North Carolina Metal Erection Contractor - Online Exam Prep Course

Prepare for the North Carolina Metal Erection Contractor examination with an online exam prep course focused on structural steel erection, steel joists and girders, steel decking, reinforcing steel, welding, high-strength bolting, metal roofing and siding, fencing, construction safety, and North Carolina contractor regulations.

Metal erection work requires a broad combination of technical knowledge and practical judgment. Contractors must understand how structural and architectural metal components are fabricated, handled, positioned, connected, braced, and completed safely. Examination preparation may involve steel framing, joist erection, deck installation, welding methods, bolted connections, reinforcing bars, sheet-metal systems, rigging practices, OSHA steel-erection requirements, general construction safety, lien laws, and licensing responsibilities.

This online course organizes those subjects into a structured study path. Candidates can review the major examination categories, practice identifying the correct reference, strengthen open-book navigation, and study technical subjects drawn from both exam-room-approved books and closed-book reference materials.

The course uses the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with the latest available amendments, and the Specification for Structural Joints Using ASTM A325 or A490 Bolts, 2004, as the principal exam-room references. These materials support preparation for steel-erection safety, general construction safety, and high-strength bolted structural connections.

Additional references support preparation for metal roofing and siding, reinforcing steel, joists and joist girders, steel decks, welding, fencing, laws and regulations, liens, business practices, and project management. These supporting books are used for study but are not allowed in the examination center.

The course is designed to help candidates understand where exam subjects come from and how the references work together. It does not replace field experience or careful reading of the listed publications. Instead, it provides organized trade review, practice-oriented study, and reference-navigation guidance for candidates preparing to meet North Carolina’s testing and licensing requirements.

What You Get

Exam Details

The North Carolina Metal Erection Contractor examination is administered by PSI for the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Applicants must complete the Board’s application process and receive examination eligibility before scheduling the computer-based examination.

The examination contains 65 questions, requires a score of 70 percent to pass, and allows 150 minutes for completion. The current examination outline distributes questions across metal roofing and siding, reinforcing steel, steel-erection safety, general safety, steel decks, steel joists and girders, welding, bolting, laws and regulations, liens, and metal fencing.

Steel joists and girders represent the largest subject area in the examination outline. Candidates should understand handling, storage, erection sequencing, temporary stability, bridging, connections, field modifications, bearing, alignment, and safe placement practices. Questions may require practical knowledge of how joists and girders are installed and secured as part of a complete structural system.

Reinforcing-steel preparation may involve bar identification, handling, fabrication, bending, tying, supports, spacing, placement, splices, tolerances, and coordination with concrete construction. Candidates should understand how reinforcing bars are positioned and maintained during construction so the completed work matches the project requirements.

Steel-deck subjects may include deck types, storage, lifting, placement, alignment, attachment, side laps, openings, temporary loading, safety, and coordination with structural framing. Candidates should recognize the differences between roof deck and floor deck applications and understand the importance of approved fastening and erection procedures.

Welding preparation may include welding processes, equipment, electrodes, joints, positions, symbols, cutting, base metals, inspection concepts, and safe work practices. Candidates should understand both the terminology and the practical purpose of welding procedures used during metal erection.

Bolting questions may address structural joints using ASTM A325 or A490 bolts, including joint types, bolt installation, connected parts, faying surfaces, pretensioning methods, inspection, washers, snug-tightened conditions, and slip-critical connections. The listed structural-joints specification is the principal reference for these subjects.

The examination also covers metal roofing and siding, metal fencing, laws and regulations, liens, and general construction safety. Candidates should not focus only on structural framing. A complete preparation plan should address every category in the official content outline.

Open Book Test

The North Carolina Metal Erection Contractor examination is an open-book test. Candidates may use only the references identified as allowed in the current PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and prepared according to the testing-center rules.

The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with the latest available amendments, is permitted in the examination room. It supports questions involving OSHA Subpart R steel-erection requirements and general construction safety.

Safety topics may include fall protection, controlled decking zones, structural stability, hoisting, rigging, cranes, steel joists, columns, beams, decking, personal protective equipment, ladders, scaffolds, electrical hazards, welding and cutting, material handling, and employer responsibilities.

The Specification for Structural Joints Using ASTM A325 or A490 Bolts, 2004, is also allowed in the examination room. Candidates should study its organization before test day and become familiar with its terminology, installation requirements, joint classifications, pretensioning methods, inspection procedures, and provisions for connected materials.

The remaining books listed with this course are not allowed in the examination center. They are closed-book study references used to prepare for subjects that may appear on the examination. Candidates should study those materials thoroughly enough to recall the major procedures, requirements, and concepts without consulting them during the test.

Approved references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Permanent tabs are permitted when they comply with PSI requirements. Removable tabs, loose papers, added notes, and unauthorized attachments are not permitted. No notes may be written on tabs, and candidates may not write in their references before or during the examination.

Downloaded material that is permitted for testing must be complete and properly bound. Partial references are not accepted. Candidates are responsible for bringing their approved materials to the testing center and ensuring that the books meet the current requirements.

Effective open-book preparation involves repeated lookup practice. Read a question, identify the main subject, choose the correct approved reference, locate the applicable section, and read the surrounding requirements before selecting an answer. Random searching can consume valuable testing time.

Licensing Steps

1. Confirm the Metal Erection classification. Review the classification scope and determine whether it matches the metal fabrication, erection, repair, alteration, and connection work the applicant intends to perform.
2. Select a license limitation. North Carolina general contractor licenses are issued with limited, intermediate, or unlimited project limitations.
3. Identify the applicant entity. Determine whether the license applicant will be an individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or another eligible entity.
4. Designate a qualifier. The qualifier is the individual who satisfies the examination requirement for the Metal Erection classification.
5. Complete the Board application. Submit the required applicant, qualifier, entity, financial, and supporting information to the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.
6. Meet the financial requirement. Provide the financial documentation required for the selected license limitation.
7. Receive examination eligibility. After the application is reviewed and approved for testing, the qualifier receives instructions for scheduling with PSI.
8. Schedule the examination. Arrange the computer-based examination within the eligibility period stated in the authorization.
9. Prepare the permitted references. Confirm that the approved books are complete and comply with current rules for binding, tabs, highlighting, and markings.
10. Complete the examination. Follow PSI’s identification, security, scheduling, calculator, and reference-material procedures.
11. Complete the licensing process. Passing the examination satisfies the testing requirement, but the applicant must complete all remaining Board requirements before a license is issued.

State Requirements

The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors regulates general contractor classifications, specialty classifications, license limitations, qualifiers, financial qualifications, applications, renewals, and professional conduct.

The Metal Erection specialty classification covers field fabrication, erection, repair, and alteration of architectural and structural shapes, plates, tubing, pipe, and bars that may be used as structural members for buildings, equipment, and other structures.

The classification also includes the layout, assembly, and erection by welding, bolting, or riveting of metal products such as curtain walls, tanks, hoppers, structural members, towers, stairs, conveyor frames, cranes and crane runways, canopies, carports, guardrails, signs, permanent steel scaffolding, flagpoles, fences, siding, bleachers, fire escapes, and seating structures.

North Carolina requires a general contractor license when a contractor undertakes work that meets the licensing threshold established by state law. The legal entity that bids, contracts, or undertakes the regulated project must hold the appropriate active license.

The qualifier’s examination credential and the contractor license serve different purposes. Passing the Metal Erection examination does not independently authorize an individual or business to contract. The Board must approve the complete license application and the qualifier’s association with the applicant entity.

Applicants must meet the financial qualification associated with the selected limitation. Limited, intermediate, and unlimited licenses carry different financial requirements and project limitations. Contractors must operate within the classification and limitation shown on the active license.

Entity records, ownership information, qualifier relationships, and business registrations should remain current. Changes affecting the license must be handled according to the Board’s current rules and application procedures.

Reference Books

• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  This exam-room reference covers construction safety requirements, including steel erection, fall protection, cranes, rigging, material handling, welding and cutting, ladders, scaffolds, electrical hazards, personal protective equipment, and employer responsibilities.
• Specification for Structural Joints Using ASTM A325 or A490 Bolts, 2004
  This exam-room reference addresses high-strength structural bolting, joint classifications, connected materials, installation, pretensioning, inspection, washers, faying surfaces, and requirements for snug-tightened, pretensioned, and slip-critical joints.
• Profiled Sheet Roofing and Cladding - A Guide to Good Practice, 3rd Edition, 1999
  This closed-book study reference supports preparation involving profiled metal roofing and cladding, handling, storage, layout, installation, fasteners, laps, weather protection, detailing, and good construction practices. It is not allowed in the examination room.
• Placing Reinforcing Bars
  This closed-book study reference covers reinforcing-bar identification, fabrication, handling, supports, tying, spacing, placement, splices, tolerances, and field practices. It is not allowed in the examination room.
• Technical Digest No. 9 – Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders
  This closed-book study reference addresses storage, handling, erection sequencing, bridging, bearing, stability, connections, field modifications, and safe placement of steel joists and joist girders. It is not allowed in the examination room.
• Laws and Regulations Applicable to General Contracting in the State of North Carolina
  This closed-book study reference covers North Carolina general contractor statutes, Board rules, license classifications, limitations, qualifiers, applications, liens, enforcement, and professional responsibilities. It is not allowed in the examination room.
• SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck
  This closed-book study reference covers steel-deck handling, storage, placement, attachment, side laps, openings, temporary loading, field practices, and construction safety. It is not allowed in the examination room.
• Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management - North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition
  This closed-book study reference covers business organization, contracts, estimating, financial management, project administration, employment practices, safety, risk management, licensing, and North Carolina contractor responsibilities. It is not allowed in the examination room.
• Modern Welding, 2013
  This closed-book study reference supports preparation involving welding processes, equipment, electrodes, joints, positions, symbols, cutting, base metals, inspection concepts, and welding safety. It is not allowed in the examination room.
• Fences & Retaining Walls (Used)
  This used closed-book study reference supports preparation involving fence layouts, posts, rails, gates, materials, foundations, installation methods, and related construction practices. It is not allowed in the examination room.

Exam Room Approved Books

• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  This reference is allowed in the examination center for steel-erection and general construction-safety questions.
• Specification for Structural Joints Using ASTM A325 or A490 Bolts, 2004
  This reference is allowed in the examination center for structural-bolting and high-strength-joint questions.

Test Information and Study Materials

Build your study plan around the official examination categories. Give additional attention to steel joists and girders because they represent the largest portion of the content outline. Follow that with reinforcing steel, safety, steel decks, welding, metal roofing and siding, fencing, bolting, laws, and liens.

Study OSHA Subpart R separately from general construction safety. Review structural stability, column anchorage, joist erection, decking, fall protection, controlled decking zones, hoisting, rigging, and employee protection during steel erection.

Practice high-strength bolting by learning the terminology used in the structural-joints specification. Understand the differences among joint types, installation conditions, pretensioning procedures, inspection methods, and surface requirements.

Use the closed-book references to build subject knowledge before the examination. Create study notes outside the exam-room books, complete practice questions, and review the most important procedures repeatedly until they can be recalled without consulting the restricted publications.

During open-book practice, use only the two approved exam-room references. This helps reproduce the actual testing environment and prevents reliance on books that will not be available during the examination.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps North Carolina Metal Erection Contractor candidates organize a broad technical and regulatory examination into a practical study structure.

Organized study guidance separates the examination into steel joists and girders, reinforcing steel, steel decks, welding, bolting, metal roofing and siding, fencing, safety, laws, and liens.

Trade-focused review helps candidates connect structural members, joists, decking, reinforcing bars, welded connections, bolted joints, and erection procedures as parts of complete metal construction systems.

Practice-oriented preparation emphasizes the skills needed for open-book testing. Candidates learn to identify the correct approved reference, locate a provision efficiently, interpret technical language, and confirm an answer within the available testing time.

Reference-navigation practice focuses on the safety standards and structural-joints specification permitted in the examination center. The course also organizes closed-book preparation around the technical and regulatory references that candidates must study before test day.

1 Exam Prep promotes confidence through structured review, repeated practice, trade-focused preparation, and a consistent method for approaching exam questions. No course can guarantee examination passage, application approval, or license issuance, but organized preparation can help candidates approach the process with stronger familiarity and a clearer plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the North Carolina Metal Erection Contractor course cover?

The course covers steel joists and girders, reinforcing steel, steel decks, welding, structural bolting, metal roofing and siding, fencing, OSHA steel-erection safety, general safety, laws, liens, and contractor business subjects.

Is the examination open book?

Yes. The examination is open book, but only the approved references identified in the current PSI bulletin may be used in the testing center.

Which books are allowed in the examination room?

The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry and the Specification for Structural Joints Using ASTM A325 or A490 Bolts, 2004, are allowed.

Are the other listed books allowed in the examination room?

No. The roofing, reinforcing-bar, joist, steel-deck, welding, fencing, laws, and contractor business references are included for study but are not allowed in the examination center.

How many questions are on the Metal Erection examination?

The examination contains 65 questions.

How much time is allowed?

Candidates have 150 minutes to complete the examination.

What score is required to pass?

A score of 70 percent is required to pass.

What is the largest examination subject?

Steel joists and girders represent the largest category in the current content outline.

Can I write notes in the approved exam books?

No. The testing rules prohibit written notes in the references. Approved highlighting, underlining, and permanent tabs must comply with current PSI requirements.

Does passing the examination automatically issue a contractor license?

No. The applicant must satisfy the Board’s application, financial, entity, qualifier, and licensing requirements before a license is issued.

Does the online course guarantee a passing score?

No. Examination performance depends on the candidate’s preparation, trade experience, understanding of the references, navigation skills, and performance during the test.