- What MA-ME Training Actually Means
- Eligibility Before You Train
- The 150-Hour Education Requirement
- Inside Part 1: The Technical Exam Blueprint
- Business and Law Part II Training
- Approved References and Calculator Rules
- Registration, Fees, and Timeline
- Building a Domain-by-Domain Study Plan
- What Happens If You Don't Pass
- After Licensure: Renewal Training
- Who Hires Massachusetts Master Electricians
- FAQ
- Part 1 has 90 questions, a 4-hour limit, and requires 63 correct answers (70%) to pass.
- Wiring Methods and Devices carries 15 of 90 questions - the single largest domain to train for.
- Training must satisfy 150 hours of approved master-electrician education before you apply.
- Both Part 1 and the Business and Law Part II must be passed within 12 months of application approval.
What MA-ME Training Actually Means
"MA-ME training" is often used loosely, but for Massachusetts electricians it has a specific meaning: the combination of approved coursework, code study, and exam preparation required to move from a Massachusetts journeyman electrician license to the Class A Master Electrician license. That license is issued after passing two separate PSI-administered exams - the 90-question technical Part 1 and the 50-question Business and Law Part II - both governed by the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians, Division of Occupational Licensure.
Training for MA-ME is not a single class you take once. It's a layered process: formal 150-hour education to become eligible, followed by targeted self-study aligned to the 14 Part 1 domains, and finally focused review of Massachusetts business law and licensing statutes for Part II. If you're still mapping out what the credential involves before committing to a training path, the What Is MA-ME? overview and the MA-ME Meaning explainer are useful starting points.
Eligibility Before You Train
Before any exam-specific training matters, candidates need to confirm they meet the Board's baseline eligibility. Massachusetts requires:
- An active Massachusetts journeyman electrician license
- At least one year of documented experience actively working under that license
- 150 hours of Board-approved master-electrician education
- Completed code-update coursework and CORI documentation submitted with the application
Applications go through PSI's online system. If you're unsure whether your background qualifies, a full breakdown lives in MA-ME Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. Getting eligibility right the first time avoids wasted training hours on a package that gets bounced back for missing documentation.
The 150-Hour Education Requirement
The 150 hours of approved education is the formal "training" component the Board requires before you can even sit for the exam. This isn't the same as self-study - it must come from Board-accepted providers and typically covers the National Electrical Code, Massachusetts amendments, and code-update material tied to the current adoption cycle.
Massachusetts adopted its 2026 Electrical Code on April 24, 2026, and the Board's May 18, 2026 meeting minutes anticipated related examination changes arriving by November. Because code editions and exam content can shift between when you complete your 150 hours and when you sit for the test, always confirm the specific code edition PSI is testing at your scheduled appointment rather than assuming the newest adopted code is already live on exam day.
Key Takeaway
Treat your 150-hour education requirement and your exam-day code edition as two separate checkpoints - verify the tested edition directly with PSI close to your appointment date, especially during a code-adoption transition year.
Inside Part 1: The Technical Exam Blueprint
Part 1 is a 90-question, open-book, computer-based exam with a 4-hour limit and a 70% passing threshold - 63 correct answers. The 90 questions are distributed across 14 domains, and the allocation is not even. Training time should mirror that weighting, not be spread equally across all 14 topics.
| Domain | Questions on Part 1 |
|---|---|
| Wiring Methods and Devices | 15 |
| Services | 11 |
| Grounding and Bonding | 10 |
| Special Occupancies and Equipment | 10 |
| Motors | 7 |
| Advanced Elec Knowledge and Elec Theory | 6 |
| Overcurrent Protection | 6 |
| Alarm Systems | 6 |
| Photovoltaic | 6 |
| State Specific Electrical Requirements | 4 |
| Energy Storage Systems | 4 |
| Low-Voltage Distribution | 2 |
| Lighting | 2 |
| Transformers | 1 |
The full question counts across all 14 domains, in official order, are 4, 6, 11, 10, 15, 7, 1, 2, 10, 6, 2, 6, 6, and 4. For a domain-by-domain walkthrough of what each topic actually tests, see the MA-ME Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 14 Content Areas.
Wiring Methods and Devices
At 15 of 90 questions, this is the single heaviest domain on Part 1. Candidates should be fluent in conductor selection, box and enclosure requirements, device installation rules, and the Massachusetts amendments in 527 CMR 12.00 that modify standard NEC wiring provisions.
- Prioritize this domain first in any training schedule
- Cross-reference NEC wiring articles against 527 CMR 12.00 for state-specific differences
Services
Services account for 11 questions and typically test service entrance sizing, disconnect placement, and clearance requirements under both the NEC and state amendments.
- Practice service load calculations repeatedly, not just once
- Review NFPA 72 tie-ins where alarm circuits intersect service and panel requirements
Grounding and Bonding, and Special Occupancies and Equipment
Each carries 10 questions. Grounding and Bonding questions often hinge on precise code-section recall, while Special Occupancies and Equipment covers hazardous locations, healthcare facilities, and other application-specific installation rules.
- Build a quick-reference sheet of grounding electrode and bonding jumper sizing rules
- Study occupancy classifications side by side rather than in isolation
If you want a sense of how tough this exam feels in practice relative to its structure, the How Hard Is the MA-ME Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 article walks through the format in more depth, and MA-ME Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass breaks down exactly what 63 correct answers means in practice.
Business and Law Part II Training
Separate from the technical exam, candidates must also pass the Business and Law Part II: 50 questions, a 2-hour limit, and the same 70% passing requirement - 35 correct answers. Both Part 1 and Part II must be passed within 12 months after application approval, so training plans should account for both exams rather than treating Part 1 as the only hurdle.
Part II training centers on Massachusetts licensing statutes, contractor obligations, and business practices relevant to running a Class A electrical business - since Class A licensure is what authorizes the electrical business itself, while a Class B journeyman license remains required for personal hands-on electrical work.
Approved References and Calculator Rules
Part 1 is open-book, but only within strict limits. Approved reference preparation includes the NEC, the Massachusetts amendments in 527 CMR 12.00, and NFPA 72. A silent, nonprinting, nonprogramming battery-operated calculator is permitted at the test center. Ugly's Electrical References and the American Electricians' Handbook are explicitly prohibited - bringing either into the exam room, even out of habit from journeyman-level study, is a mistake worth training out of well before test day.
Training should include practice navigating your permitted code books quickly, since the 4-hour limit for 90 questions leaves little room for slow page-flipping. If you're deciding which physical references to buy and tab in advance, MA-ME Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts is a fast way to sanity-check your prohibited-versus-approved list before you invest in materials.
Registration, Fees, and Timeline for Training
Understanding the fee structure helps you plan training around real deadlines rather than open-ended study. The initial application and examination package totals $276, broken down as:
- $75 PSI processing fee
- $80 technical examination (Part 1) fee
- $55 Business and Law examination (Part II) fee
- $66 state application charge
Initial license issuance adds another $155 once you pass both exams. If a retake is needed, Part 1 retesting costs $80 and Part II retesting costs $55. For a complete cost breakdown across the whole licensing path, see MA-ME Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. Because retakes carry real cost, front-loading training on the highest-weight domains - rather than cramming generically - is the more economical approach.
Applications are submitted online through PSI, and testing itself is computer-based at approved Massachusetts centers. If scheduling flexibility matters to your training timeline, review MA-ME Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling before locking in a study calendar.
Building a Domain-by-Domain Study Plan
A training schedule for MA-ME works best when it's built around the actual question allocation rather than an evenly split calendar. The following structure allocates more weeks to the heaviest domains and compresses lighter ones.
Wiring Methods and Devices; Services
- Drill wiring method rules against 527 CMR 12.00 amendments
- Run repeated service-sizing and disconnect-placement problems
Grounding and Bonding; Special Occupancies and Equipment
- Memorize bonding jumper and grounding electrode sizing tables
- Compare occupancy-specific requirements side by side
Motors; Advanced Elec Knowledge and Elec Theory; Overcurrent Protection
- Practice motor circuit calculations and overload sizing
- Review core theory formulas until recall is automatic
Alarm Systems; Photovoltaic; Energy Storage Systems
- Cross-reference NFPA 72 for alarm circuit questions
- Study PV and storage system disconnect and labeling rules
State Specific Requirements; Low-Voltage Distribution; Lighting; Transformers
- Finish remaining lower-weight domains
- Take a full-length timed practice run under the 4-hour limit
This kind of spaced, weighted schedule beats generic study advice because it's tied directly to the 4/6/11/10/15/7/1/2/10/6/2/6/6/4 question distribution rather than an arbitrary weekly template. For a more detailed week-by-week methodology, see the MA-ME Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. You can also pair this schedule with timed practice sessions on our practice test platform to see which domains still need work before test day.
What Happens If You Don't Pass
Training doesn't stop being relevant after a failed attempt - Massachusetts builds retake consequences directly into the process. After three unsuccessful attempts, candidates must complete additional board-accepted education before being allowed to reexamine. After six unsuccessful attempts, the entire required education must be repeated from scratch.
This makes early, well-targeted training far cheaper than repeated attempts. Retake fees of $80 for Part 1 or $55 for Part II add up quickly, and the education-repeat penalty at attempt six is a significant time cost. If you want a realistic sense of how difficult candidates generally find this exam and what separates first-attempt passes from repeat attempts, the MA-ME Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows article and the difficulty guide linked above are worth reading before you schedule your first appointment.
After Licensure: Renewal Training
Training obligations don't end once you pass. Class A licensure operates on a three-year renewal cycle ending July 31, costing $117 and requiring 21 continuing-education hours - 15 hours of mandatory code, business, and law instruction plus 6 hours of professional development. Building this ongoing training into your calendar early avoids a scramble near your renewal deadline.
Who Hires Massachusetts Master Electricians
A Class A Master Electrician license authorizes the electrical business itself - pulling permits, taking on contracts, and supervising journeyman and apprentice-level work. This makes it the credential electrical contracting firms look for when hiring for business-owner or supervisory roles, as opposed to a Class B journeyman license, which authorizes personal hands-on electrical work but not the ability to run the business. Training toward MA-ME is therefore as much about preparing to operate legally as a business as it is about technical code knowledge. For context on how this license fits into broader career and compensation planning, see MA-ME Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis, Is the MA-ME Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026, and MA-ME Jobs.
If you're still confirming terminology before diving into training materials, related explainers include What Does MA-ME Stand For?, What Is A MA-ME?, What Does MA-ME Mean?, What Is MA-ME Certification?, and MA-ME Certification. Once you're ready to test your recall against realistic question formats, start a practice session to benchmark where your training stands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Candidates need 150 hours of Board-approved master-electrician education, along with required code-update and CORI documentation, before their application can be approved.
It should. Part 1 (90 questions, 4 hours, 70% to pass) covers technical content across 14 domains, while Part II (50 questions, 2 hours, 70% to pass) covers Business and Law. Both must be passed within 12 months of application approval.
Wiring Methods and Devices, with 15 of 90 Part 1 questions, is the largest single domain and should receive the most dedicated study time, followed by Services at 11 questions.
No. Ugly's Electrical References and the American Electricians' Handbook are both prohibited at the test center. Train using the NEC, the Massachusetts amendments in 527 CMR 12.00, and NFPA 72 instead.
After three unsuccessful attempts, additional board-accepted education is required before reexamination. After six unsuccessful attempts, the full required education program must be repeated.