Do I have to take the Maine master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Pennsylvania?

No. The trade exam is waived on this path.

What does it cost to get a Maine master electrician license from Pennsylvania?

Published fees on this path total $150, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my Pennsylvania work hours count in Maine?

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

Does it work the other way, from Maine to Pennsylvania?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Maine to Pennsylvania, the mechanism is not applicable.

Pennsylvania to Maine: master electrician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 10 sources

Pennsylvania does not issue a statewide master electrician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Maine'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.

Licensure by endorsement (states without a reciprocity agreement)

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

Under 10 M.R.S. §8003-H, 32 M.R.S. §1201-B and board rule Chapter 180 (effective July 22, 2024), a master electrician licensed in any other U.S. jurisdiction may be licensed by endorsement if that jurisdiction's initial-licensure pathway is substantially equivalent to Maine's: it must require an accredited electrical program or an approved course of at least 576 hours (at either the journeyman or master level), a passing score on an approved master examination, and at least 10,000 hours of electrical work under a licensee holding a higher-level license. The applicant must hold a valid, active license, be in good standing in every jurisdiction where licensed, file the application and pay the Chapter 10 fee. No Maine trade or law examination is prescribed for endorsement. If the home state's requirements fall short, the applicant applies by examination under 32 M.R.S. §1202-B, where the board may accept comparable experience toward the 12,000-hour (or 4,000 journeyman-hour) requirement.

Chapter 180 does not state a separate endorsement fee; the Chapter 10 master license fee ($150, two years) and the $21 SBI report shown on the board's master page are the published amounts. Whether the 45-hour NEC course is required of endorsement applicants is not stated on any official page. Processing time is not published.

At a glance

Trade exam: Waived
Law / code exam: Not required
Out-of-state hours: Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

Your Pennsylvania license must be active and in good standing.
You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
Origin jurisdiction's master pathway must require an accredited electrical program or a 576-hour approved course, a passing score on an approved master exam, and 10,000 hours of electrical work supervised by a higher-level licensee (02-318 CMR ch. 180 s. 2)
You must document at least 10,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Required by the origin jurisdiction's pathway under Chapter 180; for the examination route Maine requires 12,000 hours as a helper/apprentice or 4,000 hours as a journeyman (32 M.R.S. §1202-B).

What you'll do to get licensed in Maine

1License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($150). Master Electrician license fee, two-year term (02-041 CMR ch. 10 s. 5(15)).
2Background check. Complete a background check ($21). State Bureau of Identification criminal history record report required of all applicants.
3Other. Completed application with proof of the valid, active out-of-state license (license verification from the issuing board).

Published fees on this path total $150, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

How Maine licenses master electricians

Maine master electrician · “Master Electrician”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 5 sources

Issued by Maine Electricians' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation)

Maine issues a statewide Master Electrician license through the Electricians' Examining Board within OPOR. A new applicant qualifies with 4,000 hours as a licensed journeyman, 12,000 hours as a licensed helper or apprentice, or 6,000 hours as a journeyman-in-training, plus 576 hours of approved study, completes a 45-hour NEC course, and passes the Prov-administered master exam ($90). The license costs $150 for a two-year term plus a $21 State Bureau of Identification report. Out-of-state masters may be licensed by reciprocity without examination if their state has a formal agreement with the board (New Hampshire and Vermont on the licensing page and application form; the board's FAQ now also names Massachusetts and Rhode Island), or by endorsement under board rule Chapter 180 (effective July 2024) if their state's master requirements are substantially equivalent to Maine's.

Moving to Maine Leaving Maine

Why Pennsylvania has nothing to transfer

Pennsylvania master electrician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 14 sources

Pennsylvania issues no statewide master electrician or electrical contractor license; none of the Department of State's licensing boards covers the trade, so the master-level credential exists only at the city level under names that vary: Philadelphia's Electrical Contractor License (four years with a licensed contractor, the ICC-administered Philadelphia Electrical Contractor exam, eight hours of NFPA 70 coursework, insurance, $60 application, $262 license and $202 annual renewal), Pittsburgh's Electrical Trade License (six years of combined experience and education, an ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam or the city exam, $1M/$2M liability insurance, $90 per year with eight hours of CE), and Master Electrician licenses in Allentown (four years, ICC G16, $50 application), Harrisburg (six years, ICC master exam, $125), Reading (two years as a journeyman, ICC G16Y, $90) and Scranton (four years plus ICC master exam, $250), with Erie licensing electrical contractors through its Trades Licensing Board. Because nearly every city relies on the ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam, a passing ICC score earned in another state is the most portable credential, and Pittsburgh's rules expressly allow the License Officer to accept equivalent out-of-state certification tests. Formal reciprocity is limited to Harrisburg (Maryland, Delaware and several Pennsylvania cities) and Reading (a published list that includes Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia); an out-of-state master must otherwise apply to each city separately, document local experience thresholds and pay each city's fees.

How local licensing works in Pennsylvania

How local licensing works. Pennsylvania has no state electrical board. Each city that licenses electricians does so under its own ordinance through a local board, and a license is valid only in the issuing city unless that city's rules recognize another jurisdiction. Nearly all cities use ICC exams, and several accept any ICC master exam regardless of code year.

Philadelphia. The Department of Licenses and Inspections issues the Electrical Contractor License (Philadelphia Code 9-1006), the city's only master-level electrician credential; it is issued to the individual, who must also hold a Commercial Activity License. Requirements: a minimum of four years of employment doing electrical work for a company licensed through a local or state jurisdiction (two years of electrical education equals one year of experience, up to two years), proven by tax records from a licensed contractor or proof of licensure through a local or state jurisdiction subject to L&I approval; a passing Philadelphia Electrical Contractor Examination administered by ICC referencing the current Philadelphia Code (or an application within 12 months of passing); eight hours of NFPA 70 coursework approved by the PA Department of Labor and Industry within the preceding 12 months; general liability $500,000 per occurrence, auto $300,000 and workers' compensation $100,000/$100,000/$500,000 naming the city as certificate holder. Fees: $60 non-refundable application, $262 license, $202 annual renewal with a 1.5 percent monthly surcharge after 60 days. Out-of-state licensure can serve as proof of experience but does not waive the Philadelphia exam.

Pittsburgh. The Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections issues the Electrical Trade License to individuals performing work that requires an electrical permit (PLI Rules VI.6; PCC 747). Applicants show a passing City-proctored Master Electrical exam or an ICC Standard Master Electrician exam for any code year (T16, G16, F16 or older) and six years of combined experience and education evaluated by the License Officer, with employer or licensed-electrician statements; insurance is $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate general liability plus workers' compensation or a no-employee affidavit. The license costs $90 (2025 fee schedule), expires 365 days from issue and renews with eight hours of continuing education. PLI Rule VI.1(E)(d) states that equivalent certification testing programs from other states are accepted upon the License Officer's determination of equivalence.

Allentown. The Electricians' Examining Board issues a Master license on four years of practical experience and the ICC National Standard Master exam (G16); applicants must be over 21 with a high school diploma or GED, pay a $50 non-refundable application fee, obtain Board approval before scheduling the exam, and pay an annual license fee set in the Business Regulation and Tax Code. No reciprocity provision is published.

Harrisburg. The Bureau of Codes issues a Master Electrician license ($125) on six years of practical experience or four years of technical school plus four years, with a passing ICC Master, National Standard Master or Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) Standard Master exam, insurance of $1,000,000 property damage and $300,000 bodily injury per occurrence, and a Mercantile Tax License. Documentation may be by test results or by reciprocity from Allentown, Bethlehem, Lancaster, Reading, Philadelphia, Maryland or Delaware (others considered case by case); a letter of good standing is required from any other Pennsylvania municipality that licenses the applicant.

Reading. The Electrical Board issues a Master Electrician license ($90 annual) to holders of a Reading or reciprocated journeyman license for two years who pass the ICC G16Y master exam. A reciprocal master license ($190 including a one-time reciprocity fee) recognizes licenses from jurisdictions of at least third-class-city standing with an equivalent board and standards; the June 2023 list names Bethlehem, Easton, Erie, Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Scranton, Springfield MO, Sullivan County NY, and the states of Delaware, Maryland (master), Michigan, New Jersey, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Reciprocal licenses become permanent Reading licenses.

Scranton. Licensing, Inspections and Permits issues a Master Electrical contractor license ($250, calendar year) on four years under a licensed contractor (W-2s or 1099s), a passing ICC/UCC Master Electrical exam, general liability of $500,000 per person / $1,000,000 per occurrence and a Single Tax Office registration; an alternative route uses eight years of experience plus notarized referral letters in place of the exam. The form asks for copies of licenses held in other municipalities but states no reciprocity rule.

Erie. All electrical work must be done by an electrical contractor licensed by the City of Erie and only master license holders may obtain permits; the Trades Licensing Board reviews applications under Article 333 of the Codified Ordinances (not openable), which per the Board page also provides 90-day temporary apprentice and journeyman licenses.

Out-of-state holders. Apart from Harrisburg's and Reading's lists there is no reciprocity. The practical path is to present an ICC National Standard Master Electrician exam result (accepted by Pittsburgh for any code year and by Harrisburg, Allentown, Reading and Scranton), document the local experience threshold, meet each city's insurance requirement and pay its fee; Philadelphia requires its own ICC-administered Philadelphia exam.

Moving to Pennsylvania Leaving Pennsylvania

Common questions

Do I have to take the Maine master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Pennsylvania?: No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
What does it cost to get a Maine master electrician license from Pennsylvania?: Published fees on this path total $150, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Pennsylvania work hours count in Maine?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Maine's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Maine to Pennsylvania?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Maine to Pennsylvania, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

Electricians' Examining Board - Examinations (Prov, Inc.) · Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR) · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Maine contracts with Prov, Inc. to administer licensing exams; applicants must receive board approval before sitting for an exam; links to the Candidate Information Bulletin.
Electricians' Examining Board - Frequently Asked Questions (reciprocity answers by license type) · Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR) · Faq · verified September 15, 2026Master: 'Maine has an agreement with New Hampshire, Massachussets, Rhode Island and Vermont.' Journeyman: 'Maine has an agreement with New Hampshire, Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota and Vermont'; reciprocity application fee $171.00; proof of licensure must be mailed with the application. Limited, helper and apprentice: no reciprocity. Archived copies of this page from January 2024 through January 2026 listed only NH/VT (master) and NH/OR/ID/WY/ND/VT (journeyman), so the additional states were added during 2026.
Electricians' Examining Board - Master Electrician licensing requirements, fees and reciprocity · Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR) · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Master qualification: 4,000 hours as a journeyman or 12,000 hours of electrical installation experience plus 576 hours of study; license $150, SBI report $21, two-year term. States 'The State of Maine presently has reciprocity agreements with New Hampshire and Vermont' at the master level, with the six-year active-work condition.
02-041 CMR Chapter 10 - OPOR Establishment of License Fees, section 5(15) Electricians' Examining Board · 02-041 CMR ch. 10 s. 5(15) · Maine Secretary of State / Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Fee table for the Electricians' Examining Board: Master $150 (2 years), Journeyman $150 (2 years), Limited $150, Journeyman-in-training $150, Helper $25, Apprentice $25, individuals 70 or older $20; examination fee paid to the third-party vendor; late renewal more than 90 days $50.
State of Maine OPOR Candidate Information Bulletin (Prov, MOPOR-2025.05.14) · Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation / Prov, Inc. · Other · verified September 15, 2026Examination categories and cost: Master Electrician $90, Journeyman Electrician $90, Limited Electrician categories $65. Journeyman exam is 100 questions in 4 hours.
02-318 CMR Chapter 180 - Electricians' Examining Board: Licensure by Endorsement · 02-318 CMR ch. 180 (eff. July 22, 2024) · Maine Secretary of State / Electricians' Examining Board · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Effective July 22, 2024 (filing 2024-166). Applicant must hold a valid, active electrician license from a U.S. jurisdiction with 'substantially equivalent license requirements', file the application and pay the Chapter 10 fee. Substantially equivalent means the origin jurisdiction's initial-licensure pathway requires, for journeyman: an accredited electrical program or a 576-hour approved course, a passing score on an approved journeyman exam, and 8,000 hours under a licensed master or journeyman; for master: the same education, an approved master exam, and 10,000 hours under a higher-level licensee. Good standing in all jurisdictions required. No Maine examination is listed.
10 M.R.S. s. 8003-H - Licensure by endorsement (OPOR general provision) · 10 M.R.S. s. 8003-H · Maine Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026An applicant licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction with substantially equivalent license requirements who is in good standing everywhere licensed (no pending complaint, suspension or revocation) and pays the fee may be licensed by endorsement; a jurisprudence exam may be required. This is the framework a fuel technician arriving from another state would use; it does not create any HVAC license.
32 MRSA §1201-B - Licensure by endorsement · 32 M.R.S. §1201-B · Maine Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Directs the board to establish a licensure-by-endorsement process under 10 M.R.S. §8003-H for each license it determines appropriate; applicants may use the endorsement process or any other licensure process in the chapter. Enacted PL 2021, c. 642.
32 MRSA §1202-B - Issuance and scope of licenses (journeyman and master qualifications) · 32 M.R.S. §1202-B · Maine Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Journeyman: 8,000 hours as a licensed apprentice or helper plus a 576-hour course (or listed school/college pathways), or comparable experience acceptable to the board; pass a board-approved exam; 45-hour NEC course within 2 years of application. Master: 12,000 hours as a licensed helper/apprentice, 4,000 hours as a journeyman, or 6,000 hours as a journeyman-in-training, plus 576 hours of study, or comparable experience; exam; 45-hour NEC course.
32 MRSA §1206 - Reciprocity · 32 M.R.S. §1206 · Maine Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026The board shall issue a license to a person licensed under the laws of another state who has been licensed and actively engaged in an electrician's work for a minimum of 8,000 hours, as long as that state has licensing standards and experience requirements at least equivalent to Maine's and grants similar privileges to Maine licensees. Reciprocal licenses may not be denied on the basis of residency; the board may waive the 576-hour study requirement. Last amended PL 2023, c. 327.

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

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