The 1 Package: All-Inclusive North Carolina Highway Contractor Licensing & Business Setup

Prepare for the North Carolina Highway Contractor examination, complete the licensing process, and establish your contracting business with one comprehensive program. The 1 Package combines professionally highlighted and tabbed reference books, one year of trade-course access, self-study preparation, live-class instruction, Application Service, business formation, EIN filing, and contractor compliance guidance.

The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination covers a wide range of construction knowledge. Candidates must prepare for asphalt paving, piles, excavation and grading, concrete paving, safety, One Call requirements, traffic control, concrete, reinforcing steel, erosion and sedimentation control, tunneling, railroad construction, marine construction, licensing, liens, business law, and sports fields. This package brings the books and preparation services for those subjects into one organized licensing and business setup solution.

All seventeen included references are professionally highlighted and tabbed. Highlighting directs attention to important standards, procedures, definitions, tables, specifications, laws, and trade concepts. Permanent tabs organize the books by subject so candidates can review material more efficiently and practice locating information in the six references permitted inside the examination room.

The trade course includes flexible self-study preparation and live-class instruction. Candidates receive one full year of course access, allowing time to review the broad Highway Contractor examination outline, practice reference navigation, attend guided instruction, and revisit difficult subjects.

The package price is $3,305, plus a refundable $1,300 book deposit, for a total initial payment of $4,605. The $1,300 deposit is refundable when the books are returned within one year in similar condition. Please allow 15 business days for professional highlighting and tabbing before the books are ready for shipment.

Exam Details

The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination is administered by PSI for the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Candidates must receive examination eligibility before registering and scheduling their testing appointment.

• Examination: North Carolina Highway Contractor
• Number of questions: 90
• Time allowed: 265 minutes
• Passing score: 70%
• Testing format: Computer-based examination
• Testing provider: PSI

The examination content outline includes the following subject areas:

• Paving — Asphalt: 12 questions
• Piles: 5 questions
• Excavation and Grading: 8 questions
• Concrete Paving: 3 questions
• Safety: 5 questions
• One Call: 3 questions
• Traffic Control: 2 questions
• Concrete: 6 questions
• Metals, Including Concrete Reinforcement: 5 questions
• Erosion and Sedimentation Control: 4 questions
• Tunneling: 8 questions
• Railroad Construction: 8 questions
• Marine Construction: 6 questions
• Licensing: 2 questions
• Liens: 1 question
• Business and Law: 7 questions
• Sports Fields: 5 questions

The broad outline means candidates should not prepare only for paving. Tunneling, railroad construction, excavation, business law, concrete, marine work, reinforcement, safety, piles, and sports fields collectively represent a substantial part of the examination.

Open Book Test

The North Carolina Highway Contractor examination is an open-book test. Candidates may use only references approved for this examination classification. Six books in this package are permitted inside the examination room, while eleven additional references are included for study and are not allowed during the test.

Approved references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Tabs must be permanent and firmly attached to the pages. Removable flags and temporary tabs are not accepted, and notes may not be written on the tabs. Loose or attached supplemental papers are not permitted.

The complete CAMA Handbook must be bound when taken into the testing center. A complete copy may be spiral bound or hole-punched and placed in a binder. Partial copies are not accepted.

The 265-minute time limit provides slightly less than three minutes per question. Candidates should practice identifying the subject of a question, selecting the correct approved book, locating the appropriate tab, and confirming the answer without spending unnecessary time searching.

Licensing Steps

1. Select the Highway classification. Confirm that the classification covers the work the business intends to perform.
2. Choose the license limitation. Select the limitation that matches the company’s financial qualifications and expected project values.
3. Establish the business entity. Form the LLC or corporation under which the contracting business will operate.
4. Obtain the EIN. Complete the IRS filing used for business banking, tax administration, payroll, and hiring.
5. Identify the qualifier. Designate the individual whose approved examination will qualify the company for the Highway classification.
6. Prepare the application. Assemble the required business, financial, background, qualifier, and ownership information.
7. Submit the licensing materials. Use the included Application Service to organize the application process.
8. Receive examination eligibility. Follow the instructions issued after the examination request is approved.
9. Register with PSI. Schedule the examination within the authorized eligibility period.
10. Take the Highway Contractor examination. Bring the required identification and only approved reference materials.
11. Complete the licensing process. Satisfy the remaining board requirements before the license is issued.
12. Maintain business compliance. Keep the entity, licensing records, tax information, and contractor obligations properly organized.

State Requirements

North Carolina generally requires a general contractor license when a person or business bids on, contracts for, or constructs a covered project valued at $40,000 or more. The contractor must hold a classification and limitation appropriate for the work and project value.

The Highway Contractor classification covers highway construction activities including grading, paving, exterior artificial athletic surfaces, utility-line relocation ancillary to the principal project, bridge and culvert construction or repair, parking decks, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and storm drainage.

The scope also includes guardrails, fencing, signage, ancillary highway hardware, and paving or grading for airport and airfield runways, taxiways, and aprons. It encompasses work performed under the boring and tunneling, concrete construction, marine construction, railroad construction, and grading and excavating specialty classifications.

Applicants must identify a qualifier who has passed an examination approved for the requested classification. Passing the examination completes the testing component but does not independently issue the license. The licensing board must complete its review of the applicant and business entity.

The classification determines the type of work the contractor may perform. The limitation determines the monetary value of projects the contractor may undertake. Business formation and EIN filing establish the company’s legal and administrative foundation for professional operation.

Reference Books

• Included Book: Sports Fields Design, Construction and Maintenance, Second Edition, 2010
  Exam Room Approved. Covers sports-field planning, grading, drainage, soil preparation, turf establishment, construction, and maintenance.
• Included Book: Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition
  Exam Room Approved. Covers business organization, licensing, contracts, project management, financial administration, liens, risk, and contractor responsibilities.
• Included Book: North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018
  Exam Room Approved. Contains roadway and structure requirements for earthwork, paving, drainage, materials, concrete, construction procedures, and measurement.
• Included Book: North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry, with Latest Available Amendments
  Exam Room Approved. Contains construction safety requirements involving excavation, equipment, fall protection, concrete, tunneling, protective equipment, and workplace hazards.
• Included Book: Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition
  Exam Room Approved. Reviews equipment selection, production, earthmoving, excavation, hauling, compaction, piles, tunneling, concrete operations, and construction planning.
• Included Book: CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina
  Exam Room Approved. Provides guidance on coastal development, regulated areas, permits, docks, shoreline activities, and environmental responsibilities.
• Included Book: North Carolina Administrative Code, Title 15A, Chapter 4 Sedimentation Control, Including the Latest Amendments
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Covers erosion and sedimentation-control rules for land-disturbing construction activities.
• Included Book: North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 113A, Article 4 Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of 1973
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Contains the statutory framework governing sedimentation pollution control.
• Included Book: North Carolina Excavation Safety Guidelines, 2022 or Later
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Supports preparation for One Call, utility-location markings, notifications, safe digging, and excavator responsibilities.
• Included Book: Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Reviews soils, trenching, excavation, dewatering, pipe installation, grading, backfilling, compaction, equipment, and estimating.
• Included Book: Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th Edition
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Covers concrete materials, mixture proportioning, strength, durability, placement, curing, testing, and quality control.
• Included Book: Hot Mix Asphalt Paving Handbook
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Reviews asphalt production, transportation, placement, compaction, paving equipment, density, and quality-control practices.
• Included Book: Laws and Regulations Applicable to General Contracting in the State of North Carolina
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Contains statutes and rules covering classifications, limitations, qualifiers, applications, renewals, and contractor responsibilities.
• Included Book: Placing Reinforcing Bars
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Covers reinforcing-bar identification, placement, supports, clearances, tolerances, splices, and field practices.
• Included Book: Training and Certification of Field Personnel for Unbonded Post-Tensioning — Level 1 Field Fundamentals
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Introduces post-tensioning components, installation, stressing operations, field procedures, inspection, and safety.
• Included Book: Jacked Tunnel Design and Construction, 1999
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Reviews jacked-tunnel planning, ground conditions, shafts, alignment, equipment, jacking forces, and construction procedures.
• Included Book: The Practical Guide to Railway Engineering, 3rd Edition, 2019
  Study Only — Not Allowed in the Exam Room. Covers railway track, subgrade, ballast, drainage, structures, construction, maintenance, and operating fundamentals.

Exam Room Approved Books

Only the following six included books are approved for use inside the North Carolina Highway Contractor examination room:

• Sports Fields Design, Construction and Maintenance, Second Edition, 2010
  Supports sports-field design, grading, drainage, construction, and maintenance questions.
• Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — North Carolina General Contractors Edition, 10th Edition
  Supports business law, licensing, liens, contracts, and project-management questions.
• North Carolina Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures, 2018
  Supports roadway specifications, paving, grading, drainage, concrete, and materials questions.
• North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry
  Supports questions involving construction safety and exact workplace requirements.
• Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods, 10th Edition
  Supports equipment, earthmoving, piles, tunneling, excavation, production, and construction-method questions.
• CAMA Handbook for Development of Coastal North Carolina
  Supports marine and coastal-development questions. The complete handbook must be properly bound.

Test Information and Study Materials

The one-year trade course combines self-study access with live-class instruction. Self-study preparation allows candidates to move through the extensive examination outline at their own pace, while the live class provides guided review and a structured way to address difficult trade subjects.

Begin with asphalt paving, excavation, tunneling, and railroad construction because these categories represent a large share of the exam. Review asphalt production and placement, compaction, earthmoving, grading, piles, tunnel methods, track components, subgrade, ballast, drainage, and construction procedures.

Concrete, reinforcement, safety, erosion control, One Call, traffic control, marine construction, sports fields, licensing, liens, and business law also require dedicated preparation. Many of the supporting books for these subjects are not allowed during the examination, making advance study essential.

Use timed practice to develop reference-navigation skills. Identify the topic, select the correct approved book, locate the tab, and confirm the answer from the relevant provision or table. Repeated practice helps turn the prepared tabs into a useful exam-day system.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep supports candidates through organized study guidance, trade-focused review, live instruction, self-study preparation, reference navigation, and a confidence-building study structure. The package combines exam preparation, licensing assistance, and business setup in one coordinated program.

The highlighted and tabbed books reduce the time required to organize seventeen technical and regulatory references. The course helps candidates connect the official examination subjects to the books, practice finding information, and develop a consistent preparation schedule.

Application Service helps organize the licensing paperwork. Business Formation establishes the LLC or corporation, while EIN filing supports banking, tax management, employee hiring, and professional business operations. Contractor Compliance Guidance helps customers understand responsibilities associated with operating a North Carolina highway contracting business.

No course or service guarantees a passing score, license approval, or business result. Examination performance, accurate application information, financial qualification, and compliance with licensing requirements remain the responsibility of the candidate and applicant.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in The 1 Package?

The package includes seventeen highlighted and tabbed books, 1 year of course access, self-study preparation, live-class instruction, Application Service, LLC or corporation formation, EIN filing, and contractor compliance guidance.

What is the total initial payment?

The package price is $3,305, plus a refundable $1,300 book deposit, for a total initial payment of $4,605.

How is the book deposit refunded?

The $1,300 deposit is refundable when the books are returned within one year in similar condition.

How long is the course available?

The package includes 1 year of course access.

Are self-study and live classes included?

Yes. The trade course includes both flexible self-study preparation and live-class instruction.

Are all seventeen books allowed in the exam room?

No. Six books are approved for exam-room use. The remaining eleven references are included for study only.

Is Application Service included?

Yes. Application Service is included with The 1 Package.

Does the package include business formation and EIN filing?

Yes. LLC or corporation formation and EIN filing with the IRS are included.

How long do the books take to prepare?

Please allow 15 business days for professional highlighting and tabbing before shipment.

Does the package guarantee a passing score or license approval?

No. The package provides preparation and administrative support, but examination results and licensing decisions depend on the candidate and applicant meeting all applicable requirements.