South Carolina NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor Exam Book Rental

Prepare for the South Carolina Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors exam and the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors with a complete rental set of the listed reference books, organized business and trade exam-preparation courses, and six months of study access.

This package is designed for contractors who need the required business-and-law and commercial building references but do not want to purchase a large personal library. The rental set includes 24 books covering business operations, project management, safety, accessibility, building codes, structural systems, concrete, masonry, roofing, carpentry, excavation, mechanical and electrical systems, and other commercial construction subjects.

The books are prepared with highlighting and permanent tabs to make important sections easier to locate. Because these are open-book examinations, successful preparation involves more than simply having the references available. Candidates must learn how each book is organized, recognize which reference applies to a question, and move efficiently between indexes, tables, chapters, definitions, and technical requirements.

The included business and trade courses provide a structured way to study the two major parts of the South Carolina commercial contractor examination process. The business course focuses on the state-specific Business Management and Law examination, while the trade course supports preparation for the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor exam. Course access lasts for six months.

Please allow up to 15 business days for the rental books to be prepared before shipment. Preparation time allows the set to be assembled, highlighted, tabbed, inspected, and organized for the customer.

Exam Details

This package supports preparation for two separate examinations associated with the South Carolina commercial contractor licensing process: the South Carolina Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors exam and the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors.

The South Carolina Business Management and Law examination addresses the knowledge needed to operate a contracting business within the state. Preparation may involve contractor licensing laws, business planning, financial management, employment responsibilities, insurance, bonding, taxation, contracts, project administration, safety, environmental requirements, and other business practices discussed in the South Carolina commercial contractors guide.

The NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination serves as the trade examination component. Its broad construction scope requires candidates to work with references addressing project planning, site work, concrete, masonry, metals, carpentry, roofing, accessibility, safety, building codes, structural systems, mechanical and electrical coordination, quality control, and construction management.

The NASCLA examination is administered through PSI after the candidate completes the applicable NASCLA examination application and receives approval. Passing the NASCLA examination does not, by itself, issue a South Carolina contractor license. Candidates must also satisfy the licensing, qualifying-party, experience, financial, application, and state examination requirements established by the South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board.

Open Book Test

The NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors is an open-book examination. Candidates are responsible for bringing permitted references to the testing center. The books are not supplied at the exam site.

Open book does not mean that every answer can be found quickly without preparation. The number and size of the references make time management a major part of the testing process. Candidates should know which book covers each major subject, how to use each index, where commonly tested tables are located, and how the permanent tabs correspond with the book’s organization.

References may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed according to the applicable testing rules. Books must otherwise remain free from prohibited written notes or added papers. Permanent tabs may be used, while temporary tabs such as removable notes are not accepted. Candidates should review the current candidate bulletin before the examination and make sure every reference complies with the testing provider’s rules.

The South Carolina Business Management and Law examination also relies on its designated state reference. The included South Carolina commercial contractors guide is prepared to support study and reference navigation for that examination.

Licensing Steps

1. Determine the appropriate South Carolina classification and group limitation. The requested license must correspond with the type and value of work the business intends to perform.
2. Identify the qualifying party. A South Carolina commercial contractor applicant must designate a Primary Qualifying Party for each classification or subclassification requested.
3. Meet the experience requirement. General and mechanical contractor candidates must document the commercial experience required for the classification they are seeking.
4. Apply for the NASCLA examination. Candidates taking the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor exam must complete the NASCLA application process and receive approval before scheduling.
5. Schedule the examination with PSI. After approval, the candidate receives scheduling instructions for the NASCLA trade examination.
6. Pass the NASCLA trade examination. The passing result may be transmitted through the NASCLA National Examination Database to participating licensing agencies.
7. Pass the South Carolina Business Management and Law examination. South Carolina requires the state business-and-law exam even when a NASCLA result is used for the technical examination requirement.
8. Prepare the South Carolina applications. The business license application and qualifying-party certification forms must be completed with the requested supporting documentation.
9. Submit financial documentation or an eligible surety bond. The required form of financial support depends on the contractor group limitation requested.
10. Complete the licensing review. The South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board reviews the submitted applications, examination results, qualifying-party information, experience documentation, and financial materials before issuing a license.

State Requirements

The South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Board regulates general and mechanical contractors operating within the state. A commercial contractor license is issued to the business entity, while one or more qualifying parties demonstrate the required knowledge and experience for the classifications shown on the license.

General and mechanical contractor candidates must document at least two years of commercial experience within the previous five years in the classification for which licensure is requested. The experience is documented through the required experience affidavit submitted with the commercial license application.

Applicants must designate a Primary Qualifying Party for each requested classification or subclassification. The qualifying party is responsible for directing or reviewing the work performed under that classification. Required examinations must be completed before the business applies for the license.

The state also requires financial documentation or an eligible surety bond supporting the requested contractor group limitation. The appropriate documentation depends on the group selected. Applicants should choose a group that matches the anticipated size of their projects and submit the corresponding materials with the license application.

Passing an examination is one part of the licensing process. Examination approval does not replace the state’s business application, qualifying-party application, experience documentation, financial responsibility requirements, or other licensing documents.

Reference Books

• Included Rental Book: Mechanical and Electrical Systems for Construction Managers, 4th Edition
  Covers the mechanical and electrical systems that construction managers coordinate during commercial projects.
• Included Rental Book: ICC A117.1-2017 Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
  Provides technical accessibility criteria for buildings, facilities, spaces, and building elements.
• Included Rental Book: BCSI: Guide to Good Practice for Handling, Installing, Restraining, and Bracing of Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, 2025
  Addresses safe handling, installation, restraint, and bracing practices for metal plate connected wood trusses.
• Included Rental Book: Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
  Reviews building layout, framing, materials, carpentry methods, and common construction procedures.
• Included Rental Book: Code of Federal Regulations – 29 CFR Part 1926
  Contains federal occupational safety and health regulations applicable to construction work.
• Included Rental Book: Construction Jobsite Management, 5th Edition
  Explains jobsite planning, supervision, documentation, productivity, safety, coordination, and field management.
• Included Rental Book: Construction Project Management, 5th Edition
  Covers project organization, scheduling, cost control, contracts, quality, communication, and closeout.
• Included Rental Book: NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, 14th Edition
  Reviews core contractor business, legal, financial, risk-management, and project-management principles.
• Included Rental Book: Erectors’ Manual – Standards and Guidelines for the Erection of Precast Concrete Products, 2nd Edition, 1999
  Addresses planning, handling, bracing, alignment, connections, and safety during precast concrete erection.
• Included Rental Book: Green Building Fundamentals, Michael Montoya, 2nd Edition, 2011
  Introduces sustainable construction concepts, building performance, materials, resource efficiency, and environmental considerations.
• Included Rental Book: Gypsum Construction Handbook, 7th Edition
  Covers gypsum products, wall and ceiling systems, installation practices, finishing, and related assemblies.
• Included Rental Book: Technical Digest No. 9 – Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders, 3rd Edition
  Provides guidance for handling, placing, bridging, and erecting steel joists and joist girders.
• Included Rental Book: International Building Code, 2021
  Provides commercial building requirements involving occupancy, construction types, fire protection, egress, structural provisions, and building systems.
• Included Rental Book: ACI 318-14: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary
  Contains structural concrete requirements and commentary for design, materials, construction, and inspection.
• Included Rental Book: Training and Certification of Field Personnel for Unbonded Post-Tensioning – Level 1 Field Fundamentals
  Reviews field fundamentals for the installation, handling, inspection, and protection of unbonded post-tensioning systems.
• Included Rental Book: Modern Masonry – Brick, Block, Stone, Clois E. Kicklighter, 10th Edition
  Covers masonry materials, tools, layout, mortar, brick, block, stone, estimating, and construction practices.
• Included Rental Book: Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  Addresses excavation, trenching, grading, underground utilities, pipe installation, equipment, estimating, and site safety.
• Included Rental Book: Principles and Practices of Commercial Construction, 11th Edition
  Provides broad coverage of commercial construction methods, materials, systems, sequencing, and project practices.
• Included Rental Book: Roofing Construction and Estimating, Daniel Atcheson, 1995
  Reviews roofing systems, materials, installation methods, measurements, quantities, and estimating.
• Included Rental Book: Placing Reinforcing Bars
  Covers reinforcing bar identification, placement, supports, splices, tolerances, detailing, and field practices.
• Included Rental Book: SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck
  Explains steel deck handling, placement, fastening, construction loads, safety, and field installation practices.
• Included Rental Book: The Contractor’s Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, 4th Edition
  Reviews concrete materials, preparation, placement, finishing, curing, testing, quality control, and problem prevention.
• Included Rental Book: Developing Your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan – A Guide for Construction Sites
  Explains construction-site stormwater planning, erosion controls, pollution prevention practices, inspections, and documentation.
• Included Rental Book: NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, South Carolina Commercial Contractors, 9th Edition
  Provides South Carolina-specific business, licensing, legal, financial, employment, safety, and project-management material for the state examination.

Test Information and Study Materials

A productive study plan should combine content review with repeated book-navigation practice. Begin by grouping the references by subject: business and law, project management, safety, building codes, accessibility, site work, concrete, masonry, structural systems, carpentry, roofing, and mechanical and electrical coordination.

Study one subject group at a time and practice identifying the best reference for different question types. Use indexes before browsing chapters, learn the terminology used by each publication, and become familiar with frequently used tables and definitions. Timed practice is important because the candidate must read the question, identify the subject, choose the correct reference, locate the information, and answer within the available testing period.

The included courses help organize this work into manageable study areas. Course access is available for six months, allowing candidates to review business and trade content, revisit difficult subjects, and continue practicing reference navigation before the examination date.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps candidates turn a large reference library into an organized preparation system. The rental books are highlighted and tabbed so students can spend more time learning where information is located and less time setting up every reference from the beginning.

The included business and trade courses provide structured guidance for both the South Carolina-specific examination and the NASCLA commercial building examination. Students can review trade knowledge, contractor business topics, project-management concepts, safety requirements, code subjects, and reference-navigation strategies in a focused sequence.

Practice-oriented preparation helps candidates build the habits needed for an open-book contractor exam. These habits include recognizing key terms, selecting the correct book, working from the index, locating technical details efficiently, and managing time across a broad range of construction subjects.

The package does not promise a passing score or licensing approval. It provides the references, course structure, and navigation-focused preparation needed to approach the examination process with a clearer plan and greater confidence.

What is included in this rental package?

The package includes the complete 24-book rental set listed above, highlighting and permanent tabs, a South Carolina business exam-preparation course, a NASCLA commercial building trade course, and six months of course access.

How much does the package cost?

The package price is $1,799. A refundable $1,500 book deposit is collected at purchase, making the total initial payment $3,299.

How does the refundable deposit work?

The $1,500 deposit is refundable when the rental books are returned within six months in similar condition. Customers should protect the books from missing pages, water damage, excessive writing, removed tabs, and other damage beyond normal rental use.

How long can I keep the books?

The rental period is six months. The books must be returned within that period to qualify for the refundable deposit under the stated return conditions.

How long does course access last?

The business and trade courses include 6 months of course access.

Are the books highlighted and tabbed?

Yes. The rental references are prepared with highlighting and permanent tabs to support exam study and faster navigation.

How soon will the books be ready?

Please allow up to 15 business days for the complete set to be prepared before shipment.

Does passing the NASCLA exam automatically issue a South Carolina license?

No. The NASCLA examination addresses the technical trade-examination component. Applicants must still complete the South Carolina licensing process, pass the required state Business Management and Law examination, and satisfy all applicable experience, qualifying-party, financial, and application requirements.

Is the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor exam open book?

Yes. Candidates may bring approved references that comply with the current examination rules. The references are not supplied by the testing center.

Can I write notes in the rental books?

The books are supplied as prepared rental references and must be returned in similar condition. Candidates should not add handwritten notes, attach loose papers, remove tabs, or make alterations that could violate testing rules or affect the refundable deposit.