Short answers

The questions contractors ask before they apply.

What is the NASCLA exam pass mark?81 correct answers out of the 115 scored questions, which works out at 70.4 percent and is stated as 70 percent. PSI publishes the count, and the coun…
What is the NASCLA pass rate?There is no published pass rate. NASCLA does not publish one and PSI does not release per-examination performance data, so any figure quoted anywhere …
How many questions are on the NASCLA exam?125 questions are administered and 115 are scored. The other ten are unscored experimental items scattered at random, so answer all 125 as though they…
How long is the NASCLA exam?330 minutes of testing time inside a 360-minute appointment. That is about 158 seconds per question across the 125 administered.
How much does the NASCLA exam cost?USD 130 to PSI per attempt and a USD 65 NASCLA application fee per approval window. Transcripts are USD 45 per state, and the approved reference books…
Is the NASCLA exam open book?Yes. The approved reference books may be brought in, tabbed with permanent index tabs and highlighted. It tests whether you can find answers quickly r…
Which books can you bring?The approved references named in the current PSI bulletin, in the editions it specifies. Around two dozen books, covering safety, building code, busin…
Can you write in your books?Permanent index tabs and highlighting are permitted. Loose notes are not. For written annotation beyond tabs and highlighting, verify against the curr…
Which states accept the NASCLA exam?Seventeen states plus the US Virgin Islands accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination in place of their own commercial general building trade exam. NAS…
How many times can you take it?You may sit up to three times within the twelve-month approval window, at USD 130 per attempt. After that a new application is required at USD 65.
Does the exam expire?A pass is recorded permanently on the national transcript. The twelve-month approval window expires, but that governs testing rather than the result, …
Do you need experience?The examination has no experience prerequisite. Experience requirements are set by the licensing state, and they vary in years required, what counts a…
How long do results take?The examination is computer-based and results are provided at the test center on the day, with a score report showing performance by category.
Do you need a prep course?No course is required. The compulsory purchase is the approved references, and a prep course is worth buying only where it answers a gap self-study wi…
Harder than a state exam?The accredited exam is broader than a typical state trade examination, covering twelve categories across 125 questions. It is not necessarily deeper, …
How long should you study?Eight to twelve weeks at six to eight hours a week suits most working contractors. The largest single block of that time is tabbing the references, wh…