North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor Highlighted & Tabbed Books Allowed into Exam Package

Prepare for the North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination with a focused package containing the two highlighted and tabbed reference books allowed into the exam room. This package includes the North Carolina construction safety standards and the 2018 North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, giving candidates an organized reference set for the open-book portion of the licensing examination.

The North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor Highlighted & Tabbed Books Allowed into Exam Package is designed for candidates who want only the permitted exam-room references. It does not include the additional study books used to prepare for subjects such as sedimentation control, excavation notification, business law, licensing, liens, and general pipe and excavation practices.

Each included book is professionally highlighted and fitted with permanent subject tabs. Highlighting draws attention to important safety provisions, technical requirements, definitions, specifications, tables, construction procedures, and other useful material. Permanent tabs divide major subjects and help candidates move more efficiently between sections while studying and during the examination.

An open-book contractor exam still requires preparation. Candidates must identify the subject being tested, select the correct reference, locate the applicable section, and interpret the information within the available time. Regular practice with the highlighted and tabbed books can help develop familiarity with the layout, terminology, chapter organization, tables, and specifications used throughout the references.

The package supports preparation for work involving excavation, grading, trenching, backfill, clearing, grubbing, erosion-control activities, roadway construction specifications, construction safety, materials, earthwork, drainage, and related field operations. It is well suited for candidates who already have separate study materials or who want a concentrated exam-room reference package.

The highlighting and tabs are preparation tools, not substitutes for studying. Candidates should read the books, become familiar with their indexes and tables of contents, and practice finding information under timed conditions.

Please allow up to 15 business days for highlighted and tabbed trade book package orders. This preparation period is separate from shipping transit time and allows the books to be professionally organized before fulfillment.

Exam Details

The North Carolina H Grading and Excavating examination is administered by PSI as part of the licensing process overseen by the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. The Board determines examination eligibility, while PSI handles examination scheduling and administration.

• Examination: North Carolina H Grading and Excavating
• Testing Provider: PSI
• Number of Questions: 45
• Time Allowed: 120 minutes
• Required Passing Score: 70%
• Testing Format: Computer-administered examination
• Reference Format: Open book with approved materials

The published examination outline includes nine questions on general knowledge and regulations. Other tested areas address construction safety, excavation and grading practices, erosion and sedimentation control, One-Call responsibilities, licensing, liens, and business-related contractor knowledge.

Candidates should understand practical grading and excavation operations, including site preparation, clearing, grubbing, cut-and-fill work, trenching, backfilling, compaction, drainage, equipment use, slope considerations, material placement, and jobsite safety. Questions may also involve North Carolina roadway and structure specifications applicable to earthwork, materials, construction procedures, and project acceptance.

The examination may include questions based on trade knowledge and general industry practices. The two approved books provide important reference support, but candidates should also study the subjects covered by books that are not permitted in the examination room.

Open Book Test

The North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination is an open-book test. Candidates are responsible for bringing their own approved references to the testing center. The two books in this package are identified for use during the examination.

Approved references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Permanent tabs may be used when they are securely attached and not easily removable. Notes may not be written on the tabs. Removable page flags, temporary tabs, loose papers, and unauthorized attachments are not permitted.

The references should be complete and properly bound. Partial copies are not accepted. Candidates should inspect each book before the testing appointment and remove any materials that do not comply with the current examination rules.

With 45 questions and 120 minutes, candidates have an average of approximately two minutes and forty seconds per question. That time must cover reading the question, identifying the topic, choosing the correct reference, finding the applicable section, and selecting the best answer.

The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards should be used for questions involving trench and excavation safety, protective systems, access and egress, inspections, equipment hazards, personal protective equipment, material handling, and other construction-site requirements.

The North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures should be used for questions involving earthwork, materials, roadway construction practices, drainage, excavation, embankments, grading, compaction, erosion-control work, structures, and specification-based requirements.

Practice moving between the books before exam day. Learn the tables of contents, indexes, division numbers, section headings, definitions, tables, and technical language used in each reference. Strong familiarity with the books can make the open-book format more useful.

Licensing Steps

1. Review the Grading and Excavating classification. Confirm that the classification matches the work the applicant or business intends to perform.
2. Complete the contractor license application. Submit the required information to the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.
3. Identify the qualifier. The applicant must designate the individual who will satisfy the examination requirement for the classification.
4. Select the appropriate license limitation. Choose the limitation that corresponds with the size and scope of the projects the business plans to undertake.
5. Submit supporting documentation. Provide the organizational, financial, qualifier, and other information requested by the Board.
6. Receive examination eligibility. Approved candidates receive instructions for registering and scheduling the examination.
7. Prepare for the examination. Study the complete content outline and practice using the highlighted and tabbed exam-room references.
8. Take the examination. Bring the required identification and only the books and materials permitted under current testing rules.
9. Complete remaining licensing requirements. Follow the Board’s instructions concerning examination results, application completion, and license issuance.

Passing the examination does not automatically issue a North Carolina contractor license. The applicant must satisfy the Board’s applicable application, qualifier, organizational, financial, and administrative requirements.

State Requirements

The North Carolina H Grading and Excavating classification covers digging, moving, and placing materials that form the surface of the earth. The work may include cuts, fills, excavation, grading, trenching, backfilling, clearing, grubbing, and similar operations performed with hand tools, power tools, and construction equipment.

The classification also includes work on earthen dams, the use of explosives connected with qualifying grading and excavation activities, and erosion-control work. Contractors should understand the scope of the classification and determine whether other portions of a project require an additional classification or separately licensed trade.

North Carolina contractor licenses are issued under limitations that affect the value of projects a licensee may undertake. Applicants should select the limitation that matches their intended work and satisfy the financial or bonding requirements connected with that limitation.

The applicant must designate a qualifier who satisfies the examination requirement for the classification. The license is issued to the approved individual or business entity after the Board confirms that all applicable requirements have been completed.

Grading and excavation contractors must also understand jobsite safety, utility-location procedures, erosion and sedimentation control, environmental responsibilities, project documentation, and contractor laws. These subjects may be tested even when their supporting books are not allowed into the examination room.

Reference Books

This highlighted and tabbed package includes the following two exam-room references:

• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  This reference contains construction safety requirements applicable to grading, trenching, excavation, clearing, material handling, equipment operation, access, personal protective equipment, hazardous conditions, and worker protection. Candidates should review trench protective systems, inspections, spoil placement, ladders, ramps, water accumulation, hazardous atmospheres, mobile equipment, and jobsite responsibilities.
• North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018
  This publication provides North Carolina Department of Transportation specifications for construction contracts involving roads and structures. It supports preparation involving earthwork, excavation, embankments, grading, materials, drainage, erosion control, roadway construction procedures, measurement, acceptance, and specification-based project requirements.

The safety standards should become the primary reference for questions involving employee exposure and construction hazards. Candidates should study the conditions that trigger specific safety requirements rather than memorizing isolated terms.

The North Carolina Standard Specifications should be studied by division and section. Learn where general requirements, earthwork, materials, drainage, structures, erosion control, and construction procedures appear. Familiarity with section numbering can help candidates locate a technical provision more quickly.

Exam Room Approved Books

The following highlighted and tabbed books are included for use in the North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination room:

• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
• North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018

This package contains only the two references allowed into the exam room. It does not include the separate study materials used for sedimentation control, excavation notification, business and law, pipe and excavation contracting, licensing regulations, or liens.

Testing-center personnel make the final determination regarding whether a reference complies with exam-day rules. Before the appointment, candidates should remove temporary page flags, loose notes, inserted papers, detachable materials, and unauthorized attachments.

Use the highlighted and tabbed references throughout your preparation so the organization of the books becomes familiar. The package is most effective when the tabs, highlighted material, indexes, tables, and section numbers are used repeatedly before the test.

Test Information and Study Materials

Begin your preparation with construction safety and general excavation knowledge. Review trench hazards, protective systems, soil conditions, competent-person inspections, spoil placement, equipment access, ladders, ramps, water accumulation, underground installations, hazardous atmospheres, and personal protective equipment.

For grading and earthwork, study clearing, grubbing, stripping, excavation, undercutting, embankment construction, moisture control, material placement, compaction, slope shaping, subgrade preparation, drainage, and site restoration. Understand how unsuitable materials, weather, groundwater, and field conditions can affect construction procedures.

Use the North Carolina Standard Specifications to review how roadway and structure projects define materials, workmanship, measurement, acceptance, and contractor responsibilities. Learn to identify the division or section that applies to the subject in a question.

Practice distinguishing between safety questions and specification questions. A question about employee protection, trench access, or hazardous equipment conditions should direct you toward the safety standards. A question about material placement, roadway earthwork, drainage construction, or acceptance requirements should direct you toward the North Carolina specifications.

Additional preparation should address erosion and sedimentation control, North Carolina excavation notification requirements, contractor business practices, laws, licensing, liens, and general excavation methods. These topics may require separate study resources because their reference books are not included in this exam-room package.

Use timed practice sessions. Select a topic, decide which of the two books applies, locate the section, and confirm the answer. Record difficult searches and revisit those chapters until navigation becomes more efficient.

Do not rely only on highlighted passages. Read the surrounding material to understand conditions, exceptions, definitions, and related provisions. A complete understanding of the section is more useful than memorizing a single marked sentence.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor candidates organize the approved exam-room references into a practical study system. This package provides the two permitted books professionally highlighted and tabbed for focused review and repeated navigation practice.

Professional highlighting draws attention to important safety provisions, grading requirements, material specifications, construction procedures, tables, and definitions. Permanent subject tabs create clear access points for major sections and frequently reviewed topics.

The package supports trade-focused preparation involving excavation, grading, trenching, backfill, earthwork, roadway specifications, drainage, equipment safety, worker protection, and construction requirements. Candidates can use the books to connect exam terminology with the correct reference and section.

1 Exam Prep encourages a practice-oriented approach. Candidates should combine trade knowledge with repeated book-navigation exercises, timed searches, and focused review of difficult subjects. This study structure can help build familiarity and greater confidence before the examination.

No book package guarantees a passing score, application approval, or contractor license. Results depend on the candidate’s experience, preparation, knowledge, reference familiarity, and performance during the examination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the North Carolina Grading and Excavating examination open book?

Yes. The examination is open book, and candidates may use approved references that comply with the current testing-center rules.

How many books are included in this package?

The package includes two highlighted and tabbed reference books.

Which books are included?

The package includes the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry and the North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018.

Are both books allowed into the exam room?

Yes. This package is limited to the two listed references identified for use during the North Carolina Grading and Excavating examination.

Are the books already highlighted and tabbed?

Yes. The books are professionally highlighted and fitted with permanent subject tabs to support organized study and faster navigation.

How many questions are on the examination?

The North Carolina Grading and Excavating examination contains 45 questions.

How much time is allowed?

Candidates are allowed 120 minutes to complete the examination.

What score is required to pass?

The required passing score is 70%.

Does this package include study books that are not allowed in the exam?

No. This package contains only the two exam-room references. Separate study resources may be needed for business law, licensing, liens, sedimentation control, excavation notification, and general excavation practices.

How long does the highlighted and tabbed package take to prepare?

Please allow up to 15 business days for highlighted and tabbed trade book package orders. Shipping transit time is separate from the preparation period.

Does passing the examination automatically issue a contractor license?

No. Passing the examination is one part of the licensing process. The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors must approve the application and confirm completion of all applicable requirements.

Does this package guarantee a passing score?

No. The package provides organized exam-room references, but examination results depend on the candidate’s preparation, knowledge, experience, reference-navigation skills, and performance.