Do I have to take the Massachusetts master electrician exam if I'm licensed in New York?

Yes. Massachusetts requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.

What does it cost to get a Massachusetts master electrician license from New York?

Published fees on this path total $431, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my New York work hours count in Massachusetts?

Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Massachusetts's eligibility requirements.

How long does the application take?

The board's published or typical processing time is about 30 days.

Does it work the other way, from Massachusetts to New York?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Massachusetts to New York, the mechanism is not applicable.

New York to Massachusetts: master electrician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 6 sources

New York does not issue a statewide master electrician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Massachusetts's standard path for out-of-state applicants.

Your origin state does not issue a statewide license at this level, so there is no license to transfer. The destination's standard out-of-state path is shown; expect to meet it in full.

Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.

Master by examination with out-of-state credentials

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

A master electrician from a state without a written reciprocity agreement cannot have the Massachusetts master exam waived and must qualify for it under the Board's standard criteria: at least twelve months as a licensed journeyman (M.G.L. c. 141, § 3; the candidate bulletin lists this as one year as a Massachusetts journeyman) and a 150-hour master curriculum, which may be satisfied by out-of-state schooling if the Board finds it substantially equivalent. The online PSI application has a specific option for out-of-state master applicants, and requires an official board-certified verification of the out-of-state license, out-of-state education and practical-experience forms, a CORI authorization and a 15-hour code-update certificate. The $276 application and exam fee is paid to PSI; the applicant must pass both Part 1 (90 questions, 240 minutes) and the Business and Law part (50 questions, 120 minutes) at 70%, then pay the $155 license fee. The Board's FAQ sets out the route for a master licensed in any state other than New Hampshire: first apply for, sit and pass the Massachusetts journeyman exam; once licensed, apply for the master exam, where 'the requirement to be a Journeyman for a year can be waived with the proof of Master Licensure in said other state', documenting a Board-approved 150-hour master course or an equivalent 150-hour out-of-state course.

Confirmed from the Board's FAQ: an out-of-state master must first obtain the Massachusetts journeyman license by examination, but the twelve-month journeyman requirement for the master exam is waived on proof of the out-of-state master license. Licensure without examination (237 CMR 15.00) applies only to New Hampshire.

At a glance

Trade exam: Required
Law / code exam: Required
Out-of-state hours: Count toward eligibility
Typical processing: About 30 days

What you must already have

Hold the Massachusetts journeyman license (Certificate B), obtained by passing the Massachusetts journeyman exam; the usual twelve months as a journeyman is waived on proof of the out-of-state master license (Board FAQ)
150-hour master electrician curriculum from a Board-approved program, or out-of-state education the Board finds substantially equivalent
Your New York license must be active and in good standing.

What you'll do to get licensed in Massachusetts

1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($276). Master application and examination fee paid to PSI with the online application (excludes the license fee); re-exam for both parts $135.
2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Massachusetts Master Electrician examination Part 1 (PSI): 90 questions, 240 minutes, open book, 70% to pass, NEC as amended by 527 CMR 12.00.
3Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Business and Law examination (Master Electrician and Systems Contractor): 50 questions, 120 minutes, 70% to pass, based on the NASCLA Contractors Guide, M.G.L. c. 141 and 237 CMR 12-23.
4Background check. Complete a background check. CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) authorization form.
5Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Certificate of completion of a 15-hour code update course from a Board-approved provider, submitted with the application.
6License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($155). Master license fee paid at the test center after passing.

Published fees on this path total $431, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

What you'll need to buy or arrange

Exam preparation

Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.

Application fee · $276
Trade exam
Law / code exam

Continuing education

Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.

Continuing education

How Massachusetts licenses master electricians

Massachusetts master electrician · “Master Electrician (Certificate A, Class A)”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 6 sources

Issued by Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Massachusetts Division of Occupational Licensure)

Massachusetts issues a statewide Master Electrician license (Certificate A) through the Board of State Examiners of Electricians. Under M.G.L. c. 141, § 3 a master must have held a Certificate B (journeyman) license for at least twelve months and pass the master examination; the Board's candidate bulletin states the work requirement as one year as a Massachusetts journeyman plus a 150-hour master curriculum. The PSI exam is open book and two-part: Part 1 has 90 questions in 240 minutes and Part 2 is a 50-question, 120-minute Business and Law exam, each passed at 70%. The application and exam fee is $276 and the license fee is $155. Under M.G.L. c. 141, § 2B and 237 CMR 15.00 the Board licenses without examination only licensees of states with a written reciprocal agreement, and its only agreement is with New Hampshire: a master who earned the New Hampshire master license by examination is licensed for a $310 fee, holding or concurrently applying for the Massachusetts journeyman license and documenting the 150-hour master program. A master from any other state first earns the Massachusetts journeyman license by exam, after which the one-year journeyman requirement for the master exam is waived on proof of the out-of-state master license.

Moving to Massachusetts Leaving Massachusetts

Why New York has nothing to transfer

New York master electrician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 18 sources

New York issues no statewide master electrician license; the Department of State's Division of Licensing Services licenses no electricians, and master electrician licenses are issued by city and county examining boards under local ordinances. The largest is New York City's Department of Buildings Master Electrician license (with a companion Special Electrician license for in-house work), which requires seven years of experience within the last ten working with tools under a licensed master or special electrician in the United States, at least two of them in New York City, a $585 written and $530 practical exam, a background investigation, and a New York City business with general liability, workers' compensation and disability insurance; the license costs $310 and is renewed yearly for $60. Buffalo requires 11 years (22,000 hours) of experience and a 75 percent ICC G-16 score; Rochester requires four years (6,000 hours of three-phase work) and an ICC-based exam; Westchester County licenses master and special electricians by examination ($500 license) and its license is what Yonkers permits require; Suffolk County licenses master and restricted electricians; Syracuse and Albany run their own boards. None of these jurisdictions publishes a reciprocity or endorsement path for a master license from another state, although Westchester's fee schedule lists a 'Reciprocal Electrician' license category. A master electrician arriving from another state must qualify with each local board where they intend to work, and in New York City must first accumulate two years of supervised experience inside the city.

How local licensing works in New York

How local licensing works. New York has no state electrical board. Licensing authority rests with individual cities and counties, each with its own examining board, ordinance, exam and fee schedule; a license is valid only in the issuing jurisdiction.

New York City. The Department of Buildings issues the Master Electrician license (independent contracting anywhere in the city) and the Special Electrician license (work as an employee in or on specific buildings). Qualifications (NYC Admin. Code 28-430.3; 1 RCNY 104-01): age 18, read and write English, fitness and good moral character, and one of: seven years within the last ten working with tools on wiring and appliances for light, heat and power under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master or special electrician in the United States, at least two years of it in NYC; a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or engineering technology plus three years within five (two in NYC); a New York State DOL-registered apprenticeship plus five years within ten (two in NYC); or electrical-inspection employment credited at 50 percent up to 2.5 years. Candidates pay $585 for the closed-book written exam on the 2025 NYC Electrical Code (70 percent to pass) and $530 for the practical, which must be passed within 24 months of the written result; the background application (experience verification signed by supervisors, Social Security earnings history, physical exam) is filed through DOB NOW within one year. License fee $310, seal $50, annual renewal $60 with continuing education, late renewal $310. The licensee must be an officer, partner or sole proprietor of a business with a NYC location carrying general liability, workers' compensation and disability insurance. The exam can be waived only for city-agency applicants (28-430.6); no out-of-state waiver exists, and the two-years-in-NYC rule means an out-of-state master cannot qualify immediately.

Buffalo. The Electrical Examining Board's Master Electrician License requires 11 years (22,000 hours) of experience in electrical construction within the last 11 years, structured as four years (8,000 hours) as an apprentice plus seven years (14,000 hours) as a journeyman working for a licensed master, documented by notarized employer and master electrician affidavits; a passing (75 percent or higher) ICC G-16 Master Electrician exam taken within one year; a $100 application fee; and general liability and workers' compensation certificates before issuance. The master electrician affidavit asks in which city the supervising master is licensed, so experience under masters licensed elsewhere is accepted as documentation.

Rochester. The Electrical Examining Board issues a Master (three-phase) license requiring four years of applicable experience, interpreted as at least 6,000 hours of three-phase experience within the past ten years (at least half in the field with tools; up to 3,000 hours may be course work, estimating, design, supervision or single-phase work), and an ICC-based exam with a 70 percent passing grade. Applications are filed online; the Board's rules contain no reciprocity clause.

Westchester County and Yonkers. The Department of Consumer Protection's Electrical Board licenses Master and Special Electricians by examination: exam application $50, master license $500 with $500 annual renewal, special electrician $350. The fee schedule also lists a 'Master and Reciprocal Electrician' license at the same $500, but the conditions for a reciprocal license are not published on the pages that could be opened. Yonkers does not license electricians; its electrical permits are issued to master electricians licensed by Westchester County.

Suffolk County. The Department of Consumer Affairs issues Master Electrician and Restricted Electrical licenses (codes ME and RE). Experience, exam and fee details are in the county code and were not available on the pages that could be opened.

Syracuse and Albany. Syracuse licenses electricians through its Division of Code Enforcement (2026 applications were due June 26 with in-person consideration July 28). Albany's Electrical Examining Board, under General Code Chapter 171, Article III, examines every applicant and includes master electricians licensed by the city for at least five years. Neither city publishes reciprocity rules on the pages reviewed.

Nassau County. The county FAQ treats electricians as a trade licensed under a 'standard of competency', but no Nassau page describing the master electrician license, its requirements or fees could be opened, so Nassau's rules are unverified here.

Out-of-state holders. No New York jurisdiction reviewed publishes an agreement with another state. The practical route is to meet each local board's experience threshold (documented under licensed masters, wherever they were licensed, where the board allows), pass that board's exam, which in Buffalo, Rochester and several other boards is an ICC exam that may already have been taken elsewhere, and pay the local fees; in New York City the two years of supervised experience inside the city must be earned first.

Moving to New York Leaving New York

Common questions

Do I have to take the Massachusetts master electrician exam if I'm licensed in New York?: Yes. Massachusetts requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a Massachusetts master electrician license from New York?: Published fees on this path total $431, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my New York work hours count in Massachusetts?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Massachusetts's eligibility requirements.
How long does the application take?: The board's published or typical processing time is about 30 days.
Does it work the other way, from Massachusetts to New York?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Massachusetts to New York, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

237 CMR 15.00 - Licensure without examination (by reciprocity), Mass. Register #1561, 11/21/2025 · 237 CMR 15.01, 15.02 · Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 202615.01(1): the Board may license without examination a master or journeyman licensed in another state with substantially the same standards, 'provided, however, that the state which has already granted licensure has entered a written agreement with the commonwealth giving a like privilege' to Massachusetts licensees. 15.01(2): a master applicant shows a minimum of five years actively engaged in electrical work and holds a current Class B (journeyman) license issued by the Board (the Class B application may be made at the same time); a journeyman applicant shows the equivalent of the 600-hour journeyman course completed within ten years of application and at least 8,000 hours of practical experience in no less than four years as an apprentice. 15.02: notarized application, fee paid in full and non-refundable, a certified Statement of Registration bearing the origin board's seal, and anyone previously examined and licensed by the Board is not eligible under 15.00. Opened on 2026-09-15 through a text-extraction proxy; mass.gov refuses direct requests from automated clients with HTTP 403.
Mass.gov - Electricians FAQs for applications · 237 CMR 13.00, 13.05, 13.09 · Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians · Faq · verified September 15, 2026'MA only has reciprocity with NH.' The NH agreement covers journeyman and master licensure only if the NH license was acquired by examination in NH; a NH license gained by reciprocity or endorsement is not eligible. An electrician licensed in any other state must apply, sit for and pass the journeyman exam, documenting out-of-state education on the Out-of-State Education Program Form and experience per 237 CMR 13.09, plus the 15-hour code-update course (237 CMR 13.05). A master licensed in another state (other than NH) first obtains the MA journeyman license by exam, then may apply for the master exam: 'the requirement to be a Journeyman for a year can be waived with the proof of Master Licensure in said other state', with a Board-approved 150-hour master course or an equivalent 150-hour out-of-state course. Board staff do not pre-review education or experience. Opened on 2026-09-15 through a text-extraction proxy; mass.gov refuses direct requests from automated clients with HTTP 403.
MGL Chapter 141, Section 2B - Electricians licensed in other states; reciprocal licensure without examination; fees · M.G.L. c. 141, § 2B · Massachusetts General Court · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Verbatim: 'The examiners may license without examination any person who has been licensed as an electrician in another state under laws which, in the opinion of the examiners, maintain standards substantially the same as those of the commonwealth for electricians.' The fee for licensing without examination for master and journeyman licenses is set annually by the commissioner of administration under M.G.L. c. 7, § 3B; no amount is published in the statute.
MGL Chapter 141, Section 3 - Forms of examinations, licenses and certificates · M.G.L. c. 141, § 3 · Massachusetts General Court · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Establishes certificate A (master electrician's license), certificate B (journeyman electrician's license), certificate C (systems contractor's license) and certificate D (systems technician's license). Certificate B is issued to a person who has passed the examination before the state examiners; certificate A requires passing the examination and having held a certificate B for at least twelve months. Applicants apply in writing with an examination fee and pay a license fee on issuance; amounts are not in the statute.
Board of State Examiners of Electricians - Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (effective 11/1/2024) · 237 CMR 13.00, 18.01 · Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians / PSI Services LLC · Other · verified September 15, 2026Written by the Board and hosted by PSI, which processes all applications and administers the exams. Journeyman eligibility: high-school diploma, 600-hour journeyman curriculum, and 4 years with 8,000 hours of work experience; Master: 150-hour master curriculum and '1 yr as MA Journeyman'. Out-of-state applicants submit the Out of State Education Program Form with transcripts, the Out of State Practical Experience Certification Form (signed by the applicant, a licensed verifying agent and a professional witness), and an official board-certified verification of any current out-of-state license; the Board may award full or partial credit for out-of-state education and may deny credit. Fees paid to PSI with the online application: Journeyman $226, Master $276 (application and exam, excluding license fee); license fee paid at the test center after passing: Journeyman $104, Master $155; re-exam for both parts $135. Exams are open-book, two-part, 70% on each part: Journeyman Part 1 is 80 questions in 180 minutes; Master Part 1 is 90 questions in 240 minutes plus a 50-question, 120-minute Business and Law part; code questions use the NEC as amended by the Massachusetts Electrical Code, 527 CMR 12.00. Applicants also need a CORI authorization and a certificate of a 15-hour code update course from a Board-approved provider. Application approval lasts 12 months; education older than 20 years and experience more than 20 years old are treated as expired.
Mass.gov - Apply for reciprocity for an out-of-state electricians license · 237 CMR 15.00 · Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians / Division of Occupational Licensure · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Verbatim: 'The Board has an agreement with New Hampshire to accept Journeyman and Master licenses ONLY IF they were obtained by passing an exam in New Hampshire.' Journeyman: License Verification/Certified Letter from the New Hampshire Board (name, address, license type/number, status, Board seal; PDF upload accepted), notarized CORI Authorization Form, passport-quality photo, certified records of any discipline or convictions. Master: additionally a copy of a current MA journeyman license or an indication that a journeyman-by-reciprocity application is being submitted at the same time, documentation of completing the MA 150-hour Master Electrician Program, and a standing letter issued within 90 days for each professional license held elsewhere. Fees (non-refundable per 237 CMR 15.02): Journeyman $208, Master $310. Applications are filed online through the DOL ePLACE portal; incomplete applications are held 180 days then abandoned; the Board needs at least 10 business days to review a complete application. Opened on 2026-09-15 through a text-extraction proxy; mass.gov refuses direct requests from automated clients with HTTP 403.

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

Report an error on this page