North Carolina Marine Construction Contractor Highlighted & Tabbed Book Package

Prepare for the North Carolina Marine Construction Contractor examination with a professionally organized package of highlighted and tabbed reference books. This package includes the three references permitted inside the examination room and seven additional study-only books covering marine structures, dock construction, concrete, reinforcing steel, erosion control, business law, liens, licensing, and North Carolina contractor regulations.

Marine construction requires knowledge that extends beyond working near the water. Candidates may encounter questions about coastal development rules, small docks, pile-driving operations, concrete materials, reinforcing steel, workplace safety, sedimentation control, contractor laws, and lien requirements. The broad examination outline makes organized preparation especially important for candidates whose field experience is concentrated in only one part of the trade.

Each reference in this package is professionally highlighted and tabbed. Highlighting directs attention to important definitions, technical procedures, construction principles, safety requirements, regulatory provisions, tables, and specifications. Permanent tabs divide the books into practical sections, helping candidates develop a repeatable method for locating information during study sessions and inside the approved references on exam day.

The package clearly separates exam-room-approved books from study-only materials. The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, the CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina, and Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods are the references included for examination-room use. The remaining seven books support preparation but are not permitted inside the testing center for the Marine Construction examination.

This package is designed for contractors, qualifiers, supervisors, project managers, estimators, pile-driving professionals, dock builders, concrete crews, marine construction specialists, and other candidates preparing for the North Carolina Marine Construction specialty classification. Please allow 15 business days for the books to be highlighted and tabbed before shipment.

Exam Details

The North Carolina Marine Construction Contractor examination is administered by PSI for the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Candidates must receive examination eligibility from the licensing board before registering and scheduling a testing appointment.

• Examination classification: Specialty Contractor — Marine Construction
• Number of scored questions: 50
• Passing score: 70%
• Time allowed: 120 minutes
• Testing format: Computer-based examination
• Testing provider: PSI Services LLC

The examination content outline distributes the 50 scored questions among the following subject areas:

• CAMA Regulated Areas: 7 questions
• Small Docks: 7 questions
• Pile Driving: 12 questions
• Concrete: 7 questions
• Concrete Reinforcement: 7 questions
• Safety: 5 questions
• Laws and Regulations: 2 questions
• Liens: 1 question
• Erosion and Sedimentation Control: 2 questions

Pile driving is the largest individual examination category. Candidates should understand pile types, equipment, installation procedures, driving methods, handling, alignment, bearing considerations, leads, hammers, field operations, and safety practices. Small docks and CAMA-regulated areas also represent a significant portion of the test and require familiarity with coastal-development concepts and common dock components.

Concrete and concrete reinforcement account for fourteen questions combined. Preparation should include concrete materials, proportioning principles, placement, consolidation, finishing, curing, reinforcing-bar identification, supports, clearances, splices, placement practices, and field inspection concepts.

Open Book Test

The North Carolina Marine Construction Contractor examination is an open-book test. Candidates may bring only the references approved for this specific examination classification. This package includes three exam-room-approved books and seven study-only references.

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

Loose papers and additional attached materials are not permitted. Candidates may not write in their references during the examination. Books are subject to inspection by testing-center personnel, and materials that do not comply with the examination rules may be removed.

The CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina must be complete and bound before it can be taken into the examination center. A complete copy may be spiral bound or hole-punched and placed in a binder. Partial copies are not accepted as exam references.

The 120-minute testing period provides an average of approximately two minutes and twenty-four seconds per scored question. Candidates must read the question, identify the subject, determine whether a lookup is needed, locate the appropriate section, review the answer choices, and submit a response within the overall time limit.

Regular timed practice with the three approved books can improve navigation. Candidates should become familiar with the location of coastal-development provisions, pile-driving concepts, equipment information, safety standards, and construction methods before arriving at the testing center.

Licensing Steps

1. Select the Marine Construction classification. Confirm that the classification matches the marine construction and repair work the business intends to perform.
2. Choose the appropriate license limitation. North Carolina licenses include limitations that affect the value of projects the contractor may undertake.
3. Identify a qualifier. The applicant must designate an individual who will qualify the license by passing an examination accepted for the requested classification.
4. Submit the license application or examination request. Complete the current forms required by the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.
5. Provide the required supporting information. Submit the financial, business, background, and other materials required for the requested license and limitation.
6. Receive examination eligibility. After the board approves the request, the candidate receives instructions for registering with PSI.
7. Register and schedule the examination. Use the eligibility information to select an available testing location and appointment.
8. Prepare the approved references. Bring only the allowed books, properly bound and organized in accordance with the current testing rules.
9. Take and pass the examination. A score of at least 70% is required.
10. Complete the licensing process. Passing the examination satisfies the testing requirement, but the board must complete its review before issuing the contractor license.

Passing the examination does not independently authorize a person or business to perform licensed contracting work. The contracting entity must receive and maintain the appropriate active license from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.

State Requirements

North Carolina generally requires a general contractor license when the total value of a covered construction project is $40,000 or more. The contractor must hold a classification and limitation appropriate for the work and project value.

The Marine Construction specialty classification covers marine construction and repair activities. Its scope includes marine work in deep-water installations and in harbors, inlets, sounds, bays, and channels. Covered activities include dredging and the construction or installation of pilings, piers, decks, slips, docks, and bulkheads.

The classification does not include structures required on docks, slips, and piers. Contractors should make sure the company’s license classifications cover every portion of the work included in a proposed contract.

Applicants seeking a North Carolina general contractor license must submit an application and meet the licensing board’s requirements. Before becoming entitled to an examination, an applicant must be at least 18 years old, possess good moral character as determined by the board, provide evidence of financial responsibility, submit the appropriate fee, and consent to a criminal background check when required.

The applicant must also designate a qualifier whose accepted examination supports the requested classification. The qualifier is connected to the licensed entity and demonstrates knowledge applicable to the classification.

North Carolina license classifications identify the type of construction work a contractor is authorized to perform. License limitations govern the monetary value of projects the contractor may undertake. Applicants should select both according to the business’s intended services, financial qualifications, and expected project sizes.

Reference Books

This package includes ten professionally highlighted and tabbed references. Three books are included for examination-room use, while seven books are included for study only.

• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  Exam Room Approved. Contains construction safety standards involving personal protective equipment, cranes, material handling, pile-driving operations, marine work, scaffolds, fall protection, tools, concrete construction, excavation, and other workplace hazards.
• CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina, 2007
  Exam Room Approved. Provides guidance related to development in North Carolina’s coastal areas, including regulated areas, permits, docks, piers, shoreline activities, environmental concerns, and coastal-development responsibilities.
• Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition
  Exam Room Approved. Covers construction planning, equipment selection, production, pile-driving systems, cranes, earthmoving, excavation, concrete operations, marine applications, and construction methods relevant to the trade examination.
• North Carolina Administrative Code, Title 15A, Chapter 4 Sedimentation Control, Including the Latest Amendments
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Contains administrative rules governing erosion and sedimentation control for land-disturbing construction activities in North Carolina.
• North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 113A, Article 4 Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of 1973
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Contains the statutory framework for controlling sedimentation caused by land-disturbing activities and supports preparation for erosion-control questions.
• Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th Edition
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Reviews concrete ingredients, mixture proportioning, workability, durability, strength, admixtures, placement, consolidation, curing, testing, and quality-control principles.
• Dock Manual, Design, Building, Maintaining
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Covers practical considerations related to dock planning, design, materials, structural components, flotation, anchoring, construction, inspection, repair, and maintenance.
• Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Addresses contractor licensing, business organization, contracts, project management, financial administration, risk, insurance, employment matters, liens, and North Carolina construction-business responsibilities.
• Placing Reinforcing Bars
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Covers reinforcing-bar identification, handling, supports, spacing, clearances, tolerances, splices, placement procedures, detailing concepts, and field practices for reinforced concrete construction.
• Laws and Regulations Applicable to General Contracting in the State of North Carolina
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Contains North Carolina statutes and administrative rules governing general contractor classifications, limitations, qualifiers, applications, renewals, responsibilities, and enforcement.

Exam Room Approved Books

Only the following three references from this package are approved for use inside the North Carolina Marine Construction Contractor examination room:

• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  Supports questions involving construction safety, pile-driving operations, lifting equipment, protective equipment, fall hazards, concrete work, access, and marine jobsite practices.
• CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina, 2007
  Supports questions involving coastal-development rules and CAMA-regulated areas. The complete handbook must be properly bound before it is taken into the testing center.
• Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition
  Supports questions involving pile-driving equipment, construction machinery, planning, production, cranes, handling, excavation, and general construction methods.

The remaining seven books are study-only references. They contain important material used to prepare for the examination but must not be taken into the testing room for this classification.

Test Information and Study Materials

Begin preparation with pile driving because it represents 12 of the 50 scored questions. Review pile materials, pile types, driving equipment, hammer systems, leads, handling, positioning, alignment, driving procedures, refusal concepts, splices, cutoffs, extraction, and common field problems.

Connect technical pile-driving knowledge with safety requirements. Marine pile-driving operations may involve cranes, suspended loads, barges, unstable working surfaces, heavy equipment, water exposure, fall hazards, noise, and material-handling risks. Practice locating exact safety requirements in the approved occupational safety reference.

CAMA-regulated areas and small docks account for fourteen questions combined. Study the purpose of coastal development controls, regulated locations, permitting concepts, shoreline activities, docks, piers, slips, access structures, water-dependent uses, and common development restrictions. Become comfortable navigating the complete CAMA Handbook under timed conditions.

Use the Dock Manual during preparation to build practical knowledge of dock components, structural layouts, decking, framing, piles, flotation, anchoring, connections, maintenance, and common repair concerns. Because this book is not permitted in the examination room, its core concepts should be learned before test day.

Concrete and reinforcement also require substantial preparation. Review cementitious materials, aggregates, water, admixtures, mixture properties, placement, consolidation, finishing, curing, durability, and exposure conditions. For reinforcing steel, study bar identification, placement, supports, clearances, spacing, splices, handling, tolerances, and inspection practices.

Erosion and sedimentation control represents a smaller portion of the test, but the applicable references are not allowed in the examination room. Review regulated land-disturbing activities, stabilization, sediment-control measures, plan responsibilities, inspections, enforcement concepts, and contractor obligations during advance preparation.

Laws, regulations, and liens should also be studied before the examination. Become familiar with North Carolina contractor classifications, limitations, qualifier responsibilities, application concepts, licensing obligations, contracts, payment issues, and lien principles.

During timed practice, first identify the subject of the question. Decide whether the answer is likely found in the safety standards, CAMA Handbook, or construction equipment book. Use the tabs to reach the likely section and confirm the answer from the text, table, diagram, or requirement.

Avoid depending entirely on exam-day searches. Seven of the ten books in this package are not allowed in the testing room, and many questions require learned trade knowledge. Use the complete package to build subject understanding, then use the three approved references to strengthen lookup speed.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps candidates organize preparation for a specialized examination that combines coastal regulation, marine construction, pile driving, concrete, reinforcement, safety, business law, and erosion control.

Instead of beginning with an unmarked stack of technical and regulatory references, candidates receive books that have already been professionally highlighted and tabbed. Highlighting directs attention toward important definitions, procedures, requirements, tables, and trade concepts. Permanent tabs create practical navigation points for repeated study and exam-reference practice.

The package clearly distinguishes between exam-room-approved books and study-only materials. This helps candidates understand which references can be used during the test and which books must be studied in advance.

1 Exam Prep supports candidates through organized study guidance, trade-focused review, practice-oriented preparation, reference navigation, and a confidence-building study structure. Candidates can use the books to connect the examination outline with the source material, practice locating information under time limits, and reinforce technical knowledge through repetition.

No study package can guarantee a passing score, license issuance, or a particular examination result. Performance depends on the candidate’s preparation, experience, understanding of the material, study habits, and decisions on test day. An organized package can help candidates use their preparation time more effectively and approach the examination with greater familiarity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are included in this package?

The package includes ten professionally highlighted and tabbed references. Three are approved for examination-room use, and seven are included for study only.

Which books are allowed inside the exam room?

The approved references are the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, the CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina, and Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods.

Are the other seven books allowed during the examination?

No. The remaining books are study-only references and must not be taken into the Marine Construction examination room.

Is the North Carolina Marine Construction Contractor exam open book?

Yes. It is an open-book examination, but candidates may use only the references approved for this classification.

How many questions are on the examination?

The examination contains 50 scored questions covering CAMA-regulated areas, small docks, pile driving, concrete, reinforcement, safety, laws, liens, and erosion control.

How much time is allowed?

Candidates are allowed 120 minutes to complete the examination.

What score is required to pass?

A score of at least 70% is required to pass the North Carolina Marine Construction Contractor examination.

Does the CAMA Handbook need to be bound?

Yes. The complete CAMA Handbook must be properly bound before it is taken into the examination center. Partial copies are not accepted.

Are the books already highlighted and tabbed?

Yes. Every reference included in the package is professionally highlighted and tabbed to support organized preparation and efficient navigation.

How long does the package take to prepare?

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

Why are study-only books included?

The examination includes concrete, reinforcing steel, docks, erosion control, liens, laws, and regulations. The study-only books help candidates learn those subjects even though the references cannot be consulted during the test.

Does the package include examination registration?

No. Application processing, eligibility approval, testing fees, registration, scheduling, and licensing are handled separately through the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors and PSI.

Does purchasing the package guarantee a passing score?

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