simple four-week structure built directly around the official weighting looks like this:
Wiring Methods and Devices, Services
- Work through NEC and 527 CMR 12.00 sections on conductor sizing, box fill, and service entrance requirements
- Practice load calculations until they're routine, not looked-up
Grounding and Bonding, Special Occupancies and Equipment
- Drill grounding electrode conductor sizing tables
- Review hazardous location and health care facility bonding rules
Motors, Overcurrent Protection, Alarm Systems, Photovoltaic
- Focus on motor branch-circuit and overload sizing
- Cross-reference NFPA 72 for alarm system questions
- Review PV disconnect and rapid shutdown rules
Remaining domains and full-length practice
- Cover State Specific Electrical Requirements, Advanced Elec Knowledge, Transformers, Low-Voltage Distribution, Lighting, and Energy Storage Systems
- Run full 90-question timed practice sessions to build 4-hour endurance
This isn't a generic spaced-repetition template - it's ordered specifically around the 15/11/10/10 question counts published for Part 1. If you want a condensed version of the must-know facts to review the night before your appointment, bookmark MA-ME Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts.
The 2026 Code Change Wrinkle
Massachusetts adopted its 2026 Electrical Code on April 24, 2026, and board minutes from May 18, 2026 anticipated examination changes by November. This matters for domain preparation because code edition changes can shift specific answer details even when the underlying domain structure stays the same. Rather than assuming your exam reflects the newest code the moment it's adopted, confirm the PSI-tested edition for your specific appointment before finalizing your references.
This is also a good moment to double-check your testing window and deadlines - see MA-ME Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling for scheduling mechanics that interact with code transition periods.
Once you're licensed, remember that Class A authorizes the electrical business itself, while a Class B journeyman license is still required for hands-on personal electrical work. Renewal runs on a three-year cycle ending July 31, costs $117, and requires 21 continuing-education hours - 15 mandatory hours in code, business, and law plus 6 hours of professional development. If you're weighing whether pursuing the Class A license is worth the investment given these ongoing obligations, Is the MA-ME Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 walks through the tradeoffs, and MA-ME Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis covers the earning side of that equation. You can also start building domain-specific familiarity right now with practice questions on the main MA-ME practice test platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wiring Methods and Devices, Domain 5, carries 15 of the 90 Part 1 questions - the largest allocation of any domain.
No. The 14 domains apply only to the 90-question technical Part 1 exam. Business and Law is a separate 50-question, 2-hour exam not divided into these domains.
You need 70% overall across all 14 domains combined, which equals 63 correct answers out of 90 - there's no separate per-domain passing threshold.
Not entirely. Transformers is worth just 1 question and Lighting and Low-Voltage Distribution are worth 2 each, but skipping them completely still risks a few avoidable missed points.
Not necessarily right away. Massachusetts adopted its 2026 code on April 24, 2026, with board minutes anticipating exam changes by November - confirm the tested edition for your specific appointment rather than assuming immediate changes to domain content or weighting.