United States
Hong KongThe NASCLA contractor exam, start to finish
One open-book examination that 17 states accept in place of their own commercial general building trade exam, and how to pass it.
Overview
- Questions
- 125 administered, 115 of them scored
- Time
- 330 minutes
- Pass mark
- 81 of the 115 scored questions, which is 70%
- Format
- Open book, at a PSI test center
- Fee
- USD 130, plus a USD 65 application fee
What the pass rate says
No pass rate is published for this examination. NASCLA does not publish one and PSI does not release per-examination performance data, so any figure quoted for it has been guessed. What is published is the standard you are marked against: 81 of the 115 scored questions, which is 70%.
The twelve categories
| Category | Topics | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Procurement and Contracting Requirements | 8 | 31 |
| 2. General Requirements | 8 | 25 |
| 3. Site Construction | 5 | 15 |
| 4. Concrete | 4 | 6 |
| 5. Metals | 4 | 6 |
| 6. Mechanical and Plumbing Systems | 4 | 6 |
| 7. Wood | 3 | 5 |
| 8. Thermal and Moisture Protection | 4 | 5 |
| 9. Finishes | 3 | 5 |
| 10. Masonry | 3 | 4 |
| 11. Doors, Windows and Glazing | 3 | 4 |
| 12. Electrical Systems | 2 | 3 |
Every section of the guide
The examination, start to finish
What the NASCLA exam is, what it costs, how you apply and what open book really means.
14 articlesDifficulty and preparation time
Why an open-book exam still fails people, and what actually separates a pass from a fail.
9 articlesThe twelve categories
Every category PSI publishes, and the reference book each one sends you to.
71 articlesStudy plans and method
How to tab your books and build the index that decides your result.
14 articlesPractice and exam technique
How to work 125 questions in 330 minutes without running out of either.
15 articlesReciprocity, state by state
Which states accept the result, and what each of them still wants from you.
25 articlesThe work on the other side
What a commercial general building license opens up, and what it is worth.
14 articlesComparisons
Prep courses, reference packages, and the state exams people weigh this one against.
10 articlesShort answers
The questions contractors ask before they apply.
16 articlesIf you only read a few
- Bonding and insurance requirements
- Commercial versus residential licenses
- Experience requirements by state
- Sending your transcript
- Buying versus borrowing the books
- Free versus paid prep
- Book packages compared
- Prep courses compared
- Seminar versus self-study
- Tabbing services
- Used books and old editions
- What a good practice question looks like