Arkansas NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor - Online Exam Prep Course

Prepare for the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors with an organized online exam prep course designed around commercial construction knowledge, reference navigation, and practice-oriented study. The Arkansas NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor Online Exam Prep Course helps contractors prepare for the trade examination while also understanding how the NASCLA exam fits into the Arkansas contractor licensing process.

The NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination covers a broad range of commercial construction subjects. Candidates need working knowledge of building codes, project management, site construction, safety, concrete, masonry, metals, carpentry, roofing, mechanical and electrical systems, accessibility, finishes, and other construction practices. Because the test is open book, candidates must also be able to locate information efficiently in a substantial technical reference library.

This online exam prep course provides a more structured alternative to simply reading reference books from beginning to end. Study should focus on recognizing tested subjects, understanding important construction principles, practicing exam-style questions, and developing the reference-navigation skills needed to research technical information under time pressure.

The course is intended for Arkansas contractors using the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors as the applicable commercial trade examination. Arkansas participates in the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination program, allowing an accepted NASCLA result to satisfy the applicable trade examination requirement while applicants continue through the Arkansas-specific contractor licensing process.

The listed study references include the Arkansas NASCLA Business and Law publication together with the national NASCLA commercial construction reference library. This combination supports preparation for both commercial construction concepts and Arkansas-specific contractor business and law material.

Exam Details

The NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors is designed as a standardized trade examination for commercial general building contractors. Participating licensing agencies can accept a passing NASCLA examination result instead of requiring candidates to repeat separate commercial building trade examinations in each participating jurisdiction.

The NASCLA commercial examination contains 115 scored questions. Candidates must answer at least 81 questions correctly to pass. Candidates receive 330 minutes, or 5 hours and 30 minutes, to complete the examination.

The examination covers commercial construction knowledge across multiple areas, including:

• General construction requirements
• Planning and estimating
• Procurement and contracting
• Project management
• Construction safety
• Site construction
• Concrete construction
• Masonry
• Structural metals
• Wood construction
• Thermal and moisture protection
• Doors, windows, and glazing
• Interior and exterior finishes
• Mechanical and plumbing systems
• Electrical systems

Questions can require both practical construction knowledge and research within technical references. Candidates should be prepared to interpret code provisions, construction procedures, terminology, project-management concepts, safety requirements, tables, specifications, and other information commonly encountered in commercial contracting.

The breadth of the exam makes a balanced study plan important. Contractors with extensive field experience may already understand many construction practices but still need focused review of formal code requirements, technical standards, management principles, and subjects outside their normal specialty.

Open Book Test

The NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors is an open book test. Candidates may bring permitted reference materials into the examination center in accordance with current testing-provider rules.

The open-book format makes reference-navigation skills a major part of effective preparation. Candidates should not approach the test expecting to research every question from the beginning. With more than one hundred scored questions and a large reference library, searching inefficiently can consume valuable examination time.

Practice should include identifying the subject of a question before opening a book. Once the subject is clear, candidates should determine which reference most likely contains the answer and then use the book's index, table of contents, chapter organization, definitions, or technical tables to narrow the search.

Current NASCLA examination rules allow approved references to be used in the testing center subject to applicable preparation and security requirements. Candidates should become familiar with those rules before test day and prepare their references only in ways permitted by the examination provider.

Repeated practice with the books is useful even when candidates already understand the underlying construction topic. The objective is to build familiarity with where information is located so the reference library can function as a practical exam tool rather than a collection of unfamiliar manuals.

Licensing Steps

The Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board regulates applicable contractor licensing in Arkansas. Passing the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination does not automatically issue an Arkansas contractor license. Candidates must complete the state licensing process for the classification they intend to hold.

1. Determine the appropriate Arkansas contractor classification. Applicants should identify the classification that corresponds with the scope of commercial construction work they intend to perform.
2. Review Arkansas licensing requirements. The applicant must satisfy the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board requirements applicable to the requested commercial contractor license and classification.
3. Complete the applicable trade examination requirement. Arkansas is a participating NASCLA jurisdiction and accepts the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors for applicable commercial building licensing purposes.
4. Complete the Arkansas Business and Law requirement. Arkansas administers a separate Business and Law examination for general contractors. The Arkansas-specific NASCLA Contractors Guide supports preparation for this requirement.
5. Prepare the required licensing documentation. Applicants must submit the information and supporting documents required by the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board for their application.
6. Submit the contractor license application. The completed application must be submitted to the appropriate Arkansas licensing authority for review.
7. Complete Board review and approval. A contractor may operate under the applicable licensed classification after satisfying the Board's licensing requirements and receiving approval.

NASCLA examination results are intended to reduce repeated trade testing in participating jurisdictions. They do not replace state applications, state Business and Law examinations, financial requirements, or other licensing requirements imposed by Arkansas.

State Requirements

The Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board is the state agency responsible for licensing qualifying commercial contractors. Arkansas participates in the NASCLA Accredited Examination Program for Commercial General Building Contractors.

A candidate who passes the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination may use that passing result in participating jurisdictions that accept the examination for applicable trade qualification purposes. The contractor must still separately apply for an Arkansas license and meet Arkansas-specific requirements.

Arkansas also administers a Business and Law examination for general contractors. This requirement is separate from the national NASCLA commercial trade examination. The Arkansas-specific NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Arkansas, 8th Edition is included in the study-reference list for this course.

Contractors planning to seek licenses in more than one participating NASCLA jurisdiction may benefit from the portability of the NASCLA trade examination. After passing, candidates can use the NASCLA examination database process to send their examination results to participating licensing agencies. Each agency still applies its own licensing laws, classifications, application requirements, and other qualifications.

Reference Books

The course is built around the following Arkansas and NASCLA commercial construction references:

• NASCLA Arkansas, 8th Edition
  The Arkansas-specific contractor reference covering business, law, licensing, project management, and related state contractor topics.
• Mechanical and Electrical Systems for Construction Managers, 4th Edition
  Covers major mechanical, plumbing, and electrical building systems from a construction-management perspective.
• ICC A117.1-2017 Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
  Addresses technical accessibility requirements for buildings, facilities, spaces, routes, and building elements.
• BCSI: Guide to Good Practice for Handling, Installing, Restraining, and Bracing of Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, 2025
  Provides guidance for handling, installing, restraining, and bracing metal plate connected wood trusses.
• Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
  Covers carpentry, framing, building materials, layout, structural components, and general building construction methods.
• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  Contains federal construction-industry safety regulations addressing workplace hazards and safety requirements.
• Construction Jobsite Management, 5th Edition
  Covers field supervision, jobsite organization, productivity, coordination, documentation, and construction management.
• Construction Project Management, 5th Edition
  Addresses construction planning, administration, scheduling, coordination, controls, and management practices.
• NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, 14th Edition
  Covers contractor business practices, project management, contracts, financial concepts, and construction administration.
• Erectors' Manual – Standards and Guidelines for the Erection of PreCast Concrete Products, 2nd Edition, 1999
  Addresses standards and field practices associated with precast concrete erection.
• Green Building Fundamentals, Michael Montoya, 2011, 2nd Edition
  Introduces sustainable construction concepts and environmentally responsible building practices.
• Gypsum Construction Handbook, 7th Edition
  Covers gypsum products, wall and ceiling assemblies, construction systems, and installation practices.
• Technical Digest No. 9 – Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders
  Provides technical guidance for handling and erecting steel joists and joist girders.
• International Building Code, 2021
  A primary commercial construction code covering occupancy, construction types, means of egress, fire protection, structural provisions, and related requirements.
• ACI 318-19: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary
  A structural concrete standard addressing reinforced concrete design, detailing, materials, and construction requirements.
• Training and Certification of Field Personnel for Unbonded Post-Tensioning - Level 1 Field Fundamentals
  Covers fundamental field concepts and practices associated with unbonded post-tensioning construction.
• Modern Masonry - Brick, Block, Stone, Clois E. Kicklighter, 10th Edition
  Covers brick, block, stone, masonry materials, tools, layout, and construction techniques.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  Addresses excavation, trenching, underground construction, pipe installation, equipment, and site conditions.
• Principles and Practices of Commercial Construction, 11th Edition
  A comprehensive reference covering commercial construction materials, systems, methods, and field practices.
• Roofing Construction and Estimating, Daniel Atcheson, 1995
  Covers roofing systems, materials, installation methods, measurement, quantities, and estimating.
• Placing Reinforcing Bars
  Provides practical and technical information concerning placement of reinforcing steel in concrete construction.
• SDI (Steel Deck Institute) Manual of Construction with Steel Deck
  Addresses steel deck handling, placement, installation, and related construction practices.
• The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction - 4th Edition
  Covers concrete materials, preparation, placement, finishing, workmanship, and quality construction practices.
• ANSI/EIMA 99-A-2017: Standard for Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) and EIFS with Drainage, 2017
  Addresses exterior insulation and finish systems and EIFS assemblies incorporating drainage.
• Developing Your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan – A Guide for Construction Sites, United States Environmental Protection Agency
  Provides guidance concerning stormwater pollution prevention planning for construction sites.

Test Information and Study Materials

Effective NASCLA preparation should combine subject review with reference-navigation exercises. Candidates can begin by grouping the references according to major exam areas. Construction-management books can support estimating, project administration, and contracting topics, while specialized references can be assigned to safety, concrete, masonry, steel, roofing, accessibility, mechanical systems, and sitework.

For building-code preparation, practice locating information in the International Building Code using chapter organization, definitions, tables, and the index. For OSHA preparation, learn the structure of 29 CFR Part 1926 so common construction safety subjects can be researched efficiently.

Concrete study should incorporate both practical concrete construction and technical structural requirements. Similar combinations can be used for masonry, steel construction, carpentry, roofing, excavation, accessibility, and specialty systems.

Timed practice is also valuable. Candidates should work on deciding when an answer can be selected from knowledge and when a reference search is necessary. When research is required, selecting the correct book before searching helps make better use of the available exam time.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps Arkansas NASCLA candidates organize a demanding commercial construction examination into a more manageable study process. The course provides trade-focused review, structured study guidance, practice-oriented preparation, and reference-navigation training designed around the realities of an open-book contractor exam.

Rather than relying only on field experience or attempting to memorize an extensive reference library, candidates can focus on learning where important information is located and how different construction subjects connect with specific books.

Practice-oriented preparation helps reinforce construction concepts while building familiarity with exam-style questions. Reference-navigation exercises help candidates develop a repeatable method for identifying the subject, selecting the likely book, locating the relevant section, and evaluating the available answer choices.

For Arkansas applicants, the course also supports awareness of the separate state Business and Law requirement. Combining national NASCLA trade preparation with Arkansas-focused licensing study creates a more complete preparation strategy for candidates pursuing commercial contractor licensing.

Is the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor exam open book?

Yes. The NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors is an open-book examination using permitted reference materials.

How many questions are on the NASCLA commercial exam?

The NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination contains 115 scored questions. Candidates must answer at least 81 correctly to pass.

How long is the NASCLA Commercial General Building exam?

Candidates receive 330 minutes, or 5 hours and 30 minutes, to complete the examination.

Does Arkansas accept the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination?

Yes. The Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board participates in the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination program.

Does passing the NASCLA exam give me an Arkansas contractor license?

No. NASCLA is a trade examination, not a contractor license. Applicants must still satisfy the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board's application and licensing requirements.

Does Arkansas have a separate Business and Law exam?

Yes. Arkansas administers a Business and Law examination for general contractors in addition to applicable trade examination requirements.

Is the Arkansas Business and Law reference included in the study list?

Yes. The reference list includes NASCLA Arkansas, 8th Edition for Arkansas-specific contractor business and law preparation.

Why should I practice navigating the reference books?

The NASCLA examination is open book and covers many technical subjects. Efficient navigation helps candidates locate information without spending excessive time searching through multiple references.

Can a NASCLA exam result be used in other participating states?

Yes. After passing the NASCLA Accredited Examination, candidates can submit their examination transcript to participating licensing agencies. Each jurisdiction still requires its own license application and state-specific qualifications.