MA-JE Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts

What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)

This page is a single-sitting review of the facts that matter most for the Massachusetts Journeyman Electrician License Exam: the Journeyman Electrician, Certificate B credential issued by the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (MA BSEE) and administered through PSI Services LLC. Everything here applies to that credential only. It is a fact sheet, not a full curriculum, so pair it with the MA-JE study guide for a complete preparation plan and the complete guide to all 19 content areas for topic-level depth.

One framing point saves confusion later: the nineteen numbered domains are not nineteen exams. Domains 1 through 13 are the published Part I exam objectives, and Domains 14 through 19 are the published Part II objectives. Two parts, nineteen headings.

Exam Format at a Glance

The overall exam line adds up to 110 questions and four hours, but those numbers are an aggregate, not one interchangeable timer. You do not get 240 minutes to spend however you like. Each part has its own clock and its own pass mark. Part II is an applied written examination; it is not a hands-on practical, and it is not the master's Business and Law examination. For a deeper look at the cut score, see the MA-JE passing score breakdown.

Testing takes place at authorized Massachusetts testing centers. The candidate bulletin excludes remote proctoring and out-of-state administration, so build travel time into your scheduling. The exam dates and scheduling guide covers timing in more detail.

The Fee Math, Separated Line by Line

The regular application and testing charge is $226, and it is made up of four pieces:

• VALOR applicants: qualifying applicants pay $195 because the $31 state-processing charge is waived.
• Initial license issuance: $104, charged separately after you pass. It is not part of the $226.
• Retakes: fees depend on which part you retake; retaking both parts totals $135.

Budget the $226 and the $104 as two distinct events, and keep a retake reserve in mind. The full pricing breakdown walks through the cost picture, and the ROI analysis puts those costs against career value.

Eligibility Checklist: Three Kinds of Hours

Candidates routinely blur together three different categories of hours. None of them are exam timers, and each has its own documentation trail:

1. Classroom education: 600 hours of approved journeyman education.
2. Work experience: 8,000 qualifying work hours accumulated over at least four years.
3. Code Update training: a 15-hour approved Code Update certificate.

Beyond the hours, the prerequisites include a high-school diploma or equivalent, supporting school and employer documentation, and CORI authorization. Applications go through the Massachusetts state application process for individual electrical licenses. Keep your school transcripts and employer verification organized before you file; missing paperwork is a preventable delay. The requirements guide covers eligibility in more detail.

Part I: Item Counts by Domain

The published question allocations are item counts, and this sheet keeps them as counts. They are not converted into percentage weights because the bulletin doesn't publish percentages. In heading order, the 80 Part I items break down as follows:

Part II Applied: Six Domains, 30 Questions

Part II is shorter in question count but compressed in time: 30 questions in 60 minutes. That works out to a pace of about two minutes per question, which is tight for items that involve calculation or plan reading. The allocations in heading order:

Troubleshooting and Testing is the largest Part II subject at six items. The pass mark is 21 of 30, so you can miss nine questions. The distribution is notably flat: no domain dominates, which means a weak spot in any one area can cost you a meaningful share of your margin.

Open-Book Rules and Two Unresolved Conflicts

Both parts are open-book. Approved references include the NEC, NFPA 72, the Massachusetts amendments and licensing regulations, and a qualifying nonprogrammable calculator is permitted. Open-book does not mean easy: with 80 questions in 180 minutes you have roughly two and a quarter minutes per Part I item, so you cannot afford to look up everything from scratch.

Conflict 1: Handwritten Notes

The candidate bulletin addresses highlighting, underlining and permanent tabs, but it conflicts internally about prewritten margin notes. One section prohibits handwritten notes while another permits them. Do not guess. Confirm PSI authorization in writing or through official channels before annotating your references. Tabs and highlighting are the safer investment if you cannot get a clear answer.

Conflict 2: Which NEC Edition Is on the Exam

The state's code page identifies a 2026-code adoption, but adoption alone does not establish when the examination cuts over to that edition. The retrieved bulletin's July timing and its seven-month update statement also conflict. Until the Board or PSI gives an explicit examination-date confirmation, treat the tested edition as an open question and verify it before buying a code book or locking in a study plan. Any resource claiming an edition-locked question bank without that confirmation is getting ahead of the facts.

Retakes, Eligibility Windows and Failure Limits

• 12-month window: both parts must be passed within the applicable 12-month eligibility period.
• Three-attempt rule: after three unsuccessful attempts, the bulletin requires additional education before further attempts.
• Retake pricing: depends on the part; both parts together total $135.

Because the parts are scored independently, a candidate who passes one and fails the other is retaking only what is needed, but the clock on the eligibility period keeps running. For perspective on outcomes, see the pass rate discussion, which treats the data qualitatively rather than inventing figures.

After You Pass: Issuance and Renewal

Passing the exam is not the end of the fee schedule: initial license issuance is $104. Certificate B then renews on a triennial cycle ending July 31 under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 141, Section 3.

Renewal requires continuing education under 237 CMR 17.01: 21 CE hours, consisting of 15 approved code, business and law hours plus six professional-development hours. Note that this 15-hour block is a renewal requirement and is distinct from the 15-hour Code Update certificate needed to apply. Do not assume one satisfies the other without checking.

Licensed journeymen work for electrical contractors, in maintenance and facilities roles, and on solar and storage installations, areas that line up with the Photovoltaic and Energy Storage domains. For earnings context, the salary guide covers compensation qualitatively, and if you want to understand the credential itself, start with what the MA-JE is.

Scheduling Your Review by Domain Weight

The only study-methodology section in this sheet ties directly to the item counts above. Allocate preparation time in proportion to published items, then adjust for your weakest areas:

When you are ready to test yourself under realistic conditions, the MA-JE practice test offers question sets you can time against the 80-plus-30 format. For wider background on the credential, the certification overview and training options fill in the rest, and you can return to the main practice site whenever you want more repetitions.

Frequently Asked Questions