North Carolina Highway Contractor Ultimate Books Exam Room Approved + Course + Application Package

Prepare for the North Carolina Highway Contractor examination and licensing process with a complete Ultimate package that combines six exam-room-approved rental books, live and self-study trade-course preparation, and Application Service. This package provides an organized approach to reviewing highway construction subjects, practicing open-book reference navigation, and completing the North Carolina general contractor application process.

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 requirements, sports fields, workplace safety, business law, licensing, and liens. Candidates need broad construction knowledge and the ability to locate exact information across several technical manuals, specifications, safety standards, and contractor-business references.

This Ultimate package includes 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.

All six rental books are professionally highlighted and tabbed. Highlighting directs attention to important highway specifications, paving requirements, construction methods, equipment information, safety standards, coastal-development provisions, business topics, sports-field construction principles, tables, definitions, and technical details. Permanent tabs divide the books into practical sections so students can develop a repeatable system for locating information during timed practice and on examination day.

The trade course combines live instruction with self-study preparation. Live sessions provide guided review of major Highway Contractor examination subjects, approved-reference use, and test-taking strategies. The self-study course allows candidates to continue preparing independently, revisit challenging lessons, and practice with the highlighted and tabbed books throughout the access period. This Ultimate package includes 1 year of course access.

Application Service is included with this package. The 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 $1,715, plus a refundable $600 rental-book deposit, for a total initial payment of $2,315. The $600 deposit is refundable when all six rental books are returned within one year in similar condition.

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 application 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 examination category. Candidates should review aggregate properties, asphalt materials, mixtures, plant operations, transportation, surface preparation, placement, temperature considerations, joints, rolling, compaction, density, thickness, drainage, quality control, and common paving defects.

Excavation, grading, tunneling, and railroad construction account for a significant part of the examination. Preparation should include earthwork quantities, soil conditions, clearing, excavation, embankments, compaction, grade control, trench protection, equipment selection, underground passageways, roadbeds, ballast, ties, rails, switches, crossings, and construction sequencing.

Concrete, concrete paving, reinforcement, piles, and marine construction are also important. Candidates should understand concrete materials, placement, curing, paving operations, reinforcing steel, pile-driving methods, waterfront work, equipment, structures, and safe construction practices.

Open Book Test

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

Sports Fields Design, Construction and Maintenance, Second Edition, supports questions involving athletic-field planning, layout, drainage, soils, grading, irrigation concepts, turf establishment, field construction, maintenance considerations, and exterior artificial athletic surfaces.

The Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management supports questions involving contractor licensing, business organization, contracts, estimating, project administration, financial management, insurance, risk, liens, employment topics, and professional responsibilities.

North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018 supports questions involving materials, highway construction methods, earthwork, asphalt paving, concrete, structures, drainage, reinforcement, traffic-related work, measurement, acceptance, and construction-quality requirements.

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

Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition supports questions involving construction equipment, earthmoving, excavation, grading, pile driving, tunneling, concrete operations, productivity, equipment selection, estimating concepts, planning, and field-construction methods.

The CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina, 2007 supports questions involving coastal development, CAMA-regulated areas, areas of environmental concern, permits, shoreline construction, docks, piers, and marine-development restrictions. The handbook must be complete and properly bound for examination-room use.

Approved references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Tabs must be permanent and firmly attached to the pages. Removable flags, temporary page 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. References must be complete and securely bound. Candidates may not write in the rental books during the examination session.

Licensing Steps

1. Select the Highway Contractor classification. Confirm that the classification matches the highway, paving, grading, bridge, drainage, airport, sports-field, and related construction 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 Highway Contractor 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 application 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 paving, grading, equipment, structures, tunneling, safety, business law, and examination 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 all six rental books. Become familiar with the highlighting, permanent tabs, tables, specifications, diagrams, and organization of each approved reference.
11. Schedule and take the examination. Bring the required identification and 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 all six references within one year in similar condition to qualify for the refundable $600 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 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 includes paving and grading runways, taxiways, and aprons. Related work may include fencing, signage, runway lighting, and marking when performed as part of the covered highway or airfield project.

The Highway Contractor classification also includes covered work under boring and tunneling, concrete construction, marine construction, railroad construction, and grading and excavating when performed as part of the highway project.

The classification determines the type of contracting 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 Highway Contractor 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. Contractors must also comply with project specifications, permits, inspections, safety rules, environmental requirements, utility-location procedures, traffic-control requirements, and other obligations applicable to the work.

Reference Books

• Included Book: Sports Fields Design, Construction and Maintenance, Second Edition, 2010
  This rental reference addresses athletic-field planning, design, site evaluation, soils, grading, drainage, irrigation concepts, turf establishment, construction, artificial surfaces, and maintenance considerations.
• Included Book: Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management - North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition
  This rental reference covers contractor licensing, business organization, contracts, estimating, financial management, project administration, insurance, risk, employment topics, liens, and professional responsibilities.
• Included Book: North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018
  This rental reference contains specifications for highway materials, earthwork, paving, structures, drainage, 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 rental reference contains safety standards involving excavation, equipment, traffic exposure, concrete, tunneling, pile driving, cranes, rigging, fall protection, personal protective equipment, access, and material handling.
• Included Book: Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition
  This rental reference covers construction planning, productivity, equipment selection, earthmoving, excavation, grading, pile driving, tunneling, concrete operations, and field-construction methods.
• Included Book: CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina, 2007
  This rental reference addresses coastal development, CAMA-regulated areas, areas of environmental concern, permitting, marine structures, shoreline work, docks, piers, and coastal-development limitations.

All six references remain rental property. The complete set must be returned within one year in similar condition for the $600 rental-book deposit to be refundable.

Exam Room Approved Books

The following professionally highlighted and tabbed rental books are approved 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, construction, drainage, grading, soils, turf, artificial surfaces, and maintenance principles.
• Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management - North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition
  Use this reference for licensing, contracts, estimating, business law, financial management, project administration, insurance, risk, and liens.
• North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018
  Use this reference for roadway materials, paving, earthwork, structures, drainage, reinforcement, construction procedures, and acceptance requirements.
• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  Use this reference for excavation, equipment, traffic exposure, tunneling, pile driving, personal protective equipment, cranes, rigging, and general jobsite safety.
• Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition
  Use this reference for equipment selection, production, earthwork, grading, excavation, pile driving, tunneling, concrete, and construction methods.
• CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina, 2007
  Use this reference for CAMA-regulated areas, coastal permits, marine construction, shoreline development, docks, piers, and coastal requirements.

Test Information and Study Materials

This Ultimate package combines live trade instruction with self-study preparation and provides 1 year of course access. Begin with asphalt paving, excavation, grading, tunneling, and railroad construction because these areas represent a substantial part of the examination.

Review asphalt materials, aggregate properties, mixture production, transportation, placement, compaction, joints, density, pavement defects, and quality control. For earthwork, study soil conditions, excavation, embankments, moisture control, compaction, equipment production, grade control, and erosion prevention.

Concrete preparation should include materials, proportioning concepts, placement, consolidation, finishing, curing, paving operations, reinforcement, forms, joints, and quality considerations. Pile and marine preparation should address equipment, handling, driving methods, waterfront structures, and safe operations.

Students should also review traffic control, one-call requirements, business law, licensing, liens, sports fields, safety, and coastal construction. Timed reference drills should be included throughout preparation. Read a question, identify the subject, choose the correct reference, locate the applicable tab, and confirm the answer from the relevant specification, table, illustration, or 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, trade-focused preparation, reference navigation, and a confidence-building study structure. This Ultimate package combines six approved examination books, one-year course access, and Application Service in one organized option.

The live course provides guided attention to highway construction, paving, excavation, grading, equipment, tunneling, railroad work, marine construction, concrete, safety, business law, and examination strategies. The self-study course allows candidates to reinforce the 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 specifications, safety standards, business provisions, construction methods, tables, diagrams, and coastal 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 filing process.

No course, rental-book package, or application service guarantees a passing score, licensing approval, or a particular examination outcome. Results 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 six 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 $1,715, plus a refundable $600 rental-book deposit, for a total initial payment of $2,315.

How is the $600 deposit refunded?

The $600 deposit is refundable when all six rental books are returned within one year in similar condition.

How long can I keep the rental books?

The rental period is one year. The complete six-book set 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 Highway Contractor course instruction and self-study course access.

Is Application Service included?

Yes. Application Service is included with this Ultimate package.

Are all six books approved for the examination room?

Yes. All six included rental references are approved for use during the North Carolina Highway Contractor examination.

Are the rental books already highlighted and tabbed?

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

Is the examination open book?

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

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.