11.1 Official Exam Blueprint, Logistics & Code-Edition Check

11.1 Official Exam Blueprint, Logistics & Code-Edition Check

Quick Answer: Expect 110 questions in two stand-alone parts. Part I has 80 questions in 180 minutes and requires 56 correct. Part II has 30 questions in 60 minutes and requires 21 correct. Both are open-book. Massachusetts currently enforces a 2026 NEC-based code, while the Board said the exam change should appear by November 2026; verify the edition in the current PSI authorization.

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1. Exact Examination Structure

A 90% Part I score cannot offset a 60% Part II score. The candidate retakes only the failed part while the passed result and application approval remain valid. Both parts must be completed successfully within the 12-month approval period.

The average pace is 2 minutes 15 seconds per Part I item and 2 minutes per Part II item. Code lookups can consume that quickly. A productive strategy is to answer known items first, mark uncertain lookups, and reserve time to review calculations and ensure every response is recorded.

2. Official Part I Outline

Wiring Methods and Devices is the largest domain, followed by Services. The systems domains are not optional: alarms, solar, and battery storage together contribute 16 questions, one fifth of Part I.

3. Official Part II Outline

Part II rewards field reasoning. For a calculation, write the formula and units before inserting numbers. For a plan, start with the legend, one-line, schedule, and notes. For troubleshooting, identify the expected reading before measuring. For state-law questions, choose the correct statute or 237 CMR chapter before scanning.

4. Open-Book Rules

The Board policy permits only approved references. The candidate bulletin lists the NEC edition, Massachusetts amendments, relevant M.G.L. and 237 CMR material, NFPA 72, and other references applicable to a license part. The exact list can change.

Permitted preparation includes tabs, highlighting, underlining, handwritten notes in the margins, and formulas on blank pages as the policy allows. Prohibited material includes loose inserted pages, copied publisher content, answers, step-by-step worked calculations, wiring configurations, and drawings beyond symbols used in formulas. Only PSI-provided scratch paper is used during the test.

Build a navigation system, not a miniature answer key. Tab Article numbers and state-regulation subjects, practice the index, and know whether the Massachusetts amendment deletes, revises, or inserts text.

5. Code Transition

Massachusetts adopted 527 CMR 12.00 based on the 2026 NEC effective April 24, 2026. The CIB says new items may be added seven months after a code, regulation, or law becomes enforceable. The Board's May 18, 2026 minutes say exam changes should be reflected by November.

Those statements mean the legal installation code and the tested reference can differ during a transition. They do not guarantee which edition a particular September or November appointment uses. PSI says it maintains the most current application and examination information. Check the authorization letter, current bulletin, PSI portal, and Board notices shortly before the appointment.

6. Eligibility, Fees, and Reexamination

The current Board application page requires a Journeyman candidate to document:

• 600 hours of Board-approved education;
• a 15-hour Code Update class;
• 8,000 work hours over at least four years under a licensed Massachusetts Journeyman;
• the education, experience, identity, and other documentation required by 237 CMR 13.

Current application and examination fees total $226: $60 PSI processing, $80 Part I administration, $55 Part II administration, and $31 Massachusetts processing. The state fee is waived for the military categories named by the state page. The license fee after passing is separate.

A failed candidate must wait at least 24 clock hours to reschedule. After three unsuccessful attempts, 237 CMR 14 requires proof of reviewing deficiencies with a Board-approved provider, an examination-preparation course, or a Board-approved 15-hour continuing-education course if not previously taken. After six unsuccessful attempts, the full applicable initial education must be repeated. If the exam basis changes after a failure, code-update education may also be required.

7. Day-of-Test Method

Arrive with the identification and references specified by PSI. Use the on-screen flag feature intentionally. On calculation questions, estimate the answer's magnitude before selecting an option. On code questions, read the parent text, exceptions, and Massachusetts change. On law questions, distinguish an individual license from a business license.

The last check before submitting is mechanical: no blank responses, units are correct, line-to-line versus line-to-neutral voltage is correct, continuous-load multipliers are not applied twice without a rule, and every state-code answer uses the tested edition.