Maryland Journeyperson Electrician License: Requirements, Experience, and the PSI Exam
What the Maryland State Board of Master Electricians requires for a journeyperson license: four years under a licensed master, the $65 PSI exam on the 2020 NEC, two-year renewal, local registration and why there is no out-of-state waiver.
Contents
Maryland Journeyperson Electrician License: Requirements and the Exam
Maryland licenses electricians statewide through the State Board of Master Electricians, part of the Maryland Department of Labor. The Board's licensing pages are at labor.maryland.gov/license/elec. The exams are given by PSI. Maryland's term is journeyperson, not journeyman. Here is what the license takes.
Experience
You need four years of experience working under the direction of a licensed master electrician. Part of that experience can be credited for approved coursework. Check the Board's current rules for how much counts and which programs qualify.
The exam
| Item | Journeyperson exam |
|---|---|
| Vendor | PSI |
| Scored questions | 70 |
| Unscored pilot questions | 5 to 10 more |
| Time | 210 minutes (3½ hours) |
| Passing score | 49 correct (70%) |
| Fee | $65 |
| Retake | After 30 days |
| Reference allowed | NFPA 70, 2020 edition (the 2020 NEC) only |
It is open book, but the 2020 NEC is the only book allowed. There is no Maryland law or rules section: every scored question is electrical theory or the Code. What is on the exam breaks down every area.
Which code?
The exam tests the 2020 NEC today. PSI has offered only the 2020 edition since May 2, 2024, and the Board confirmed 2020 in November 2025.
A change is coming. In June 2026 the Board approved a proposed rule (COMAR 09.09.03.04) to enforce the 2026 NEC from August 31, 2026, published in the Maryland Register on August 7, 2026, and its exam committee is writing questions on the 2026 edition. No exam cutover date has been announced. In past code changes, candidates could choose the old or the new edition for a few months. If you are testing soon, study the 2020 NEC, and watch the Board's site for the switch.
Pass rates
The Board's figures are sobering. Across both the journeyperson and master exams, 2,730 of 9,659 exams have passed since testing began, 28%. In 2025 through October, 753 candidates tested and 26% passed.
Renewal
Licenses renew every two years.
Local registration
The state license is not always the whole story. Counties may also require local registration, and limited and low-voltage licenses are issued by counties, not the state Board. Check with the county where you will work.
Reciprocity
There is no out-of-state waiver for journeypersons. Coming from another state, you sit the Maryland exam. Reciprocity exists only at the master level, with Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia.
Moving up to master
The master license takes seven years under a licensed master. A proposed rule would require holding the journeyperson license before sitting the master exam. It is still under review, not in effect. See Maryland Master Electrician requirements.
Getting ready
Try our free practice test on the 2020 NEC, or see the full Maryland Journeyperson Electrician exam prep.
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