What Is a Washington 06A HVAC/R Master Electrician?

A Washington specialty master electrician is an experienced specialty electrician who has met the state's additional master-level qualification requirements.

The master may perform electrical work within the specialty and may take on supervisory responsibility for an electrical contractor working in that classification.

The 06A master is expected to understand both sides of the trade: how HVAC/R electrical work should be installed and whether the contractor and workers are legally authorized to perform it.

You Must Hold the 06A Electrician Certificate for Two Years

Washington requires specialty master applicants to first become experienced certified specialty electricians.

06A Is Not Limited by Voltage, Phase, or Amperage

One of the biggest differences between 06A and the restricted 06B HVAC/R classification is that 06A is not generally limited by voltage, phase, or amperage.

That makes the specialty suitable for a much wider range of HVAC and refrigeration equipment.

However, broad equipment ratings do not mean broad premises-wiring authority. The work still has to fit Washington's HVAC/Refrigeration specialty definition.

HVAC/R Low-Voltage Controls in Residential Occupancies

The 06A specialty may install, repair, replace, and maintain qualifying HVAC/refrigeration telecommunications and Class 2 low-voltage control wiring and components in residential occupancies.

Examples can include:

• Thermostat circuits.
• Temperature sensors.
• Pressure sensors.
• HVAC control boards.
• Class 2 control circuits.
• Refrigeration control wiring.
• HVAC/R telecommunications wiring.
• Related control components.

The work must remain part of the HVAC/refrigeration system.

06A Has Broader Nonresidential Low-Voltage Authority

The 06A specialty may install, repair, replace, and maintain qualifying HVAC/R telecommunications and Class 2 control wiring in nonresidential occupancies with no more than three stories on or above grade.

It can also perform qualifying installations in taller buildings when:

• The installation is made in a previously occupied and wired space.
• The work is restricted to the HVAC/refrigeration system.

In addition, 06A may repair, replace, and maintain qualifying HVAC/R telecommunications and Class 2 low-voltage control wiring in all occupancies regardless of the number of stories.

Line-Voltage Components Inside HVAC/R Equipment

06A may install, repair, replace, and maintain qualifying line-voltage components located within HVAC/refrigeration equipment.

This can include:

• Contactors.
• Relays.
• Internal controls.
• Motor-related components.
• Factory-authorized accessories.
• Internally mounted outlets authorized by the equipment manufacturer.
• Product-illumination luminaires located within and powered from refrigeration equipment.

Examples of product illumination include lights within reach-in beverage coolers, frozen-food cases, and produce cases.

Where the component is located matters. An internal HVAC/R component may fall within 06A while a similar stand-alone component mounted elsewhere may not.

Internal Disconnect and Controller Components

06A may repair, replace, or maintain internal components of an HVAC/R equipment disconnecting means or controller as long as that disconnect or controller is not located inside a motor control center or panelboard.

This is not general authority to install external line-voltage controllers or disconnect switches.

On exam questions, words such as internal, external, equipment-mounted, panelboard, and motor control center matter a lot.

The Six-Foot Flexible Supply Whip Rule

06A may repair, replace, or maintain qualifying line-voltage flexible supply whips that are not more than six feet long.

The work cannot modify the characteristics of the branch-circuit or feeder load being supplied by the whip, except for a permitted reduction in the HVAC unit's rated maximum overcurrent protection size.

Washington does not require the replacement whip to use the same raceway method. An approved metallic method may be replaced with an approved nonmetallic method when appropriate.

Short Raceway Sections for Low-Voltage Protection

06A may install, repair, replace, and maintain short sections of raceway used to provide physical protection for low-voltage cables.

For this specialty, a qualifying short raceway section cannot mechanically interconnect two devices, junction boxes, equipment pieces, or other components.

This means a protective sleeve can be allowed while a general conduit system is not.

The exam loves small wording differences because apparently electrical licensing needed its own version of hide-and-seek.

Bonding Metal Gas Piping

06A has a specific allowance involving bonding of metal gas piping.

The specialty may install a bonding conductor for metal gas piping to an existing accessible grounding electrode conductor or grounding electrode when the required terminations can be made outside electrical panelboards, switchboards, or other distribution equipment.

This is a narrow bonding permission. It does not provide general authority to enter distribution equipment and perform unrelated grounding or feeder work.

External Disconnects Are Generally Outside 06A

06A generally may not install line-voltage controllers or disconnect switches external to HVAC/refrigeration equipment.

Washington provides a narrow exception when HVAC/R equipment is being replaced.

Under that exception, the specialty may remove and replace a disconnecting-means enclosure mounted on the surface of the HVAC/R equipment with a like-in-kind enclosure rated no more than 20 amperes and 120 volts using the existing wiring method.

When performing that specific replacement, the specialty may install up to 10 feet of raceway to provide physical protection for nonmetallic cable, but the raceway may not terminate in a panelboard.

General Services, Feeders, and Branch Circuits Are Outside 06A

Even though 06A is not limited by voltage, phase, or amperage, it generally does not include installation, repair, replacement, or maintenance of ordinary line-voltage:

• Services.
• Feeders.
• Branch-circuit conductors.
• General raceway systems.
• External panelboards.
• External switchboards.
• External motor control centers.

There is a specific exception when a structure's feeder or branch circuit supplies HVAC/R equipment containing supplementary overcurrent protection.

In that situation, 06A may install conductors from the supplementary overcurrent protection device to supplemental HVAC/R equipment when the supplementary device and the equipment being supplied are within sight of each other.

General Building Lighting Is Outside the Specialty

06A does not include general luminaires used to illuminate a building or structure merely because they are mechanically connected to HVAC/R equipment.

Examples include:

• A troffer luminaire used as a return-air device.
• Personnel lighting inside a walk-in cooler or freezer.
• General room lighting attached to HVAC-related structures.

Product illumination located within and powered from qualifying refrigeration equipment is different and may fall within the specialty.

Integrated Building Controls Have Limits

The 06A specialty may work on controls that are part of the HVAC/refrigeration system.

It does not provide general authority over integrated building-control systems that extend beyond HVAC/R.

For example, a building automation platform may control HVAC equipment, lighting, security, elevators, and energy systems. The HVAC/R portion may fit 06A, while the entire integrated building network may require other authority.

When a scope question says "building automation," do not automatically circle HVAC and celebrate. Look at what the system actually controls.

Stand-Alone Line-Voltage Equipment Can Be Outside 06A

The specialty generally does not include stand-alone line-voltage equipment such as:

• Heat cable.
• Wall heaters.
• Radiant-panel heaters.
• Baseboard heaters.
• Stand-alone contactors.
• Motor starters.
• Similar line-voltage equipment.

Exceptions can apply when the equipment is exclusively controlled by the HVAC/R system and requires an integral mechanical connection, or when the HVAC/refrigeration mechanical system is physically contained within the equipment.

The technical function and mechanical connection matter, not just whether the equipment makes a room warmer or colder.

Classified Locations Are Restricted

06A may not generally install, repair, replace, or maintain electrical wiring governed by specified NEC hazardous-location articles when that wiring is located outside the HVAC/refrigeration equipment.

The current master examination still includes approximately one question from NEC 500 through 516, so candidates need enough knowledge to recognize classified-location issues.

This is another example of technical knowledge and licensing scope being two different questions. The NEC tells you how classified-location work must be installed. Washington's specialty rules determine whether 06A may perform it.

06A vs. 06B HVAC/R Restricted

06A is broader than Washington's 06B HVAC/Refrigeration Restricted specialty.

06B is limited when the primary HVAC/R electrical power connection exceeds 250 volts, single phase, or 120 amps.

06A does not have those general voltage, phase, or amperage limits.

06A also has broader authority for qualifying HVAC/R low-voltage installation work in certain nonresidential occupancies.

What Can an 06A Master Electrician Do?

A properly certified HVAC/R Master Electrician can personally perform qualifying electrical work within the 06A specialty.

The master may also supervise properly registered trainees and may serve as the designated specialty master for an electrical contractor.

The role can include:

• Performing qualifying HVAC/R electrical work.
• Working on motors and compressors within the specialty.
• Working on HVAC/R controls.
• Servicing internal line-voltage components.
• Supervising qualifying electrical trainees.
• Reviewing code compliance.
• Monitoring specialty-scope limits.
• Helping ensure electricians hold appropriate certification.
• Monitoring permits and inspections.
• Serving as a contractor's designated specialty master.

Assignment to an Electrical Contractor

Holding the master certificate does not automatically assign you to an electrical contractor.

Assignment is a separate process connecting the master electrician to a specific contracting business.

Once properly assigned, the master accepts responsibility for supervising electrical work and helping ensure that the contractor follows Washington electrical laws and specialty limitations.

The current Washington assignment or unassignment fee is $53.00.

The Current 06A HVAC/R Master Exam at a Glance

Current 06A HVAC/R Master Exam Blueprint

The number of questions in an individual category is approximate. The blueprint still makes it easy to see where the big study priorities are.

General Trade Knowledge and Theory Is About 10 Questions

The current 06A master outline gives approximately 10 questions to General Trade Knowledge and Theory.

Review:

• Voltage.
• Current.
• Resistance.
• Power.
• Ohm's law.
• Series and parallel circuits.
• AC electrical theory.
• Power factor concepts.
• Electrical measurements.
• Troubleshooting.
• Trade calculations.
• HVAC/R electrical theory.

Ten theory questions are a major opportunity. Every question you can solve without opening a book saves time for the tougher code lookups.

Motors and HVAC Equipment Are About Eight Questions

NEC 430 through 450 contributes approximately eight questions, making it the largest NEC article group on the current master technical section.

Study:

• Motor full-load current.
• Motor conductor sizing.
• Motor overload protection.
• Short-circuit and ground-fault protection.
• Controllers.
• Disconnecting means.
• Hermetic refrigerant motor-compressors.
• HVAC equipment.
• Transformers.
• Generator-related concepts where applicable.
• Motor tables.
• Equipment nameplates.

This is an HVAC/R master exam. Motors and compressors were never going to quietly sit in the back row.

Wiring Methods Are About Six Questions

NEC 300 through 398 contributes approximately six questions.

Review:

• Raceway systems.
• Cable systems.
• Boxes and fittings.
• Conductor installation.
• Wet and damp locations.
• Outdoor wiring.
• Protection from physical damage.
• Supporting and securing.
• Equipment connections.

Remember that the NEC may allow a wiring method even when Washington's 06A scope does not authorize a general raceway installation.

Overcurrent Protection Is About Five Questions

NEC Article 240 contributes approximately five questions.

Study conductor protection, standard overcurrent ratings, permitted device sizing, equipment protection, and the relationship between general overcurrent rules and motor-specific requirements.

Motor overload protection and branch-circuit short-circuit protection are different concepts. If the exam puts both numbers in the same question, that is not an invitation to average them.

Grounding and Bonding Is About Five Questions

NEC Article 250 contributes approximately five questions.

Review:

• Equipment grounding conductors.
• Bonding.
• Effective fault-current paths.
• Grounding electrodes.
• Grounding electrode conductors.
• Equipment grounding around HVAC/R systems.
• Bonding of metal piping.

The special 06A allowance for bonding metal gas piping makes grounding and bonding especially relevant to specialty scope questions.

Electrical Equipment Is About Four Questions

NEC 400-427 and 455-480 contributes approximately four questions.

This area can include flexible wiring methods, equipment connections, heating equipment, generators, transformers, and other electrical equipment relevant to HVAC/R installations.

Pay attention to whether the question concerns equipment located inside the HVAC/R system or separate equipment outside it. The technical code rule may be only half the question.

Equipment Over 600 Volts Appears on the Master Exam

The current blueprint includes approximately one question from NEC Article 490.

That fits the broader nature of 06A because the specialty is not generally restricted by voltage.

However, Washington specifically prohibits an unsupervised electrical trainee from installing, repairing, replacing, or maintaining any part of an HVAC/R system containing a circuit rated over 600 volts, whether energized or deenergized.

A master electrician supervising specialty work should understand both the technical code requirements and the trainee restriction.

Hazardous Locations and Special Conditions

The current master blueprint contains approximately one Hazardous Locations question and two Special Conditions questions.

06A generally cannot perform hazardous-location wiring governed by the specified classified-location NEC articles when that wiring is outside the HVAC/R equipment.

Still, the master needs enough NEC knowledge to recognize those situations and know where the specialty boundary sits.

The Washington Codes Section Has 20 Questions

The 06A Master Electrician examination includes approximately 20 Washington Laws & Rules questions.

That is a larger state-law section than the 17-question section used for the 06A electrician and administrator exams.

Study:

• Chapter 19.28 RCW.
• Chapter 296-46B WAC.
• WAC 296-46B-920 HVAC/R specialty scope.
• Master electrician eligibility.
• Electrician certification.
• Trainee supervision.
• Electrical contractor licensing.
• Master assignment.
• Permits.
• Inspections.
• Renewal.
• Continuing education.

Master-level work means understanding more than how to connect a compressor. It means knowing whether the contractor and workforce are legally set up to perform the job.

The Current Exam Is Open Book

The current Washington electrical examinations are open book.

The current core exam references are:

• 2020 National Electrical Code.
• Current Chapter 19.28 RCW.
• Current Chapter 296-46B WAC.

Original copyrighted reference materials may contain highlighting, underlining, and permanent index tabs prepared before entering the examination area.

Post-It notes, sticky notes, repositionable tabs, and other removable notes are prohibited.

References may not be written in during the examination.

Printed RCW and WAC material is permitted when prepared according to the current PSI binder requirements.

A silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator is allowed under the current rules.

Exam NEC vs. Washington Field NEC

The current PSI licensing bulletin identifies the 2020 NEC for examination purposes.

Washington field installations currently use the 2023 NEC.

The state has scheduled the 2026 NEC to replace the 2023 edition for Washington field installations on December 31, 2026.

A Practical Open-Book Master Exam Strategy

1. Learn the 06A specialty scope first.
2. Know that 06A has no general voltage, phase, or amperage limit.
3. Memorize the six-foot supply-whip rule.
4. Learn the external-disconnect restriction and replacement exception.
5. Understand high-rise low-voltage installation versus repair rules.
6. Practice electrical theory. It represents about 10 questions.
7. Study NEC 430-450 heavily. About eight questions.
8. Study Wiring Methods.
9. Study NEC 240 and 250.
10. Review Electrical Equipment.
11. Practice Washington master and contractor rules.
12. Take 50-question technical practice exams in three hours.
13. Take 20-question Washington-law practice exams in one hour.

Apply Through Labor & Industries Before PSI

06A Master Electrician candidates must first apply through Washington Labor & Industries.

L&I verifies that you have held the matching 06A specialty electrician certificate for at least two years.

After approval, you receive an eligibility notice and the information needed to schedule the master examination through PSI.

Approved candidates currently have one year from the approval date to pass all required exam sections.

For help organizing licensing paperwork, review 1 Exam Prep application services.

Retesting Rules

If you fail a required examination section, current testing rules require at least a 14-day waiting period before retesting.

If you fail a third attempt, you must wait three months from the most recent failure date before each future attempt.

All required sections must be successfully completed within the applicable one-year eligibility period.

If the approval period expires, you must reapply with Labor & Industries before continuing the examination process.

Current 06A Master Electrician Fees

The current master electrician renewal fee completed in person, by mail, or by fax is $202.20.

Fees can change, so verify the current amount when applying, testing, assigning, or renewing.

For licensing assistance, review 1 Exam Prep application services.

For exam books, licensing expenses, and preparation costs, review 1 Exam Prep financing options.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Washington master electrician certificates normally renew every three years.

The certificate expires on the holder's birthdate according to Washington's certification schedule.

A normal three-year certification period requires 24 hours of approved continuing education.

• At least 8 hours must cover changes in the currently adopted electrical code.
• At least 4 hours must cover current Chapter 19.28 RCW and related WAC requirements.
• The remaining required hours may cover other approved electrical subjects.

If a master certificate remains expired for more than 90 days, Washington requires the person to reapply and pass the appropriate master examination before being recertified.

If the master is assigned to an electrical contractor, an expired or inactive certificate can also affect that contractor assignment.

A Practical 06A Master Study Plan

1. Start with WAC 296-46B-920. Learn the complete 06A scope.
2. Compare 06A and 06B. Know why 06A is broader.
3. Study General Trade Knowledge & Theory. It represents about 10 questions.
4. Study NEC 430-450 heavily. Approximately eight questions.
5. Study NEC 300-398 Wiring Methods.
6. Study NEC 240 Overcurrent Protection.
7. Study NEC 250 Grounding & Bonding.
8. Review Electrical Equipment.
9. Review equipment over 600 volts and classified locations.
10. Learn the six-foot whip rule.
11. Learn external-disconnect limitations.
12. Study contractor, master, permit, and inspection rules.
13. Practice 50 technical questions in three hours.
14. Practice 20 Washington-law questions in one hour.

Use the Washington A-HVAC/R Master Electrician collection from 1 Exam Prep to organize your preparation around the current 06A master examination.

Study Like an HVAC/R Master Electrician

A useful way to prepare is to picture an actual HVAC/R project and analyze it from three directions.

First, check the specialty scope. Is the work inside HVAC or refrigeration equipment? Is it qualifying control wiring? Is a flexible whip involved? Is the proposed work actually a feeder, branch circuit, panelboard, general raceway, or external controller that falls outside 06A?

Second, check the technical electrical installation. What motor rules apply? What conductor sizing applies? What overcurrent protection is required? How is the equipment grounded and bonded? What disconnecting means is required? Which wiring method is appropriate?

Third, think like the master electrician. Is the contractor authorized for the work? Are electricians properly certified? Are trainees correctly supervised? Is the work above 600 volts? Are permits and inspections being handled correctly?

That three-part approach, scope, technical code, and contractor compliance, matches the level of thinking expected from a master electrician.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The Washington 06A HVAC/Refrigeration Master Electrician certificate is the advanced specialty credential for experienced electricians who work with HVAC and refrigeration electrical systems. It combines the ability to personally perform specialty electrical work with master-level supervisory and contractor responsibilities.

The path starts with the 06A electrician certificate. Washington requires a specialty master applicant to possess the matching specialty electrician certificate for at least two years before becoming eligible for the master examination.

The 06A specialty is broader than 06B because it is not generally limited by voltage, phase, or amperage. That does not make it a general electrical classification. The work must still remain part of the HVAC/refrigeration specialty.

06A includes qualifying HVAC/R telecommunications and Class 2 low-voltage controls in residential occupancies. It also has substantial authority in nonresidential occupancies, including certain installation work in previously occupied and wired spaces above three stories when the installation remains restricted to the HVAC/R system.

The specialty can install, repair, replace, and maintain qualifying line-voltage components located inside HVAC/R equipment. It can also repair or replace internal components of equipment disconnecting means and controllers when those devices are not located in a panelboard or motor control center.

Another important permission involves flexible line-voltage supply whips. Qualifying whips up to six feet long may be repaired, replaced, or maintained when the supplying circuit characteristics are not improperly modified.

06A may also install short raceway sections to physically protect low-voltage cable and may install a bonding conductor for metal gas piping to an existing accessible grounding electrode conductor or grounding electrode when the terminations can be made outside distribution equipment.

The specialty still has important boundaries. General electrical services, feeders, branch circuits, panelboards, switchboards, motor control centers, raceway systems, and general building lighting are normally outside 06A.

External line-voltage controllers and disconnect switches are also generally outside the specialty. Washington provides a narrow exception involving replacement of certain equipment-mounted disconnect enclosures when qualifying HVAC/R equipment is replaced.

The current 06A Master Electrician examination contains approximately 50 NEC and Theory questions and 20 Washington Laws and Rules questions. Candidates receive three hours for the technical section and one hour for Washington Codes. That creates 70 published scored questions across four section-hours.

General Trade Knowledge and Theory contributes approximately 10 questions. Motors, HVAC, Generators and Transformers contributes about eight. Wiring Methods contributes about six. Overcurrent Protection and Grounding and Bonding contribute about five questions each.

This weighting makes sense for a master HVAC/R electrician. Motors, compressors, electrical theory, conductor rules, grounding, circuit protection, and equipment wiring are central to the trade.

The 20-question Washington Codes section is also important. Master candidates should understand specialty scope, certification requirements, contractor licensing, trainee supervision, assignment, permits, inspections, renewal, and continuing education.

The current examination remains open book. PSI currently identifies the 2020 National Electrical Code, current Chapter 19.28 RCW, and current Chapter 296-46B WAC as the core references. Candidates may use permitted highlighting, underlining, and permanent tabs, but removable notes and repositionable tabs are prohibited.

Washington's current field installations use the 2023 NEC. The state has scheduled the 2026 NEC to replace the 2023 edition on December 31, 2026. The licensing exam currently remains based on the 2020 NEC, so candidates should check the latest PSI bulletin near their examination date.

The master application begins through Labor & Industries. L&I confirms that the applicant has held the matching specialty electrician certificate for the required two-year period before providing examination eligibility.

The current PSI fee for the four-hour examination is $75. Washington currently charges $204.60 for the master electrician examination application including the original certificate and processing fee.

Master electrician certificates normally renew every three years. Current online renewal is $175.70, while renewal by mail, fax, or in person is $202.20. Assignment or unassignment currently costs $53.

A normal three-year renewal requires 24 hours of approved continuing education. At least eight hours must cover code changes, at least four hours must cover current Washington electrical laws and rules, and the remaining hours may cover other approved subjects.

The best exam preparation combines three kinds of knowledge. First, understand exactly what 06A can and cannot do. Second, understand the technical NEC rules governing motors, HVAC equipment, wiring methods, grounding, and overcurrent protection. Third, understand the Washington contractor and certification rules a master electrician is expected to supervise.

When you can look at an HVAC/R installation and quickly decide whether it fits 06A, whether the electrical installation is technically correct, and whether the contractor and workers are legally qualified to perform it, you are studying at the master level.

Key Takeaways

• You must hold the Washington 06A HVAC/Refrigeration specialty electrician certificate for at least two years before qualifying for the specialty master examination.
• 06A is not generally limited by voltage, phase, or amperage, but the work must still remain within the HVAC/Refrigeration specialty.
• The current master exam contains 50 NEC/Theory questions in three hours plus 20 Washington Codes questions in one hour, for 70 scored questions.
• The current exam is open book, requires 70 percent to pass, and currently uses the 2020 NEC plus current RCW 19.28 and WAC 296-46B.
• Focus heavily on electrical theory, motors and HVAC equipment, wiring methods, grounding and bonding, overcurrent protection, specialty scope, and Washington contractor rules.

Plain-Language Summary

The Washington 06A HVAC/Refrigeration Master Electrician certificate is for experienced HVAC/R specialty electricians who want to move to the master level.

Before taking the master exam, you must already hold the Washington 06A HVAC/Refrigeration electrician certificate. You must have possessed that certificate for at least two years.

A 06A master can personally perform qualifying HVAC/R specialty electrical work. The master may also serve as the designated specialty master for an electrical contractor when properly assigned.

06A is broader than the restricted 06B specialty. It is not generally limited by voltage, phase, or amperage. However, it is still a specialty certificate and does not provide unlimited authority to perform general electrical work.

06A can install, repair, replace, and maintain qualifying HVAC/R low-voltage controls in residential occupancies. It also has broader low-voltage authority in commercial and other nonresidential buildings under specific conditions.

The specialty can work on qualifying line-voltage components located inside HVAC/R equipment. These can include contactors, relays, controls, motors, compressor-related equipment, factory-authorized accessories, and product-illumination components within refrigeration equipment.

06A can also repair and replace certain internal components of HVAC/R equipment disconnecting means and controllers when they are not located in a panelboard or motor control center.

Another important rule allows qualifying flexible line-voltage supply whips up to six feet long to be repaired, replaced, or maintained when the supplying branch circuit or feeder characteristics are not improperly modified.

The specialty can install short raceway sections for physical protection of low-voltage cable, but those short sections cannot become a general raceway system.

06A also has a narrow allowance for bonding metal gas piping to an existing accessible grounding electrode conductor or grounding electrode when the required connections can be made outside electrical distribution equipment.

General external disconnect installation is normally outside 06A. Washington provides a narrow replacement exception for certain equipment-mounted disconnect enclosures when HVAC/R equipment is being replaced.

General electrical services, feeders, branch circuits, panelboards, switchboards, motor control centers, general raceway systems, and general building lighting are normally outside the 06A specialty.

The current master examination has approximately 50 NEC and Theory questions. Candidates receive three hours for that section. Washington Codes contains approximately 20 questions and allows one hour. That produces 70 published scored questions across four hours.

General Trade Knowledge and Theory is a major part of the technical section with approximately 10 questions. Motors, HVAC, Generators and Transformers contributes approximately eight questions. Wiring Methods contributes about six.

Overcurrent Protection and Grounding and Bonding each contribute about five questions. Electrical Equipment contributes about four. The exam also includes general requirements, wiring and protection, equipment over 600 volts, hazardous locations, special equipment, and special conditions.

The Washington Codes section tests specialty scope, master eligibility, contractor licensing, electrician certification, trainee supervision, assignment, permits, inspections, renewal, and continuing education.

The current exam is open book. PSI currently identifies the 2020 National Electrical Code, current RCW Chapter 19.28, and current WAC Chapter 296-46B as the main code and law references.

The current passing score is 70 percent.

Master candidates first apply through Washington Labor & Industries. L&I verifies that the applicant has held the matching specialty electrician certificate for the required two-year period before allowing the candidate to schedule with PSI.

The current four-hour PSI examination costs $75. Washington currently charges $204.60 for the master electrician examination application including the original certificate and processing fee.

Master certificates normally renew every three years. Current online renewal costs $175.70. Renewal by mail, fax, or in person costs $202.20. Assignment or unassignment currently costs $53.

A normal three-year renewal period requires 24 hours of approved continuing education, including at least eight hours of code update and four hours covering Washington electrical laws and rules.

For efficient preparation, learn the 06A scope first. Then focus heavily on electrical theory, Article 430 motor and HVAC requirements, Wiring Methods, Overcurrent Protection, Grounding and Bonding, Electrical Equipment, and Washington law.

Practice using the references under the actual time limit. An open-book exam feels much less friendly when you are meeting Article 430 for the first time with six questions still waiting and twelve minutes left.

Use the Washington A-HVAC/R Master Electrician collection from 1 Exam Prep to organize your preparation around the current 06A master examination.