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

Prepare for the North Carolina Residential Contractor examination and licensing process with a complete Ultimate package that brings together four exam-room-approved rental books, live and self-study trade-course preparation, and Application Service. This package is designed for candidates who want an organized approach to residential construction exam preparation while also receiving support with the North Carolina contractor application process.

The North Carolina Residential Contractor examination covers a broad range of residential construction subjects, including site work, foundations, concrete, masonry, carpentry, roofing, drywall, energy conservation, estimating, plan reading, workplace safety, contractor business law, licensing, wind and coastal construction, and erosion-control principles. Candidates must understand practical construction methods while also knowing how to locate exact information in the approved code, safety, business, and administrative references.

This Ultimate package includes the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, the Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, the North Carolina State Building Code: Residential Code 2018, and the North Carolina State Building Code: Administrative Code and Policies, 2018 Edition. All four rental references are approved for use during the open-book North Carolina Residential Contractor examination.

Each rental book is professionally highlighted and tabbed. Highlighting directs attention to important code requirements, safety standards, construction tables, definitions, business topics, licensing provisions, permit requirements, inspection procedures, and administrative rules. Permanent tabs organize the references into practical sections so students can develop a repeatable method for locating information during timed practice and on examination day.

The trade course combines live instruction with self-study access. Live preparation provides guided review of important residential construction subjects, reference-navigation methods, and exam strategies. The self-study course allows students to continue preparing independently, revisit difficult lessons, and practice with the approved books throughout the access period. This Ultimate package includes 1 year of course access.

Application Service is included. This 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 $1,215, plus a refundable $300 rental-book deposit, for a total initial payment of $1,515. The $300 deposit is refundable when all rental books are returned within one year in similar condition.

Exam Details

The North Carolina Residential Contractor examination is administered by PSI for the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Candidates must complete the applicable licensing or examination-request process and receive examination eligibility before registering and scheduling a testing appointment.

• Examination: North Carolina Residential Contractor
• Number of questions: 90
• Time allowed: 210 minutes
• Passing score: 70%
• Testing format: Computer-based examination
• Testing provider: PSI Services LLC

The examination content outline includes the following areas:

• Site Work, Footings and Foundations: 12 questions
• Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement: 10 questions
• Masonry: 7 questions
• Carpentry: 11 questions
• Associated Construction Trades, Including Energy Conservation and Drywall: 8 questions
• Roofing: 6 questions
• Estimating, Plan Reading and General Residential Code Requirements: 16 questions
• OSHA Safety: 4 questions
• Licensing, Business and Law: 10 questions
• Special Construction Zones, Including Wind, Coastal, Erosion and Sedimentation Control: 6 questions

Estimating, plan reading, and general residential code requirements form the largest examination category. Candidates should be able to interpret plans, identify dimensions and symbols, calculate material quantities, understand construction details, and locate applicable provisions within the Residential Code.

Site work, foundations, concrete, masonry, and carpentry also make up a large portion of the examination. Preparation should include grading, drainage, excavation, footings, foundation walls, slabs, reinforcement, masonry construction, floor framing, wall framing, roof framing, stairs, decks, openings, fasteners, and structural connections.

The examination also includes roofing, drywall, energy conservation, safety, business law, licensing, wind and coastal construction, and erosion-control principles. A balanced study plan is important because the Residential Contractor classification covers the complete construction of residential units rather than one isolated trade.

Open Book Test

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

The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry supports questions involving excavation, fall protection, ladders, scaffolds, personal protective equipment, tools, electrical hazards, material handling, housekeeping, concrete operations, and other residential jobsite safety requirements.

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

The North Carolina State Building Code: Residential Code 2018 supports questions involving foundations, concrete, masonry, framing, floors, walls, roofs, stairs, decks, structural systems, energy efficiency, exterior protection, and general residential construction requirements.

The North Carolina State Building Code: Administrative Code and Policies, 2018 Edition supports questions involving permits, inspections, approvals, enforcement, code administration, responsibilities, and procedures connected with residential construction projects.

Approved references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Tabs must be permanent and firmly attached to the pages. Removable page flags, temporary 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. Printed code materials must be complete and securely bound. Partial code references are not accepted, and candidates may not write in the books during the examination session.

The 210-minute testing period provides an average of approximately two minutes and twenty seconds per question. Candidates should learn the primary construction concepts before test day and use the books when a question requires exact code language, a safety standard, a business rule, a table, a calculation method, or an administrative requirement.

Licensing Steps

1. Select the Residential Contractor classification. Confirm that the classification matches the residential construction and demolition work the applicant or business plans to perform.
2. Choose the appropriate 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 Residential Contractor classification.
4. Gather the required application information. Organize the ownership, business, qualifier, financial, and background information needed for the filing.
5. Use the included Application Service. Work through the contractor application process with the support included in this Ultimate package.
6. Submit the applicable 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 residential construction, business law, code topics, and exam strategies.
9. Continue with self-study preparation. Use the one-year course period to review lessons, complete practice activities, and revisit difficult subjects.
10. Practice with the rental references. Become familiar with the highlighting, permanent tabs, tables, chapters, and organization of all four approved books.
11. Schedule and take the examination. Bring the required identification and approved references in acceptable condition.
12. Complete any remaining licensing requirements. Passing the examination satisfies the testing component, but the board must approve the complete application before issuing the license.
13. Return the rental books. Return all four references within one year in similar condition to qualify for the refundable $300 deposit.

Passing the examination does not independently authorize an individual or business to perform licensed contracting work. The approved applicant or business entity must receive and maintain the applicable North Carolina general contractor license.

State Requirements

The North Carolina Residential Contractor classification covers construction and demolition activity involving residential units that are required to comply with the residential building code adopted by the North Carolina Building Code Council.

The classification also covers site work, driveways, sidewalks, and water and wastewater systems that are ancillary to the covered residential structures and improvements. It includes work performed as part of those residential units under several specialty classifications.

Covered specialty work includes insulation, interior construction, masonry construction, roofing, swimming pools, and asbestos work when performed as part of the residential project. The classification also covers installation of solar panels on residential units that are required to comply with the residential building code.

The classification determines the type of construction work the licensed contractor may perform. The license limitation determines the monetary value of projects the contractor may undertake. Applicants should select both according to the company’s intended services, financial qualifications, and anticipated contract sizes.

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

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

Residential contractors must also follow applicable permit, inspection, building-code, safety, environmental, and project-specific requirements. A contractor license does not replace permits, inspections, trade licenses, or other approvals that may apply to a particular residential project.

Reference Books

This Ultimate package includes four professionally highlighted and tabbed rental references. All four books are approved for use inside the North Carolina Residential Contractor examination room.

• Included Book: North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  This rental reference contains construction safety requirements involving excavation, fall protection, ladders, scaffolds, personal protective equipment, tools, electrical hazards, material handling, housekeeping, concrete work, and other residential jobsite concerns.
• 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, project management, financial administration, insurance, risk, employment topics, liens, and professional responsibilities.
• Included Book: North Carolina State Building Code: Residential Code 2018
  This rental code covers residential construction requirements involving site conditions, foundations, concrete, masonry, framing, floors, walls, roofs, stairs, decks, structural systems, energy efficiency, exterior protection, and other residential building provisions.
• Included Book: North Carolina State Building Code: Administrative Code and Policies, 2018 Edition
  This rental reference addresses permits, inspections, approvals, code administration, enforcement procedures, responsibilities, and policies connected with residential construction.

All four references remain rental property. The complete rental set must be returned within one year in similar condition for the $300 rental-book deposit to be refundable.

Exam Room Approved Books

The following professionally highlighted and tabbed rental references are approved for use inside the North Carolina Residential Contractor examination room:

• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  Use this reference for jobsite safety, excavation, fall protection, ladders, scaffolds, personal protective equipment, tools, electrical hazards, and material handling.
• Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management - North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition
  Use this reference for contractor licensing, contracts, estimating, financial management, project administration, insurance, risk, liens, and business responsibilities.
• North Carolina State Building Code: Residential Code 2018
  Use this code for foundations, concrete, masonry, framing, roofs, stairs, decks, structural systems, energy requirements, and general residential code provisions.
• North Carolina State Building Code: Administrative Code and Policies, 2018 Edition
  Use this reference for permits, inspections, approvals, enforcement procedures, and code administration.

Candidates should practice with every approved reference throughout the course-access period. Highlighting and permanent tabs provide an organized navigation system, but repeated use is necessary to learn each book’s structure, chapter arrangement, terminology, tables, and subject locations.

Test Information and Study Materials

This Ultimate package combines live trade instruction with self-study preparation and provides 1 year of course access. The course structure supports guided learning, independent review, reference navigation, calculation practice, and continued access to important examination subjects.

Begin with estimating, plan reading, and general residential code requirements because this is the largest examination category. Practice reading plans, recognizing symbols, identifying dimensions, calculating quantities, interpreting details, and locating residential code provisions.

Review site work, footings, and foundations with attention to grading, drainage, excavation, soil conditions, footing dimensions, foundation walls, crawl spaces, slabs, moisture protection, anchorage, backfill, and site preparation.

Concrete, reinforcement, and masonry preparation should include materials, placement, curing, reinforcing steel, concrete masonry units, brick, mortar, grout, lintels, wall ties, flashing, foundations, and common installation practices.

Carpentry review should include floor framing, wall framing, roof framing, sheathing, headers, beams, joists, rafters, trusses, stairs, decks, openings, fasteners, connectors, and wood construction principles.

Associated-trade preparation should address insulation, drywall, energy conservation, roofing, moisture control, ventilation, and related residential construction requirements. Safety study should emphasize fall protection, ladders, scaffolds, excavation, electrical hazards, tools, personal protective equipment, and material handling.

Business and law preparation should include licensing, contracts, estimating, financial management, project administration, insurance, risk, liens, and contractor responsibilities. Candidates should also review wind, coastal, erosion, and sedimentation-control concepts represented in the examination outline.

Timed reference exercises should be included throughout preparation. Read a question, identify the subject, select the appropriate book, locate the relevant tab, and confirm the answer from the applicable section, table, diagram, or business provision.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep supports candidates 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 approved examination references, one-year course access, and Application Service in one organized option.

The live course provides guided attention to residential construction subjects, workplace safety, code requirements, estimating, plan reading, business law, and test strategies. The self-study course allows students to reinforce the instruction, revisit challenging lessons, and continue preparing 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 code provisions, safety standards, business topics, tables, definitions, and administrative requirements. Permanent tabs provide consistent access points for repeated practice.

Application Service provides support with organizing and completing the North Carolina contractor application. 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.

Preparing with the same approved references that will be used during the examination helps build familiarity with each book’s organization. Regular practice can improve the ability to identify which reference applies and where important information is located.

No course, rental-book package, or application service guarantees a passing score, licensing approval, or a specific examination result. Outcomes 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 four 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 $1,215, plus a refundable $300 rental-book deposit, for a total initial payment of $1,515.

How is the $300 deposit refunded?

The $300 deposit is refundable when all four 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 four-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 Residential Contractor course instruction and self-study course access.

Is Application Service included?

Yes. Application Service is included with this Ultimate package.

Does Application Service guarantee license approval?

No. The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors determines application acceptance, examination eligibility, and license issuance.

Are all four books approved for the examination room?

Yes. All four included rental references are approved for use during the North Carolina Residential 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 Residential 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.