North Carolina Building Contractor - Books & Course Rental Package

Prepare for the North Carolina Building Contractor examination with a comprehensive rental package that combines professionally highlighted and tabbed reference books with an online trade exam-prep course. This package includes the references identified for use in the examination room, additional highlighted and tabbed study books, and a structured six-month preparation period.

The North Carolina Building Contractor classification covers an extensive range of construction and demolition work. Candidates may need to understand commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential construction, along with associated sitework, grading, paving, parking structures, storm drainage, retaining walls, recreational facilities, athletic fields, running tracks, bleachers, and seating.

Preparing for this examination requires candidates to work across building codes, structural concrete, masonry, accessibility, construction safety, business law, estimating, project management, code administration, and sports-field construction. The additional study references expand preparation into carpentry, roofing, excavation, concrete mixtures, post-tensioning, steel joists, steel deck, erosion control, utility safety, and North Carolina contractor regulations.

The exam-room books and additional study references are professionally highlighted and tabbed. Selected definitions, code provisions, tables, diagrams, formulas, administrative requirements, and business concepts are highlighted for focused review. Permanently attached tabs provide visible navigation points for major chapters, code sections, standards, and frequently reviewed subjects.

The included online exam-prep course helps candidates organize the large reference library into manageable study areas. Course preparation can be paired with technical reading, code navigation, calculations, mixed-reference exercises, and review of missed questions.

The physical books are provided as rentals for six months from the date they are received. The package also includes 6 months of course access. Candidates should begin studying promptly and protect the books throughout the rental period.

The package price is $2,140, plus a $1,250 refundable book deposit, for a total of $3,390 due at purchase. The deposit is refundable when the complete rental set is returned in similar condition within six months from the date the books are received.

Exam Details

The North Carolina Building Contractor examination evaluates knowledge across technical construction, building-code compliance, structural systems, accessibility, safety, contractor business operations, code administration, and project management.

Building-code preparation may include occupancy classifications, construction types, allowable building height and area, fire-resistance ratings, fire walls, fire barriers, fire-protection systems, interior finishes, means of egress, exterior walls, roof assemblies, structural requirements, special inspections, and safeguards during construction.

Many code questions require candidates to combine multiple provisions. A question involving allowable building size may require review of the occupancy, construction type, sprinkler condition, frontage provisions, and mixed-use requirements. Candidates should practice reading table notes, exceptions, definitions, and related sections before selecting an answer.

Structural concrete preparation may involve materials, reinforcement, cover, development length, splices, slabs, beams, columns, walls, foundations, durability, strength, inspections, and construction requirements. Candidates should learn the organization of ACI 318 and understand the relationship between its mandatory provisions and explanatory commentary.

Masonry preparation may include masonry units, mortar, grout, reinforcement, anchors, ties, bearing, walls, columns, quality assurance, inspection, construction tolerances, and structural requirements. The masonry reference combines code requirements, specifications, and companion commentary.

Accessibility preparation may address accessible routes, entrances, doors, maneuvering clearances, ramps, stairs, elevators, platform lifts, toilet rooms, bathing facilities, parking, seating, reach ranges, operable parts, signage, and communication features.

Construction-safety preparation may include personal protective equipment, fall protection, scaffolds, ladders, excavation, electrical hazards, cranes, tools, material handling, fire prevention, housekeeping, and employer responsibilities.

Business and project-management preparation may cover licensing, accounting, financial statements, contracts, estimating, bidding, scheduling, insurance, employment practices, safety programs, liens, project documentation, and contractor responsibilities.

Code-administration preparation may involve permits, plan review, inspections, certificates of occupancy, alternate materials, violations, stop-work orders, enforcement procedures, and the responsibilities of contractors, design professionals, and building officials.

Sports-field preparation may involve site selection, grading, drainage, irrigation, soil preparation, natural turf, synthetic surfaces, field layout, construction, renovation, equipment, and maintenance.

The additional study references support broader field knowledge involving framing, roofing, excavation, underground utilities, steel joists, steel deck, concrete mixtures, masonry installation, post-tensioning, sedimentation control, and North Carolina contractor regulations.

Please allow an additional 15 business days for highlighted and tabbed trade book package orders.

Open Book Test

The North Carolina Building Contractor examination is open book. Candidates may use the references authorized for the examination when the materials comply with the current testing-center requirements.

The eight exam-room references in this rental package are professionally highlighted and tabbed. Candidates should become familiar with every book and learn which reference applies to each type of question.

Use the North Carolina Building Code for general building requirements, occupancy classifications, construction types, building height and area, fire protection, means of egress, structural provisions, exterior walls, roofing, and safeguards during construction.

Use ACI 318 for structural concrete questions and ACI 530/530.1 for masonry questions. Use ICC A117.1 for accessibility requirements and the North Carolina Administration Code and Policies for permits, inspections, enforcement, and administrative procedures.

Use the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for construction-safety questions. Use the contractor business guide for licensing, accounting, contracts, estimating, project management, insurance, and business responsibilities. Use the sports-fields reference for athletic-facility planning, construction, and maintenance.

Highlighting and tabs support navigation, but candidates should read the complete applicable section. The correct answer may depend on a definition, exception, table note, diagram, commentary provision, or cross-reference near the highlighted material.

The twelve additional study references are not identified as books allowed into the examination room. They should be used to develop technical understanding during preparation and left outside the testing room unless current official instructions authorize them.

Candidates should complete final exam simulations using only the eight approved references. This creates a realistic open-book practice environment and prevents dependence on materials that will not be available during the examination.

Licensing Steps

1. Review the Building Contractor classification. Confirm that the classification matches the construction and demolition work the business intends to perform.
2. Select the appropriate license limitation. Choose the monetary limitation that fits the value of projects the business plans to undertake.
3. Identify the qualifier. Select the person who will satisfy the examination requirement for the applicant business.
4. Submit the contractor application. Provide the requested ownership, financial, organizational, business, and qualifier information.
5. Receive examination eligibility. Complete the Board’s application review process before scheduling the examination.
6. Begin the online course. Use the course to organize building code, structural, accessibility, safety, business, and administrative subjects.
7. Study with the rental books. Review the highlighting and tabs, read surrounding provisions, and connect course lessons with the references.
8. Complete timed open-book exercises. Practice switching among the approved exam-room books while answering technical and business questions.
9. Schedule and take the examination. Follow the current candidate and testing-center instructions.
10. Complete the licensing process. Satisfy the financial, qualifier, organizational, classification, and limitation requirements.
11. Return the rental books. Return the complete set in similar condition within six months from receipt to qualify for the refundable deposit.

State Requirements

The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors regulates the Building Contractor classification. The classification covers commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential building construction and demolition.

The scope also includes parking decks, associated sitework, grading, paving of parking lots and driveways, sidewalks, gutters, storm drainage, retaining walls, accessory structures, recreational facilities, athletic fields, running tracks, bleachers, and seating.

A North Carolina general contractor license is required for covered construction projects valued at $40,000 or more. The contractor must hold a classification that covers the work and a license limitation appropriate for the project value.

Before becoming eligible for examination, an applicant must submit the required application. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, possess good moral character as determined by the Board, demonstrate financial responsibility, submit the applicable fee, and consent to a criminal background check when required.

The applicant must identify a qualifier who has passed an examination approved by the Board. The qualifier satisfies the examination requirement for the applicant business.

North Carolina licenses are issued with limited, intermediate, or unlimited monetary limitations. The selected limitation controls the value of projects the contractor may undertake and has its own financial qualification requirements.

Passing the examination does not automatically issue a contractor license. The applicant must complete the full licensing process and satisfy all applicable financial, business, ownership, organizational, and qualifier requirements.

Exam Room Approved Books

• Included Rental Book: Sports Fields: Design, Construction and Maintenance, 2nd Edition, 2010
  A technical reference covering athletic-field planning, site selection, grading, drainage, irrigation, soil preparation, natural turf, synthetic surfaces, construction, renovation, and maintenance.
• Included Rental Book: North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  A construction-safety reference covering personal protective equipment, fall protection, scaffolds, ladders, excavation, electrical hazards, cranes, tools, material handling, fire prevention, and employer responsibilities.
• Included Rental Book: Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management - North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition
  A contractor reference covering licensing, business organization, accounting, financial management, contracts, estimating, bidding, scheduling, insurance, employment, safety, liens, and project administration.
• Included Rental Book: North Carolina Building Code: Building Code, 2018
  The primary building-code reference covering occupancy classifications, construction types, building height and area, fire protection, means of egress, structural requirements, exterior walls, roofing, and safeguards during construction.
• Included Rental Book: ACI 530/530.1-13, Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures and Companion Commentaries
  A structural masonry reference covering materials, reinforcement, design requirements, construction, inspections, quality assurance, specifications, and companion commentary.
• Included Rental Book: ACI 318-14, Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary
  A structural concrete reference covering reinforcement, slabs, beams, columns, walls, foundations, durability, strength, development, splices, inspections, and construction requirements.
• Included Rental Book: North Carolina Administration Code and Policies, 2018 Edition
  An administrative reference covering permits, plan review, inspections, certificates of occupancy, enforcement, alternate materials, violations, and application of the state building code.
• Included Rental Book: ICC A117.1-2017, Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
  An accessibility standard covering accessible routes, entrances, doors, ramps, stairs, elevators, toilet rooms, parking, seating, reach ranges, clearances, signage, and communication features.

Additional Highlighted and Tabbed Study Books Not Allowed into the Exam

• Included Rental Book: Technical Digest No. 9 – Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders
  A technical guide covering delivery, storage, handling, bridging, erection, stability, sequencing, connections, and safety for steel joists and joist girders.
• Included Rental Book: Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
  A construction reference covering foundations, framing, floors, walls, roofs, stairs, doors, windows, finishes, tools, plans, and general building methods.
• Included Rental Book: Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th Edition
  A concrete reference covering materials, proportioning, strength, durability, placement, consolidation, curing, testing, quality control, and performance.
• Included Rental Book: Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  A field reference covering excavation, trenching, pipe installation, dewatering, bedding, backfill, compaction, equipment, estimating, safety, and project execution.
• Included Rental Book: Roofing Construction and Estimating, Daniel Atcheson, 1995
  A roofing reference covering roof systems, materials, installation, flashing, ventilation, repairs, measurements, labor, estimating, and project planning.
• Included Rental Book: Training and Certification of Field Personnel for Unbonded Post-Tensioning - Level 1 Field Fundamentals
  A field reference covering post-tensioning components, tendon installation, stressing, safety, inspection, repairs, handling, and quality control.
• Included Rental Book: Modern Masonry: Brick, Block, Stone, Clois E. Kicklighter, 10th Edition
  A masonry reference covering tools, materials, mortar, brick, concrete block, stone, layout, bonding, reinforcement, walls, and field techniques.
• Included Rental Book: North Carolina Excavation Safety Guidelines, 2022 or Later
  A practical guide covering utility-location procedures, safe digging, markings, tolerance zones, damage prevention, emergency response, and excavator responsibilities.
• Included Rental Book: North Carolina Administrative Code, Title 15A, Chapter 4, Sedimentation Control, Including Latest Amendments
  Administrative rules addressing land-disturbing activities, erosion-control plans, stabilization, inspections, enforcement, and sedimentation-control responsibilities.
• Included Rental Book: North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 113A, Article 4, Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of 1973
  State law establishing erosion and sedimentation-control requirements, enforcement authority, planning responsibilities, and pollution-prevention obligations.
• Included Rental Book: Laws and Regulations Applicable to General Contracting in the State of North Carolina
  A contractor law reference covering licensing statutes, Board rules, classifications, limitations, qualifier responsibilities, applications, renewals, disciplinary provisions, and compliance.
• Included Rental Book: SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck
  A Steel Deck Institute reference covering steel-deck products, handling, storage, erection, attachment, openings, accessories, tolerances, safety, and construction practices.

Test Information and Study Materials

Begin preparation by separating the exam-room references from the study-only books. Use the complete package to build technical understanding, but complete final timed drills with only the eight approved examination references.

Study the North Carolina Building Code by practicing occupancy, construction type, height and area, fire-resistance requirements, means of egress, structural provisions, exterior walls, roofing, and safeguards during construction.

Use ACI 318 and ACI 530/530.1 for structural study. Practice identifying which standard controls each question before beginning a lookup.

Use ICC A117.1 for accessibility preparation. Work directly with diagrams and dimensions involving accessible routes, doors, ramps, parking, toilet rooms, seating, reach ranges, and maneuvering clearances.

Use the safety standards for fall protection, ladders, scaffolds, excavation, electrical hazards, cranes, tools, protective equipment, and material handling.

Use the additional study references for practical review of framing, roofing, concrete mixtures, masonry methods, excavation, utility safety, post-tensioning, steel joists, steel deck, and sedimentation control.

Protect the rental references from additional writing, torn pages, moisture, missing materials, loose inserts, and unauthorized alterations. Every book must be returned in similar condition within the six-month rental period to qualify for the refundable deposit.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps North Carolina Building Contractor candidates organize a large technical and business library into a practical six-month preparation plan.

The online course connects building-code requirements with structural concrete, masonry, accessibility, safety, code administration, sports fields, project management, and contractor business responsibilities.

Professionally highlighted and tabbed books help important provisions, tables, formulas, diagrams, and technical concepts stand out during review. Permanent tabs support faster access to major chapters and commonly reviewed subjects.

Practice-oriented preparation encourages candidates to review course lessons, answer questions, locate supporting provisions, examine missed concepts, and repeat difficult searches.

The additional study books provide broader construction context, while the approved references support realistic open-book exam practice. No rental package or course can guarantee a passing score, contractor license, permit, or business outcome.

Results depend on the candidate’s preparation, construction experience, business knowledge, financial qualifications, reference-navigation ability, application completion, and performance during the examination.

FAQ Section

What is included in this rental package?

The package includes eight highlighted and tabbed exam-room references, twelve highlighted and tabbed study books, the North Carolina Building Contractor online exam-prep course, and 6 months of course access.

What is the total amount due at purchase?

The package price is $2,140, and the refundable book deposit is $1,250. The total due at purchase is $3,390.

Is the $1,250 deposit refundable?

Yes. The deposit is refundable when the complete rental-book set is returned in similar condition within six months from the date the books are received.

How long is the book rental period?

The physical book rental period is six months from the date the books are received.

How long is course access?

The package includes 6 months of course access.

Are all books highlighted and tabbed?

Yes. The approved exam-room books and additional study references are professionally highlighted and prepared with permanently attached tabs.

Are all included books allowed into the examination room?

No. Only the eight books listed in the Exam Room Approved Books section are identified for use during the examination. The additional references are included for study.

Is the North Carolina Building Contractor examination open book?

Yes. Candidates may use authorized references that comply with the current testing-center requirements.

Can I write in the rental books?

The rental books should be protected from additional writing, loose materials, damage, missing pages, moisture, or unauthorized alterations. They must be returned in similar condition to qualify for the deposit refund.

Does this package guarantee a passing score or contractor license?

No. Examination and licensing results depend on the candidate’s preparation, construction experience, financial qualifications, application completion, reference-navigation skills, and test-day performance.

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