North Carolina Highway Contractor Books & Course Rental

Prepare for the North Carolina Highway Contractor examination with a comprehensive rental package that combines six exam-room-approved references, eleven additional study-only books, and a structured trade self-study course. All seventeen rental books are professionally highlighted and tabbed to support organized preparation, efficient research, and repeated practice throughout the six-month rental period.

The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination covers asphalt paving, excavation and grading, piles, concrete paving, concrete construction, reinforcing metals, tunneling, railroad construction, marine construction, traffic control, erosion and sedimentation control, utility-location responsibilities, sports fields, workplace safety, contractor business law, licensing, and liens. Candidates need broad construction knowledge and the ability to locate exact information within approved technical manuals, roadway specifications, safety standards, coastal-development materials, and contractor-business references.

The six exam-room-approved rental books include Sports Fields Design, Construction and Maintenance, Second Edition, 2010; Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management - North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition; North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018; North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with the latest available amendments; Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition; and CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina, 2007.

The package also includes eleven study-only rental books that are not allowed inside the examination room. These additional references support preparation in erosion and sedimentation control, excavation safety, pipe construction, concrete materials, asphalt paving, reinforcing steel, post-tensioning, tunneling, railway engineering, contractor laws, and related highway construction subjects.

The included trade self-study course provides 6 months of course access. Students can review the examination outline, strengthen technical knowledge with the study-only references, and complete timed navigation drills using the six books permitted inside the testing center. The package is designed to help candidates separate broad trade preparation from exam-room reference practice.

Please allow 15 business days for professional highlighting and tabbing before shipment. The package price is $2,240, plus a refundable $1,300 rental-book deposit, for a total initial payment of $3,540. The $1,300 deposit is refundable when the complete seventeen-book rental set is returned in similar condition within six months from the date the books are received.

Exam Details

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

• Examination: North Carolina Highway Contractor
• Number of questions: 90
• Time allowed: 265 minutes
• Passing score: 70%
• Testing format: Computer-based examination
• Testing provider: PSI Services LLC

The examination content outline includes the following subject areas:

• Paving — Asphalt: 12 questions
• Piles: 5 questions
• Excavation and Grading: 8 questions
• Concrete Paving: 3 questions
• Safety: 5 questions
• One-Call Requirements: 3 questions
• Traffic Control: 2 questions
• Concrete: 6 questions
• Metals, Including Concrete Reinforcement: 5 questions
• Erosion and Sedimentation Control: 4 questions
• Tunneling: 8 questions
• Railroad Construction: 8 questions
• Marine Construction: 6 questions
• Licensing: 2 questions
• Liens: 1 question
• Business and Law: 7 questions
• Sports Fields: 5 questions

Asphalt paving is the largest individual category. Candidates should review asphalt materials, aggregate properties, mix production, transportation, surface preparation, placement, temperature control, joints, rolling, density, thickness, drainage, quality control, and common pavement defects.

Excavation, grading, tunneling, and railroad construction make up another substantial part of the examination. Preparation should include earthwork quantities, soil conditions, clearing, excavation, embankments, compaction, grade control, equipment selection, underground construction, tunnel methods, roadbeds, ballast, ties, rails, switches, crossings, and construction sequencing.

Concrete, reinforcing steel, piles, marine construction, safety, traffic control, sports fields, business law, licensing, liens, and erosion control complete the examination outline. Candidates should build a balanced study plan that includes every official content area.

Open Book Test

The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination is an open-book test. Only the six references identified below as exam-room approved are included for use inside the testing center. The eleven additional books included in the rental set are study-only references and are not allowed inside the examination room.

The approved books support questions involving highway specifications, asphalt paving, grading, construction equipment, safety, coastal work, sports fields, business law, licensing, liens, marine construction, concrete operations, piles, and related construction methods.

All six exam-room-approved references are professionally highlighted and tabbed. Permanent tabs create practical access points for major subjects, while highlighting draws attention to important provisions, specifications, definitions, procedures, tables, diagrams, and construction details.

Approved references must comply with the testing center’s book-use rules. Tabs must be permanent and securely attached. Removable flags, temporary page markers, and Post-it-style tabs are not accepted. Loose pages, attached supplemental papers, and incomplete references are not permitted.

The 265-minute examination period provides an average of slightly less than three minutes per question. Candidates should learn the major concepts before test day and use the books when a question requires an exact specification, safety rule, table, business provision, coastal-development requirement, or technical procedure.

Licensing Steps

1. Select the Highway Contractor classification. Confirm that it matches the paving, grading, bridge, drainage, airport, sports-field, tunneling, railroad, marine, and related work the business plans to perform.
2. Choose the appropriate license limitation. Select a 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 Highway Contractor classification.
4. Gather the required application information. Organize the business, ownership, qualifier, financial, and background information needed for the filing.
5. Submit the applicable materials. Complete the current application or examination-request process established by the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.
6. Receive examination eligibility. Eligible candidates receive instructions for registering and scheduling through PSI.
7. Begin the self-study course. Use the six-month access period to review all official examination categories.
8. Use the complete study library. Study the additional references for deeper instruction while practicing timed navigation with the six exam-room-approved books.
9. Schedule and take the examination. Bring the required identification and only the permitted exam-room references.
10. Complete the remaining licensing requirements. Passing the examination satisfies the testing component, but the board must approve the complete application before issuing the license.
11. Return the complete rental set. Return all seventeen books in similar condition within six months from the date received to qualify for the refundable $1,300 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 appropriate North Carolina general contractor license.

State Requirements

The North Carolina Highway Contractor classification covers highway construction activity, including demolition, grading, paving of all types, exterior artificial athletic surfaces, and relocation of public or private utility lines when that work is ancillary to the principal project.

The classification also covers bridges, culverts, parking decks, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, storm drainage, guardrails, fencing, signage, and ancillary highway hardware. Airport and airfield work may include grading and paving runways, taxiways, and aprons, along with related fencing, lighting, signage, and markings.

Covered work also includes qualifying boring and tunneling, concrete construction, marine construction, railroad construction, grading, and excavating activities when performed as part of the highway project.

The classification identifies the type of construction work the licensed business may perform. The license limitation determines the monetary value of projects the contractor may undertake. Contractors must also comply with applicable permits, plans, specifications, inspections, utility-location rules, environmental requirements, traffic-control obligations, and workplace-safety standards.

Reference Books

The complete rental set includes seventeen professionally highlighted and tabbed references. Six are identified for examination-room use, and eleven are included for study only.

• Included Rental Book: Sports Fields Design, Construction and Maintenance, Second Edition, 2010
  This exam-room-approved reference addresses athletic-field planning, soils, grading, drainage, irrigation concepts, turf establishment, construction, artificial surfaces, and maintenance.
• Included Rental Book: Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management - North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition
  This exam-room-approved reference covers licensing, contracts, estimating, business organization, financial management, project administration, insurance, risk, liens, and contractor responsibilities.
• Included Rental Book: North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018
  This exam-room-approved reference covers highway materials, earthwork, paving, structures, drainage, concrete, reinforcement, construction procedures, measurement, acceptance, and quality requirements.
• Included Rental Book: North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  This exam-room-approved reference supports questions involving excavation, equipment, traffic exposure, tunneling, pile driving, concrete, cranes, rigging, personal protective equipment, and general jobsite safety.
• Included Rental Book: Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition
  This exam-room-approved reference covers construction planning, equipment selection, earthwork, grading, excavation, pile driving, tunneling, concrete operations, productivity, and field methods.
• Included Rental Book: CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina, 2007
  This exam-room-approved reference supports preparation involving coastal development, CAMA-regulated areas, permits, shoreline construction, docks, piers, marine structures, and development limitations.
• Included Rental Book: North Carolina Administrative Code, Title 15A, Chapter 4 Sedimentation Control, Including the Latest Amendments
  This study-only reference supports preparation involving sedimentation-control requirements, administration, plans, responsibilities, and enforcement.
• Included Rental Book: North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 113A, Article 4 Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of 1973
  This study-only reference supports review of North Carolina’s statutory framework for sedimentation pollution control.
• Included Rental Book: North Carolina Excavation Safety Guidelines, 2022 or Later
  This study-only reference supports utility-location practices, excavation planning, marking, facility protection, communication, and damage prevention.
• Included Rental Book: Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  This study-only trade reference supports excavation methods, trenching, pipe installation, soil handling, dewatering, backfill, compaction, equipment, and productivity.
• Included Rental Book: Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th Edition
  This study-only reference supports preparation involving concrete materials, mixture proportioning, production, placement, testing, curing, durability, and quality control.
• Included Rental Book: Hot Mix Asphalt Paving Handbook
  This study-only reference supports asphalt production, transportation, placement, rolling, compaction, joints, pavement quality, and common paving practices.
• Included Rental Book: Laws and Regulations Applicable to General Contracting in the State of North Carolina
  This study-only reference supports review of laws and regulations governing general contracting in North Carolina.
• Included Rental Book: Placing Reinforcing Bars
  This study-only reference supports reinforcing-bar identification, storage, handling, placement, supports, ties, splices, clearances, and field practices.
• Included Rental Book: Training and Certification of Field Personnel for Unbonded Post-Tensioning - Level 1 Field Fundamentals
  This study-only reference supports preparation involving unbonded post-tensioning materials, installation, stressing concepts, safety, inspection, and field procedures.
• Included Rental Book: Jacked Tunnel Design and Construction, 1999
  This study-only reference supports preparation involving jacked tunnels, shafts, alignment, ground conditions, equipment, support, construction procedures, and quality considerations.
• Included Rental Book: The Practical Guide to Railway Engineering, 3rd Edition, 2019
  This study-only reference supports railway construction topics involving track structure, ballast, ties, rails, switches, crossings, drainage, alignment, and maintenance principles.

Exam Room Approved Books

Only the following six highlighted and tabbed rental books are identified for use inside the North Carolina Highway Contractor examination room:

• Sports Fields Design, Construction and Maintenance, Second Edition, 2010
  Use this reference for athletic-field design, drainage, grading, soils, turf, artificial surfaces, and maintenance.
• Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management - North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition
  Use this reference for business law, licensing, contracts, estimating, financial management, liens, and contractor responsibilities.
• North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018
  Use this reference for highway materials, earthwork, paving, structures, drainage, concrete, reinforcement, measurement, and acceptance.
• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  Use this reference for excavation, equipment, tunneling, pile driving, concrete operations, traffic exposure, and jobsite safety.
• Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition
  Use this reference for equipment, planning, productivity, earthwork, grading, pile driving, tunneling, and construction methods.
• CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina, 2007
  Use this reference for coastal development, regulated areas, permits, shoreline work, docks, piers, and marine construction.

The eleven additional books are study-only references and should not be taken into the examination center.

Test Information and Study Materials

The trade self-study course provides 6 months of course access. Begin with asphalt paving, excavation, grading, tunneling, and railroad construction because these subjects represent a substantial part of the examination.

Use the study-only asphalt, concrete, reinforcing-steel, tunneling, railway, excavation, and erosion-control books to strengthen technical understanding. Complete timed reference drills using only the six approved books so exam-day practice matches the testing environment.

For each practice question, identify the subject, select the correct approved reference, locate the applicable permanent tab, and confirm the answer from the relevant specification, table, diagram, procedure, or business provision. Repeated practice helps reduce unnecessary searching across multiple books.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep supports students through organized study guidance, trade-focused review, practice-oriented preparation, reference navigation, and a confidence-building study structure. This package combines a broad seventeen-book rental library with a self-study course designed around the North Carolina Highway Contractor examination.

The professionally highlighted and tabbed books reduce the work involved in building an organized reference system. Highlighting directs attention to important highway specifications, paving methods, safety requirements, concrete principles, tunneling procedures, railway topics, business provisions, erosion-control rules, and coastal-development requirements.

The clear separation between exam-room-approved and study-only books helps candidates prepare with the correct expectations. Students can use the full rental library during the course while reserving exam-navigation practice for the six references permitted inside the testing center.

No course or rental-book package guarantees a passing score, examination eligibility, or license approval. Results depend on the candidate’s knowledge, experience, qualifications, preparation, reference familiarity, and examination performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in this rental package?

The package includes six exam-room-approved rental books, eleven study-only rental books, professional highlighting and tabbing, and a Highway Contractor self-study course with 6 months of course access.

How many rental books are included?

The complete rental set includes seventeen books.

Can all seventeen books be taken into the examination room?

No. Only the six books listed in the Exam Room Approved Books section are identified for examination-room use. The remaining eleven references are study-only books.

What is the total initial payment?

The package price is $2,240, plus a refundable $1,300 rental-book deposit, for a total initial payment of $3,540.

How is the $1,300 deposit refunded?

The $1,300 deposit is refundable when the complete seventeen-book rental set is returned in similar condition within six months from the date the books are received.

Are all seventeen books highlighted and tabbed?

Yes. Every rental book in the complete set is professionally highlighted and tabbed.

How long is the course available?

The self-study course includes 6 months of course access.

How long can I keep the rental books?

The complete rental-book set must be returned within six months from the date the books are received to qualify for the deposit refund.

How long do the books take to prepare?

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

Is the examination open book?

Yes. The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination is open book, but only the approved exam-room references may be used.

Does the course include live instruction?

No. This package includes trade self-study course preparation.

Does this package guarantee a passing score?

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