North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor Ultimate Books Exam Room Approved + Course + Application Package

Prepare for the North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination and licensing process with a complete Ultimate package that combines two exam-room-approved rental books, live and self-study trade-course preparation, and Application Service. This package provides an organized path for candidates who want to strengthen their grading and excavation knowledge, practice efficient open-book reference navigation, and receive support with the North Carolina contractor application process.

The North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination covers excavation and grading, general trade knowledge, construction safety, erosion and sedimentation control, utility-location requirements, contractor licensing, regulations, and lien law. Candidates need practical knowledge of earthmoving operations while also knowing how to locate exact safety standards and roadway specifications within the approved examination references.

This Ultimate package includes the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with the latest available amendments, and North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018. Both rental books are approved for use during the open-book North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination.

Each rental reference is professionally highlighted and tabbed. Highlighting directs attention to important excavation requirements, grading procedures, safety standards, earthwork specifications, material requirements, definitions, tables, construction methods, and quality-control provisions. Permanent tabs organize each book into practical sections so candidates can develop a repeatable method for locating information during preparation and on examination day.

The trade course combines live instruction with self-study access. Live preparation provides guided review of excavation, grading, earthwork, safety, erosion-control principles, utility-location responsibilities, approved-reference use, and examination strategies. The self-study portion allows candidates to continue preparing independently, revisit difficult lessons, and practice using the highlighted and tabbed rental books. This Ultimate package includes 1 year of course access.

Application Service is included with the package. This service provides support with organizing and completing the North Carolina general contractor application process. Application acceptance, examination eligibility, and license issuance remain subject to the qualifications, requirements, and decisions of the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.

Please allow 15 business days for professional highlighting and tabbing before shipment. The package price is $1,115, plus a refundable $200 rental-book deposit, for a total initial payment of $1,315. The $200 deposit is refundable when both rental books are returned within one year in similar condition.

Exam Details

The North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination is administered by PSI for the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Candidates must complete the applicable application or examination-request process and receive examination eligibility before registering and scheduling a testing appointment.

• Classification: Highway — Grading and Excavating
• Number of questions: 45
• Time allowed: 120 minutes
• Passing score: 70%
• Testing format: Computer-based examination
• Testing provider: PSI Services LLC

The examination content outline includes the following subject areas:

• General Knowledge and Regulations: 9 questions
• Excavating and Grading: 18 questions
• Safety — Code of Federal Regulations: 6 questions
• Lien Law: 1 question
• Licensing and Regulations: 2 questions
• One Call: 3 questions
• Erosion and Sedimentation Control: 6 questions

Excavating and grading form the largest examination category, accounting for 18 of the 45 questions. Candidates should review clearing and grubbing, topsoil removal, excavation, embankments, cut-and-fill operations, trenching, backfilling, compaction, grading, drainage, soil handling, equipment selection, grade control, moisture control, and surface preparation.

General knowledge and regulations account for nine questions. Preparation should include construction terminology, job planning, earthwork procedures, equipment operation, material placement, project coordination, specifications, responsibilities, and basic regulatory requirements connected with grading and excavation work.

Safety and erosion and sedimentation control account for twelve questions combined. Candidates should study excavation protective systems, soil classifications, access, spoil placement, equipment hazards, personal protective equipment, traffic exposure, material handling, slope stabilization, sediment barriers, construction entrances, runoff management, and protection of disturbed areas.

Utility-location requirements, licensing, regulations, and lien law complete the examination outline. Although these categories contain fewer questions, they remain part of the final score and should be included in a complete preparation plan.

Open Book Test

The North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination is an open-book test. Both highlighted and tabbed rental references included in this Ultimate package are approved for use inside the examination room.

The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry supports questions involving excavations, trenches, soil classifications, sloping, benching, shoring, shielding, safe access, spoil placement, heavy equipment, personal protective equipment, traffic exposure, cranes, rigging, ladders, tools, material handling, and other construction-site safety requirements.

North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018 supports questions involving clearing, excavation, earthwork, embankments, grading, drainage, materials, compaction, roadway construction, erosion-control measures, construction procedures, measurement, acceptance, and quality requirements.

Approved references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Tabs must be permanent and firmly attached to the pages. Removable page flags, temporary markers, and Post-it-style tabs are not accepted. Notes may not be written on the tabs.

Loose papers and attached supplemental materials are not permitted. Reference materials must be complete and securely bound. Partial references are not accepted for examination-room use, and candidates may not write in the books during the examination session.

The 120-minute testing period provides an average of approximately two minutes and forty seconds per question. Candidates should understand the main grading and excavation principles before test day and use the books when a question requires an exact safety standard, specification, measurement rule, material requirement, table, or construction procedure.

Efficient open-book preparation requires repeated practice. Candidates should identify the subject of a question, select the correct reference, move directly to the applicable tab, and confirm the answer without reading large sections of unrelated material.

Licensing Steps

1. Select the Grading and Excavating classification. Confirm that the classification matches the digging, moving, grading, trenching, backfilling, clearing, and erosion-control work the applicant or business plans to perform.
2. Choose the applicable license limitation. Select the limitation that corresponds with the applicant’s financial qualifications and anticipated project values.
3. Identify the qualifier. Designate the individual whose accepted examination will support the requested Grading and Excavating classification.
4. Gather the required application information. Organize the business, ownership, qualifier, financial, and background information needed for the filing.
5. Use the included Application Service. Work through the North Carolina contractor application process with the support included in this Ultimate package.
6. Submit the applicable materials. Complete the required filing with the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.
7. Receive examination eligibility. Eligible candidates receive instructions for registering and scheduling the examination through PSI.
8. Attend the live trade course. Use guided instruction to review earthwork, excavation, grading, safety, erosion control, specifications, and exam strategies.
9. Continue with self-study preparation. Use the one-year access period to review lessons, complete practice activities, and revisit difficult subjects.
10. Practice with both rental books. Become familiar with the highlighted provisions, permanent tabs, tables, definitions, and organization of each approved reference.
11. Schedule and take the examination. Bring the required identification and both approved rental references in acceptable condition.
12. Complete any remaining licensing requirements. Passing the examination satisfies the testing component, but the licensing board must approve the complete application before issuing the license.
13. Return the rental books. Return both references within one year in similar condition to qualify for the refundable $200 deposit.

Passing the examination does not independently authorize an individual or business to perform licensed contracting work. The applicant or business entity must receive and maintain the applicable North Carolina general contractor license.

State Requirements

The North Carolina Grading and Excavating classification covers the digging, moving, and placing of materials that form the surface of the earth, excluding air and water. Covered operations include cuts, fills, excavation, grading, trenching, backfilling, and similar work performed with hand tools, power tools, and machines commonly used for earthmoving activities.

The classification also covers work on earthen dams and the use of explosives when those activities are performed in connection with covered grading and excavation work. Clearing, grubbing, and erosion-control activities are also included within the classification.

Typical projects may involve site clearing, mass excavation, building pads, roadway subgrades, embankments, trenches, drainage preparation, slope construction, backfill, compaction, rough grading, final grading, and stabilization of disturbed areas.

The contractor classification determines the type of construction work the licensed business may perform. The license limitation determines the monetary value of projects the contractor may undertake. Applicants should select both according to the company’s planned services, financial qualifications, and expected project sizes.

The applicant must designate a qualifier whose accepted examination supports the Grading and Excavating classification. The qualifier demonstrates examination knowledge, while the contractor license is issued to the approved applicant or business entity.

North Carolina generally requires a general contractor license when a person or business undertakes covered construction work valued at $40,000 or more. The licensed entity must hold an appropriate classification and a limitation that permits the value of the project.

Grading and excavation contractors must also comply with applicable utility-location requirements, permits, inspections, environmental controls, erosion and sedimentation rules, workplace-safety standards, plans, specifications, and project-specific obligations. A contractor license does not replace any separate approval required for a particular project.

Reference Books

This Ultimate package includes two professionally highlighted and tabbed rental references. Both books are approved for use inside the North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination room.

• Included Book: North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  This rental reference contains construction safety requirements involving excavations, trenches, protective systems, soil classifications, sloping, benching, shoring, shielding, access, spoil placement, heavy equipment, personal protective equipment, ladders, traffic exposure, cranes, rigging, tools, and material handling. Professional highlighting and permanent tabs help organize important safety sections for study and exam-room navigation.
• Included Book: North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018
  This rental reference contains North Carolina roadway and structure specifications involving clearing, grading, excavation, earthwork, embankments, drainage, compaction, materials, construction procedures, erosion control, measurement, acceptance, and quality requirements. Highlighting and permanent tabs support efficient reference navigation during study and examination use.

Both books remain rental property. They must be returned within one year in similar condition for the $200 rental-book deposit to be refundable.

Exam Room Approved Books

The following professionally highlighted and tabbed rental references are approved for use inside the North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination room:

• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  Use this reference for excavation safety, trench protection, soil classifications, access, spoil placement, personal protective equipment, heavy equipment, ladders, material handling, traffic exposure, and general construction-site requirements.
• North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018
  Use this reference for clearing, excavation, grading, embankments, earthwork, compaction, drainage, erosion control, materials, construction procedures, measurement, and acceptance requirements.

Candidates should practice with both approved books throughout the course-access period. Highlighting and permanent tabs provide an organized navigation system, but repeated use is necessary to learn each book’s structure, terminology, tables, sections, and subject locations.

Test Information and Study Materials

This Ultimate package combines live trade instruction with self-study preparation and provides 1 year of course access. The course structure supports guided learning, independent review, trade-focused preparation, and repeated practice with the approved exam-room references.

Begin with excavating and grading because this is the largest examination category. Review clearing, grubbing, stripping, excavation, cut-and-fill balancing, embankments, trenching, backfill, soil handling, moisture conditioning, lift thickness, compaction, equipment selection, grade control, slopes, drainage, and surface preparation.

General trade preparation should include reading specifications, understanding construction terminology, planning work sequences, coordinating equipment, identifying soil and site conditions, protecting existing improvements, calculating earthwork quantities, and maintaining safe production.

Safety preparation should emphasize trench protection, soil classification, protective-system selection, safe access and egress, spoil placement, equipment clearances, underground utilities, personal protective equipment, traffic hazards, material handling, ladders, and safe operation around workers on foot.

Erosion and sedimentation-control preparation should include stabilization, sediment barriers, construction entrances, inlet protection, slope protection, diversion measures, runoff management, maintenance, inspection, and protection of nearby properties and waterways.

Utility-location preparation should address advance notification, marking, tolerance zones, hand-digging considerations, protection of marked facilities, communication with facility operators, and responsibilities when underground utilities are damaged or exposed.

Timed reference exercises should be included throughout preparation. Read a question, identify the subject, select the appropriate approved reference, locate the applicable tab, and confirm the answer from the relevant standard, specification, table, definition, or construction procedure.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep supports candidates through organized study guidance, live trade instruction, self-study review, practice-oriented preparation, reference navigation, and a confidence-building study structure. This Ultimate package combines two approved examination books, one-year course access, and Application Service in one organized option.

The live course provides guided attention to excavation, grading, earthwork, compaction, equipment, safety, erosion control, utility-location responsibilities, specifications, and examination strategies. The self-study course allows candidates to reinforce that instruction and revisit difficult lessons throughout the one-year access period.

The professionally highlighted and tabbed rental books reduce the work involved in building a reference-navigation system. Highlighting draws attention to important safety provisions, grading specifications, construction procedures, tables, definitions, and quality requirements. Permanent tabs provide consistent access points for repeated practice.

Application Service provides support with organizing and completing the North Carolina contractor application process. It does not guarantee application acceptance, examination eligibility, license issuance, or state approval, but it gives candidates a structured way to approach the required filing.

Preparing with the same approved references that will be used during the examination helps build familiarity with each book. Regular practice can improve the ability to identify which reference applies and where important information is located under timed conditions.

No course, rental-book package, or application service guarantees a passing score, licensing approval, or a particular examination result. Outcomes depend on the candidate’s knowledge, qualifications, preparation, practical experience, reference familiarity, and examination performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in the Ultimate package?

The package includes two highlighted and tabbed exam-room-approved rental books, live trade instruction, self-study preparation, 1 year of course access, and Application Service.

What is the total initial payment?

The package price is $1,115, plus a refundable $200 rental-book deposit, for a total initial payment of $1,315.

How is the $200 deposit refunded?

The $200 deposit is refundable when both rental books are returned within one year in similar condition.

How long can I keep the rental books?

The rental period is one year. Both references must be returned within that period in similar condition to qualify for the deposit refund.

How long is the course available?

The package includes 1 year of course access.

Does the package include live and self-study preparation?

Yes. The package includes live North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor course instruction and self-study course access.

Is Application Service included?

Yes. Application Service is included with this Ultimate package.

Does Application Service guarantee license approval?

No. The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors determines application acceptance, examination eligibility, and license issuance.

Are both books approved for the examination room?

Yes. Both included rental references are approved for use during the North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination.

Are the rental books already highlighted and tabbed?

Yes. Both rental references are professionally highlighted and tabbed before shipment.

Is the examination open book?

Yes. The North Carolina Grading and Excavating Contractor examination is open book, and candidates may use the approved references in accordance with the testing rules.

Are course materials allowed in the examination room?

No. The live and self-study course materials are preparation resources. Only the approved exam-room references may be used during the examination.

How long do the books take to prepare?

Please allow 15 business days for professional highlighting and tabbing before shipment.

Does this Ultimate package guarantee a passing score?

No. The package provides organized references, live and self-study preparation, and application support, but results depend on the candidate’s knowledge, qualifications, preparation, experience, and examination performance.