- KY-ME Domain Overview: How the ICC 701 Blueprint Breaks Down
- Domain 1: General Knowledge and Plan Reading (12%)
- Domain 2: Services and Service Equipment (16%)
- Domain 3: Feeders (4%)
- Domain 4: Branch Circuits and Conductors (16%)
- Domain 5: Wiring Methods and Materials (19%)
- Domain 6: Equipment and Devices (10%)
- Domain 7: Control Devices (3%)
- Domain 8: Motors and Generators (8%)
- Domain 9: Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions (12%)
- Allocating Study Time Across the Nine Domains
- Exam Mechanics That Affect How You Study
- FAQ
- Wiring Methods and Materials is the largest KY-ME domain at 19% of the 100-question exam.
- Services and Service Equipment and Branch Circuits and Conductors tie for second at 16% each.
- The exam is open-book: NEC 2023 and Ugly's Electrical Reference (any edition) are allowed.
- You need 70% correct across all nine domains combined - there is no per-domain minimum.
KY-ME Domain Overview: How the ICC 701 Blueprint Breaks Down
The Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC) selects ICC 701, Kentucky Standard Master Electrician, as the primary examination for master electrician licensure. This computer-based exam is delivered through Pearson VUE and consists of 100 four-option multiple-choice questions administered over a five-hour window. Kentucky sets the passing threshold at 70% correct, calculated across the entire exam rather than domain by domain.
That last detail matters more than most candidates realize. Because there is no minimum score required within each content area, a candidate who is exceptionally strong in Wiring Methods and Materials can offset a weaker showing in a smaller domain like Control Devices. This does not mean you should skip any domain - it means your study plan should be weighted toward the domains that carry the most questions, not spread evenly across all nine.
The official outline reproduced below lists all nine domains and their percentage weight on the ICC 701 exam. If you have not yet reviewed how this exam differs from other licensing paths in Kentucky, the KY-ME Requirements 2026 guide covers the experience-hour prerequisites you need before you can even sit for it.
| Domain | Weight | Approx. Questions (of 100) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. General Knowledge and Plan Reading | 12% | ~12 |
| 2. Services and Service Equipment | 16% | ~16 |
| 3. Feeders | 4% | ~4 |
| 4. Branch Circuits and Conductors | 16% | ~16 |
| 5. Wiring Methods and Materials | 19% | ~19 |
| 6. Equipment and Devices | 10% | ~10 |
| 7. Control Devices | 3% | ~3 |
| 8. Motors and Generators | 8% | ~8 |
| 9. Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions | 12% | ~12 |
Domain 1: General Knowledge and Plan Reading (12%)
This domain checks whether you can translate a set of electrical drawings and specifications into a code-compliant installation. Expect questions on symbol interpretation, panel schedules, single-line diagrams, and general NEC 2023 organizational knowledge - how the code is structured into chapters, articles, and tables, and how to locate the correct reference quickly under time pressure.
General Knowledge and Plan Reading
Candidates must be able to read construction documents and apply general code-navigation skills without hesitation, since every other domain assumes this baseline fluency.
- Reading electrical symbols and panel schedules on plan sets
- Locating applicable NEC 2023 articles and tables efficiently
- General definitions and scope sections that apply across multiple domains
Because this is an open-book exam, speed of navigation inside the NEC 2023 is as important as memorization. Practicing with a tabbed code book before test day pays off directly in this domain.
Domain 2: Services and Service Equipment (16%)
Tied for the second-largest domain, Services and Service Equipment covers everything from service entrance conductors and disconnecting means to grounding electrode systems and service equipment ratings. This is dense, calculation-heavy material, and it overlaps heavily with real jobsite work - which is exactly why it carries so much weight on the exam.
Services and Service Equipment
Master-level candidates are expected to size and specify service equipment correctly, not just recognize terminology.
- Service entrance conductor sizing and clearances
- Grounding electrode conductor sizing and connection methods
- Service disconnect rules and available fault current considerations
If you're benchmarking how difficult this content is relative to other licensing exams you may have encountered, the How Hard Is the KY-ME Exam? guide breaks down where candidates most often lose points.
Domain 3: Feeders (4%)
Feeders is the smallest domain on the outline, but with only four questions expected, every point matters. Focus on feeder conductor sizing, feeder taps, and the ampacity adjustments that apply when feeders run alongside branch circuits or through varying ambient temperatures.
Feeders
A narrow but precise domain - candidates should be comfortable with sizing calculations rather than broad conceptual review.
- Feeder conductor and overcurrent protection sizing
- Feeder tap rules and length limitations
- Voltage drop considerations on longer feeder runs
Domain 4: Branch Circuits and Conductors (16%)
Branch Circuits and Conductors ties Services and Service Equipment as the second-heaviest domain. This area tests conductor ampacity tables, branch circuit ratings, conductor fill calculations, and derating factors - the everyday math of a working master electrician.
Branch Circuits and Conductors
Expect calculation-based scenario questions rather than simple definitions.
- Conductor ampacity table lookups and correction factors
- Branch circuit sizing for continuous and noncontinuous loads
- Multiwire branch circuit requirements
Combined, Domains 2 and 4 make up nearly a third of the exam. Any study plan that shortchanges conductor sizing math is leaving points on the table.
Domain 5: Wiring Methods and Materials (19%)
This is the single largest domain on the ICC 701 outline, and it deserves the largest block of your preparation time. It spans raceway types, cable assemblies, boxes and enclosures, support and securing requirements, and the specific installation rules that differ by wiring method.
Wiring Methods and Materials
Nearly one in five exam questions comes from this domain, so mastery here has an outsized effect on your final score.
- Conduit fill calculations across EMT, IMC, and rigid metal conduit
- Box fill calculations and conductor volume allowances
- Support spacing and securing requirements for cables and raceways
- Wiring method restrictions in specific occupancies and locations
Key Takeaway
Treat Wiring Methods and Materials as its own study block, not a subtopic folded into general review. At 19%, it can single-handedly move you across the 70% passing line.
Domain 6: Equipment and Devices (10%)
This domain covers switches, receptacles, panelboards, switchboards, and the equipment rules governing their installation and working clearances. It also touches on equipment labeling and listing requirements referenced throughout NEC 2023.
Equipment and Devices
Candidates should know both the physical installation rules and the identification/labeling requirements for common equipment.
- Working space and clearance requirements around electrical equipment
- Panelboard and switchboard installation rules
- Receptacle and switch placement requirements
Domain 7: Control Devices (3%)
The smallest domain on the exam, Control Devices covers switches, contactors, and control circuit wiring used to operate other equipment, particularly motor control circuits. With only a handful of questions expected, this domain works best as a quick-review topic rather than a deep-dive.
Control Devices
Light review is usually sufficient given the low question count.
- Control circuit conductor sizing and overcurrent protection
- Basic switch and contactor ratings
Domain 8: Motors and Generators (8%)
Motors and Generators tests overcurrent protection, conductor sizing, and disconnecting means for motor circuits, plus generator installation and overcurrent protection basics. This is another calculation-heavy domain that rewards candidates who practice motor full-load current table lookups until they're second nature.
Motors and Generators
Expect scenario-based questions that require pulling values from NEC motor tables and applying multiple code sections in sequence.
- Motor branch-circuit conductor sizing and overload protection
- Motor disconnecting means location and rating requirements
- Generator overcurrent protection and conductor sizing basics
Domain 9: Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions (12%)
This domain closes out the outline with a broad sweep of specialized installations: hazardous locations, health care facilities, agricultural buildings, and other occupancies with unique NEC requirements. Because it spans so many niche topics, it's easy to under-prepare for - but at 12%, it carries the same weight as General Knowledge and Plan Reading.
Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions
Breadth matters more than depth here - know the defining rule for each special occupancy category rather than every exception.
- Hazardous (classified) location wiring methods
- Special equipment such as swimming pools, signs, and X-ray equipment
- Special conditions including emergency and standby power systems
Allocating Study Time Across the Nine Domains
Because the passing score is a single combined 70%, the most efficient approach is to allocate study hours roughly in proportion to each domain's weight, with extra attention to domains that involve heavy calculation. A simple multi-week structure built around the ICC 701 outline looks like this:
Foundation Domains
- General Knowledge and Plan Reading - code navigation drills
- Feeders and Control Devices - quick-hit review since both are low-weight
Heavyweight Calculation Domains
- Services and Service Equipment sizing problems
- Branch Circuits and Conductors ampacity and derating practice
Largest Domain Focus
- Wiring Methods and Materials - conduit and box fill calculations
- Equipment and Devices - clearance and labeling rules
Specialized Content and Full Review
- Motors and Generators table lookups
- Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions survey review
- Full-length timed practice under five-hour open-book conditions
For a more detailed week-by-week methodology, including how to pace timed practice sessions, see the KY-ME Study Guide 2026. If you want a condensed reference for last-minute review, the KY-ME Cheat Sheet 2026 summarizes the highest-yield facts from each domain on one page.
Exam Mechanics That Affect How You Study
The ICC bulletin published January 17, 2026 confirms this is an open-book exam: candidates may bring NEC 2023 and Ugly's Electrical Reference, any edition, into the testing session. That changes the calculus of preparation - you're not memorizing every table verbatim, you're building speed at locating the right table and applying it correctly within the five-hour limit across 100 questions.
Results are available electronically immediately after you finish. If you don't clear the 70% threshold, ICC requires a 10-day wait before you can retake the exam, and passing results remain valid for three years under Kentucky's licensing rule - plenty of time to complete the EL-3 application paperwork. The exam fee itself is $100, separate from the $200 biennial master license application and renewal fee. For a full cost breakdown across the licensing pathway, see the KY-ME Certification Cost 2026 guide.
Before you can schedule the exam, you'll need to document 16,000 qualifying electrical-trade hours earned since age 16, with allowed substitutions for approved apprenticeship classroom hours, an electrical-technology associate degree, or qualifying teaching experience. The full breakdown of these substitutions lives in the KY-ME Requirements 2026 article. Once you're eligible, our full-length practice tests mirror the nine-domain weighting exactly, so your practice time lines up with how points are actually distributed on exam day.
It's also worth understanding what a passing score actually requires numerically - the KY-ME Passing Score 2026 guide walks through exactly how many correct answers out of 100 get you to 70%. And if you're weighing whether the time investment across all nine domains is worthwhile relative to career outcomes, the Is the KY-ME Certification Worth It? ROI analysis and KY-ME Salary Guide 2026 provide useful context beyond the exam itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wiring Methods and Materials is the largest domain at 19% of the 100-question exam, covering raceways, cable assemblies, box fill, and support requirements.
No. Kentucky's 70% passing score is calculated across the full 100-question exam, not domain by domain, so strengths in larger domains can help offset weaker areas in smaller ones.
Yes. Per the ICC bulletin published January 17, 2026, the exam is open-book, allowing NEC 2023 and Ugly's Electrical Reference (any edition).
Because scoring is combined across all domains, there's no separate pass/fail outcome per domain - only the overall 70% threshold determines whether you pass.
Passing examination results remain valid for three years under Kentucky's licensing rule, giving you time to complete the EL-3 application and experience documentation.