Transfer Your Contractor License to Massachusetts: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure); Construction Supervisor License via the Board of Building Regulations and Standards ↗
Massachusetts offers trade-specific reciprocity through the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure); Construction Supervisor License via the Board of Building Regulations and Standards, covering electrical work for licensees from states including New Hampshire. These agreements waive the relevant trade exam — not the business and law exam, bond, or registration. Fee: $208–$310 (Electrician reciprocity fee (237 CMR 15.02, non-refundable): Journeyman $208, Master $310.). Select your trade and origin in the checker for the exact answer.
Moving to Massachusetts from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Read Massachusetts's agreements one trade at a time — that is the mistake most contractors make here. A deal that waives the electrical exam says nothing about general building, and a commercial agreement rarely covers residential work. The tables below separate them so you can see exactly which of your licenses travels and which does not.
Electrical NH-only reciprocity and fees fully verified from the official mass.gov pages (retrieved via Internet Archive snapshot dated Jan 2026, because mass.gov blocks automated access). The general-contractor-equivalent CSL and the HIC registration have NO reciprocity (MA exam required) per established board practice; the live CSL page was not reachable and is flagged. No contractor compact.
Massachusetts requirements at a glance
| Exam | The Construction Supervisor License (CSL, general building) and Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration offer no reciprocity — the Massachusetts CSL exam is required. The Board of State Examiners of Electricians has a single reciprocity agreement (New Hampshire only), which accepts NH exam-obtained journeyman and master licenses without re-examination. |
|---|---|
| Additional requirements |
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| Fees | $208–$310 (Electrician reciprocity fee (237 CMR 15.02, non-refundable): Journeyman $208, Master $310.) |
| Processing time | Not stated by the board. |
Step by step
- Confirm Massachusetts's current requirements on the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure); Construction Supervisor License via the Board of Building Regulations and Standards website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure); Construction Supervisor License via the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Electrical reciprocity applies only to a New Hampshire license obtained by passing the NH exam.
- License Verification/Certified Letter from the New Hampshire board (with seal).
- Notarized CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) Authorization Form and a passport-quality photo.
- Master applicants also need a MA Journeyman license and completion of the MA 150-hour Master Electrician program.
- Pay the fees ($208–$310 (Electrician reciprocity fee (237 CMR 15.02, non-refundable): Journeyman $208, Master $310.)) and allow Not stated by the board..
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Massachusetts:
Frequently asked questions
Does my contractor license transfer to Massachusetts?
Massachusetts offers trade-specific reciprocity through the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure); Construction Supervisor License via the Board of Building Regulations and Standards, covering electrical work for licensees from states including New Hampshire. These agreements waive the relevant trade exam — not the business and law exam, bond, or registration. Fee: $208–$310 (Electrician reciprocity fee (237 CMR 15.02, non-refundable): Journeyman $208, Master $310.). Select your trade and origin in the checker for the exact answer.
Which states does Massachusetts have electrical contractor reciprocity with?
New Hampshire (verified 2026-07-21 against the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians (Division of Occupational Licensure); Construction Supervisor License via the Board of Building Regulations and Standards). 237 CMR 15.00 — Board agreement with New Hampshire ONLY; journeyman and master licenses accepted only if obtained by exam in NH.
Does reciprocity waive all of Massachusetts's requirements?
No. Massachusetts's reciprocity waives the relevant trade exam only; the business/law exam, financial statement, bond, and insurance still apply.
What does a Massachusetts contractor license cost and how long does it take?
$208–$310 (Electrician reciprocity fee (237 CMR 15.02, non-refundable): Journeyman $208, Master $310.); processing Not stated by the board..
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- MA Board of State Examiners of Electricians — Apply for reciprocity (out-of-state) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MA Board of State Examiners of Electricians — Licensing ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]