North Carolina Highway Contractor Exam Ultimate Package

Prepare for the North Carolina Highway Contractor examination and licensing process with a comprehensive Ultimate package that combines seventeen professionally highlighted and tabbed rental books, live trade instruction, a structured self-study course, and Application Service. This package is designed for candidates who want a complete study system for highway construction topics, open-book reference navigation, technical review, and the North Carolina contractor application process.

The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination requires broad knowledge across multiple construction disciplines. Preparation may involve asphalt paving, excavation, grading, concrete, reinforcing steel, piles, tunneling, railroad construction, marine construction, sports fields, construction equipment, erosion and sedimentation control, workplace safety, traffic-related construction, contractor business law, licensing regulations, and project management.

The package includes six rental books identified for use inside the examination room: 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.

Eleven additional books are included for study purposes but are not allowed inside the examination room. These study-only references provide expanded preparation in sedimentation control, excavation safety, pipe and excavation construction, concrete mixtures, hot-mix asphalt paving, reinforcing steel, unbonded post-tensioning, jacked tunnel construction, railway engineering, and North Carolina contractor laws and regulations.

All seventeen rental books are professionally highlighted and tabbed. Highlighting draws attention to important definitions, tables, specifications, construction methods, safety rules, business provisions, material requirements, equipment information, and technical procedures. Permanent tabs divide each book into practical subject areas to support efficient review and repeated reference-navigation practice.

The Ultimate package includes live trade classes and 1 year of course access. Live instruction provides guided review of major highway construction topics, approved-reference use, and practical examination strategies. The self-study course allows candidates to revisit lessons, strengthen difficult areas, and continue preparing throughout the one-year access period.

Application Service is included with this package. The service supports the organization and completion of the North Carolina general contractor application process. Application approval, 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 $2,665, plus a refundable $1,300 rental-book deposit, for a total initial payment of $3,965. The $1,300 deposit is refundable when the complete seventeen-book rental set is returned in similar condition within one year from the date the books are received.

Exam Details

The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination is part of the qualification process for contractors seeking the Highway classification. Candidates should prepare for a broad range of technical, regulatory, safety, and business topics connected with highway and heavy construction work.

Asphalt-paving preparation should include asphalt materials, aggregate properties, production, transportation, surface preparation, placement, temperature control, joints, rolling, compaction, density, thickness, drainage, quality control, and common pavement defects. The Hot Mix Asphalt Paving Handbook supports detailed study of these subjects.

Excavation and grading preparation should address clearing, grubbing, stripping, cut-and-fill operations, embankments, trenches, backfill, soil conditions, moisture control, compaction, grade control, dewatering, equipment selection, and utility protection. Candidates should also understand erosion and sedimentation-control responsibilities connected with disturbed soil.

Concrete preparation should include cementitious materials, aggregates, water, admixtures, mixture proportioning, production, placement, consolidation, finishing, curing, testing, durability, and quality control. Reinforcing-steel preparation should include bar identification, supports, ties, splices, clearances, placement, storage, handling, and field practices.

Tunneling study should cover shafts, alignment, ground conditions, equipment, support methods, jacking operations, excavation, ventilation, safety, construction sequencing, and quality considerations. Railroad-construction preparation should include track structure, ballast, ties, rails, switches, crossings, drainage, alignment, and construction practices.

Marine and coastal construction topics may include shoreline projects, docks, piers, bulkheads, regulated coastal areas, permitting concepts, environmental considerations, equipment access, piles, foundations, and construction performed in or near water.

Sports-field preparation should include field layout, grading, drainage, soils, turf establishment, irrigation concepts, artificial surfaces, construction methods, and maintenance. Business and law preparation should address contracts, licensing, estimating, project management, financial administration, liens, insurance, and contractor responsibilities.

Open Book Test

The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination is an open-book test. Only the six books identified in the Exam Room Approved Books section are included for use inside the examination room. The eleven additional rental books are study-only references and should not be taken into the testing center.

The North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018 supports preparation involving highway materials, earthwork, paving, drainage, structures, concrete, reinforcement, construction procedures, measurement, acceptance, and quality requirements.

The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry supports preparation involving excavation, equipment, traffic exposure, tunneling, pile driving, concrete work, cranes, rigging, fall protection, personal protective equipment, ladders, scaffolds, tools, and general jobsite safety.

Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition supports questions involving equipment selection, productivity, project planning, earthwork, excavation, pile operations, tunneling, concrete construction, jobsite logistics, and field methods.

Sports Fields Design, Construction and Maintenance supports athletic-field design, soils, grading, drainage, irrigation concepts, turf, synthetic surfaces, construction, and maintenance. The Contractor’s Guide supports business, law, licensing, estimating, contracts, and project-management topics. The CAMA Handbook supports coastal-development and marine-construction preparation.

All six exam-room-approved references are professionally highlighted and tabbed. Candidates should practice identifying which reference applies to each question and become familiar with the location of important sections, tables, diagrams, definitions, and procedures.

Permanent tabs should remain securely attached to the pages. Approved books should remain complete and properly bound. Loose papers, temporary flags, removable markers, and unapproved supplemental materials should not be taken into the examination room.

Licensing Steps

1. Select the Highway classification. Confirm that the classification matches the paving, grading, bridge, drainage, airport, sports-field, tunneling, railroad, marine, and related work the 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 Highway classification.
4. Gather the required application information. Organize business, ownership, qualifier, financial, and background information.
5. Use the included Application Service. Receive structured support with organizing and completing the North Carolina general contractor application process.
6. Submit the applicable licensing materials. Complete the current application or examination-request requirements.
7. Receive examination eligibility. Follow the registration and scheduling instructions issued after approval.
8. Attend the live trade classes. Review asphalt, concrete, excavation, grading, equipment, tunneling, railway construction, coastal work, safety, business, and reference-navigation strategies.
9. Continue with self-study preparation. Use the one-year access period to revisit lessons, strengthen difficult subjects, and complete practice activities.
10. Study the complete rental library. Use all seventeen books to build technical, safety, business, and regulatory knowledge.
11. Practice with the approved references. Complete timed navigation drills using only the six books allowed in the examination room.
12. Schedule and take the examination. Bring the required identification and approved exam-room books in acceptable condition.
13. Complete remaining licensing requirements. Passing the examination satisfies the testing component, but the licensing board must approve the complete application before issuing a license.
14. Return the complete rental set. Return all seventeen books in similar condition within one year from the date received to qualify for the refundable $1,300 deposit.

State Requirements

The North Carolina Highway classification covers highway construction activity, including grading, paving, bridges, culverts, parking decks, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, storm drainage, guardrails, fencing, signage, and related highway work.

The classification may also include airport and airfield work, such as grading and paving runways, taxiways, and aprons, along with related fencing, lighting, signage, and markings. Exterior artificial athletic surfaces and related field construction may also fall within the scope of covered work.

Highway construction projects may involve relocation of utility lines when that work is ancillary to the principal project. Boring, tunneling, concrete construction, marine construction, railroad construction, grading, excavation, and other related activities may also be involved depending on the project.

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 choose both according to the company’s intended services, financial qualifications, and anticipated project values.

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

Highway contractors must also comply with applicable permits, plans, specifications, inspections, traffic-control requirements, utility-location procedures, environmental regulations, erosion and sedimentation-control rules, workplace-safety standards, and project-specific obligations.

Reference Books

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

Exam Room Approved Books

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

• 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 Latest Available Amendments
• Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition
• CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina

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

Test Information and Study Materials

This Ultimate package includes live trade instruction and 1 year of course access. Begin with the major technical areas, including asphalt paving, earthwork, concrete, reinforcing steel, tunneling, railway construction, marine construction, and equipment.

Use the study-only references to strengthen technical understanding, then complete timed navigation drills with only the six approved books. Identify the question topic, choose the correct reference, move to the applicable tab, and confirm the answer from the relevant table, specification, diagram, definition, or procedure.

Build a balanced study plan that includes business, law, licensing, liens, safety, sedimentation control, sports fields, coastal-development topics, and project management. Smaller categories still contribute to the final examination result and should not be overlooked.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep supports students 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 a broad seventeen-book rental library with one-year course access and Application Service.

The professionally highlighted and tabbed books reduce the work involved in creating an organized study system. Highlighting directs attention to important highway specifications, paving methods, safety requirements, equipment procedures, concrete principles, tunnel construction, railway topics, business provisions, and environmental requirements.

Live classes provide guided review of important Highway Contractor subjects and practical preparation strategies. The self-study course allows candidates to revisit lessons, strengthen weak areas, and continue working through the material throughout the one-year access period.

Application Service supports the organization and completion of the North Carolina contractor application process. It does not guarantee application approval, examination eligibility, license issuance, or any particular state decision.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in the Ultimate package?

The package includes seventeen highlighted and tabbed rental books, live Highway Contractor classes, 1 year of self-study course access, and Application Service.

How many rental books are included?

The complete rental set includes seventeen books: six exam-room-approved references and eleven study-only references.

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.

What is the total initial payment?

The package price is $2,665, plus a refundable $1,300 rental-book deposit, for a total initial payment of $3,965.

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 one year from the date the books are received.

How long is the course available?

The Ultimate package includes 1 year of course access.

Are live classes included?

Yes. The package includes live trade classes and self-study preparation.

Is Application Service included?

Yes. Application Service is included with this Ultimate package.

Are all seventeen books highlighted and tabbed?

Yes. Every rental book is professionally highlighted and tabbed before shipment.

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 six approved references may be used inside the examination room.

Does this package guarantee a passing score or license approval?

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