1.4 Examination Logistics, Reciprocity & Board Disciplinary Actions

Master Examination Logistics, Reciprocity and Discipline

Published Master format: 100 questions, 240 minutes, minimum score of 70%, open book at a PSI test center. The official bulletin does not list remote online proctoring, and “70%” should not be restated as a guaranteed raw-score conversion.

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1. Current Master Examination Format

The Maryland Board uses PSI to administer the Master HVACR examination. The current candidate bulletin lists:

• 100 questions.
• 240 minutes.
• A minimum passing score of 70%.
• Computer-based administration at PSI examination centers.
• Open-book testing limited to the references listed for the examination.

PSI reports passing or failing results after the examination. The bulletin describes a passing grade of 70 points, but it does not promise that exactly 70 raw correct responses always equals the reported result. Treat 70% as the official standard and avoid inventing a raw-to-scaled conversion.

The current Master examination fee is $150. The fee covers one examination, is nonrefundable and nontransferable, and the authorization is valid for 90 days. Board licensing fees are separate. Effective July 1, 2025, the Board's published original/renewal fee for a Master license is $94.50. Fees can change, so check the current Board fee schedule and PSI bulletin before paying.

2. Approved Master References

For the Master examination, the current PSI bulletin lists only these reference categories and editions:

1. International Mechanical Code, 2012, 2015, or 2018 editions; for examinations effective May 15, 2025, only the 2018 edition is permitted.
2. Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, 21st or 22nd edition.
3. ACCA Manual J Residential Load Calculation, 2006, 8th edition.
4. OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 with current amendments, or the OSHA selections supplied through PSI's reference material.
5. ACCA Ductulator.

Do not carry unrelated books merely because they are useful in practice. The bulletin's reference list controls what may enter the room.

Reference preparation rules are strict. Books must be unmarked in the sense that handwritten notes are not permitted. Candidates may index, highlight, or underline material. Permanent tabs may be used, but temporary or removable flags such as sticky notes are prohibited. Extra paper, loose notes, and papers attached to a reference are not allowed. Proctors inspect references and may reject materials that do not comply.

A useful preparation method is to build a permanent index by topic and code section, highlight definitions and table titles, and practice timed lookup with the exact permitted edition. Writing worked examples into the margins creates a prohibited note even if the calculation is correct.

3. Scheduling and Retesting

Applicants follow the Board and PSI's current online process. After authorization, schedule early enough to test within the 90-day eligibility period. Bring the identification PSI requires and arrive at the time stated in the appointment confirmation.

The Maryland Board's current FAQ gives a graduated retest interval: after the first failure, wait 30 days before requesting another examination; after a subsequent failure, wait 60 days. The examination fee is due for each attempt. This Board guidance is more specific than the general bulletin statement that candidates may not test more often than every 30 days, so use the current Board instruction when reapplying.

A failing candidate is given the review opportunity described in the PSI bulletin for missed items. That review is controlled and does not authorize copying questions or removing test content.

4. Reciprocity and Examination Waiver

Section 9A-305 is the reciprocity statute. The Board may waive the examination for an out-of-state licensee only when the applicant pays the applicable fee and provides adequate evidence of all the following:

• The applicant otherwise meets Maryland's qualifications.
• The other-state license is active and in good standing.
• The license is equivalent to the Maryland credential requested.
• The other state's licensing requirements, including required work experience, are at least equivalent.
• The other state provides a similar waiver to Maryland licensees.

The Board currently identifies Delaware and Virginia as reciprocal states. That does not make waiver automatic for every credential from either state. License level, scope, status, experience, and the reciprocal agreement must match. Section 9A-307 governs examination results and does not create reciprocity.

5. Discipline

After the hearing process in § 9A-311, § 9A-310 authorizes denial, reprimand, suspension, or revocation for its listed grounds. Instead of or in addition to reprimand, suspension, or revocation, the Board may impose up to $5,000 per violation.

Exam-relevant examples include:

• Obtaining a license by false or fraudulent representation.
• Transferring or lending the authority of a license.
• Willful violations of the Board code or applicable State or local law.
• Certain felony convictions or directly related misdemeanors.
• Allowing an unlicensed person to use the credential.
• Unjustified abandonment or failure to perform a contract.
• Inadequate or incomplete work.
• False, deceptive, or misleading advertising.
• Material misrepresentation in procuring a project.
• Work outside the scope of a restricted, limited, journeyman, or apprentice license.
• Knowingly allowing another licensee to work outside that person's scope.

“Probation” and generic “gross negligence” should not be substituted for the statute's actual sanction and grounds language. A practical compliance analysis should identify the exact conduct, the applicable subsection, the notice and hearing process, and the permitted sanction.