North Carolina Swimming Pools Contractor Books Allowed into Exam Package

Prepare for the North Carolina Swimming Pools Contractor examination with the two reference materials approved for use inside the testing center. The North Carolina Swimming Pools Contractor Books Allowed into Exam Package gives candidates the permitted resources needed to support open-book exam preparation and reference navigation.

This focused package includes the North Carolina public swimming pool regulations and the NSF/ANSI/CAN standard addressing equipment and chemicals for swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, and other recreational water facilities. Together, these references cover important requirements related to public swimming pools, circulation equipment, filtration components, chemical treatment systems, construction provisions, operational standards, and recreational water safety.

The North Carolina Swimming Pools examination covers a broad range of subjects, including filtration and circulation, maintenance and operation, pool accessories, associated trades, concrete, shotcrete, gunite, design, licensing laws, liens, excavation notification, and erosion control. Although only two references are permitted in the examination room, candidates are expected to develop trade knowledge across the complete examination outline.

An open-book contractor examination requires more than access to approved books. Candidates must understand pool construction concepts, recognize the subject of each question, determine which reference applies, and locate relevant information within the available testing time. Working with the permitted books throughout your preparation can help you become familiar with their organization, terminology, tables, definitions, and technical provisions.

This package is intended for candidates who already have separate study materials or who want to purchase only the books allowed into the North Carolina Swimming Pools Contractor exam. It does not include the additional references listed by the testing provider as study materials that are prohibited in the examination room.

What You Get

The books in this package are intended to be brought into the examination room when they comply with current PSI reference-material rules. Candidates remain responsible for reviewing their current candidate bulletin and ensuring that each book is properly bound and free from prohibited notes, loose pages, removable tabs, or unauthorized attachments.

Exam Details

The North Carolina Swimming Pools examination is administered by PSI for the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. The Board determines whether an applicant is eligible to sit for the examination. After approval, the candidate receives an examination eligibility letter containing the information needed to register and schedule with PSI.

• Examination: North Carolina Swimming Pools
• Classification: S(Swimming Pools)
• Testing provider: PSI
• Number of questions: 60
• Time allowed: 120 minutes
• Required passing score: 70%
• Exam format: Open book

The examination content outline includes 15 questions on filtration and circulation systems, 10 questions on maintenance and operation, eight questions on accessories and associated trades, 10 questions on concrete, shotcrete, and gunite, and 10 questions on design.

The remaining examination questions cover laws and regulations, liens, One Call excavation notification, and erosion and sedimentation control. Candidates should prepare for every subject area because even the smaller categories contribute to the final score.

The examination may also include questions based on general trade knowledge and accepted industry practices. The two exam-room books are important resources, but they do not replace a complete study plan covering swimming pool construction, equipment, water treatment, structural work, excavation, concrete, safety, contractor law, and project responsibilities.

Open Book Test

The North Carolina Swimming Pools Contractor examination is an open-book test. Candidates may bring the two approved references listed in this package into the examination center. Other books used to develop the examination are specifically identified as materials that are not allowed in the testing room.

Candidates are responsible for bringing their own reference materials. PSI does not provide personal copies of the books. References should be prepared before the appointment and must comply with current testing rules.

Reference materials may be highlighted, underlined, or indexed before the examination. Permanent tabs may be used when they are securely attached and cannot be removed easily. Removable flags, temporary tabs, loose notes, and separate papers are not permitted. Notes may not be written on tabs.

Candidates may not write in their reference books before or during the examination session. Unauthorized pages, handwritten materials, added notes, or attached papers may be removed or confiscated. Books downloaded or printed from an approved source must be complete and properly bound. Partial references are not accepted.

With 60 questions and 120 minutes, candidates have an average of approximately two minutes per question. This time must cover reading the question, identifying the topic, selecting the correct book, locating the applicable information, and choosing an answer.

Practice navigating both references before exam day. Learn how each book uses its table of contents, numbered sections, headings, definitions, indexes, tables, and technical terminology. A candidate who understands the layout of the books can use the open-book format more efficiently than someone seeing the material for the first time at the testing center.

Licensing Steps

1. Review the Swimming Pools classification. Confirm that the classification covers the type of swimming pool contracting work the applicant plans to perform.
2. Complete the appropriate application or examination request. Submit the required information to the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.
3. Identify the qualifier. The applicant must name the person who will satisfy the examination requirement for the Swimming Pools classification.
4. Select the applicable license limitation. Choose the limitation that corresponds with the intended project size and business needs.
5. Submit supporting documentation. Provide the organizational, financial, background, and other information required by the Board.
6. Receive examination eligibility. After approval, the Board issues an eligibility letter with registration and scheduling instructions.
7. Register and schedule with PSI. Use the identification information provided through the Board’s authorization process.
8. Prepare for the examination. Study the complete content outline and practice using the two approved exam-room references.
9. Take the examination. Bring the required identification, permitted calculator, and compliant reference books.
10. Complete remaining licensing requirements. Follow the Board’s instructions concerning examination results, application review, and license issuance.

Passing the Swimming Pools examination does not automatically issue a North Carolina contractor license. The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors must approve the complete application and determine that all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

State Requirements

The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors regulates the Swimming Pools specialty classification. The classification covers the construction, service, and repair of swimming pools.

Its scope includes excavation and grading, construction of concrete, gunite, plastic-type, fiberglass, metal-walled, and steel-walled pools, pool decks, walkways, tiling, coping, pumps, filters, chemical feeders, and associated pool equipment.

The classification does not include direct connections to sanitary sewer systems or potable water lines. It also does not include grounding and bonding metal surfaces or making electrical connections. Work outside the classification may require properly licensed electrical, plumbing, or other specialty contractors.

North Carolina contractor licenses are issued under limitations that control the value of projects a licensee may undertake. Applicants must satisfy the financial or bonding requirements associated with the requested limitation.

Business entities must provide the organizational information required by the Board and identify the individual serving as the qualifier. The qualifier is the person connected with the license who satisfies the examination requirement for the classification.

Candidates should follow the current application instructions issued by the Board. Eligibility periods, application procedures, financial requirements, fees, forms, and administrative rules may change.

Reference Books

This package includes the following two exam-room-approved references:

• Public Swimming Pools – North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Title 15A, Subchapter 18A, Section .2500, North Carolina Administrative Code
  This reference contains North Carolina rules governing public swimming pools. It addresses construction plans, equipment, circulation systems, water quality, operation, maintenance, safety provisions, inspections, and regulatory responsibilities. Candidates should become familiar with the numbered sections, definitions, dimensional requirements, operational provisions, and technical standards contained in the rules.
• Equipment and Chemicals for Swimming Pools, Spas, Hot Tubs, and Other Recreational Water Facilities, NSF/ANSI/CAN 50-2023
  This standard addresses equipment, components, materials, and treatment products used in recreational water facilities. It provides requirements related to filtration equipment, pumps, circulation components, chemical feeders, treatment systems, testing, materials, performance, and product safety. Candidates should practice locating requirements for specific equipment categories and understanding the technical language used throughout the standard.

These references should be used together during preparation. The North Carolina administrative rules focus on state requirements for public swimming pools, while the NSF/ANSI/CAN standard addresses the equipment and chemical systems used in pools, spas, hot tubs, and other recreational water facilities.

Use the public swimming pool rules to review regulatory requirements, construction provisions, operation, water quality, safety, and maintenance. Use the equipment and chemicals standard when studying pumps, filters, treatment systems, feeders, components, materials, and performance requirements.

Exam Room Approved Books

The following two references are allowed into the North Carolina Swimming Pools Contractor examination room:

• Public Swimming Pools – North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Title 15A, Subchapter 18A, Section .2500, North Carolina Administrative Code
• Equipment and Chemicals for Swimming Pools, Spas, Hot Tubs, and Other Recreational Water Facilities, NSF/ANSI/CAN 50-2023

This package is limited to the books allowed into the exam. It does not include the separate excavation, concrete, shotcrete, maintenance, ANSI/NSPI, sedimentation-control, business, or licensing references that may be used for study but are prohibited in the testing room.

Testing-center personnel make the final determination concerning whether a reference complies with exam-day rules. Before your appointment, inspect each book carefully. Remove loose papers, temporary tabs, detachable notes, unauthorized attachments, and any other prohibited material.

Test Information and Study Materials

Filtration and circulation systems make up the largest section of the published examination outline. Study how pumps, filters, drains, inlets, outlets, skimmers, piping, valves, strainers, gauges, and chemical feeders work together. Understand circulation patterns, equipment placement, flow, turnover, filtration, and system operation.

Maintenance and operation questions may involve water testing, disinfectant levels, pH, cleaning, contamination response, equipment care, routine inspections, operational records, troubleshooting, and water-quality management. Use the approved references to become familiar with required operating conditions and treatment-system provisions.

Accessories and associated trades may include decks, walkways, tiling, coping, piping, equipment installation, and coordination with electrical or plumbing professionals. Understand which work falls within the Swimming Pools classification and which connections require a separately licensed trade.

Concrete, shotcrete, and gunite represent another significant examination category. Candidates should understand basic materials, reinforcement, preparation, placement, application, finishing, curing, cracking, structural considerations, and quality control. These topics may require study materials beyond the two books allowed into the examination room.

Design questions may cover pool dimensions, circulation, equipment sizing, access, safety, public pool requirements, water features, spas, and system layout. Learn how design decisions affect water movement, treatment, maintenance, structural performance, and regulatory compliance.

The examination also includes laws, regulations, liens, excavation notification, and erosion and sedimentation control. These smaller categories should not be ignored. Review the responsibilities associated with operating a contracting business, beginning excavation, protecting underground utilities, controlling disturbed soil, and complying with state licensing rules.

Practice answering questions under timed conditions. Begin by identifying the subject category, then decide whether the answer is most likely found in the state public swimming pool rules or the equipment and chemicals standard. Use the contents, headings, and index to locate the information and confirm your answer.

Keep the books in the same order during study sessions. Become familiar with their physical layout so you can move directly to the correct reference when a question appears. Strong trade knowledge combined with efficient book navigation provides a practical foundation for open-book preparation.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps North Carolina Swimming Pools Contractor candidates organize their preparation around the official examination outline and approved exam-room references. This focused package provides the two books candidates are permitted to use during the open-book test.

Working with the correct references throughout preparation can help you understand how pool regulations, equipment standards, circulation systems, water treatment, and operational requirements are organized. Repeated navigation practice helps turn the books into useful testing tools rather than unfamiliar materials.

1 Exam Prep supports trade-focused review, practice-oriented preparation, and organized study guidance. Candidates are encouraged to connect each subject area with the appropriate reference, review important terminology, and practice locating provisions under time limits.

The exam-room package can be combined with separate study resources covering concrete, shotcrete, excavation, design, maintenance, business law, licensing, and sedimentation control. This approach allows candidates to build broad subject knowledge while becoming highly familiar with the two books available during the examination.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the North Carolina Swimming Pools Contractor exam open book?

Yes. The North Carolina Swimming Pools examination is open book. Candidates may bring the two approved references into the testing center when the books comply with PSI’s current reference-material rules.

How many books are included in this package?

The package includes two reference materials: the North Carolina public swimming pool rules and NSF/ANSI/CAN 50-2023 for equipment and chemicals used in recreational water facilities.

Are both books allowed into the exam room?

Yes. Both references in this package are identified as approved materials for the North Carolina Swimming Pools examination.

Does this package include the books that are prohibited in the exam room?

No. This package includes only the two approved exam-room references. Additional books used for general study are not included.

How many questions are on the examination?

The North Carolina Swimming Pools examination contains 60 questions.

How much time is allowed?

Candidates are allowed 120 minutes to complete the examination.

What score is required to pass?

The required passing score is 70%.

Can the books be highlighted or tabbed?

Approved references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Tabs must be permanent and may not contain notes. Removable flags, loose papers, and unauthorized attachments are prohibited.

Does this package cover every subject tested?

The two books support important regulatory, equipment, chemical, filtration, circulation, maintenance, and operational topics. Candidates should also study concrete, shotcrete, gunite, excavation, design, laws, liens, One Call requirements, and sedimentation control using separate preparation materials.

Who determines whether I am eligible to take the exam?

The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors determines examination eligibility. PSI administers the examination after the candidate receives approval.

Does passing the examination automatically issue my license?

No. Passing the examination is one part of the licensing process. The Board must approve the application and confirm that all applicable requirements have been completed.

Does purchasing these books guarantee a passing score?

No. The books provide approved exam-room references, but passing depends on the candidate’s knowledge, preparation, study habits, reference-navigation skills, and performance on exam day.