Arizona General Residential Contractor (B) Exam Book Package

Prepare for the Arizona General Residential Contractor (B) trade examination with a focused collection of codebooks, safety regulations, construction manuals, and trade references selected for the exam’s major knowledge areas. The Arizona General Residential Contractor (B) Exam Book Package brings together six important resources covering residential building codes, jobsite safety, excavation, carpentry, gypsum construction, and concrete work.

This package is designed for contractors, qualifying parties, construction professionals, supervisors, and experienced tradespeople preparing for the Arizona General Residential Contractor licensing process. Instead of searching for each title separately, candidates receive a coordinated set of references that supports both exam preparation and practical construction knowledge.

The Arizona B trade exam evaluates knowledge across multiple phases of residential construction. Candidates may encounter questions involving sitework, concrete, masonry, metal framing, carpentry, thermal and moisture protection, doors and windows, finishes, and safety. Because the test covers several distinct construction disciplines, preparation requires more than reviewing a single codebook. A strong study plan should combine code navigation, trade knowledge, construction terminology, safety awareness, and repeated practice locating information under timed conditions.

This book package supports that approach. The included International Residential Code provides the central code reference for one- and two-family dwellings, while 29 CFR Part 1926 addresses federal construction safety requirements. The supporting trade manuals add detailed instruction on excavation, wood-frame construction, gypsum systems, and quality concrete practices.

Some books in this package are approved for use in the examination room, while others are study references that must remain outside the testing room. Understanding that distinction is essential. Candidates should use the complete package during preparation and bring only the references specifically permitted by the current examination rules to the testing appointment.

The books are most effective when used as an organized study system. Candidates can connect a subject from the exam outline to the appropriate reference, review the applicable terminology and methods, and practice finding the information again without relying on memory alone. This process helps develop the speed, familiarity, and reference-navigation habits needed for a broad, timed contractor examination.

Exam Details

The Arizona General Residential Contractor (B) trade examination is administered through PSI as part of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors licensing process. The B General Residential Contractor examination is also used for the B-3 General Remodeling and Repair Contractor and CR-61 Carpentry, Remodeling and Repairs classifications.

The trade examination contains 100 scored questions. Candidates are allowed 240 minutes to complete the test, and the minimum passing score is 70 percent. PSI may also administer a small number of unscored experimental questions. These questions are used for future examination development and count against the total examination time even though they do not affect the final score.

The examination content outline distributes questions across the following subject areas:

• Sitework: 17 questions
• Concrete: 17 questions
• Masonry: 9 questions
• Metal Framing: 6 questions
• Carpentry: 17 questions
• Thermal and Moisture Protection: 12 questions
• Doors and Windows: 7 questions
• Finishes: 9 questions
• Safety: 6 questions

The question distribution shows why balanced preparation is important. Sitework, concrete, and carpentry represent a substantial part of the examination, but candidates must also be prepared for code, safety, framing, finish, moisture-protection, masonry, door, and window questions. Ignoring a smaller category can still affect the final score.

The test is delivered by computer. One question appears on the screen at a time, and candidates may return to earlier questions while examination time remains. A basic, silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable, nonscientific calculator may be used in the examination center.

Open Book Test

The Arizona General Residential Contractor (B) trade examination is an open-book test, but candidates may bring only the references authorized for use in the examination room. Not every book used to develop the examination questions is permitted at the testing station.

For the current B General Residential Contractor examination outline, the approved exam-room references included in this package are 29 CFR Part 1926 and the 2018 International Residential Code. Pipe and Excavation Contracting, Carpentry and Building Construction, the Gypsum Construction Handbook, and The Contractor’s Guide to Quality Concrete Construction are study references and are not allowed in the examination center.

Candidates are responsible for bringing their own approved references. Permitted books may be highlighted, underlined, annotated, and indexed before the examination. Candidates may not write, highlight, underline, or add indexing to the books after the exam session begins.

Only permanent tabs are permitted. A permanent tab is one that would tear the page if removed. Temporary tabs, removable notes, and Post-it-style markers are not allowed. Loose papers may not be brought into the testing room or attached to approved references. A permitted reference downloaded from the internet must be bound, such as by spiral binding or placement in a binder after hole-punching.

Open-book testing rewards preparation rather than casual searching. Four hours may appear generous, but candidates must answer a large number of questions across many subjects. Books that have never been reviewed or organized can slow a candidate down. Before test day, candidates should learn each book’s table of contents, index, chapter arrangement, terminology, and major subject divisions.

Licensing Steps

Obtaining an Arizona contractor license involves more than passing the trade examination. The Arizona Registrar of Contractors evaluates the business applicant and the individual who will serve as the qualifying party.

1. Choose the appropriate classification. Review the Arizona Registrar of Contractors classification descriptions and confirm that the B General Residential Contractor classification matches the work the business intends to perform.
2. Establish the applicant business. The application may be submitted for an eligible sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or other accepted business structure. Business information must match the application and supporting records.
3. Designate a qualifying party. The qualifying party is the individual responsible for meeting the examination and experience requirements associated with the requested classification.
4. Complete required examinations. The qualifying party must complete the Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam when required and pass the applicable PSI trade examination unless an approved waiver applies.
5. Complete background-check requirements. Required background checks must be submitted for the individuals identified by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors application process.
6. Provide identification documents. Copies of acceptable government-issued identification must be submitted for the applicable persons listed with the business.
7. Obtain the required contractor bond. The applicant must provide a bond that meets the classification and anticipated business-volume requirements established by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
8. Submit the application and fees. Complete the application carefully and include the required supporting documents, examination records, bond information, and licensing fees.
9. Respond to application-review requests. The Registrar may request corrections, explanations, or additional documents before making a licensing decision.
10. Receive approval before contracting. Passing an exam does not by itself authorize a person or business to offer or perform licensed contracting work. The contractor license must be issued by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.

Examination requirements must generally be completed by the person who will serve as the qualifying party. After completing all examination requirements, the applicant must submit the license application and original score documentation within the period recognized by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.

State Requirements

The Arizona Registrar of Contractors regulates contractor licensing in the state. Applicants must select a classification that corresponds to the type of construction work the business plans to offer and perform.

Residential contracting generally includes constructing, altering, repairing, improving, moving, wrecking, or demolishing residential structures and associated improvements within residential property lines. The exact scope of the B General Residential Contractor classification is controlled by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors classification rules.

The applicant must identify a qualifying party who satisfies the requirements for the requested license. Depending on the applicant’s circumstances, those requirements may include examination, experience, background checks, and documentation establishing the qualifying party’s connection to the business.

New qualifying parties may be required to complete the Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam in addition to the PSI trade exam. The Statutes and Rules requirement is separate from the General Residential Contractor trade examination and addresses laws and rules governing Arizona contractors.

The business must also meet application, bonding, identification, entity-registration, background-check, and fee requirements. Requirements can differ based on the business structure, license classification, personnel, and application history. Applicants should use the current Arizona Registrar of Contractors forms for the classification and business entity under which they are applying.

Reference Books

• Code of Federal Regulations — 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  This federal construction-safety reference addresses workplace requirements for construction activities. It supports preparation for questions involving jobsite safety, personal protective equipment, fall protection, ladders, scaffolds, excavation safety, material handling, electrical hazards, tools, and other construction operations. The latest available amendments should be used.
• International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, 2018
  The 2018 International Residential Code provides code requirements for one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses within its scope. It addresses building planning, foundations, floors, walls, roofs, energy-related provisions, mechanical systems, fuel gas, plumbing, electrical provisions, and other residential construction subjects.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  This trade reference covers practical excavation and underground construction concepts. It supports review of trenching, grading, excavation equipment, soil handling, pipe installation, drainage, layout, job planning, and safe field practices. This book is intended for study and is not approved for use in the examination room.
• Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
  This student-edition construction text explains residential building methods from site preparation through structural framing and finish work. It supports study of tools, measurement, foundations, floor systems, wall framing, roof framing, exterior finishes, interior finishes, doors, windows, and construction procedures. This book is not approved for use in the examination room.
• Gypsum Construction Handbook, 7th Edition
  This reference provides technical guidance for gypsum panels, assemblies, framing components, installation methods, finishing systems, fire-resistant construction, sound-control applications, ceilings, partitions, and related interior construction. It is a study reference and is not permitted in the examination center.
• The Contractor’s Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, 4th Edition
  This concrete reference addresses quality planning and field practices for concrete construction. Topics include materials, mixture considerations, formwork, reinforcement, placement, consolidation, finishing, curing, weather conditions, inspection, troubleshooting, and construction quality. This book is for study and is not approved for use in the examination room.

Exam Room Approved Books

• Code of Federal Regulations — 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  The latest available amendments or the PSI selection of 29 CFR Part 1926 may be used, subject to current PSI preparation and binding rules.
• International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, 2018
  The examination uses the 2018 edition for residential code questions. Code questions are based on the specifically listed code edition.

Only the two references listed above are identified as approved exam-room books for this examination. The remaining four titles in the package are preparation resources and should not be taken into the testing room.

Test Information and Study Materials

Begin by dividing the examination outline into study categories. Assign each category to the books that address it most directly. Sitework can be reviewed through the excavation reference and OSHA regulations. Concrete preparation should combine the concrete guide with applicable residential-code provisions. Carpentry, doors, windows, framing, and finish topics can be studied through Carpentry and Building Construction, the Gypsum Construction Handbook, and the International Residential Code.

Use the study-only references to build understanding, then practice finding the related rules in the two approved exam-room books. This is especially important for questions where general construction practice and a code requirement may differ. During the examination, legal and code requirements take priority over conflicting general information.

Create permanent tabs for major divisions in the approved references. Useful tab categories may include definitions, building planning, foundations, floors, walls, roofs, means of egress, fire-resistant construction, fall protection, scaffolds, ladders, excavations, personal protective equipment, and electrical safety. Tabs should point to broad sections rather than attempt to predict individual questions.

Practice timed lookup sessions. Select a construction term, locate it in the index, identify the governing section, and read enough surrounding material to understand exceptions and related requirements. Record how long the process takes and repeat it until navigation becomes consistent.

Do not limit preparation to memorization. Many contractor-exam questions describe a jobsite condition and ask for the correct method, dimension, requirement, or safety response. Understanding how systems are constructed makes it easier to identify the correct reference and interpret the information found there.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps candidates turn a broad contractor examination into an organized preparation plan. Instead of approaching the Arizona B exam as one large subject, students can study by trade category, connect each topic to the correct reference, and build a repeatable routine for reviewing information.

Trade-focused preparation helps reinforce the areas emphasized in the examination outline, including sitework, concrete, carpentry, moisture protection, finishes, safety, masonry, metal framing, doors, and windows. This structured approach gives candidates a practical way to identify strong areas, recognize weak subjects, and spend more study time where it is needed.

Reference-navigation practice is especially valuable for an open-book examination. 1 Exam Prep encourages students to become familiar with book organization, indexes, tables of contents, code sections, safety subparts, and construction terminology before test day. Familiarity can reduce wasted time and make it easier to evaluate answer choices carefully.

Practice-oriented preparation also helps candidates adjust to the pace of a 100-question, four-hour examination. By working through questions and reviewing the supporting references, students can strengthen trade knowledge while developing a consistent method for handling unfamiliar questions.

The goal is not simply to own the required books. The goal is to know how the books relate to the exam, how to move through the approved references efficiently, and how to apply construction knowledge in a testing environment. 1 Exam Prep provides a realistic structure for building that readiness and approaching the licensing process with greater confidence.

What is included in the Arizona General Residential Contractor (B) Exam Book Package?

The package includes 29 CFR Part 1926, the 2018 International Residential Code, Pipe and Excavation Contracting, Carpentry and Building Construction from 2016, the seventh edition of the Gypsum Construction Handbook, and the fourth edition of The Contractor’s Guide to Quality Concrete Construction.

Are all six books allowed in the examination room?

No. The approved exam-room references in this package are 29 CFR Part 1926 and the 2018 International Residential Code. The other four books are study references and are not allowed in the examination center.

How many questions are on the Arizona B trade exam?

The examination contains 100 scored questions. PSI may also include a small number of unscored experimental questions that count against the examination time.

How much time is allowed for the exam?

Candidates are allowed 240 minutes, or four hours, to complete the Arizona General Residential Contractor trade examination.

What score is required to pass?

The minimum passing score is 70 percent.

Can the approved books be highlighted and tabbed?

Approved references may be highlighted, underlined, annotated, and indexed before the examination. Only permanent tabs are allowed. Temporary or removable tabs and loose papers are prohibited.

Does passing the exam automatically issue an Arizona contractor license?

No. Passing the required examinations is one part of the licensing process. The applicant must also satisfy the Arizona Registrar of Contractors application, qualifying-party, background-check, bonding, identification, entity, documentation, and fee requirements before a license can be issued.

Is the Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam included in this book package?

No. This package is focused on references for the General Residential Contractor trade examination. The Arizona Statutes and Rules Exam is a separate requirement for qualifying parties when applicable.

Who should use this package?

This package is intended for candidates preparing for the Arizona B General Residential Contractor trade examination, including qualifying parties, construction supervisors, experienced tradespeople, remodeling professionals, and residential builders pursuing the appropriate Arizona contractor classification.