- Exam Overview: 76 Questions, 15 Domains, 3 Hours
- Domains 1-4: Grounding, Overcurrent, Wiring Methods, Boxes
- Domains 5-8: Services, Feeders, Motors, Special Occupancies
- Domains 9-12: Load Calculations, Lighting, Appliances, Fill
- Domains 13-15: Power Limited Circuits, Trade Knowledge, Theory
- Beyond the 15 Domains: Acts, Rules, and Supervision Topics
- How Much Weight Does Each Domain Carry?
- Mapping a Study Plan to the Domain List
- Open-Book Rules: What References You Can Actually Use
- FAQ
- The MI-ME exam has 76 questions across 15 domains, with a 3-hour limit and 75% passing score.
- All 15 domains mirror PSI's official Michigan Master Electrician examination content outline, from grounding to electrical theory.
- The exam is open-book on the 2023 NEC, but only factory tabs and factory highlighting are allowed.
- Load calculations, services, and feeders are calculation-heavy domains that reward NEC table fluency over memorization.
Exam Overview: 76 Questions, 15 Domains, 3 Hours
The Michigan Master Electrician License Exam (MI-ME) is administered by PSI on behalf of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes, and the Electrical Administrative Board. Candidates get 76 questions and 3 hours to answer them, and a 75% score is required to pass. The $100 examination fee is paid to PSI separately from the $50 initial master license fee submitted with the state application.
What makes the MI-ME distinct from a generic trade quiz is that its content outline is built from 15 named installation and trade-subject domains, plus several Michigan-specific legal and administrative topics layered on top. If you're just getting oriented, our What Is MI-ME? primer and the MI-ME Requirements guide are good starting points before you dive into domain-level study.
Domains 1-4: Grounding, Overcurrent, Wiring Methods, Boxes
These four domains form the foundation of nearly every installation scenario tested on the MI-ME.
Domain 1: Grounding and Bonding
Candidates must be able to size grounding electrode conductors, equipment grounding conductors, and bonding jumpers, and distinguish between grounding and bonding requirements in different system configurations.
- Grounding electrode system components and connection methods
- Sizing equipment grounding conductors by overcurrent device rating
- Bonding of metal water piping, structural steel, and separate buildings
Domain 2: Overcurrent Protection
Overcurrent protection questions test whether candidates can select and coordinate breakers and fuses for conductors, motors, and equipment.
- Standard ampere ratings and next-size-up rules
- Series rating and selective coordination concepts
- Supplementary versus branch-circuit overcurrent devices
Domain 3: Wiring Methods and Installations
This domain covers cable and raceway selection, support spacing, and installation restrictions across different occupancy types.
- Permitted uses and restrictions for NM, MC, EMT, and other wiring methods
- Support and securing intervals
- Conductor protection at bends and through structural members
Domain 4: Boxes and Cabinets
Box and cabinet questions focus on sizing, support, and accessibility rather than fill calculations, which are tested separately in Domain 12.
- Box support methods for different wiring systems
- Accessibility and volume requirements for cabinets
- Conductor count basics that carry into fill calculations
If these four domains feel unfamiliar territory, our MI-ME Study Guide breaks down how to sequence review of installation basics before moving into calculation-heavy domains.
Domains 5-8: Services, Feeders, Motors, Special Occupancies
This block moves from component-level knowledge into system-level design questions, which tend to feel harder because they combine multiple domains at once.
Domain 5: Services
Service entrance questions test clearance rules, disconnect requirements, and service conductor sizing.
- Service disconnect location and grouping rules
- Overhead and underground service clearances
- Service equipment rating versus calculated load
Domain 6: Feeders
Feeder questions ask candidates to size conductors and overcurrent protection for feeders supplying subpanels, separate structures, and multi-occupancy buildings.
- Feeder conductor sizing based on calculated load
- Voltage drop considerations on long feeder runs
- Feeder taps and their length and protection limits
Domain 7: Motors and Motor Controls
Motor questions are often the most calculation-dense on the exam, requiring full-load current tables, branch-circuit conductor sizing, and overload protection in one problem.
- Sizing branch-circuit conductors and short-circuit protection for motors
- Overload protection versus short-circuit ground-fault protection
- Disconnecting means location and rating for motor circuits
Domain 8: Special Occupancies
Special occupancies cover hazardous locations, health care facilities, and other spaces where standard wiring rules are modified by additional code requirements.
- Classification of hazardous (classified) locations
- Wiring method restrictions in classified areas
- Special requirements for assembly, health care, or agricultural buildings
Domains 9-12: Load Calculations, Lighting, Appliances, Fill
These four domains are heavily numbers-driven and reward candidates who can move quickly between NEC tables during the open-book exam.
Domain 9: Load Calculations
Load calculation questions require applying standard and optional calculation methods for dwelling units and other occupancies.
- Standard method versus optional method for dwelling load calculations
- Demand factors for ranges, dryers, and other fixed appliances
- Continuous load adjustments
Domain 10: Lighting
Lighting questions cover branch-circuit loading, lighting outlet requirements, and control wiring for various spaces.
- Lighting load calculations by occupancy type
- Required lighting outlets in dwellings and other buildings
- Switching and control locations
Domain 11: Appliances
Appliance questions test branch-circuit sizing and disconnecting means for fixed and cord-connected equipment.
- Branch-circuit rating versus appliance nameplate rating
- Disconnecting means requirements for fixed appliances
- Flexible cord and cable connection rules
Domain 12: Box and Raceway Fill
Fill calculations are one of the most mechanical domains on the exam: correctly counting conductors and applying volume allowances is largely a matter of careful table use.
- Conductor volume allowances by wire size
- Counting rules for equipment grounding conductors and devices
- Raceway fill percentages for multiple conductors
Because Domains 9 through 12 depend so heavily on quick table lookups, this is exactly where MI-ME Cheat Sheet-style quick references pay off most during timed practice sessions - not as a substitute for understanding, but as a way to build lookup speed.
Domains 13-15: Power Limited Circuits, Trade Knowledge, Theory
The final three domains round out the outline with lower-voltage systems, broad trade practice, and fundamental theory.
Domain 13: Power Limited Circuits
This domain covers Class 1, 2, and 3 circuits and other low-energy wiring commonly found in control and signaling systems.
- Classification and marking of power-limited circuits
- Separation requirements from power and lighting circuits
- Wiring methods permitted for limited-energy circuits
Domain 14: General Electrical Trade Knowledge
General trade knowledge is broad by design, pulling in workmanship, definitions, and installation practices that don't fit neatly into a single technical domain.
- Common code definitions and terminology
- General installation and workmanship standards
- Cross-cutting requirements that apply across multiple wiring types
Domain 15: Electrical Theory
Theory questions test fundamental electrical principles rather than code lookups, so this domain can't be solved by flipping through the NEC.
- Ohm's Law and power formula calculations
- Series and parallel circuit analysis
- AC/DC fundamentals and basic transformer principles
Key Takeaway
Domain 15 (Electrical Theory) is the one domain where the open book won't save you - practice the math until it's automatic, not just familiar.
Beyond the 15 Domains: Acts, Rules, and Supervision Topics
The 15 domains listed above reproduce the installation and trade subjects from PSI's official master examination description, but they are not the entire outline. Candidates should also expect questions drawn from:
- Planning, laying out, and supervising electrical installations - a master-level competency that distinguishes this exam from the journeyman exam.
- The 2016 Skilled Trades Regulation Act, Public Act 407 - Michigan's governing statute for skilled trades licensing.
- The 1972 Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, Public Act 230 - the statute establishing Michigan's construction code framework.
- The Michigan Electrical Code Rules, Part 8 - the state administrative rules that adopt and modify the NEC for Michigan use.
These legal and administrative subjects are easy to overlook when you're focused on wiring methods and load calculations, but they show up on the exam alongside the 15 technical domains. For a full walkthrough of how these fit together with eligibility rules, see MI-ME Requirements.
How Much Weight Does Each Domain Carry?
PSI's candidate bulletin lists the 15 domains as the content structure for the master exam, but it does not publish a specific number of questions per domain publicly beyond the outline itself. Rather than guessing at percentages, candidates are better served treating all 15 domains as roughly equal-priority study targets, with extra attention to the domains most tied to their own field experience gaps.
| Domain Group | Domains Included | Study Emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| Installation Fundamentals | 1-4: Grounding, Overcurrent, Wiring Methods, Boxes | Component rules and installation practices |
| System Design | 5-8: Services, Feeders, Motors, Special Occupancies | Multi-step sizing and classified-location rules |
| Calculations & Loads | 9-12: Load Calculations, Lighting, Appliances, Fill | Table lookups and demand factor math |
| Systems & Fundamentals | 13-15: Power Limited Circuits, Trade Knowledge, Theory | Low-voltage rules and core electrical math |
For a broader view of how difficulty compares across the whole exam, not just individual domains, check How Hard Is the MI-ME Exam? and MI-ME Passing Score for exactly what 75% correct means in practice.
Mapping a Study Plan to the Domain List
Rather than studying domains in the numbered order PSI lists them, group your review by cognitive type: installation rules, system calculations, and fundamentals. This lets you batch similar mental tasks together instead of switching between memorization and math every session.
Installation Fundamentals
- Review Domains 1-4: grounding and bonding, overcurrent protection, wiring methods, boxes and cabinets
- Drill NEC table lookups for conductor sizing
System Design
- Work through Domains 5-8: services, feeders, motors and motor controls, special occupancies
- Practice multi-step problems combining feeder sizing with motor overcurrent protection
Calculations and Loads
- Focus on Domains 9-12: load calculations, lighting, appliances, box and raceway fill
- Time yourself on standard-method dwelling load calculations
Fundamentals and Legal Framework
- Cover Domains 13-15: power limited circuits, general trade knowledge, electrical theory
- Review Public Act 407, Public Act 230, and Michigan Electrical Code Rules, Part 8
This four-week structure is just one approach - our full MI-ME Study Guide covers pacing options for candidates with less lead time before their scheduled exam date, and MI-ME Exam Dates explains scheduling windows through PSI.
Open-Book Rules: What References You Can Actually Use
The MI-ME is computer-based and open-book using the 2023 NEC, but the rules about what you can bring are strict and specific. Understanding these rules is as much a part of domain preparation as knowing the content itself, because a disqualified reference book on test day can derail months of study.
- Only factory-produced markings, highlights, and factory-installed tabs are permitted - candidate-added annotations and tabs are prohibited.
- The NEC Handbook is not allowed; only the standard 2023 NEC code book qualifies.
- Each printed act or rules document you bring (such as Public Act 407, Public Act 230, or the Michigan Electrical Code Rules, Part 8) must remain a separate document secured with three staples along the left edge - loose sheets are prohibited.
- Personal calculators are prohibited, which affects how you approach the calculation-heavy domains like load calculations and motor sizing.
Key Takeaway
Buy a clean, factory-tabbed 2023 NEC well before your test date rather than relying on a heavily annotated personal copy - candidate markings can get your reference materials rejected at check-in.
If you're still assembling your approved reference set, our practice test platform at MI-ME Exam Prep is built around the same 2023 NEC structure so you can rehearse navigating tables under timed conditions before exam day.
FAQ
The exam content outline includes 15 installation and trade-subject domains, ranging from grounding and bonding to electrical theory, plus additional tested material on supervision practices and Michigan-specific statutes and rules.
PSI's bulletin does not publish a public per-domain question count or percentage breakdown, so candidates should prepare all 15 domains thoroughly rather than assuming any one domain is safe to skip.
Only if the tabs and markings are factory-produced. Candidate-added tabs, highlighting, or notes are prohibited, and the NEC Handbook is not an approved reference.
Domains involving motors and motor controls, special occupancies, and electrical theory tend to be less familiar to electricians whose field experience is concentrated in residential or light commercial wiring methods and services.
No. In addition to the 15 domains, expect questions on planning and supervising installations, the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (Public Act 407), the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act (Public Act 230), and the Michigan Electrical Code Rules, Part 8.