The Massachusetts Journeyman Electrician Guide

What Is the Massachusetts Journeyman Electrician License?

In Massachusetts, electricians are licensed by the Board of State Examiners of Electricians, part of the Division of Occupational Licensure. The Board licenses journeyman and master electricians as well as systems technicians and systems contractors, and it has contracted with PSI to process applications and administer computer-based examinations. The governing law, M.G.L. Chapter 141, defines the classes of licenses and the supervision requirements around electrical work performed for hire.

The journeyman license sits between apprenticeship and master licensure: it authorizes you to perform electrical installations for hire under the direction of a licensed master electrician, who holds the contracting authority. Contractors, engineering firms, and facility departments across the Commonwealth require the journeyman credential for field electricians, and the license is portable across Massachusetts. Note that Massachusetts currently offers reciprocity with New Hampshire only — electricians from other states must have their credentials reviewed for substantial equivalence before they can sit for the exam.

The Requirements: 600 Hours of Education + 8,000 Hours of Experience

Qualifying for the journeyman exam requires education, a code-update class, and supervised field experience, all documented and submitted online to PSI before you can schedule:

• Education: 600 hours of Board-approved electrical education from a vocational trade school (Form 222), a public or private day/evening program (Form 223), or an approved in-house program (Form 224). Out-of-state education is reviewed by the Board for substantial equivalence.
• Code update: a 15-hour Code Update class from a Board-approved provider; the completion certificate must accompany your application.
• Experience: 8,000 hours of work over at least 4 years under a licensed Massachusetts Journeyman Electrician, documented on Employment Certification Form 272 with the supervising licensee's signature and license number. Most candidates earn these hours through a state-approved apprenticeship that pairs the classroom hours with paid field work.
• Timeliness: education and work experience generally must fall within 20 years of your application; applications are approved for 12 months and incomplete applications are held for 180 days.
• Application: submit online at PSI (test-takers.psiexams.com/mael) with your school and work forms, CORI authorization, code-update certificate, and passport-style photo. The total application and exam fee is $226 ($195 when the MA fee is waived for veterans, active military, and their spouses).

Once you pass both parts, you pay the $104 license fee and your printed photo license is issued — in many cases the same day. Background checks (CORI) are run on all applicants before approval, and veterans qualify for 5 points of exam credit under the Valor Act.

Exam Format: Two Parts, Open Book, NEC 2026 + 527 CMR 12.00

The Massachusetts journeyman exam is open book and computer based, split into two parts that are scored independently — you must pass both to be licensed. Massachusetts adopted the NEC 2026 through the 527 CMR 12.00 Massachusetts Electrical Code, effective April 24, 2026, so the exam is taken with the current adopted code in hand:

In the testing center you may bring the current NEC (soft-bound, tabbed, with highlighting and underlining of the original text), the Massachusetts amendments in 527 CMR 12.00, NFPA 72, the applicable Massachusetts General Laws, the Board rules in 237 CMR 11.00–23.00, and a non-programmable calculator. Handwritten margin notes and loose papers are not permitted. Because the code is in your hands, the exam rewards code navigation — knowing which chapter covers which topic, using the index efficiently, and reading sections including their exceptions and tables — not memorization. Always check the latest Candidate Information Bulletin to confirm the adopted code edition in effect when you schedule.

What Part I Covers: NEC Knowledge (80 Questions)

Part I tests your working knowledge of the NEC and the Massachusetts amendments across the full code. The official content outline allocates the 80 questions this way:

• Wiring Methods and Devices — 18 questions: the largest block, covering conductors, raceways, boxes, fittings, and device installation (Chapters 3–4 territory).
• Services — 11 questions: service entrances, disconnects, and service equipment per Article 230.
• General Knowledge — 8 questions: definitions, code administration, and broad electrical theory.
• Grounding and Bonding — 7 questions: Article 250 system and equipment grounding, bonding requirements, and grounding electrode systems.
• Overcurrent Protection — 6 questions: Article 240 fuses, breakers, and their proper application.
• Alarm Systems — 6 questions: fire alarm and signaling systems tested against NFPA 72 as well as the NEC.
• Photovoltaic — 6 questions: PV system installations under Article 690.
• Special Occupancies and Equipment — 5 questions: hazardous locations and other special occupancies (Chapters 5–6).
• Motors — 4 questions: motor circuits, controllers, and protection per Article 430.
• Energy Storage Systems — 4 questions: battery and energy storage installations under Article 706.
• Low-Voltage Distribution — 2 questions: low-voltage and signaling circuits.
• Lighting — 2 questions: lighting systems, fixtures, and emergency lighting requirements.
• Transformers — 1 question: transformer installation and protection per Article 450.

Notice the pattern: Massachusetts leans heavily on wiring methods, services, and grounding and bonding — roughly 45 of the 80 questions come from those three areas — while the alarm system, photovoltaic, and energy storage blocks reflect the code topics Massachusetts regulators emphasize. Because NFPA 72 is an allowed reference and alarm systems carry 6 questions, you should know how to navigate it even if you never touch fire alarms on the job.

What Part II Covers: The Applied Portion (30 Questions)

Part II is the applied portion: it tests your ability to work through real installation problems with the code and the Massachusetts amendments open. The official content outline allocates the 30 questions this way:

• Troubleshooting and Testing — 6 questions: diagnostic scenarios, testing procedures, and verification of installations.
• Circuit Calculations (Ohm's Law) — 5 questions: voltage, current, resistance, and power calculations, plus load math.
• Electrical Schematics and Plans — 5 questions: reading one-line diagrams, schematics, and plan symbols.
• Materials and Components — 5 questions: selecting and applying the right materials, fittings, and components for an installation.
• Massachusetts Amendments — 5 questions: the state-specific rules in 527 CMR 12.00 where Massachusetts deviates from the NEC text.
• Licensing Laws and Regulations — 4 questions: M.G.L. Chapter 141 and the Board rules in 237 CMR 11.00–23.00 covering supervision and license law.

Part II is where Massachusetts-specific knowledge shows up: 9 of the 30 questions target the state amendments and licensing law. If you trained on the NEC alone, these are the questions that will surprise you — which is why the Massachusetts amendments booklet belongs in your study stack, not just your exam bag.

How to Prepare

1. Get your PSI application approved first. Assemble the school and work forms, CORI authorization, and 15-hour code-update certificate, and submit online at test-takers.psiexams.com/mael. Approval can take up to 30 days, and your approval window (12 months) starts ticking the day it lands.
2. Build your reference stack. Get the NEC 2026, the Massachusetts amendments (527 CMR 12.00), and NFPA 72. Tab the chapters and the tables you use most, and highlight the Massachusetts amendments so they stand out from the NEC text — when 527 CMR 12.00 differs from the NEC, the state rule wins on the exam.
3. Learn the chapter map and the index. Know where every Part I topic lives — grounding in Article 250, services in 230, wiring methods in Chapter 3, overcurrent protection in 240 — before you open a single practice question.
4. Drill with the code open. Answer practice questions with the NEC beside you, verify the exact section and table, and review every explanation — especially the exceptions.
5. Study the Massachusetts amendments deliberately. The 527 CMR 12.00 deviations from the NEC are a scored topic in Part II and a hidden variable in Part I. Read them like a chapter, not like fine print.
6. Simulate under exam conditions. Full-length, timed, open-book runs of Part I (80 questions, 180 minutes) and Part II (30 questions, 60 minutes) at least once a week in the final month build the pacing discipline that open-book exams reward.

Journeyman Practice covers both exam lines with code-referenced questions, adaptive difficulty, and timed simulations. Start with free NEC practice questions to see the format.

Retaking the Exam

If you fail one part, you only retake the part you failed — but the rules are strict: you must wait a minimum of 24 clock hours before rescheduling, and you can retake up to 6 times within one year of your application approval date. After 3 failed attempts, you must show proof of completing additional learning objectives tied to your score report; a Board-approved exam preparation course or a 15-hour continuing education course can satisfy this. After 6 failed attempts, you must repeat the full education requirement. If you do not pass both parts within 12 months of approval, your application expires and you must resubmit and retake both parts. The re-examination fee for both parts is $135, and PSI gives you a one-time, 30-minute review of the items you missed immediately after an unsatisfactory attempt — use it to target your next round of study.

After Licensure: The Path to Master

Licensed journeyman electricians work in residential, commercial, and industrial electrical construction across Massachusetts, installing and maintaining systems under a master electrician. The journeyman years are also the runway to the master license: the Board requires a Massachusetts journeyman license, at least one year of work experience, and 150 hours of Board-approved education before you can sit for the master electrician exam, which opens the door to contracting and pulling permits in your own name. Like every Board-regulated license in the Commonwealth, the journeyman credential must be renewed with the Board and is tied to continuing education — keep your code-update habits going and renewal stays routine.

Ready to Start?

Learn to navigate the NEC 2026, drill code-referenced free practice questions, and build a study routine that covers both the national code and the Massachusetts amendments before you walk into the PSI testing center.