New England · 4 trades verified · checked 2026-10-20
Massachusetts trade licenses
Electrician, Plumber, HVAC and General contractor credentials in Massachusetts, from the issuing board's page or the statute: who issues each one, the levels, the time it takes and the exam.
| Trade | Issued by | Top credential | Time to top | Exam | Fees printed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician | Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians | Master Electrician | 5 years | Yes | Yes |
| Plumber | Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters | Master Plumber | 5 years | Yes | No |
| HVAC | Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections | Refrigeration Technician | 3 years | Yes | Yes |
| General contractor | Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards | Unrestricted Construction Supervisor | 3 years | Yes | Yes |
Electrician in Massachusetts
Statewide individual licenses for journeyman and master electricians. Master Electrician: 5 years of experience at minimum, plus an exam.
Journeyman Electrician — 4 years, 600 classroom hours, exam, application $31, license $104, exam (psi) $135. Master Electrician — 5 years, 150 classroom hours, exam, application $66, license $155, exam (psi) $135. Reciprocity partners named: New Hampshire.
What the top level asks for: A Massachusetts journeyman license, at least one year of work experience and 150 hours of Board-approved education.
Massachusetts electrician details · Electrician in every state
Plumber in Massachusetts
Statewide journeyman and master plumber licenses, with separate journeyman and master gas fitter licenses. Master Plumber: 5 years of experience at minimum, plus an exam.
Journeyman Plumber — 4 years, 550 classroom hours, exam. Master Plumber — 5 years, 110 classroom hours, exam. Out-of-state route: reviewed case by case under the source's rules.
What the top level asks for: No less than one year of practical experience, at least 1,700 clock hours, as a licensed journeyman plumber, plus the 110-hour tier five of the Plumber Educational Program. 248 CMR 11.02(2).
Massachusetts plumber details · Plumber in every state
HVAC in Massachusetts
Refrigeration technician license issued by the Office of Public Safety and Inspections; apprentices work under a refrigeration apprentice license. Refrigeration Technician: 3 years of experience at minimum, plus an exam.
Refrigeration Technician — 3 years, 450 classroom hours, exam, application $75. Out-of-state route: reviewed case by case under the source's rules.
What the top level asks for: Not less than 6,000 hours in Massachusetts as a licensed OPSI refrigeration apprentice and not less than 450 hours of study at a Bureau-approved school.
Massachusetts HVAC details · HVAC in every state
General contractor in Massachusetts
A current Construction Supervisor License is required to directly supervise covered building work. The unrestricted license covers buildings under 35,000 cubic feet of enclosed space and one- and two-family dwellings. Unrestricted Construction Supervisor: 3 years of experience at minimum, plus an exam.
Restricted Construction Supervisor (one- and two-family) — 3 years, exam, application $23, exam $75. Unrestricted Construction Supervisor — 3 years, exam, application $23, exam $75. No reciprocity partner is named in the source.
What the top level asks for: The same three years (36 months full-time within ten years); a score of 70 percent or above is required on each exam.
Massachusetts general contractor details · General contractor in every state
Moving to or from Massachusetts
Electrician: Massachusetts names New Hampshire, and New Hampshire lists Massachusetts in return. Plumber: Massachusetts reviews out-of-state licenses without naming partners. HVAC: Massachusetts reviews out-of-state licenses without naming partners. General contractor: no route is named in the source. Conditions differ by board, so read the state page for each trade before relying on a partner list.
Nearby and comparable: Connecticut · Maine · New Hampshire · Rhode Island · Vermont. Guides: how long each state takes · license or registration.
General information from the Massachusetts sources on 2026-10-20, not legal advice. Each board is the authority; confirm before applying.