Massachusetts Journeyman Electrician License: Requirements, Fees, and the Exam
What the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians requires for a Class B journeyman license: 600 classroom hours, 8,000 hours of work, the 15-hour code course, the $135 PSI exam, and renewal every three years.
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Massachusetts Journeyman Electrician License: Requirements and the Exam
Massachusetts licenses journeyman electricians statewide through the Board of State Examiners of Electricians. The journeyman license is the Class B license. You apply to the Board first, the Board approves you to test, and PSI gives the exam at five Massachusetts centers. Here is what the license takes, from the Board's own Candidate Information Bulletin (effective September 30, 2026) and its rules in 237 CMR.
Eligibility
| Requirement | Journeyman electrician (Class B) |
|---|---|
| Education | High school diploma, plus the 600-hour journeyman curriculum |
| Work experience | Four years, with at least 8,000 hours |
| Code course | A certificate for the 15-hour code update course from a Board-approved provider |
| Approval | The Board must approve your application before you can schedule |
The Board is strict about paperwork. Extensive field experience is not accepted in place of the documented education and hours, and an application that is filled out wrong can be returned with the fee forfeited. Education and work experience expire for qualifying purposes after 20 years.
Veterans can receive credit too. The Board's rules allow education and work-experience credit for certain military electrical work, and a veteran receives a 5% credit on each part of the exam (237 CMR 14.02).
How to apply
You apply to the Board (its website has the current process), and fees are paid in the state's eLIPSE portal. The bulletin lists five parts to the application:
- Registration information, using your legal name exactly as it appears on your ID
- Education documentation
- Work experience documentation
- A CORI (criminal record) authorization form
- Your 15-hour code course certificate
Once the Board approves you, PSI emails a confirmation notice and you schedule. Approval lasts 12 months. After that, you submit a new application with updated education and experience.
The exam
| Item | Massachusetts Journeyman (Class B) |
|---|---|
| Vendor | PSI |
| Part 1 | 80 questions, 180 minutes |
| Part II, Applied | 30 questions, 60 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% on each part |
| Format | Open book, computer-based |
| Code | 2026 NEC as amended by 527 CMR 12.00 |
Each part is scored on its own, so a strong Part 1 cannot carry a weak Part II. If you fail one part, you retake only that part, and you have 12 months from your approval date to pass it. The full breakdown of both parts is in what is on the Massachusetts Journeyman exam.
The 2026 NEC
Massachusetts adopted the 2026 NEC, with its own amendments in 527 CMR 12.00, on April 24, 2026. The Board's rule lets new exam questions follow seven months after a code takes effect, which puts the change at November 24, 2026. Study the 2026 NEC and the 2026 Massachusetts amendments.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Part 1 exam (PSI) | $80 |
| Part 2 exam (PSI) | $55 |
| Application and license fees | Paid in eLIPSE; see the Board's fee schedule |
Retakes
- Wait at least 24 hours before you test again.
- After three unsuccessful attempts, the Board requires proof that you reviewed your weak areas with a Board-approved provider, completed an exam preparation course, or took the 15-hour course (if you have not already).
- After six attempts, you repeat the full education required for the license.
- If the exam's question bank changes to a new code while you are retesting, you must complete the 15-hour course on the new code before your next attempt.
Renewal
Journeyman licenses expire on July 31 every third year. To renew you need 21 clock hours of continuing education in the three-year period, including the 15-hour course on the current Massachusetts Electrical Code.
Moving from another state
Massachusetts has no automatic reciprocity list. Under M.G.L. c. 141, § 2B, the Board may license an electrician from another state without the exam when it finds that state's standards substantially the same as Massachusetts'. Ask the Board about your license before you apply.
Practice for the exam
Our Massachusetts Journeyman Electrician practice test covers both parts, weighted like the Board's outline, with a separate practice exam for each part. The code questions follow the 2026 NEC as amended by 527 CMR 12.00, and every answer explains the section behind it.
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