Virginia Recreational Facility Contractor Exam Complete Book Package

Prepare for the Virginia Recreational Facility Contracting examination with a complete technical reference package covering landscape planning, site preparation, excavation, concrete, retaining walls, irrigation, rough carpentry, building-code requirements, and construction safety. This package is designed for contractors, qualified individuals, project supervisors, landscape construction professionals, recreational facility installers, and experienced tradespeople preparing for Virginia's Recreational Facility Contracting specialty examination.

Virginia identifies Recreational Facility Contracting with the abbreviation RFC. The specialty covers the construction, repair, or improvement of recreational facilities while excluding paving and the construction of buildings, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC functions. Recreational projects can require knowledge of landscape construction, earthwork, irrigation, concrete, retaining walls, fencing, carpentry, and safe construction practices, making preparation across several technical references important.

This Complete Book Package includes Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA); International Building Code, 2021; Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016; Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th Edition; Pipe and Excavation Contracting; Simplified Irrigation Design, 2nd Edition, 1995; Landscaping Principles and Practices, 2009; Landscape Construction, 2011; and Fences & Retaining Walls (USED).

The combination of these references supports preparation for each major area represented on the RFC examination. Candidates can study individual subjects first and then practice moving between books as they work through questions involving landscaping, irrigation, concrete, excavation, retaining walls, carpentry, and safety.

Because the Virginia Recreational Facility Contracting examination is open book, becoming familiar with the organization of each reference is an important part of preparation. Candidates should know which book is most likely to contain the information needed for a particular question and practice using indexes, tables of contents, diagrams, charts, and chapter headings before exam day.

What You Get

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
• International Building Code, 2021
• Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
• Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th Edition
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting
• Simplified Irrigation Design, 2nd Edition, 1995
• Landscaping Principles and Practices, 2009
• Landscape Construction, 2011
• Fences & Retaining Walls (USED)

This package brings together references covering the broad range of construction knowledge needed for recreational facility work. The Fences & Retaining Walls reference is supplied as a USED book.

Exam Details

The Virginia Recreational Facility Contracting examination is administered through PSI for the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation Board for Contractors. The specialty abbreviation is RFC.

The current examination outline lists 50 questions. Candidates are allowed 120 minutes to complete the examination, and the minimum passing score is 70%, which equals 35 correct answers.

The published examination content is divided into nine subject areas. Planning and Design for Landscape Construction includes 6 questions. Soils and Site Preparation includes 5 questions. Layout and Excavation includes 5 questions. General Concrete includes 5 questions. Retaining Walls includes 5 questions. Landscaping includes 7 questions. Irrigation includes 8 questions. Rough Carpentry includes 5 questions. Safety includes 4 questions.

Irrigation is the largest individual content area with 8 questions, followed by Landscaping with 7 questions and Planning and Design for Landscape Construction with 6 questions. Candidates should devote meaningful study time to those areas while maintaining balanced preparation across all nine subjects.

The examination may also contain questions based on trade knowledge and general industry practices. Effective preparation therefore combines book navigation with an understanding of how recreational facility construction is actually planned and performed in the field.

Open Book Test

The Virginia Recreational Facility Contracting examination is an open-book test. Candidates must bring their own permitted references because books are not provided at the examination site.

PSI permits approved references to be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the exam. Reference materials containing written notes are not allowed, and candidates may not write in the books during the examination.

Permanent tabs may be used to organize references. Removable tabs and temporary flags are not permitted. Loose papers and unbound references are also prohibited. Downloaded materials must be properly bound in a manner permitted by the testing rules.

Open-book testing makes efficient reference selection important. A candidate should be able to recognize whether a question belongs in OSHA, the International Building Code, an irrigation reference, a landscaping text, a concrete book, an excavation manual, or a retaining-wall reference before beginning the lookup process.

For example, an irrigation-system design question may direct you toward Simplified Irrigation Design. A concrete materials question may require Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures. Excavation and earthwork topics may point toward Pipe and Excavation Contracting, while framing and rough-carpentry questions may require Carpentry and Building Construction.

Questions involving safety requirements can require 29 CFR Part 1926. Retaining-wall or fencing topics can be researched in Fences & Retaining Walls, while broader site and landscape construction concepts may be addressed in Landscaping Principles and Practices or Landscape Construction.

Licensing Steps

Virginia contractor licensing is administered through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation Board for Contractors. Contractor licenses consist of a license class and a classification or specialty designation. The license class determines the monetary level of work a business may perform, while the classification or specialty determines the type of work the contractor is authorized to perform.

Applicants seeking the Recreational Facility Contracting specialty must designate a qualified individual for RFC. Virginia identifies RFC as a specialty requiring pre-approval and successful completion of the applicable technical examination.

The qualified individual must satisfy the experience requirements applicable to the license class being requested and must have the required relationship with the contracting business. Experience must relate to the specialty for which the individual is qualifying.

After the qualified individual receives the required examination approval, the RFC examination is scheduled through PSI. Virginia requires successful completion of the applicable examination before the contractor license application process is completed.

New contractor applicants must also satisfy Virginia's pre-license education requirement. The Board currently requires eight hours of approved pre-license education for new Class A, Class B, and Class C contractor licenses.

Class A and Class B applicants also have separate business examination requirements associated with the designated employee. Those business examinations are different from the RFC technical examination and require separate preparation.

After completing the applicable examination, education, experience, and other licensing requirements, the applicant submits the contractor license materials for Board review.

State Requirements

Virginia defines Recreational Facility Contracting as work involving the construction, repair, or improvement of recreational facilities. The specialty specifically excludes paving and the construction of buildings, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC functions.

The Commercial Building classification and Highway/Heavy classification also provide for recreational facility contracting within their broader authorized scopes. Contractors applying directly for the RFC specialty qualify specifically for recreational facility work permitted by that designation.

The specialty can involve a combination of site and landscape construction activities. Projects may require grading, excavation, irrigation, concrete work, retaining walls, fencing, rough carpentry, landscape installation, and related improvements depending on the recreational facility being constructed or repaired.

Applicants should select a contractor license class that corresponds to the size of the contracts the business expects to perform and the RFC specialty when recreational facility work is the intended scope. The business must satisfy all requirements associated with the selected contractor class in addition to the specialty examination requirement.

Reference Books

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  This federal construction safety reference covers requirements involving excavation, personal protective equipment, tools, ladders, scaffolds, material handling, fall protection, concrete construction, and other hazards relevant to recreational facility projects.
• International Building Code, 2021
  This code reference provides construction requirements relevant to structures and site features governed by the building code. It supports preparation for applicable code-related questions on the Virginia RFC examination.
• Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
  This trade reference covers practical carpentry, layout, tools, materials, framing methods, and rough-construction techniques. It supports preparation for the Rough Carpentry portion of the examination.
• Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th Edition
  This technical concrete reference covers cementitious materials, aggregates, admixtures, proportioning, workability, strength, placement, curing, durability, and concrete performance. It supports preparation for the General Concrete portion of the RFC exam.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  This field-oriented reference addresses excavation, trenching, earthmoving, grading, pipe installation, equipment, bedding, backfill, and compaction. It is useful for studying Layout and Excavation as well as site-preparation concepts.
• Simplified Irrigation Design, 2nd Edition, 1995
  This irrigation reference covers system planning, water requirements, pressure, pipe sizing, sprinklers, valves, layout, and irrigation design principles. Irrigation is the largest individual content category on the RFC examination.
• Landscaping Principles and Practices, 2009
  This landscaping reference supports preparation involving landscape planning, soils, plant materials, site preparation, installation, maintenance concepts, and general landscape construction practices.
• Landscape Construction, 2011
  This trade-focused reference addresses landscape construction methods, sitework, grading, layout, hardscape features, installation procedures, and project planning. It supports several RFC subject areas, including landscape construction planning and site preparation.
• Fences & Retaining Walls (USED)
  This used reference focuses on fence and retaining-wall construction, including layout, materials, structural considerations, installation methods, and related field practices. It supports the Retaining Walls portion of the examination.

Exam Room Approved Books

The Virginia RFC examination is open book, and the technical references included in this package correspond to the reference subjects identified for the examination. PSI allows later editions of general references as they become available, while code questions are based on the code edition identified for the examination.

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  Permitted construction-safety reference.
• International Building Code, 2021
  The examination is based on the 2021 edition for ICC code questions.
• Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
  Reference for carpentry and rough-construction topics.
• Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th Edition
  Reference for concrete materials and construction concepts.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  Reference for excavation, earthwork, and pipe construction.
• Simplified Irrigation Design, 2nd Edition, 1995
  Reference for irrigation design and installation topics.
• Landscaping Principles and Practices, 2009
  Reference for landscaping and site-preparation subjects.
• Landscape Construction, 2011
  Reference for practical landscape construction methods.
• Fences & Retaining Walls (USED)
  Reference for fencing and retaining-wall construction.

Test Information and Study Materials

A productive RFC study plan should follow the published content outline. Begin with irrigation because it accounts for 8 questions. Review system layout, water demand, pressure, pipe sizing, sprinkler selection, valves, and practical irrigation design. Practice locating formulas, diagrams, and system-planning information quickly.

Landscaping represents 7 questions, while Planning and Design for Landscape Construction represents 6. Study site assessment, soils, plant selection, landscape layout, installation practices, grading, drainage considerations, and the sequence of landscape construction work.

Soils and Site Preparation and Layout and Excavation each account for 5 questions. Review excavation practices, earthmoving, grading, compaction, trenching, and site layout. Candidates should understand both practical construction methods and safety requirements associated with excavation activities.

General Concrete represents 5 questions. Review concrete materials, mixture properties, placement, consolidation, curing, durability, and common field practices. Use Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures to strengthen technical understanding instead of relying only on memorized definitions.

Retaining Walls also represents 5 questions. Study wall types, drainage, backfill, foundation considerations, materials, layout, and construction practices. The Fences & Retaining Walls reference can help candidates connect basic design concepts with practical installation methods.

Rough Carpentry accounts for 5 questions. Review measurement, layout, lumber, framing, fasteners, structural components, and general carpentry procedures that may apply to recreational facility construction.

Safety represents 4 questions. Review OSHA requirements throughout preparation, particularly those involving excavation, personal protective equipment, ladders, tools, material handling, concrete operations, and other hazards likely to occur on recreational construction projects.

After studying individual subjects, work through mixed-reference questions. First identify the subject area, then select the most likely reference and locate the supporting information. This develops the reference-navigation skills needed for an open-book examination while reinforcing trade knowledge at the same time.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps Virginia Recreational Facility Contractor candidates organize a broad collection of technical references into a manageable study structure. Because RFC work combines landscape construction, irrigation, excavation, concrete, retaining walls, carpentry, and safety, candidates benefit from studying by subject rather than trying to read every reference from beginning to end.

Trade-focused preparation helps candidates connect the exam outline with the books in the package. Irrigation study can be centered around the irrigation reference, excavation practice around Pipe and Excavation Contracting, concrete preparation around Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, and retaining-wall work around Fences & Retaining Walls.

Reference-navigation practice is equally important. Candidates can become familiar with indexes, contents pages, chapter titles, tables, formulas, diagrams, and terminology so they know where to look when a question requires a detailed technical answer.

Practice-oriented preparation helps turn reading into usable exam skills. Candidates can work through trade questions, research missed answers, review weak areas, and practice selecting the appropriate book before performing a detailed lookup.

1 Exam Prep supports candidates with organized study guidance, trade-focused review, practice-oriented preparation, reference navigation, and confidence-building study structure. The goal is to help candidates approach the Virginia RFC examination with stronger familiarity with the technical subjects and reference materials used during preparation.

FAQ Section

What does RFC mean in Virginia contractor licensing?

RFC is the Virginia Board for Contractors abbreviation for Recreational Facility Contracting.

How many questions are on the Virginia RFC exam?

The current examination outline lists 50 questions.

How much time is allowed for the exam?

Candidates are allowed 120 minutes to complete the Virginia Recreational Facility Contracting examination.

What score is required to pass?

The minimum passing score is 70%, which equals 35 correct answers out of 50.

Is the Virginia Recreational Facility Contractor exam open book?

Yes. The RFC examination is open book, and candidates must bring permitted reference materials to the test center.

What subjects are covered on the exam?

The published subjects are Planning and Design for Landscape Construction, Soils and Site Preparation, Layout and Excavation, General Concrete, Retaining Walls, Landscaping, Irrigation, Rough Carpentry, and Safety.

Can the reference books be highlighted and tabbed?

Yes. PSI permits highlighting, underlining, and indexing before the examination. Permanent tabs are allowed, but removable tabs are prohibited.

Can I write notes in the books?

No. References containing written notes are not allowed into the examination, and candidates may not write in reference materials during testing.

Does the RFC specialty include building construction?

No. Virginia's RFC scope excludes the construction of buildings as well as paving, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC functions.

Is Fences & Retaining Walls new in this package?

No. The Fences & Retaining Walls book included in this package is a USED copy.

Does purchasing this package guarantee a passing score or Virginia contractor license?

No. The package provides technical references for study and open-book preparation. Examination performance and licensing approval depend on the candidate's preparation and completion of applicable Virginia requirements.