- USPS 955 is administered directly by USPS under Handbook EL-304, with zero exam fees ever charged.
- The exam has exactly two parts: Multicraft (60 items/60 min) and Spatial Relations (68 items/40 min).
- A minimum score of 70 is required just to be considered; Veterans' Preference points cannot turn a fail into a pass.
- Content spans 21 technical fields across roughly 131 topics, organized here into 9 practical domains.
What USPS 955 Actually Is
USPS Maintenance Exam 955 is the assessment the United States Postal Service uses to screen candidates for skilled maintenance craft positions. It is not a third-party certification, a trade-school credential, or anything sold by a testing company - it is administered directly by USPS under Handbook EL-304, the Maintenance Selection System, and delivered at approved USPS test sites, not through a commercial vendor. If you're researching "USPS 955" and seeing conflicting facts about fees, formats, or scoring, you may be looking at information for an entirely different credential that happens to share the same name. This article sticks strictly to the actual postal maintenance exam.
For a broader breakdown of terminology confusion around the name itself, see USPS 955 Meaning and What Does USPS 955 Stand For?.
Who Administers It and What It Costs
USPS proctors Exam 955 on computer at approved test centers, and candidates must bring valid photo identification. There is no fee to sit for the exam. USPS is explicit that it never charges for exams, applications, or employment information - and the Postal Inspection Service treats any request for exam payment as a scam. If anyone asks you to pay to take USPS 955, that is a red flag, not a legitimate step in the hiring process.
Exam Structure: Multicraft and Spatial Relations
The official USPS Assessment Information Package for Exam 955 defines exactly two parts, totaling roughly two hours of testing time:
- Multicraft: 60 items in 60 minutes, assessing mechanical and electrical job skills relevant to maintenance craft work.
- Spatial Relations: 68 items in 40 minutes, split into two subtests - Matching Parts and Figures (deciding which figure shows how loose pieces fit together without gaps or overlap) and Spatial Visualization (deciding which solid would produce the top, front, and right views shown).
One detail that trips up a lot of candidates using outdated study guides: Exam 955 has no Personal Characteristics and Experience Inventory section. That component belonged to the retired Exam 473 and is still incorrectly listed in many third-party materials. If a guide mentions a personality inventory for USPS 955, it's describing the wrong exam.
Key Takeaway
Budget your prep time around two graded parts only - Multicraft and Spatial Relations. Anything else in a study guide isn't part of this exam.
The 9 Content Domains
Multicraft and Spatial Relations content draws from 21 technical fields covering roughly 131 topics, blending practical craft knowledge with underlying scientific theory. For prep purposes, that content organizes into 9 practical domains:
Domain 1: AC/DC Theory, Power Distribution, and Electrical Maintenance
Covers circuit fundamentals, electrical distribution concepts, and troubleshooting logic used across postal maintenance equipment.
- Ohm's Law application in practical scenarios
- Wiring, grounding, and distribution basics
Domain 2: Motors, Control Circuits, Schematics, and Print Reading
Tests the ability to interpret control logic and wiring diagrams tied to motor-driven equipment.
- Reading ladder diagrams and schematics
- Motor starting and control circuit logic
Domain 3: Digital Electronics, Power Supplies, Computers, and Test Instruments
Covers basic digital logic, power supply behavior, and the use of test equipment like multimeters.
- Interpreting meter readings
- Basic digital and computer hardware concepts
Domain 4: Hydraulics and Pneumatics
Focuses on fluid and air power systems used in mail processing equipment.
- Cylinder, valve, and pressure fundamentals
- System troubleshooting logic
Domain 5: Pumps, Piping and Combustion
Covers fluid transport systems and combustion principles relevant to facility equipment.
- Pump types and piping layout basics
- Combustion process fundamentals
Domain 6: Power Transmission, Lubrication, Mechanical Maintenance, and Shop Machines, Tools and Equipment
A broad mechanical domain covering belts, gears, bearings, lubrication practices, and common shop tools.
- Lubrication schedules and material properties
- Proper use of hand and shop tools
Domain 7: Welding and Rigging
Covers welding processes and rigging safety and technique.
- Welding types and appropriate use cases
- Rigging hardware and load principles
Domain 8: Spatial Relations - Matching Parts and Figures
Directly mirrors the Matching Parts and Figures subtest - visualizing how separate pieces combine into a single figure.
- Practice identifying gaps and overlaps quickly
Domain 9: Spatial Relations - Spatial Visualization
Directly mirrors the Spatial Visualization subtest - mentally rotating and projecting solids from three views.
- Practice top/front/right view reasoning under time pressure
USPS reports performance in these content areas only as High, Average, or Low bands - it publishes no percentage weighting per knowledge area, so treat every domain as worth solid preparation rather than chasing a "biggest weight" shortcut. For a deeper walkthrough of each domain with practice angles, see the USPS 955 Exam Domains 2026 guide.
Scoring, Passing, and Veterans' Preference
A minimum score of 70, excluding Veterans' Preference points, is required to be considered for any position applied for. Eligible ratings run from 70 to 100. Veterans' Preference points are added only to scores that already pass - they cannot convert a failing result into eligibility. This is a frequently misunderstood point worth internalizing early in your prep.
| Scoring Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum passing score | 70 (excluding Veterans' Preference) |
| Eligible rating range | 70 to 100 |
| Veterans' Preference points | Added only to already-passing scores |
| Retest window | 120 days from original exam date |
For the full mechanics of how scoring and eligibility registers work, read USPS 955 Passing Score 2026.
Which Jobs Use This Exam
Positions filled through the Maintenance Selection System via Exam 955 include Electronic Technician PS-10 and PS-11, Maintenance Mechanic MPE, Area Maintenance Specialist, Building Equipment Mechanic, Maintenance Electrician, Machinist, Carpenter, Mason, Plumber, Painter, Blacksmith-Welder, Letter Box Mechanic, and Building Maintenance Custodian. There are no formal education prerequisites, and the exam is open to both external entrance applicants and current employees during the Maintenance Craft in-service open season.
Retest Rules and Score Validity
Handbook EL-304 sets a consistent 120-day rule for retesting. Entrance applicants who reapply may retake the test - or reuse an existing score - if they apply 120 days or more after their original exam date. In-craft candidates testing for a score update follow the same 120-day rescheduling rule from their original exam date.
Score validity differs by applicant type: entrance ratings carry an expiration date printed on the Notice of Results, while inservice scores remain valid indefinitely unless examination requirements change. Knowing which category you fall into affects how urgently you should plan a retest. For scheduling logistics and windows, see USPS 955 Exam Dates 2026.
How to Prepare Without Wasting Time
Because Exam 955 covers 21 technical fields but reports results only in High/Average/Low bands per area, the smartest prep sequence is to first shore up domains where you have the least hands-on experience - often Domains 3, 4, 5, and 7 for candidates without an electrical or plumbing background - before polishing domains you already know from trade experience.
Electrical Foundations
- Work through Domain 1 and Domain 2 material: AC/DC theory, motor controls, schematic reading
Fluid Power and Mechanical Systems
- Cover Domains 4, 5, and 6: hydraulics, pneumatics, pumps, piping, lubrication, shop tools
Electronics, Welding, and Rigging
- Finish Domain 3 and Domain 7 topics, then run full-length Multicraft practice sets
Spatial Relations Drills
- Time-box practice on Domain 8 and Domain 9 to build speed on both subtests under the 40-minute limit
Whatever schedule you use, the goal is repetition under realistic time pressure - 60 minutes for 60 Multicraft items and 40 minutes for 68 Spatial Relations items leaves little room for second-guessing. Practicing full-length timed sets on our practice test platform is the closest simulation to actual test-day pacing. A more detailed, week-by-week plan is available in the USPS 955 Study Guide 2026.
If you're still deciding whether the investment of preparation time is worthwhile relative to the roles it unlocks, Is the USPS 955 Certification Worth It? and the USPS 955 Salary Guide 2026 both cover that decision in more depth. For a sense of how challenging test-takers generally find each section, see How Hard Is the USPS 955 Exam? and the data-driven USPS 955 Pass Rate 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Exam 473 was a different, now-retired postal exam that included a Personal Characteristics and Experience Inventory section. Exam 955 has no such component - it consists only of the Multicraft and Spatial Relations sections.
No. USPS states it never charges for exams, applications, or employment information. Any request for payment tied to the exam should be treated as a scam and reported.
You need a minimum score of 70, excluding Veterans' Preference points, to be considered for any position. Eligible ratings then range from 70 to 100.
No. Veterans' Preference points are added only to scores that already meet the passing threshold; they cannot turn a failing score into an eligible one.
Under Handbook EL-304, entrance applicants who reapply and in-craft candidates seeking a score update can generally retest 120 days after their original exam date.