Vermont to Massachusetts: master electrician license reciprocity
Massachusetts has no reciprocity agreement with Vermont. Your Vermont experience counts toward eligibility, but you must pass the Massachusetts exam.
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
Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.
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 Vermont 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
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.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Massachusetts master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Vermont?
- 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 Vermont?
- Published fees on this path total $431, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Vermont 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 Vermont?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Massachusetts to Vermont, the mechanism is endorsement.
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, 2026
- Mass.gov - Electricians FAQs for applications · 237 CMR 13.00, 13.05, 13.09 · Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians · Faq · verified September 23, 2026
- 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, 2026
- MGL Chapter 141, Section 3 - Forms of examinations, licenses and certificates · M.G.L. c. 141, § 3 · Massachusetts General Court · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- 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 · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- 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, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.