- The MA-ME Passing Score: The Real Numbers
- How the 90 Questions Break Down by Domain
- Why Domain Weighting Should Drive Your Study Strategy
- The 12-Month Window and What Happens If You Don't Pass
- Open-Book Rules, Calculators, and What Actually Counts
- Retake Costs and the Real Price of Missing 70%
- Building a Study Plan Around the 63-Question Threshold
- Part 1 vs. Business and Law: Two Different 70% Targets
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Part 1 requires 70% correct - that's 63 of 90 questions - within a 4-hour limit.
- Business and Law (Part II) also requires 70%, equal to 35 of 50 questions, in 2 hours.
- Wiring Methods and Devices carries the most weight at 15 of 90 questions on Part 1.
- Both parts must be passed within 12 months of application approval, or you restart the process.
The MA-ME Passing Score: The Real Numbers
If you're preparing for the Massachusetts Master Electrician License Exam (MA-ME) - the technical examination for the Class A license administered through PSI on behalf of the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians - the passing score question has a precise, unambiguous answer. There's no curve, no scaled score, and no guessing about "roughly 70%."
Part 1, the technical exam, is 90 questions with a 4-hour time limit. You need 70% correct to pass - that's exactly 63 correct answers. Miss more than 27 questions and you'll need to retake it.
The separately required Business and Law exam (Part II) uses the same 70% threshold but a different question count: 50 questions, 2-hour limit, and you need 35 correct answers to pass. Both exams are scored independently, and both must be passed - you can't average a strong Part 1 score against a weaker Part II score to squeak by.
For a full walkthrough of everything else tied to eligibility and scheduling, the MA-ME Requirements 2026 guide covers the journeyman prerequisite, the one-year work requirement, and the 150 hours of approved education you need before you can even sit for either exam.
How the 90 Questions Break Down by Domain
The 90 questions on Part 1 aren't distributed evenly across the 14 content domains. Some domains carry heavy weight; others contribute just a single question. Knowing this breakdown changes how you allocate study time, because missing every question in a 1-question domain costs you far less than missing several in a 15-question domain.
| Domain | Questions on Exam |
|---|---|
| 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 single largest domain at 15 of 90 questions - nearly one-sixth of the entire exam. Services follows at 11, with Grounding and Bonding and Special Occupancies and Equipment tied at 10 each. Together, these four domains account for 46 of the 90 questions - more than half your required passing score sits inside just four content areas.
For a deeper breakdown of what each domain actually tests, see the MA-ME Exam Domains 2026 guide, which walks through all 14 content areas individually.
Why Domain Weighting Should Drive Your Study Strategy
Because you need 63 of 90 correct, and 46 questions come from just four domains, your path to 70% runs directly through Wiring Methods and Devices, Services, Grounding and Bonding, and Special Occupancies and Equipment. If you're strong across those four and only average elsewhere, you can still clear the threshold. If you're weak in those four, no amount of strength in Transformers (1 question) or Low-Voltage Distribution and Lighting (2 questions each) will save your score.
Wiring Methods and Devices (15 questions)
The largest single domain on the exam. Expect deep coverage of conductor sizing, box and enclosure requirements, device installation rules, and Massachusetts-specific amendments layered on top of NEC baseline requirements.
- Know conduit fill and conductor derating scenarios cold
- Understand device grounding and box support requirements
- Be ready to apply 527 CMR 12.00 amendments where they diverge from the NEC
Services (11 questions) and Grounding and Bonding (10 questions)
These two domains combine for 21 questions - nearly a quarter of the exam. Service entrance calculations, disconnect requirements, and grounding electrode system rules are tested with real installation scenarios, not just definitions.
- Practice service load calculations under time pressure
- Distinguish grounding vs. bonding terminology precisely - the exam tests the difference
- Review equipment grounding conductor sizing tables
Key Takeaway
Spend disproportionate study time on Wiring Methods and Devices, Services, Grounding and Bonding, and Special Occupancies and Equipment. These four domains alone determine whether you clear 63 correct answers.
If you want a candid read on how these weighted domains affect overall exam difficulty, How Hard Is the MA-ME Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 breaks down where most candidates struggle.
The 12-Month Window and What Happens If You Don't Pass
Passing the score threshold isn't the only clock running. Massachusetts requires that both Part 1 and Business and Law be passed within 12 months after your application is approved. That means a strong Part 1 score doesn't buy unlimited time to keep attempting Part II - the window applies to both exams together.
The Board also builds in consequences for repeated misses on the 70% threshold:
- After three unsuccessful attempts at an exam, you must complete additional board-accepted education before you're allowed to sit again.
- After six unsuccessful attempts, you must repeat the full required education - effectively starting the preparation process over.
For exact testing windows and how to plan your appointment dates around this deadline, see MA-ME Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Open-Book Rules, Calculators, and What Actually Counts
The MA-ME technical exam is computer-based and open-book, administered at approved Massachusetts testing centers through PSI. This matters for how you should think about the passing score: open-book format means the exam isn't purely testing memorization - it's testing whether you can locate and correctly apply the right code section fast enough to answer 90 questions in 4 hours.
Reference preparation centers on the NEC, Massachusetts amendments in 527 CMR 12.00, and NFPA 72. A silent, nonprinting, nonprogramming battery-operated calculator is permitted. Notably, Ugly's Electrical References and the American Electricians' Handbook are prohibited - don't build your prep around materials you won't be able to bring into the room.
Key Takeaway
Because the exam is open-book, your 70% target depends as much on how quickly you can navigate your permitted references as on raw recall. Practice locating specific code sections under time pressure, not just reading them.
One more scheduling wrinkle worth flagging: Massachusetts adopted its 2026 Electrical Code on April 24, 2026, and May 18, 2026 board minutes anticipated examination changes by November. If your test date falls near that transition, confirm the PSI-tested code edition for your specific appointment rather than assuming the newest adopted code is already reflected on the exam.
Retake Costs and the Real Price of Missing 70%
Falling short of 63 correct answers on Part 1, or 35 on Part II, isn't just a scheduling setback - it has a direct cost. Retakes are priced separately from the initial package:
- Part 1 retake: $80
- Business and Law (Part II) retake: $55
Compare that to the initial application and examination package, which totals $276 (covering a $75 PSI processing fee, $80 technical exam, $55 Business and Law exam, and $66 state application charges), plus an additional $155 for initial license issuance once you've passed both parts. A single missed 70% threshold on Part 1 adds $80 to your total cost - and if it happens more than twice, you're also facing mandatory additional education before you can try again.
For the complete fee structure, including renewal costs on the three-year cycle, see MA-ME Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Building a Study Plan Around the 63-Question Threshold
With a fixed target of 63 correct answers out of 90, the most efficient study plan works backward from domain weight rather than working front-to-back through a textbook. A short, focused review cycle - spaced across the weeks before your appointment - lets you revisit heavily-weighted domains more than once while still touching every domain at least once.
Heaviest domains first
- Wiring Methods and Devices (15 questions)
- Services (11 questions)
Second-tier weight
- Grounding and Bonding (10 questions)
- Special Occupancies and Equipment (10 questions)
- Motors (7 questions)
Mid-weight domains
- Advanced Elec Knowledge and Elec Theory, Overcurrent Protection, Alarm Systems, Photovoltaic (6 questions each)
Light domains and full review
- State Specific Requirements, Energy Storage Systems (4 each)
- Low-Voltage Distribution, Lighting (2 each)
- Transformers (1 question)
- Full-length timed practice run
This isn't a generic spaced-repetition template applied at random - it's sequenced specifically around the question counts that determine your 63-correct threshold. Missing every question in Week 6's light domains still leaves you needing near-perfect accuracy elsewhere, which is exactly why they're saved for last rather than skipped.
For a more detailed week-by-week study framework, including how to fit in the Business and Law exam prep alongside Part 1, see the MA-ME Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. Timed practice questions modeled on the actual 90-question, 4-hour format are available through our MA-ME practice test platform.
Part 1 vs. Business and Law: Two Different 70% Targets
Because both exams share a 70% passing requirement, it's easy to mentally lump them together. But the practical experience of hitting that threshold differs meaningfully between the two.
| Factor | Part 1 (Technical) | Part II (Business and Law) |
|---|---|---|
| Total questions | 90 | 50 |
| Time limit | 4 hours | 2 hours |
| Passing score | 70% (63 correct) | 70% (35 correct) |
| Questions you can miss | 27 | 15 |
| Retake cost | $80 | $55 |
| Content breadth | 14 technical domains | Business and legal requirements |
Notice the margin for error: on Part II, missing just 16 of 50 questions is a fail, compared to 28 out of 90 on Part 1. Proportionally, the two are equivalent, but candidates often underestimate Part II because it feels shorter - with fewer questions, each individual question weighs more toward your score.
If you're still weighing whether pursuing the Class A license and its Business and Law component is the right career move, Is the MA-ME Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 covers the licensing scope, including the fact that Class A authorizes the electrical business itself, while a separate Class B journeyman license is what's required for personal hands-on electrical work.
Frequently Asked Questions
You need 70% correct on the 90-question technical exam, which is exactly 63 correct answers, within the 4-hour time limit.
Yes, both require 70%. For the 50-question Business and Law exam, that means 35 correct answers within a 2-hour limit.
No, but both Part 1 and Business and Law must be passed within 12 months after your application is approved, so plan both attempts within that window.
After three unsuccessful attempts, the board requires additional accepted education before you can retest. After six unsuccessful attempts, you must repeat the full 150-hour required education.
The exam is open-book using approved references such as the NEC, Massachusetts amendments in 527 CMR 12.00, and NFPA 72, but Ugly's Electrical References and the American Electricians' Handbook are specifically prohibited.
Understanding the exact numbers behind the MA-ME passing score - 63 of 90 on Part 1, 35 of 50 on Part II - turns an abstract "study harder" goal into a concrete target you can measure against every practice session. Pair that target with the domain weighting above, and you have a study plan built entirely around what the exam actually rewards.