- MA-ME means Massachusetts Master Electrician License Exam, administered by PSI for the Division of Occupational Licensure.
- Part 1 (technical) has 90 questions, a 4-hour limit, and requires 63 correct answers (70%) to pass.
- Part II (Business and Law) has 50 questions, a 2-hour limit, and requires 35 correct answers (70%).
- Wiring Methods and Devices is the largest domain at 15 of 90 questions on Part 1.
What MA-ME Literally Stands For
MA-ME stands for the Massachusetts Master Electrician License Exam, the state-administered technical examination that leads to a Class A electrical contractor license in Massachusetts. It is not a generic national credential and it is not affiliated with any other certification that happens to share the same four letters. On this site, MA-ME always refers to the exam overseen by the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians, part of the Division of Occupational Licensure, with testing delivered through PSI.
If you searched "what does MA-ME mean" hoping for a quick definition, here it is in one sentence: MA-ME is the computer-based, open-book exam that a licensed Massachusetts journeyman electrician must pass to become a licensed Master Electrician (Class A) capable of running an electrical business in the Commonwealth.
Who Governs the MA-ME and Who Administers It
The Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians, operating under the Division of Occupational Licensure, sets the licensing requirements and exam content for MA-ME. PSI is the third-party testing vendor that builds and delivers the computer-based exam at approved Massachusetts testing centers. Applications, however, are not submitted directly at a testing center - candidates apply online through PSI's licensing portal before scheduling an appointment.
This two-agency structure matters because it explains why some MA-ME questions live on Mass.gov (application instructions, code adoption, renewal rules) while others live in the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (exam blueprint, question counts, calculator policy). For a full breakdown of who qualifies and what documentation is required, see MA-ME Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
The Two Parts Behind the Acronym
When people say "the MA-ME exam," they're often referring to two separate, sequentially required tests that both fall under the master electrician license process:
- Part 1 - Technical Examination: 90 questions, 4-hour time limit, 70% passing requirement (63 correct answers). This is the exam that maps to the 14 content domains covering everything from services to photovoltaic systems.
- Part II - Business and Law: 50 questions, 2-hour time limit, 70% passing requirement (35 correct answers). This section covers the regulatory and business-operation knowledge required to legally run an electrical contracting business in Massachusetts.
Both parts must be passed within 12 months after your application is approved. If you don't clear both within that window, you'll need to reapply. This timeline is one of the most overlooked mechanics of MA-ME, and it's worth building your entire study schedule around it - see MA-ME Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling for how to sequence your attempts.
Key Takeaway
MA-ME passing isn't one event - it's two exams (Part 1 and Part II) that both need a 70% score, inside a 12-month approval window. Plan to schedule Part 1 first since it carries the heavier content load.
What "ME" Actually Tests: The 14 Domains
The "Master Electrician" half of MA-ME is defined by 14 content domains on Part 1, each with an official question allocation out of 90 total questions. Understanding the weighting is the single most useful thing you can do before opening a study guide, because it tells you exactly where your hours should go.
| Domain | Questions on Part 1 |
|---|---|
| 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 (15 questions)
This is the largest single domain on Part 1, so it deserves proportionally more study time than any other topic area.
- Cable and raceway selection rules under the NEC and Massachusetts amendments
- Device ratings, box fill, and conductor termination requirements
- Application scenarios that mix wiring method with occupancy type
Services, Grounding and Bonding, and Special Occupancies (11, 10, and 10 questions)
Together these three domains account for nearly a third of Part 1. Services covers service entrance sizing and equipment; Grounding and Bonding covers electrode systems and bonding path requirements; Special Occupancies and Equipment covers hazardous locations, health care facilities, and similar specialized settings.
- Grounding electrode conductor sizing
- Service disconnect and overcurrent device coordination
- Occupancy-specific wiring restrictions
Low-weight domains like Transformers (1 question) and Low-Voltage Distribution or Lighting (2 questions each) still require baseline competence, but they should never consume the bulk of your prep time. For a domain-by-domain breakdown of exactly what's tested inside each of the 14 areas, read MA-ME Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 14 Content Areas.
Who Can Sit for MA-ME
MA-ME isn't an entry-level test. Before you can even schedule Part 1 or Part II, you need:
- A current Massachusetts journeyman electrician license
- At least one year actively engaged in electrical work as a licensed journeyman
- 150 hours of approved master-electrician education
- Required code-update and CORI documentation submitted with your application
This means the "who takes MA-ME" question has a narrow answer: working journeyman electricians in Massachusetts who are ready to move into business ownership or supervisory roles. Employers looking to hire licensed supervisors, electrical contracting firms preparing an owner to pull permits under a Class A license, and journeymen planning to start their own contracting business are the primary audience for this credential. If you want a full checklist of documentation and timing, MA-ME Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify walks through each item.
What MA-ME Costs
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
Passing both parts doesn't finish the financial picture - initial license issuance adds another $155. If you need to retake a section, Part 1 retakes cost $80 and Part II retakes cost $55. Renewal later runs on a three-year cycle ending July 31, costs $117, and requires 21 continuing-education hours (15 mandatory code/business/law hours plus 6 professional development hours). For the complete cost picture across application, retakes, and renewal, see MA-ME Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Exam Format and Testing Conditions
MA-ME is computer-based and open-book, delivered at approved Massachusetts testing centers through PSI. "Open-book" here has specific limits: approved references generally include the NEC, the Massachusetts amendments found in 527 CMR 12.00, and NFPA 72. A silent, nonprinting, nonprogramming battery-operated calculator is allowed, but resources like Ugly's Electrical References and the American Electricians' Handbook are explicitly prohibited at the testing center.
One nuance worth flagging: Massachusetts adopted its 2026 Electrical Code on April 24, 2026, and board minutes from May 18, 2026 anticipated examination changes by November. Code adoption dates and exam-content updates don't always move in lockstep, so confirm the PSI-tested code edition for your specific appointment rather than assuming the newest adopted code is already reflected in the exam.
Key Takeaway
Bring only permitted references - the NEC, 527 CMR 12.00, and NFPA 72 - and verify the tested code edition with PSI before your appointment date, especially during code-transition periods.
What MA-ME Gets You: Class A vs. Class B
Passing both parts of MA-ME and completing licensure gets you a Class A license, which authorizes you to operate an electrical business in Massachusetts. It's important to distinguish this from a Class B journeyman license, which is what authorizes personal hands-on electrical work. In practice, many Class A license holders continue doing field work under their journeyman credentials while using the Class A designation to pull permits, sign off on jobs, and legally contract electrical work under their own business name.
This distinction shapes who benefits most from pursuing MA-ME: electricians planning to start or take over a contracting business, supervise crews, or expand beyond employee status into ownership. For a broader look at where this credential fits into career and earnings trajectories, see Is the MA-ME Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and MA-ME Jobs.
Turning the Acronym Into a Study Plan
Once you understand what each letter of MA-ME represents - a Massachusetts-specific, PSI-administered, master-electrician-level exam with 14 weighted domains - the smartest prep approach follows naturally: allocate study time proportionally to question weight, not evenly across all 14 domains.
High-Weight Domains
- Wiring Methods and Devices (15 questions)
- Services (11 questions)
Mid-Weight Domains
- Grounding and Bonding (10 questions)
- Special Occupancies and Equipment (10 questions)
- Motors (7 questions)
Six-Question Domains
- Advanced Elec Knowledge and Elec Theory
- Overcurrent Protection, Alarm Systems, Photovoltaic
Light-Weight Domains + Part II
- State Specific Requirements, Energy Storage Systems
- Transformers, Low-Voltage Distribution, Lighting
- Business and Law review
Spaced repetition and timed practice runs are useful techniques here, but only in service of the MA-ME blueprint above - reviewing Wiring Methods and Devices flashcards three times a week matters more than reviewing all 14 domains equally. For a structured week-by-week walkthrough, see MA-ME Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and for a realistic gauge of exam difficulty before you commit to a timeline, read How Hard Is the MA-ME Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Running full-length, timed practice sessions on our MA-ME practice test platform is one of the most direct ways to confirm you can finish 90 questions inside the 4-hour Part 1 limit while still leaving room to check your open-book references. The same approach on our practice exams works for the shorter, 2-hour Part II Business and Law section.
Frequently Asked Questions
MA-ME is used as shorthand for the overall Massachusetts Master Electrician License Exam process, which actually consists of two separately scored parts: Part 1 (technical, 90 questions) and Part II (Business and Law, 50 questions). Both must be passed within 12 months of application approval.
No. MA-ME requires you to already hold a Massachusetts journeyman electrician license plus at least one year of active journeyman work experience and 150 hours of approved master-electrician education before you're eligible to apply.
Both Part 1 and Part II require a 70% passing score. On Part 1's 90 questions, that's 63 correct answers; on Part II's 50 questions, that's 35 correct answers. See MA-ME Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass for more detail.
After three unsuccessful attempts at a given part, you must complete additional board-accepted education before retesting. After six unsuccessful attempts, the full required education must be repeated before you can sit for the exam again.
Passing MA-ME and obtaining your Class A license authorizes you to operate an electrical business. Personal hands-on electrical work is governed separately by the Class B journeyman license, which most Class A holders already possess.