United States
Hong KongUsed books and old editions
Second hand references are fine provided the edition matches the current approved list. An edition that has been superseded is not admitted, and codes are revised on a cycle that makes this a live risk.
One check decides whether a cheap book is a bargain or a waste.
The check
Open the current candidate bulletin, find the approved reference list, and match the title and the edition exactly.
Not the title alone. Codes are republished on a cycle and the differences between editions are the sort of thing questions are written about.
A listing describing a book as a contractor exam reference is describing the title. Whether that edition is on the current list is your check to make, and the seller has no reason to have made it.
What is safe to buy used
- Any title where the edition on the approved list is not the newest one published
- Business and law material, which is revised less often than the codes
- Reference works whose content is stable between printings
What is riskier
Codes in a revision year, where the approved list may move to the new edition between your purchase and your sitting.
If your exam is months away and a revision is due, buying used on that title is a gamble you do not need to take.
Condition matters more than usual
You are going to tab and highlight these heavily and then carry them into an exam room. A book that is already falling apart will not survive the preparation. It will not survive.
Previous owners' tabs and marks are worth checking too. Somebody else's index sitting in your book is a distraction rather than a head start, and the bulletin governs what markings are acceptable. That is the check.
What to do if the list changes
Buy the new edition of the affected title. Sitting with a superseded reference is not an option, and it will not be discovered until the exam room. Buy the new one.
Common questions
Can I use used books for the NASCLA exam?
Yes, provided the edition matches the current approved list exactly.
What if the edition is superseded?
It will not be admitted. The check is the title and the edition, not the title alone.
What is safest to buy used?
Business and law material and any title where the approved edition is not the newest published.
What is riskier?
Codes in a revision year, where the approved list may move before your sitting.
Does condition matter?
Yes. You will tab and highlight heavily and carry them into the exam room.