The 1 Package: All-Inclusive Alabama NASCLA Commercial Building Contractor Licensing & Business Setup

Build your path toward Alabama commercial contractor licensing with one comprehensive package designed to combine exam preparation, licensing support, reference-book access, and essential business setup services. The 1 Package: All-Inclusive Alabama NASCLA Commercial Building Contractor Licensing & Business Setup is designed for contractors who want a more organized approach to preparing for the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors while also addressing key steps involved in establishing and preparing an Alabama contracting business.

The NASCLA commercial examination covers a wide range of construction-management and building topics, including general requirements, procurement and contracting, site construction, concrete, masonry, metals, wood construction, thermal and moisture protection, finishes, mechanical and plumbing systems, electrical systems, doors, windows, and glazing. It is an open-book examination, which makes familiarity with the approved reference library an important part of preparation.

This package includes the listed rental reference books prepared with highlighting and tabs for exam navigation, 1 year of course access, Application Service, business formation assistance, EIN filing, and contractor compliance guidance. Instead of approaching the exam, licensing process, business formation, and reference library separately, The 1 Package brings these major components together in one structured service.

Package Price: $3,604.

Refundable Book Deposit: $1,000.

Total Initial Payment: $4,604.

The books in this package are rentals. Books must be returned within one year in similar condition for the $1,000 book deposit to qualify for a refund. All books are highlighted and tabbed for exam preparation. Please allow up to 15 business days for The 1 Package book orders.

Exam Details

The NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors is a standardized trade examination used by participating contractor licensing agencies. Alabama is among the participating jurisdictions that accept the NASCLA commercial examination for applicable licensing purposes.

The current NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination contains 115 questions. Candidates must answer at least 81 questions correctly to achieve the required passing score. The examination provides 330 minutes of testing time.

The examination content outline includes:

• General Requirements: 25 questions
• Site Construction: 15 questions
• Concrete: 6 questions
• Masonry: 4 questions
• Metals: 6 questions
• Wood: 5 questions
• Thermal and Moisture Protection: 5 questions
• Doors, Windows, and Glazing: 4 questions
• Finishes: 5 questions
• Mechanical and Plumbing Systems: 6 questions
• Electrical Systems: 3 questions
• Procurement and Contracting Requirements: 31 questions

The large number of subjects makes organized preparation particularly valuable. Procurement and contracting requirements and general requirements represent substantial portions of the examination, while candidates must also be able to work with technical construction topics and code-based information.

Open Book Test

The NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors is an open book test. Candidates may bring approved reference materials into the testing center according to the examination provider's rules.

Reference materials may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Permanent tabs may be used for indexing. Temporary tabs such as Post-It notes are not permitted. Candidates are responsible for bringing their own approved references to the examination center.

That makes book familiarity an important component of NASCLA exam preparation. An open-book test does not mean there is enough time to research every question from the beginning. Candidates should know which reference covers a particular topic, understand how the book is organized, and practice locating chapters, tables, definitions, specifications, and other information under time limits.

The rental books included with The 1 Package are highlighted and tabbed for exam preparation, giving candidates an organized reference library they can use throughout their study period.

Licensing Steps

Passing the NASCLA Accredited Examination is not itself an Alabama contractor license. Candidates must complete the applicable licensing requirements established by the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors.

1. Prepare for the NASCLA commercial examination. Study the examination content areas and become familiar with the approved reference materials.
2. Apply for the NASCLA examination. NASCLA accepts applications for the Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors through its examination program.
3. Take and pass the NASCLA examination. Candidates must achieve the required passing score on the commercial general building examination.
4. Complete the Alabama contractor application process. Applicants seeking an Alabama prime contractor license must submit the applicable application and supporting documentation to the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors.
5. Complete the Alabama Business and Law examination. Alabama requires prime contractor applicants to take the Business and Law examination administered through PSI.
6. Submit applicable qualification documents. The Board evaluates licensing applications based on its current financial, experience, insurance, classification, and other requirements.
7. Complete Board review. The Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors reviews applications and determines whether an applicant satisfies the requirements for the requested license and classification.

The Application Service included with The 1 Package is designed to help organize the licensing process so candidates can focus on preparation while receiving support with the applicable contractor application workflow.

State Requirements

General contractor licensing in Alabama is administered by the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors. Under current Alabama law, the general contractor licensing threshold generally applies to covered construction undertakings costing $100,000 or more, including labor and materials.

Prime contractor applicants must complete the Board's licensing process and satisfy the requirements applicable to their requested classification. Alabama requires prime contractor applicants to complete a Business and Law examination in addition to applicable trade qualification requirements.

The Board currently requires a prime contractor application to be on file at least 30 days before a Board meeting. Board meetings are held quarterly. Applicants should plan their exam preparation, application submission, business documentation, and licensing timeline accordingly.

The NASCLA Accredited Examination can satisfy the trade-examination component for participating licensing agencies that accept it, but candidates must still complete Alabama's state-specific licensing requirements. The 1 Package combines exam preparation resources with Application Service, business setup support, EIN filing, and compliance guidance to help organize these related steps.

Reference Books

The following rental books are included with this package and are prepared with highlighting and tabs for exam preparation:

• Included Book: NASCLA Alabama, 3rd Edition
  A state-focused NASCLA reference covering Alabama contractor business, law, licensing, and project-management information.
• Included Book: Mechanical and Electrical Systems for Construction Managers, 4th Edition
  A construction-management reference covering mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and related building systems.
• Included Book: ICC A117.1-2017 Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
  A technical accessibility standard addressing accessible and usable building elements and facilities.
• Included Book: BCSI: Guide to Good Practice for Handling, Installing, Restraining, and Bracing of Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, 2025
  A specialized reference for wood-truss handling, installation, restraint, and bracing practices.
• Included Book: Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
  A broad construction reference covering carpentry, framing, building materials, methods, and structural components.
• Included Book: Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  Federal construction-industry safety regulations addressing workplace hazards and OSHA requirements.
• Included Book: Construction Jobsite Management, 5th Edition
  A construction-management resource addressing jobsite organization, supervision, planning, coordination, and field management.
• Included Book: Construction Project Management, 5th Edition
  A reference covering commercial construction project planning, administration, scheduling, coordination, and management principles.
• Included Book: NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, 14th Edition
  A contractor-focused reference covering business practices, project management, contracts, and construction administration.
• Included Book: Erectors' Manual – Standards and Guidelines for the Erection of PreCast Concrete Products, 2nd Edition, 1999
  A specialized reference covering standards and practices associated with precast concrete erection.
• Included Book: Green Building Fundamentals, Michael Montoya, 2011, 2nd Edition
  A construction reference addressing fundamental concepts associated with sustainable and green building practices.
• Included Book: Gypsum Construction Handbook, 7th Edition
  A technical resource covering gypsum products, assemblies, systems, and installation practices.
• Included Book: Technical Digest No. 9 – Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders
  A specialized reference covering handling and erection practices for steel joists and joist girders.
• Included Book: International Building Code, 2021
  A major commercial construction code covering occupancy, construction types, fire protection, egress, structural requirements, and other building provisions.
• Included Book: ACI 318-19: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary
  A structural concrete standard addressing reinforced concrete design and construction requirements.
• Included Book: Training and Certification of Field Personnel for Unbonded Post-Tensioning - Level 1 Field Fundamentals
  A specialized reference covering fundamental field practices associated with unbonded post-tensioning systems.
• Included Book: Modern Masonry - Brick, Block, Stone, Clois E. Kicklighter, 10th Edition
  A masonry reference covering brick, block, stone, materials, tools, methods, and construction practices.
• Included Book: Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  A practical reference addressing excavation, trenching, pipe installation, underground work, and related site construction.
• Included Book: Principles and Practices of Commercial Construction, 11th Edition
  A comprehensive commercial construction reference addressing materials, methods, systems, and construction practices.
• Included Book: Roofing Construction and Estimating, Daniel Atcheson, 1995
  A roofing reference covering construction methods, materials, measurements, estimating, and roofing applications.
• Included Book: Placing Reinforcing Bars
  A technical reference addressing recommended practices for reinforcing steel placement in concrete construction.
• Included Book: SDI (Steel Deck Institute) Manual of Construction with Steel Deck
  A specialized reference covering steel deck handling, installation, placement, and construction practices.
• Included Book: The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction - 4th Edition
  A practical guide addressing materials, placement, workmanship, finishing, and quality concrete construction.
• Included Book: ANSI/EIMA 99-A-2017: Standard for Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) and EIFS with Drainage, 2017
  A technical standard addressing exterior insulation and finish systems and EIFS systems incorporating drainage.
• Included Book: Developing Your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan – A Guide for Construction Sites, United States Environmental Protection Agency
  A construction-site resource addressing development and implementation of stormwater pollution prevention planning.

Exam Room Approved Books

The NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination is open book and uses an approved reference list. The package contains the listed exam references for study and exam preparation. Candidates should bring permitted references to the testing center and follow current PSI examination rules concerning reference materials.

Approved references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before testing. Permanent tabs may be used, while temporary tabs such as Post-It notes are not permitted. The books in The 1 Package are highlighted and tabbed to support reference navigation during preparation and applicable exam use.

Test Information and Study Materials

NASCLA exam preparation should combine construction knowledge with efficient reference navigation. With 115 questions spread across 12 content areas, candidates should know which books are most useful for each subject and practice locating information quickly.

Give particular attention to General Requirements and Procurement and Contracting Requirements, which together account for a substantial portion of the examination. Candidates should also spend focused study time on site construction and the technical trade categories, including concrete, masonry, metals, wood, building finishes, mechanical and plumbing systems, electrical systems, and moisture protection.

Practice under timed conditions. Use the highlighted sections and tabs to develop a repeatable process: identify the subject, select the appropriate reference, locate the relevant section, and evaluate the available answer choices. Repeated navigation practice can make a large open-book library more manageable.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep supports Alabama contractor candidates with a structured combination of exam preparation, reference navigation, licensing support, and business setup services. The goal is to reduce the number of separate tasks a contractor must coordinate while preparing for the NASCLA commercial examination and Alabama licensing process.

With 1 year of course access, candidates can build a study schedule around trade-focused review, organized study guidance, practice-oriented preparation, and reference-navigation exercises. Highlighted and tabbed rental books help candidates become familiar with the technical references used throughout the exam.

The included Application Service adds support for the licensing workflow, while Business Formation, EIN Filing with the IRS, and Contractor Compliance Guidance address important business-setup considerations. Together, these services create a broader contractor preparation package that extends beyond studying for a single examination.

Is the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor exam open book?

Yes. The NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors is an open-book examination using permitted reference materials.

How many questions are on the NASCLA commercial exam?

The examination contains 115 questions. Candidates must answer at least 81 questions correctly to pass.

How much time is allowed for the NASCLA exam?

Candidates are allowed 330 minutes to complete the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination.

How long do I receive course access?

The 1 Package includes 1 year of course access.

Is Application Service included?

Yes. Application Service is included with The 1 Package.

Are the books highlighted and tabbed?

Yes. The books are highlighted and tabbed for exam preparation and organized reference navigation.

Are the books purchased or rented?

The books provided through this package are rentals. They must be returned within one year in similar condition for the refundable book deposit to qualify for a refund.

What is the refundable book deposit?

The refundable book deposit is $1,000. The package price is $3,604, making the total initial payment $4,604.

How long should I allow for my book order?

Please allow up to 15 business days for The 1 Package book orders.

Does passing the NASCLA exam automatically give me an Alabama contractor license?

No. The NASCLA examination addresses the trade examination component accepted by participating licensing agencies. Alabama applicants must still satisfy the applicable licensing requirements of the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors.

Does The 1 Package include business setup assistance?

Yes. The package includes Business Formation assistance for an LLC or corporation, EIN Filing with the IRS, and Contractor Compliance Guidance in addition to exam preparation and Application Service.