- Pass mark is 70% of 100 scored items; 10 additional unscored items don't count against you.
- Total appointment time is 270 minutes: 240 for scored/unscored items plus 30 extra minutes.
- Wiring and Protection, Wiring Methods and Materials, and Equipment for General Use make up 65% of the test.
- Only the 2023 NEC or 2023 NEC Handbook are allowed - Ugly's is explicitly prohibited.
Exam Snapshot: The Numbers You Must Memorize
If you take away one thing from this cheat sheet, memorize this block. Every number below comes straight from the PSI-hosted bulletin (updated September 19, 2025) and DIAL's own published guidance for the Class A Master Electrician examination pathway - not the Residential Master exam, and not any other credential that happens to share the "IA-ME" shorthand.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Licensing authority | Iowa Electrical Examining Board (DIAL) |
| Test administrator | PSI Services LLC |
| Exam fee | $87 |
| Full 3-year Class A license fee | $375 (prorated by issuance month) |
| Current licensing cycle | 2026-2028 |
| Question format | Computer-based, multiple-choice, open-book |
| Total questions | 110 (100 scored + 10 unscored) |
| Time allowed | 270 minutes total (240 + 30 for unscored items) |
| Passing score | 70% of scored items |
| Code reference | NEC 2023 (used since January 1, 2024) |
Domain Weights at a Glance
The Class A Master exam is built around eight content areas. Three of them - Wiring and Protection, Wiring Methods and Materials, and Equipment for General Use - together account for 65% of the scored questions. That single fact should shape how you allocate study time far more than any generic advice about "studying everything equally."
Domain 2: Wiring and Protection - 25%
The single heaviest domain. Expect deep coverage of overcurrent protection, grounding and bonding, branch circuits, feeders, and services under the NEC 2023.
- Practice calculations for conductor sizing and overcurrent device selection
- Know grounding electrode conductor sizing rules cold
Domain 3: Wiring Methods and Materials - 20%
Covers cable and raceway types, box and enclosure fill, and installation requirements across occupancy types.
- Be fluent in conduit and box fill calculation tables
- Know support and spacing requirements for common wiring methods
Domain 4: Equipment for General Use - 20%
Switches, receptacles, luminaires, appliances, and motors - the equipment-level rules that show up in almost every job scenario.
- Understand motor overload and disconnect requirements
- Review GFCI/AFCI location requirements thoroughly
The remaining five domains - General Electrical Knowledge (10%), Special Occupancies (10%), Special Equipment (5%), Special Conditions (5%), and Communication Systems (5%) - make up the other 35% combined. Don't skip them, but don't let them eat time you need for the "big three." For a full walkthrough of every domain's subtopics, read the IA-ME Exam Domains 2026 guide.
Key Takeaway
Spend roughly two-thirds of your NEC review time on Articles tied to Wiring and Protection, Wiring Methods and Materials, and Equipment for General Use - they carry 65% of the scored exam.
Eligibility and Sponsorship Path
Before you ever see a PSI testing center, you have to clear a paperwork gate with the Iowa Electrical Examining Board. The standard route requires one year of Board-acceptable experience as a licensed Class A or Class B journeyman. If you already hold an active Class B master license, you may instead use the examination-upgrade route rather than restarting the experience clock.
- Get Board sponsorship and authorization before attempting to schedule with PSI - you cannot register on your own initiative.
- Authorization is limited: it covers two attempts or six months, whichever comes first.
- Once you pass, the approved master examination result is only valid for 24 months before your license application - don't pass the exam and then sit on it for two years.
A more detailed breakdown of experience documentation, the upgrade path for Class B masters, and what "Board-acceptable experience" actually means is covered in the IA-ME Requirements 2026 guide. If you're still weighing whether this license fits your career plans, the ROI analysis and IA-ME Jobs overview are worth reading before you invest the sponsorship time.
What You Can Bring Into the Testing Room
The IA-ME is open-book, but "open-book" has a narrow, specific definition here. Only the 2023 NEC or the 2023 NEC Handbook are approved reference materials.
This is a common trap: candidates who studied with Ugly's for years sometimes forget it's banned on test day for the Iowa Class A Master exam specifically. Rebuild your quick-reference habits around your NEC Handbook's own tables and indexing well before exam day - cramming with the wrong reference the night before does you no favors.
Retake and Waiting-Period Rules
Failing once isn't the end of the world, but the retake structure has real teeth, and it gets stricter the more times you fail. Know this before you schedule your first attempt so a bad day doesn't derail your timeline unexpectedly.
- After 2 failures: wait six months and complete 12 approved continuing-education hours before testing again.
- After 4 failures: the same six-month wait and 12-hour education requirement applies again.
- After 6 failures: further attempts require Board approval following a formal petition and an additional six-month wait.
- Cancellations/reschedules: must happen at least two days before your testing appointment.
Because authorization from the Board only covers two attempts or six months, most candidates effectively get one clean shot before needing a new authorization cycle anyway. Treat your first attempt like it's your only attempt. If you want a realistic read on how tough the content actually is before you commit to a date, see How Hard Is the IA-ME Exam? and the data-driven IA-ME Pass Rate 2026 breakdown.
Renewal and Continuing Education
Passing the exam and getting licensed is only the start of the compliance clock. The current licensing cycle runs 2026-2028, and renewal has its own hour requirements separate from the exam retake CE hours mentioned above.
- Full three-year term: 18 approved continuing-education hours, including at least 6 NEC-specific hours.
- Shorter initial term (partial cycle): 6 hours for each year or portion of a year licensed.
- License fee for the full three-year Class A term is $375, prorated by the month your license is issued.
For the complete cost picture - exam fee, license fee, CE costs, and renewal math laid out side by side - check the IA-ME Certification Cost 2026 breakdown. And if you're mapping out how this license translates into pay once you're working, the IA-ME Salary Guide 2026 is a useful companion piece.
The Week Before: A Fast Final Review Plan
You don't need a twelve-week study calendar the week before your appointment - you need a tight, domain-weighted final pass. Here's how to spend the last seven days if your NEC book is already tabbed and indexed.
Wiring and Protection drill
- Rework overcurrent protection and grounding/bonding practice questions
- Confirm your NEC tabs land on the right table pages under time pressure
Wiring Methods & Equipment for General Use
- Run conduit/box fill calculations from memory, then verify with the Handbook
- Review switch, receptacle, and motor disconnect rules
The remaining five domains
- Skim Special Occupancies, Special Equipment, Special Conditions, and Communication Systems
- Focus only on items you've missed in practice sets - these domains are lower weight
Logistics and light review
- Confirm PSI appointment, ID requirements, and calculator eligibility
- Light review only - no new material the day before
For a more comprehensive multi-week study framework that starts further out from test day, see the IA-ME Study Guide 2026. And if you want to drill scored-style questions under real time pressure before your appointment, running full-length sets on our practice test platform is the closest simulation you'll get to the actual 270-minute session.
Key Takeaway
Front-load your final week on the three heavyweight domains - Wiring and Protection, Wiring Methods and Materials, Equipment for General Use - since they carry 65% of your score.
FAQ
No. This page is a quick-reference summary of fees, format, domain weights, and rules - not a substitute for working through NEC 2023 material and practice questions. Use it alongside the full study guide for actual exam prep.
You need 70% of the 100 scored items correct. The other 10 questions on the 110-question exam are unscored and don't count toward your result, though you can't tell which ones they are during the test.
No. Only the 2023 NEC or 2023 NEC Handbook are approved. Handwritten notes, removable tabs, loose papers, and Ugly's Electrical References are all prohibited; advance highlighting, underlining, and permanent indexing in your code book are allowed.
After 2 failures you must wait six months and complete 12 approved CE hours before retesting; the same requirement applies again after 4 failures. After 6 failures, you need Board approval via petition plus another six-month wait.
Yes. You must obtain Board sponsorship and authorization before scheduling through PSI. That authorization is limited to two attempts or six months, so plan your study timeline around that window rather than open-ended access.
Keep this page bookmarked as a fast-reference check the week of your exam, but pair it with the deeper walkthroughs - the domain guide, the exam dates and scheduling guide, and hands-on practice sets on the main practice test site - to actually close knowledge gaps before appointment day.