- MA-ME stands for the Massachusetts Master Electrician License Exam, administered by PSI for the Board of State Examiners of Electricians.
- MA-ME actually consists of two required exams: Part 1 Technical (90 questions, 70% to pass) and Part II Business and Law (50 questions, 70% to pass).
- Both parts must be passed within 12 months after your application is approved.
- Wiring Methods and Devices is the single largest domain on Part 1, at 15 of 90 questions.
What MA-ME Actually Means
MA-ME is shorthand for the Massachusetts Master Electrician License Exam - the state-administered technical and business examination that a licensed journeyman electrician in Massachusetts must pass to earn a Class A master electrician license. The abbreviation is not a formal designation used by the state itself; it's a practical shorthand this site uses to talk about the exam process, the licensing pathway, and everything a candidate needs to know to pass it.
If you've landed here from a search for "MA-ME meaning," you're likely trying to confirm exactly what the letters refer to before you commit study time and application fees. On mameexam.com, MA-ME refers specifically to the Massachusetts pathway described below - not any similarly abbreviated credential from another state or industry. For a broader definition-focused overview, see What Is MA-ME? and What Does MA-ME Stand For?.
Who Governs the MA-ME Exam
The exam is regulated by the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians, housed within the state's Division of Occupational Licensure. The Board sets eligibility rules, education requirements, and passing standards; it does not write or proctor the exam itself. That job belongs to PSI, the third-party testing provider that delivers the computer-based exam at approved Massachusetts testing centers.
Understanding this split matters for a practical reason: application and eligibility questions (journeyman status, hours worked, CORI documentation) go through the state's application process, while scheduling, test-day rules, and score reporting go through PSI. Confusing the two is a common source of delay for first-time applicants.
Applications, including the required Massachusetts journeyman license, at least one year actively working as a licensed journeyman, and 150 hours of approved master-electrician education, are submitted online through PSI. For a full breakdown of what you need before you can even sit for MA-ME, see MA-ME Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Why MA-ME Is Really Two Exams
One of the most misunderstood parts of the MA-ME meaning is that it isn't a single test. It's two separate, sequentially required examinations:
- Part 1 - Technical Exam: 90 questions, 4-hour time limit, 70% passing requirement (63 correct answers).
- Part II - Business and Law: 50 questions, 2-hour time limit, 70% passing requirement (35 correct answers).
Both parts must be passed within 12 months after your application is approved. Miss that window and you may need to reapply or restart parts of the eligibility process, so scheduling both exams with margin matters. For a calendar-style breakdown of deadlines and testing windows, check MA-ME Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Key Takeaway
Treat MA-ME as two separate study projects, not one. Part 1 is heavily technical and code-based; Part II is administrative and legal. Don't let strong technical prep lull you into under-preparing for Business and Law.
The 14 Domains Behind the Name
The technical meaning of MA-ME comes alive in its content outline. Part 1's 90 questions are distributed across 14 domains, and the weighting tells you exactly where to spend your study hours:
| Domain | Questions |
|---|---|
| 1. State Specific Electrical Requirements | 4 |
| 2. Advanced Elec Knowledge and Elec Theory | 6 |
| 3. Services | 11 |
| 4. Grounding and Bonding | 10 |
| 5. Wiring Methods and Devices | 15 |
| 6. Motors | 7 |
| 7. Transformers | 1 |
| 8. Low-Voltage Distribution | 2 |
| 9. Special Occupancies and Equipment | 10 |
| 10. Overcurrent Protection | 6 |
| 11. Lighting | 2 |
| 12. Alarm Systems | 6 |
| 13. Photovoltaic | 6 |
| 14. Energy Storage Systems | 4 |
Wiring Methods and Devices is the largest single domain at 15 of 90 questions, followed by Services at 11, and a tie between Grounding and Bonding and Special Occupancies and Equipment at 10 each. Together, those four domains account for nearly half the technical exam. For a domain-by-domain study breakdown with what each topic actually covers, read MA-ME Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 14 Content Areas.
Wiring Methods and Devices
As the largest domain, this area covers conductor types, raceway and cable selection, box and enclosure fill, and device installation rules under the NEC and Massachusetts amendments in 527 CMR 12.00.
- Prioritize this domain first when building a study calendar - it carries the most point value on Part 1.
Services, Grounding and Bonding, and Special Occupancies
These three domains combine for 31 questions - more than a third of the exam. Services covers service entrance sizing and calculations; Grounding and Bonding covers electrode systems and bonding paths; Special Occupancies and Equipment covers hazardous locations, health care facilities, and similar specialized installations.
- Study these together since service and grounding calculations often overlap in exam scenarios.
Who Takes the MA-ME Exam
MA-ME candidates are, by definition, working journeyman electricians in Massachusetts who already hold a Class B journeyman license and want to move into business ownership or supervisory roles. A Class B license authorizes personal hands-on electrical work; a Class A license - the one earned by passing MA-ME - authorizes running the electrical business itself.
This distinction is central to the "meaning" of the credential: MA-ME isn't a certification of hands-on skill alone, it's a gateway to legal authority to contract, supervise, and operate as a licensed electrical business in Massachusetts. Electrical contracting firms, facilities departments, and electricians planning to start their own companies are the typical audience. For a look at how this license affects career paths and hiring, see MA-ME Jobs and MA-ME Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis.
What MA-ME Costs in Practice
Part of understanding what MA-ME means is understanding what it costs to pursue it. The initial application and examination package totals $276, broken down as $75 PSI processing, $80 for the technical examination, $55 for the Business and Law examination, and $66 in state application charges. Passing both parts doesn't finish the process - initial license issuance is a separate $155 charge.
If you need to retake a section, retakes are priced individually: $80 for Part 1 or $55 for Part II. After three unsuccessful attempts at either part, the Board requires additional board-accepted education before you can retest; after six unsuccessful attempts, you must repeat the full required education. This escalating requirement is one more reason to treat first-attempt preparation seriously rather than planning on multiple retakes. For the full fee breakdown across every stage, see MA-ME Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
What MA-ME Means for Your License
Passing both parts of MA-ME within the 12-month window after application approval converts your journeyman status into a Class A master electrician license. That license must then be renewed on a three-year cycle ending July 31, at a cost of $117, with 21 continuing-education hours required: 15 hours of mandatory code, business, law, and related instruction, plus 6 hours of professional development.
This renewal structure matters because Massachusetts periodically updates its electrical code - the state adopted its 2026 Electrical Code on April 24, 2026, and Board minutes from May 18, 2026 anticipated related examination changes by November. Rather than assuming a code adoption date automatically changes your exam content, always confirm the PSI-tested code edition for your specific appointment date. For more on how these updates affect exam difficulty and scoring expectations, see How Hard Is the MA-ME Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 and MA-ME Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Key Takeaway
Code adoption dates and exam content updates don't move on the same calendar. Always verify with PSI which NEC and 527 CMR 12.00 edition applies to your scheduled test date before finalizing study materials.
Turning the Meaning Into a Study Plan
Once you understand what MA-ME actually tests - two separate exams, 14 weighted domains, an open-book but tightly timed format - the study plan follows naturally. The exam is computer-based and open-book at approved Massachusetts testing centers, with references limited to the NEC, Massachusetts amendments in 527 CMR 12.00, and NFPA 72. A silent, nonprinting, nonprogramming battery-operated calculator is permitted, but resources like Ugly's Electrical References and the American Electricians' Handbook are prohibited - so practice navigating your permitted references quickly, since familiarity with your code book's structure is itself a timed skill.
Heaviest Domains First
- Wiring Methods and Devices (15 questions), Services (11), Grounding and Bonding (10), and Special Occupancies and Equipment (10) - nearly half of Part 1's weight.
Mid-Weight Domains
- Advanced Elec Knowledge and Elec Theory, Motors, Overcurrent Protection, Alarm Systems, and Photovoltaic - each worth 6-7 questions.
Light-Weight Domains and Code Navigation
- State Specific Electrical Requirements, Energy Storage Systems, Low-Voltage Distribution, Lighting, and Transformers - fewer questions but still test-worthy.
Business and Law Focus
- Dedicate a full week to Part II's 50 questions before mixing in full-length timed practice for both parts.
For a complete week-by-week study framework built around this exact weighting, read MA-ME Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. And if you want a condensed reference to keep close during final review, bookmark MA-ME Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts.
Whichever schedule you build, run full-length, timed practice exams under conditions that mirror the real 4-hour and 2-hour limits. You can start building that habit now with a Massachusetts master electrician practice test that mirrors the domain weighting above, and return to the practice test homepage whenever you want to reset your study plan.
FAQ
No. MA-ME refers to the full Massachusetts Master Electrician licensing exam process, which requires passing two separate exams: a 90-question Technical exam (Part 1) and a 50-question Business and Law exam (Part II), each with a 70% passing requirement.
The Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians sets the licensing requirements, while PSI is the testing provider that delivers the computer-based exam at approved Massachusetts testing centers.
Passing both parts and completing licensure gives you a Class A master electrician license, which authorizes operating an electrical business. A separate Class B journeyman license is required for personal hands-on electrical work.
Both Part 1 and Part II must be passed within 12 months after your application is approved.
After three unsuccessful attempts at a part, the Board requires additional board-accepted education before reexamination. After six unsuccessful attempts, you must repeat the full required education before trying again.