- What Is a MA-ME?
- Who Governs the MA-ME and Who Administers It
- The Two-Part Exam Structure
- Domain Breakdown: What's Actually Tested
- Eligibility to Sit for the MA-ME
- Registration, Fees, and Timelines
- Exam Day Format and Allowed Materials
- 2026 Code Updates and What They Mean for You
- What Happens If You Fail
- Class A vs. Class B: Why the MA-ME Matters
- Renewal and Continuing Education
- Building a Domain-Based Study Schedule
- Frequently Asked Questions
- MA-ME refers to the Massachusetts Master Electrician License Exam, Part 1 of the Class A licensing process.
- Part 1 has 90 questions, a 4-hour limit, and requires 63 correct answers (70%) to pass.
- Wiring Methods and Devices is the largest domain at 15 of 90 questions.
- Both Part 1 and the Business and Law Part II must be passed within 12 months of application approval.
What Is a MA-ME?
MA-ME stands for the Massachusetts Master Electrician License Exam, the technical examination required to obtain a Class A master electrician license in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is administered under the authority of the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians, part of the Division of Occupational Licensure, and delivered through the testing vendor PSI at approved computer-based testing centers.
The term "MA-ME" is used on this site specifically to describe Part 1, the technical portion of the master electrician licensing exam. It is a distinct requirement from the separately administered Business and Law examination (Part II), and candidates must pass both to move forward with licensure. If you're new to the credential entirely, our companion piece on MA-ME Certification covers the full licensing picture, while this article focuses tightly on what the exam itself covers and how it's structured.
Who Governs the MA-ME and Who Administers It
The Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians sets the licensing requirements, education standards, and renewal rules for master electricians in the state. The Board operates under the Division of Occupational Licensure and its authority traces back to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 141, Section 3.
While the Board defines the rules, the day-to-day exam delivery is handled by PSI, an independent testing provider. PSI manages exam scheduling, administers the computer-based test at approved centers, processes the associated PSI fees, and publishes the official Candidate Information Bulletin that governs test-day procedures.
Applications themselves are submitted online through PSI, not through a paper process, which means candidates need to have their journeyman license number, education documentation, and CORI paperwork ready before they begin the application.
The Two-Part Exam Structure
Candidates pursuing the Class A master electrician license must pass two separate examinations:
| Component | Questions | Time Limit | Passing Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 - Technical Exam (MA-ME) | 90 | 4 hours | 70% (63 correct) |
| Part II - Business and Law | 50 | 2 hours | 70% (35 correct) |
Both parts must be completed and passed within 12 months of your application being approved. Missing that window generally means restarting the application process, so scheduling both exams with margin to spare is important. Our MA-ME Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling guide walks through how to plan appointments around that 12-month clock.
Because Part 1 is the larger, more technically demanding of the two exams, most candidates spend the bulk of their preparation time there - but don't neglect Business and Law. A candidate who passes Part 1 with room to spare but runs out of time before scheduling Part II can still lose the whole approval window.
Key Takeaway
Treat Part 1 and Part II as two separate study projects with two separate deadlines inside the same 12-month window - don't let strong Part 1 prep distract from scheduling Part II early.
Domain Breakdown: What's Actually Tested
Part 1 of the MA-ME draws its 90 questions from 14 defined content domains. The official question allocation, in order, is 4, 6, 11, 10, 15, 7, 1, 2, 10, 6, 2, 6, 6, and 4 - meaning some domains carry far more weight than others.
Domain 5: Wiring Methods and Devices (15 questions)
The single largest domain on the exam. Candidates should be fluent in conductor and raceway applications, box and enclosure requirements, and device installation rules under the Massachusetts Electrical Code.
- Highest-weighted domain - prioritize accordingly
Domain 3: Services (11 questions)
Service entrance sizing, disconnect requirements, and clearance rules make up the second-largest domain, closely tied to real-world master electrician responsibilities like sizing services for new construction.
Domain 4: Grounding and Bonding & Domain 9: Special Occupancies and Equipment (10 questions each)
These two domains tie for third place. Grounding and bonding questions test electrode systems and bonding jumper sizing, while special occupancies cover hazardous locations, healthcare facilities, and similar specialized settings.
The remaining domains - State Specific Electrical Requirements, Advanced Electrical Knowledge and Theory, Motors, Transformers, Low-Voltage Distribution, Overcurrent Protection, Lighting, Alarm Systems, Photovoltaic, and Energy Storage Systems - round out the exam with smaller but still scoreable question counts. Photovoltaic and Transformers carry just 2 questions each, and Lighting carries only 1, so weigh your study time against the official allocation rather than against how "important" a topic feels intuitively. For a full walkthrough of every domain with study guidance for each, see MA-ME Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 14 Content Areas.
Eligibility to Sit for the MA-ME
Before you can register for Part 1, you need to meet Massachusetts's specific prerequisite chain:
- An active Massachusetts journeyman electrician license
- At least one year actively engaged in electrical work while licensed as a journeyman
- 150 hours of approved master-electrician education
- Completed code-update coursework and a submitted CORI background check
These requirements exist because the master electrician license (Class A) authorizes someone to run an electrical business, not just perform hands-on work. The Board wants documented field experience and formal education layered on top of your journeyman credential before you're tested at the master level. For the complete eligibility checklist with documentation tips, see MA-ME Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Registration, Fees, and Timelines
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 exams doesn't finish the process - initial license issuance carries an additional $155 fee. If you need to retake either exam, retakes are priced separately: $80 for Part 1 and $55 for Part II. A full cost breakdown, including how renewal fees factor in over time, is available in MA-ME Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Exam Day Format and Allowed Materials
The MA-ME Part 1 is delivered as a computer-based, open-book exam at approved Massachusetts testing centers. "Open-book" here means you're permitted to bring approved reference material - but not just anything.
Approved references for preparation and testing include the National Electrical Code (NEC), the Massachusetts amendments found in 527 CMR 12.00, and NFPA 72. A silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable battery-operated calculator is allowed. Notably, two popular electrical trade references - Ugly's Electrical References and the American Electricians' Handbook - are explicitly prohibited at the testing center, so don't build your study routine around materials you can't actually bring in.
Because the exam allows code-book access but still runs on a strict 4-hour clock for 90 questions, familiarity with your code book's index and structure matters as much as raw memorization. Being able to locate a table or section quickly under time pressure is a skill in itself.
Key Takeaway
Practice navigating the NEC and 527 CMR 12.00 physically before test day - knowing where a rule lives is often more valuable than memorizing its exact wording.
2026 Code Updates and What They Mean for You
Massachusetts adopted its 2026 Electrical Code on April 24, 2026, and Board minutes from the May 18, 2026 meeting anticipated corresponding examination changes arriving around November. This matters for anyone scheduling an exam in that transition window.
Rather than assuming the newly adopted code is automatically what PSI is testing on the day you sit down, confirm the specific code edition tied to your scheduled appointment. Code adoption dates and exam-content update dates are not always the same date, and the gap between them is exactly where confusion tends to happen. Our How Hard Is the MA-ME Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 article discusses how code transitions affect perceived difficulty for candidates testing during changeover periods.
What Happens If You Fail
Massachusetts has a structured escalation for candidates who don't pass on their first attempts:
- After three unsuccessful attempts: additional board-accepted education is required before you can sit for the exam again.
- After six unsuccessful attempts: the full required education must be repeated from scratch.
This structure is a strong argument for taking preparation seriously from attempt one rather than treating the exam as something you can chip away at through repeated tries. Retake fees ($80 for Part 1, $55 for Part II) add up quickly, and repeated failures trigger real time and coursework costs on top of the money. If you want a sense of what "passing" actually requires numerically, see MA-ME Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Class A vs. Class B: Why the MA-ME Matters
It's worth being precise about what passing the MA-ME actually authorizes. A Class A license - the one tied to the MA-ME exam - authorizes someone to operate an electrical business. A Class B journeyman license is what's required for personal hands-on electrical work.
In practice, many master electricians hold both: the Class B to legally perform wiring work themselves, and the Class A to take on contracts, pull permits under their own name, and run a crew. Understanding this distinction matters when deciding whether pursuing the MA-ME actually fits your career goals - a question explored further in Is the MA-ME Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and in MA-ME Jobs, which looks at the kinds of roles and business structures that typically require Class A licensure.
Renewal and Continuing Education
Passing the MA-ME and receiving your Class A license isn't the end of the road. Massachusetts licenses renew on a three-year cycle ending July 31, at a cost of $117 per renewal. Renewal requires 21 continuing-education hours: 15 hours of mandatory instruction covering code updates, business, law, and related topics, plus 6 hours of general professional development.
Building a habit of completing continuing education steadily across the three-year cycle - rather than scrambling in the final months - keeps your license active without last-minute stress.
Building a Domain-Based Study Schedule
Because the 14 domains carry such different question weights, an effective study plan allocates time roughly in proportion to those weights rather than spreading effort evenly. A candidate spending equal hours on Domain 11 (Lighting, 1 question) and Domain 5 (Wiring Methods and Devices, 15 questions) is misallocating study time badly.
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)
- Advanced Electrical Knowledge and Theory (6 questions)
Remaining Domains & Business and Law
- Motors, Overcurrent Protection, Alarm Systems, Low-Voltage Distribution (6 each)
- Begin Business and Law review alongside Part 1 review
Techniques like spaced repetition and timed practice sets are useful here, but only when applied to the specific domain weighting above - reviewing flashcards on random NEC trivia without tying it to the official 90-question breakdown wastes time. For a week-by-week plan built entirely around this weighting, see MA-ME Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. Running full-length timed simulations through a practice test platform before test day is one of the most direct ways to confirm you can finish all 90 questions inside the 4-hour limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. MA-ME refers specifically to Part 1, the 90-question technical exam. The Business and Law exam is a separate 50-question requirement (Part II) that must also be passed within the same 12-month application window.
You need an active Massachusetts journeyman electrician license, at least one year of active licensed journeyman work, 150 hours of approved master-electrician education, and completed code-update and CORI documentation.
Only approved references - the NEC, Massachusetts amendments in 527 CMR 12.00, and NFPA 72 - plus a silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator. Ugly's Electrical References and the American Electricians' Handbook are prohibited.
After three unsuccessful attempts, you must complete additional board-accepted education before retesting. After six unsuccessful attempts, you must repeat the full required education program before another attempt.
Passing the MA-ME leads to a Class A license, which authorizes operating an electrical business. Personal hands-on electrical work requires a separate Class B journeyman license.