- The exam has 90 scored questions in 240 minutes; you need 63 correct (70%) overall, not per domain.
- Grounding and Bonding carries the most weight at 14 questions; Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits is next at 11.
- PSI supplies the NEC and formula page onsite; you cannot bring or mark up your own code book.
- Initial exam fee is $78; a retest costs $73 if you don't pass on the first try.
Exam Snapshot: Format, Timing, and Fees
Before you memorize a single code section, lock in the mechanics of the Colorado Master Electrician License Exam. It's administered on behalf of the Colorado State Electrical Board (part of DORA) by PSI Services LLC, and it's a computer-based, multiple-choice test - no essays, no hands-on demonstration.
- Scored questions: 90, answered in 240 minutes
- Unscored pilot questions: up to 10, with an additional 30 minutes
- Initial exam fee: $78
- Retest fee: $73
- Calculator: onscreen only - no personal calculator or devices
- Reference material: the test center provides the NEC and a formula page; you cannot write in, highlight, underline, or index the supplied book, and personal references are prohibited
If you want a deeper walkthrough of exactly how these numbers translate into a pass, the CO-ME Passing Score 2026 guide breaks down the arithmetic in more detail. For a broader look at how difficult candidates find this format compared to other trade exams, see How Hard Is the CO-ME Exam?.
Domain-by-Domain Question Breakdown
The 90 scored questions are distributed across 13 content areas. This is the single most useful table to screenshot before test day - it tells you exactly how many points are on the table in each domain.
| Domain | Scored Questions |
|---|---|
| 1. General Electrical Knowledge | 6 |
| 2. Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits | 11 |
| 3. Grounding and Bonding | 14 |
| 4. Overcurrent Protection | 5 |
| 5. Conductors and Cables | 4 |
| 6. Raceways and Boxes | 5 |
| 7. Special Conditions | 2 |
| 8. Special Occupancies | 9 |
| 9. Special Equipment | 9 |
| 10. Electrical Devices | 4 |
| 11. Motors | 8 |
| 12. Transformers | 4 |
| 13. Electrical Calculations | 9 |
Notice how uneven this distribution is. Three domains - Special Conditions, Conductors and Cables, and Transformers - combine for only 10 questions total, while Grounding and Bonding alone accounts for 14. For a plain-language walk through what each domain actually covers on the job, the CO-ME Exam Domains 2026 guide is the companion piece to this cheat sheet.
Passing Score Math
Passing requires 70%, which works out to 63 of the 90 scored questions correct. There is no domain-by-domain cutoff - a weak showing in Motors can be offset by a strong showing in Grounding and Bonding, as long as your total crosses 63.
Key Takeaway
Because there's a single overall cutoff instead of per-domain minimums, your prep time is best spent on the domains with the most raw questions - Grounding and Bonding (14) and Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits (11) - rather than spreading equal effort across all 13 areas.
This single-cutoff structure also changes how you should react to a question you're unsure about: skip logic and time management matter more than perfectionism on any one item, since every correct answer counts equally toward the same 63-question target.
NEC 2026 Reference Update
The PSI candidate bulletin updated June 18, 2026 specifies that NEC 2026 becomes the examination reference effective August 1, 2026. If your test date falls near that transition window, confirm which code edition your specific appointment references before you finalize your study materials - using the wrong edition's article numbers is an avoidable way to lose points on Grounding and Bonding, Overcurrent Protection, and Electrical Calculations questions, all of which lean heavily on precise NEC citations.
Which Domains to Prioritize
Given the question distribution, a candidate with limited study time gets the most return from mastering the heaviest domains first.
Grounding and Bonding (14 questions)
The largest domain on the exam. Expect scenario-based questions on grounding electrode systems, bonding jumper sizing, equipment grounding conductors, and separately derived systems.
- Grounding electrode conductor sizing tables
- Bonding requirements for metal water piping and structural steel
- Equipment grounding conductor sizing versus overcurrent device rating
Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits (11 questions)
The second-heaviest domain, covering service entrance sizing, feeder calculations, and branch circuit load rules.
- Service and feeder conductor sizing methods
- Continuous versus noncontinuous load rules
- Branch circuit ratings for specific occupancy types
Special Occupancies, Special Equipment, and Electrical Calculations (9 questions each)
These three mid-weight domains together outweigh Grounding and Bonding alone, so they deserve dedicated study blocks rather than being treated as afterthoughts.
- Hazardous location classifications and wiring methods
- Motor, generator, and HVAC equipment-specific code sections
- Box fill, voltage drop, and demand load calculations
Low-weight domains - Special Conditions (2), Conductors and Cables (4), Electrical Devices (4), and Transformers (4) - still require competence, but spending equal hours here versus Grounding and Bonding is a poor use of limited study time. For a full study sequence built around this weighting, see the CO-ME Study Guide 2026.
Licensing Pathways Beyond the Exam
Passing the exam is a milestone, not the finish line. DORA requires you to satisfy experience or education requirements before or alongside your application, and passing the exam does not waive them.
- Experience-based route: 10,000 hours over at least five years, including planning, layout, and supervision experience beyond standard journeyman duties
- Education-based route: qualifying electrical-engineering graduates or approved trade-school/community-college graduates may follow an alternate pathway
- Documentation: you'll submit employer/master experience verification forms and, where applicable, education transcripts
Note also that electrical contractor registration is a separate credential from the individual master license - passing this exam and getting your master license doesn't automatically register you as a contractor. For a complete rundown of eligibility rules, review CO-ME Requirements 2026.
Renewal and Continuing Education
Once licensed, active master electrician licenses in Colorado renew every three years. Each renewal cycle requires:
- 24 continuing-education hours total
- At least 4 hours specifically on NEC changes
- No more than 4 hours counted toward safety topics
- Retention of CE records for seven years
The first renewal following a license issued by examination is exempt from the CE requirement, which gives newly licensed masters some breathing room before the CE clock starts in earnest. If you're still weighing whether the licensing and renewal commitment is worth it relative to the career upside, Is the CO-ME Certification Worth It? covers that tradeoff, and CO-ME Certification Cost 2026 lays out the full pricing picture beyond just the exam fee.
Final-Week Review Schedule
In the days before your appointment, don't try to re-study everything equally - allocate review time in proportion to the question counts from the table above.
Grounding and Bonding + Services/Feeders/Branch Circuits
- Redo every practice question you've missed in these two domains
- Re-derive grounding electrode conductor and feeder sizing by hand, no shortcuts
Special Occupancies, Special Equipment, Electrical Calculations
- Drill box fill and voltage drop calculation problems under time pressure
- Review hazardous location and motor/HVAC-specific code sections
Motors + remaining mid-weight domains
- Focus on motor overload and branch circuit protection sizing
- Skim General Electrical Knowledge and Raceways and Boxes for gaps
Low-weight domains + full timed simulation
- Quick review of Special Conditions, Conductors and Cables, Electrical Devices, Transformers
- Run a full 240-minute timed practice session on the main practice test platform to calibrate pacing
Practicing under real time constraints matters more for this exam than for open-book formats, since you'll be navigating an unfamiliar copy of the NEC that you cannot mark up. Run at least one full-length timed session through our practice test tool before your scheduled date so the 240-minute pace feels familiar rather than stressful.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Passing requires 70% overall - 63 of 90 scored questions correct - across the entire exam rather than separate passing scores in each of the 13 domains.
No. The test center supplies the NEC and a formula page. Personal reference materials are prohibited, and the supplied book cannot be written in, highlighted, underlined, or indexed.
You can retest for $73, compared to the $78 initial exam fee. Passing on a later attempt still requires meeting the same 70%/63-question threshold.
No. Passing the exam is one requirement, but you still must satisfy the experience (10,000 hours over at least five years) or approved education pathway and submit verification documentation to DORA before licensure.
Prioritize Grounding and Bonding (14 questions) and Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits (11 questions) first, since together they represent roughly a quarter of the scored exam.