Licensing

Electrician Licensing in Massachusetts

Massachusetts licenses electricians statewide. The journeyman-level credential is the Certificate B — Journeyman Electrician License, issued by the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians. Its standard route requires 8,000 hours of experience; other routes can differ.

Source: Massachusetts Legislature (General Laws c. 141, s. 3), checked 2026-10-07 · Standard-route hours: 237 CMR 13.00

Page last reviewed 2026-10-05 against official sources. Confirm with the issuing authority before applying.

Licensed in another state? See reviewed routes into Massachusetts.

How Massachusetts's system works

Massachusetts has four statewide electrical license classes. Certificate B is the Journeyman Electrician license, Certificate A is the Master Electrician license, Certificate D is the Systems Technician license, and Certificate C is the Systems Contractor license.

Certificates B and D authorize hands-on work within their respective scopes. Certificates A and C authorize conducting the corresponding contracting business but do not, by themselves, authorize the holder to perform hands-on installation.

Credential-specific requirements

Requirements differ by credential. Expand any credential for the work or business activity you plan to perform. Issued by Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians unless noted.

Certificate B — Journeyman Electrician License Individual license

Issuing authority: Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians →
Scope of work: Hands-on installation, repair, and maintenance of wiring and equipment for heat, light, power, fire-warning, and security-system purposes. May directly supervise one apprentice. When employed by a non-Certificate-A employer, covered work is limited to that employer's premises or property.
Experience or qualification: High-school diploma or equivalent; 8,000 hours over at least four years, ordinarily under direct supervision of a Massachusetts Journeyman; 600 hours of Board-approved education; and a current 15-hour code-update course. Approved public-vocational shop experience may receive credit. No more than 4,000 hours of qualifying systems work supervised by a Systems Technician may be credited.
Examination: Two-part open-book examination; at least 70% on each part.
Initial fee: Application fee $31 plus the $135 PSI examination total ($80 trade portion, $55 business/practical portion); the separate initial license fee is $104.
Renewal: Expires July 31 every third year. Current renewal fee is $78. Requires 21 continuing-education hours: 15 approved hours plus six professional-development hours.
Official application: Apply / forms →

Certificate A — Master Electrician License Mixed-holder contracting license

Issuing authority: Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians →
Scope of work: Authorizes conducting the general electrical-contracting business, including systems work; does not itself authorize hands-on installation.
Experience or qualification: Natural-person route: hold a Massachusetts Journeyman license, complete at least one year of experience as that license holder, and complete 150 hours of Board-approved education. A business entity must hold Certificate A in its own name, with its own license number, and must designate a Massachusetts Master Electrician as Licensee of Record. After the Licensee of Record withdraws or the qualifying license expires, a compliant entity may continue for up to 60 days if the Board receives a replacement application within 15 days; the same 60-day continuation applies upon the death of the Licensee of Record. Suspension or revocation ordinarily requires immediate cessation unless the Board permits otherwise.
Examination: Two-part open-book examination; at least 70% on each part.
Initial fee: Application fee $66 plus the $135 PSI examination total ($80 trade portion, $55 business/practical portion); separate initial license fee is $155. The current business page states an application fee of $233 and a license fee of $155, and the same Fees section also lists a license amount of $221 each. The page disagrees with itself, so the entity application fee is not stated here as $221.
Renewal: Expires July 31 every third year. Current individual renewal fee is $117 and 21 continuing-education hours are required. No current numeric entity-renewal fee was established. After qualifier withdrawal or expiration, a compliant entity may continue for up to 60 days if the Board receives a replacement application within 15 days; death has a related 60-day continuation. Suspension or revocation ordinarily requires immediate cessation unless the Board permits otherwise.
Official application: Apply / forms →

Certificate D — Systems Technician License Individual license

Issuing authority: Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians →
Scope of work: Hands-on fire-warning, security, and other inherently power-limited systems work. May work only while employed by a Master Electrician or Systems Contractor, may not file a permit independently, and may supervise one apprentice only when both share that employer.
Experience or qualification: High-school diploma or equivalent; 4,000 hours of systems work over at least two years under a Massachusetts Systems Technician or Journeyman; 300 hours of Board-approved education; and a current 15-hour code-update course. Approved shop experience may receive credit. Electrical-work experience is capped at 2,000 credited hours over at least one year.
Examination: Two-part open-book examination; at least 70% on each part.
Initial fee: Application fee $31 plus the $135 PSI examination total ($80 trade portion, $55 business/practical portion); the separate initial license fee is $104.
Renewal: Expires July 31 every third year. Current renewal fee is $78. Requires 21 continuing-education hours. 237 CMR 17.01 directs 15 of those hours to systems work, including the applicable chapters of 527 CMR 12.00 and NFPA 72. The other six hours are professional development chosen by the licensee and are not required to be systems-focused.
Official application: Apply / forms →

Certificate C — Systems Contractor License Mixed-holder contracting license

Issuing authority: Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians →
Scope of work: Authorizes systems contracting for fire-warning, security, and other inherently power-limited systems; does not itself authorize hands-on installation and cannot act as a general electrical contractor.
Experience or qualification: Natural-person route: hold a Massachusetts Systems Technician license, complete at least one year of experience as that license holder, and complete 75 hours of Board-approved education. A business entity must hold Certificate C in its own name, with its own license number, and must designate a Massachusetts Systems Contractor as Licensee of Record. After the Licensee of Record withdraws or the qualifying license expires, a compliant entity may continue for up to 60 days if the Board receives a replacement application within 15 days; the same 60-day continuation applies upon the death of the Licensee of Record. Suspension or revocation ordinarily requires immediate cessation unless the Board permits otherwise.
Examination: Two-part open-book examination; at least 70% on each part.
Initial fee: Application fee $66 plus the $135 PSI examination total ($80 trade portion, $55 business/practical portion); separate initial license fee is $155. The current business page states an application fee of $233 and a license fee of $155, and the same Fees section also lists a license amount of $221 each. The page disagrees with itself, so the entity application fee is not stated here as $221.
Renewal: Expires July 31 every third year and requires 21 continuing-education hours. 237 CMR 17.01 directs 15 of those hours to systems work, including the applicable chapters of 527 CMR 12.00 and NFPA 72. The other six hours are professional development chosen by the licensee and need not be from a Board-approved provider. The individual Systems Contractor renewal fee on the current renewal page is $117. A separate business-entity renewal amount is not stated. After qualifier withdrawal or expiration, a compliant entity may continue for up to 60 days if the Board receives a replacement application within 15 days; death has a related 60-day continuation. Suspension or revocation ordinarily requires immediate cessation unless the Board permits otherwise.
Official application: Apply / forms →

Licensed in another state?

Massachusetts has a reviewed application route for some licenses from 1 state. A route can waive an exam or some experience; you still need the Massachusetts credential before you work. Expand a state for the routes and their requirements.

New Hampshire Reciprocity · 2 routes

If you hold: New Hampshire Journeyman Electrician license (New Hampshire Electricians' Board, RSA 319-C), exam-based (PSI)
You can apply for: Massachusetts Journeyman Electrician license by reciprocity (Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians, Division of Occupational Licensure; M.G.L. c. 141, 237 CMR 15.00)

To apply:

hold a current New Hampshire Journeyman or Master Electrician license obtained by passing an exam in New Hampshire ('ONLY IF they were obtained by passing an exam in New Hampshire'; PSI-administered examinations; New Hampshire Electricians' Board, RSA 319-C)
provide a License Verification/Certified Letter from the New Hampshire Board, including full name, address, license type/number, current status, and Board seal (PDF uploads accepted)
submit a notarized CORI Authorization Form and a recent passport-quality color photo
apply online through the eLIPSE platform (incomplete applications are held open 180 days)
pay the $208 journeyman reciprocal application fee (non-refundable per 237 CMR 15.02)

Limits:

exam-based New Hampshire licensure is mandatory: an NH license gained via reciprocity or endorsement is NOT eligible ('If the license was gained via reciprocity or endorsement, they are not eligible to reciprocate licensure with MA.')
New Hampshire is the Board's only reciprocal jurisdiction, and the agreement covers only the Journeyman and Master tiers
no contractor reciprocity: 'The Board does not provide reciprocal licensure for companies.'
fees are non-refundable per 237 CMR 15.02

Reciprocity. Official source 1 · Official source 2 · Checked 2026-09-29.

If you hold: New Hampshire Master Electrician license (New Hampshire Electricians' Board, RSA 319-C), exam-based (PSI)
You can apply for: Massachusetts Master Electrician license by reciprocity (Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians, Division of Occupational Licensure; M.G.L. c. 141, 237 CMR 15.00)

To apply:

hold a current New Hampshire Journeyman or Master Electrician license obtained by passing an exam in New Hampshire ('ONLY IF they were obtained by passing an exam in New Hampshire'; PSI-administered examinations; New Hampshire Electricians' Board, RSA 319-C)
provide a License Verification/Certified Letter from the New Hampshire Board, including full name, address, license type/number, current status, and Board seal (PDF uploads accepted)
submit a notarized CORI Authorization Form and a recent passport-quality color photo
apply online through the eLIPSE platform (incomplete applications are held open 180 days)
hold a current MA Journeyman license or indicate an application also submitted for the Journeyman license by reciprocity ('MA Journeyman License: A copy of a current MA Journeyman license or indication of an application also submitted for the Journeyman license by reciprocity')
provide documentation of completion of the MA 150-hour Master Electrician Program ('MA 150hr Master Electrician Program: Provide documentation of completion')
pay the $310 master reciprocal application fee (non-refundable per 237 CMR 15.02)

Limits:

exam-based New Hampshire licensure is mandatory: an NH license gained via reciprocity or endorsement is NOT eligible ('If the license was gained via reciprocity or endorsement, they are not eligible to reciprocate licensure with MA.')
New Hampshire is the Board's only reciprocal jurisdiction, and the agreement covers only the Journeyman and Master tiers
no contractor reciprocity: 'The Board does not provide reciprocal licensure for companies.'
fees are non-refundable per 237 CMR 15.02
NH master licensure alone does not carry straight through: the MA Journeyman step and the 150-hour Master Electrician Program are extra requirements MA imposes even on exam-based NH masters

Reciprocity. Official source 1 · Official source 2 · Checked 2026-09-29.

New Hampshire licensing →

Reviewed and found no reciprocity or exam-waiver agreement for licenses from these states. You can still apply through the standard route:

Utah (source, checked 2026-09-17)

Taking your Massachusetts license elsewhere

Reviewed routes for Massachusetts licensees, with requirements on each receiving state's page:

New Hampshire: Massachusetts Class A/B Journeyman Electrician license (Board of State Examiners of Electricians, Division of Professional Licensure; M.G.L. c. 141, 527 CMR 12.00) → New Hampshire Journeyman Electrician license by endorsement (New Hampshire Electricians' Board, OPLC; RSA 319-C, Plc 313.24, HB 594 (2023)) (endorsement)
New Hampshire: Massachusetts Master Electrician license (Board of State Examiners of Electricians, Division of Professional Licensure; M.G.L. c. 141, 527 CMR 12.00) → New Hampshire Master Electrician license by endorsement (New Hampshire Electricians' Board, OPLC; RSA 319-C, Plc 313.24, HB 594 (2023)) (endorsement)

Business licenses tied to A and C

A business entity engaged in electrical or systems work must hold Certificate A or C in its own name. The entity must have a Massachusetts Master Electrician or Systems Contractor as its Licensee of Record. These business licenses do not create additional occupational classes.

When a Licensee of Record withdraws or the qualifying license expires, a compliant entity may continue for up to 60 days only if the Board receives a replacement application within 15 days. A related 60-day rule applies after death. Suspension or revocation ordinarily requires the business to stop immediately unless the Board allows otherwise.

Other permits and exceptions

Electrical apprentices are supervised workers and do not receive a fifth Board electrical license. Reciprocity is an application route into an ordinary license. Massachusetts has a reciprocity agreement with New Hampshire.

Valor Act licensing benefits for active-duty service members, relocated military spouses, and veterans do not create a separate license class. Installing security systems also requires a Security Clearance Certificate (S-License) from the Office of Public Safety and Inspections in addition to the Board license. Municipal wiring inspectors, electrical permits, inspections, and temporary theatrical-wiring approvals also do not create additional statewide electrician classes.

Before you apply

License qualifications, examinations, fees, and renewal rules differ by class. Massachusetts electrical licenses follow a triennial July 31 expiration cycle, but applicants should confirm the current filing date and payable fee with the Board. Individual renewal fees on the current renewal page are $78 for Journeyman and Systems Technician and $117 for Master Electrician and Systems Contractor. The business application page states an application fee of $233 and a license fee of $155, and the same Fees section also has a table row of $221 for each license. Those figures disagree, so this page does not treat $221 as the entity application fee. No current page in this review states a business-entity renewal amount. This page was re-verified on October 5, 2026 against M.G.L. c. 141, 237 CMR, and the Board's application, renewal, and business pages.

View Application Information →

Cite this page

Title: Electrician Licensing in Massachusetts
URL: https://tradesdir.com/electrical/licensing/massachusetts
Information checked: 2026-10-05

Suggested citation: Electrician Licensing in Massachusetts. Trades Directory. https://tradesdir.com/electrical/licensing/massachusetts (information checked 2026-10-05).

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