North Carolina Highway Contractor Highlighted & Tabbed Books Allowed into Exam Package

Prepare for the North Carolina Highway Contractor examination with a complete collection of professionally highlighted and tabbed reference books allowed into the exam room. This package includes six publications covering highway specifications, construction safety, business and project management, construction equipment, sports-field construction, and development requirements affecting coastal North Carolina.

The North Carolina Highway Contractor Highlighted & Tabbed Books Allowed into Exam Package is designed for candidates who want an organized set of references for study and open-book examination use. Each book supports one or more areas of the Highway Contractor examination, including asphalt paving, excavation and grading, concrete paving, construction safety, traffic control, equipment selection, business and law, sports fields, and coastal development.

Professional highlighting draws attention to important requirements, technical concepts, procedures, definitions, tables, specifications, and contractor responsibilities. Permanent subject tabs divide major chapters and frequently reviewed topics, helping candidates move between sections more efficiently while studying and during the examination.

The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination covers a wide range of construction activity. Candidates may encounter questions involving roads, bridges, drainage, grading, paving, airport surfaces, utility relocation, concrete, reinforcement, piling, tunneling, railroad construction, marine construction, traffic control, sports fields, licensing, liens, and contractor business practices. An organized reference package helps candidates prepare for this broad outline with a consistent book-navigation strategy.

An open-book examination still requires thorough preparation. Candidates must identify the subject of a question, decide which reference applies, locate the appropriate section, and interpret the information within the available testing time. Using the same highlighted and tabbed books throughout preparation helps build familiarity with their indexes, chapter layouts, specifications, diagrams, tables, and terminology.

The highlighting and tabs are designed to improve organization and navigation. They do not replace reading the books, learning the trade, or practicing with the references 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 references to be professionally organized before fulfillment.

Exam Details

The North Carolina Highway Contractor 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, and approved candidates receive instructions for registration and scheduling.

• Examination: North Carolina Highway Contractor
• Testing Provider: PSI
• Number of Questions: 90
• Time Allowed: 265 minutes
• Required Passing Score: 70%
• Testing Format: Computer-administered examination
• Reference Format: Open book with approved materials

The examination outline assigns 12 questions to asphalt paving, eight questions to excavation and grading, eight questions to tunneling, eight questions to railroad construction, and seven questions to business and law. Marine construction and concrete each account for six questions.

Additional examination areas include piles, safety, metals and concrete reinforcement, sports fields, erosion and sedimentation control, concrete paving, One-Call responsibilities, traffic control, licensing, and liens. Candidates should prepare across the entire outline rather than focusing only on roadway paving.

The six books in this package provide important support for several major content areas. The North Carolina highway specifications address roadway construction requirements, materials, workmanship, measurement, and acceptance. The safety standards address worker protection and construction hazards. The contractor guide supports business and law preparation, while the construction equipment reference supports planning, production, methods, and equipment-related knowledge.

The sports-field reference supports questions involving natural and artificial athletic surfaces, drainage, construction, and maintenance. The CAMA handbook supports preparation involving development requirements and construction considerations in coastal areas of North Carolina.

Open Book Test

The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination is an open-book test. Candidates are responsible for bringing their approved references to the examination center. The books must comply with the current testing-provider requirements concerning binding, tabs, highlighting, notes, and inserted materials.

Approved references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Permanent tabs may be used when they are securely attached and not easily removed. Temporary page flags, removable tabs, loose papers, handwritten notes, and unauthorized attachments are not permitted.

The CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina must be properly bound for exam-room use. A complete copy may be spiral-bound or placed in a binder. Partial references are not accepted.

With 90 questions and 265 minutes, candidates have an average of slightly less than three minutes per question. This time must cover reading the question, determining the subject, selecting the correct reference, locating the applicable provision, interpreting the information, and choosing an answer.

Do not treat every question as a search from the beginning of every book. Learn which reference is most likely to address each topic. Questions about NCDOT materials, construction procedures, measurement, or roadway work should generally direct you to the North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures. Questions involving worker protection should direct you to the construction safety standards.

Business, contract, project-management, lien, and administrative questions should direct you to the Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management. Equipment production, planning, earthmoving, hauling, and construction-method questions may be addressed by Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods. Sports-field questions should direct you to the dedicated sports-field reference, while coastal-development questions should direct you to the CAMA handbook.

Licensing Steps

1. Review the Highway classification. Confirm that the classification corresponds with the highway and infrastructure work the applicant or business plans to perform.
2. Complete the required license application. Submit the requested application and supporting 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 Highway classification.
4. Select the appropriate license limitation. Choose the limitation that matches the size and scope of the projects the business intends to undertake.
5. Provide supporting documentation. Submit the organizational, financial, qualifier, and other information required during the application process.
6. Receive examination eligibility. Approved candidates receive an eligibility letter containing the information needed to register and schedule the examination.
7. Prepare for the complete examination outline. Study the technical, safety, business, legal, environmental, and specialty construction subjects included in the test.
8. Practice with the exam-room references. Use the highlighted and tabbed books for timed reference-navigation exercises.
9. Take the examination. Bring the required identification and only the references and materials permitted under current testing rules.
10. Complete the licensing process. Follow the Board’s instructions concerning examination results and any remaining application requirements.

Passing the Highway Contractor examination does not automatically issue a contractor license. The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors must approve the applicant and confirm completion of all applicable licensing requirements.

State Requirements

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

The classification also covers bridge construction and repair, culvert construction and repair, parking decks, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, storm drainage, guardrails, fencing, signage, and ancillary highway hardware.

Airport and airfield work within the classification may include paving and grading runways, taxiways, and aprons, along with related fencing, signage, runway lighting, and marking. The scope also includes work performed under several related specialty classifications, including boring and tunneling, concrete construction, marine construction, railroad construction, and grading and excavating.

Applicants must designate a qualifier who satisfies the examination requirement. The license is issued to the approved individual or business entity after the Board determines that the applicant has met the applicable organizational, financial, qualifier, and administrative requirements.

North Carolina contractor licenses have limitations affecting the value of projects a contractor may undertake. Applicants should select the limitation that matches their planned work and meet the financial responsibility or bonding requirements associated with that limitation.

Reference Books

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

• Sports Fields Design, Construction and Maintenance, Second Edition, 2010
  This reference covers the planning, design, construction, drainage, establishment, use, and maintenance of sports fields. It supports preparation involving natural turf, artificial athletic surfaces, soils, grading, irrigation, drainage, field layout, renovation, and ongoing performance.
• Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management - North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition
  This contractor-focused reference addresses business organization, contracts, estimating, project management, financial management, insurance, risk, employment practices, safety administration, liens, licensing, and North Carolina contractor responsibilities.
• North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018
  This publication provides specifications for North Carolina roadway and structure construction. It addresses materials, workmanship, earthwork, paving, drainage, structures, traffic control, erosion control, measurement, payment, acceptance, and contractor responsibilities.
• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  This reference contains construction safety requirements relevant to highway work. Topics include excavation, heavy equipment, traffic exposure, personal protective equipment, fall protection, cranes, concrete operations, steel erection, tunneling, confined spaces, material handling, and worker protection.
• Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition
  This technical reference addresses construction planning, equipment selection, production, earthmoving, excavation, hauling, compaction, lifting, tunneling, paving, concrete operations, estimating, scheduling, and construction methods.
• CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina
  This handbook explains development considerations and regulatory requirements affecting coastal areas of North Carolina. It supports preparation involving coastal resources, development permits, areas of environmental concern, shoreline work, public trust areas, and coastal construction planning.

Each reference serves a different role in the preparation process. Candidates should learn which book applies to each subject instead of searching all six publications for every question.

Exam Room Approved Books

The following highlighted and tabbed references are included for use in 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

This package contains the listed books allowed into the examination room. Additional study references may be useful for subjects such as piles, concrete mixtures, reinforcing steel, asphalt paving, tunneling, railroad construction, marine construction, excavation notification, and sedimentation control, but those materials are not included in this package.

Testing-center personnel make the final determination regarding whether a reference complies with exam-day requirements. Candidates should inspect every book before the appointment and remove loose papers, handwritten notes, temporary flags, unauthorized attachments, or incomplete material.

Test Information and Study Materials

Begin with asphalt paving because it is the largest single category in the examination outline. Review materials, mix production, transportation, placement, equipment, compaction, joints, surface preparation, weather considerations, inspection, and specification requirements.

Excavation and grading is another major area. Study clearing, grubbing, excavation, embankments, cut-and-fill operations, equipment selection, hauling, moisture control, compaction, slopes, drainage, subgrade preparation, and site restoration.

For tunneling, railroad construction, and marine construction, candidates should build subject knowledge using appropriate study resources outside this package. Learn the terminology, equipment, construction sequences, safety concerns, and quality-control practices associated with each specialty.

Use the occupational safety standards to review excavation hazards, traffic exposure, equipment operation, personal protective equipment, fall protection, cranes, concrete construction, steel work, tunneling, and confined spaces. Safety questions may depend on specific conditions, so read the surrounding provisions rather than memorizing isolated statements.

Business and law preparation should include contracts, project delivery, estimating, scheduling, financial controls, insurance, risk, employment responsibilities, liens, licensing, and project documentation. The contractor guide should be used regularly so its major chapters and North Carolina-specific sections become familiar.

Practice with the North Carolina Standard Specifications by learning its divisions, section numbers, tables, measurement provisions, and construction requirements. Use the permanent tabs to reach a major subject and then narrow the search with headings and the index.

Review sports-field construction separately from general highway work. Study field layout, soils, grading, drainage, natural and artificial surfaces, irrigation, construction sequencing, and maintenance requirements.

For coastal development, become familiar with the structure of the CAMA handbook and the terminology used for regulated coastal resources and development activities. Because the handbook must be complete and bound for exam-room use, inspect the prepared copy before the testing appointment.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps North Carolina Highway Contractor candidates organize a broad exam-room reference list into a practical preparation system. This package brings together six highlighted and tabbed books addressing highway specifications, safety, business, equipment, sports fields, and coastal development.

Professional highlighting directs attention to important specifications, safety requirements, construction procedures, business concepts, definitions, and tables. Permanent subject tabs create convenient navigation points for major chapters and frequently reviewed topics.

The package supports trade-focused preparation involving asphalt paving, excavation, grading, concrete, equipment, roadway specifications, sports fields, coastal development, safety, business law, and project management. Candidates can use the organized references to connect examination terminology with the correct source.

1 Exam Prep encourages repeated, timed reference-navigation practice. Candidates should identify the subject, select the correct book, locate the applicable section, and confirm the answer. This process can help build a more consistent approach to the open-book examination.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the North Carolina Highway Contractor examination open book?

Yes. The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination is open book, and candidates may use approved references that comply with current testing-center requirements.

How many books are included in this package?

The package includes six highlighted and tabbed references.

Are all six books allowed into the exam room?

Yes. This package is limited to the six listed references intended for use during the North Carolina Highway Contractor 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 exam-reference navigation.

How many questions are on the examination?

The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination contains 90 questions.

How much time is allowed?

Candidates are allowed 265 minutes to complete the examination.

What score is required to pass?

The required passing score is 70%.

Does the package include books that are not allowed into the exam?

No. This package contains only the six listed exam-room references. Separate study materials may be needed for additional subjects in the examination outline.

Does the CAMA handbook need to be bound?

Yes. The CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina must be complete and properly bound for exam-room use.

How long does package preparation take?

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 exam 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 that all applicable requirements have been completed.

Does this package guarantee a passing score?

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