Virginia Framing Contractor Exam Complete Book Package

Prepare for the Virginia Framing Contractor examination with a complete technical book package built around the core references used for framing, rough carpentry, building-code requirements, residential construction, and OSHA safety. This package is designed for contractors, qualified individuals, framing subcontractors, construction supervisors, carpenters, and experienced tradespeople preparing for Virginia's Framing Contractor specialty examination.

Virginia identifies the Framing Contractor specialty with the abbreviation FRM. The specialty covers construction, removal, repair, or improvement of framing and rough carpentry necessary for framed structures, including installation and repair of individual components within framing systems. Framing work can involve floors, walls, roofs, structural openings, stairs, wood and metal framing components, layout, estimating, and jobsite safety.

This complete book package gives candidates a focused set of references for preparing across those areas. It includes Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA); International Building Code, 2021; International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, 2021; and Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016.

The combination of building codes, carpentry instruction, and construction safety material gives candidates a practical foundation for studying both residential and commercial framing concepts. Candidates can use the references to strengthen trade knowledge, practice code navigation, review construction methods, and become more comfortable locating technical information during open-book exam preparation.

This is the standard Complete Book Package. Highlighting, tabbing, course access, Application Service, and other services are not included unless specifically stated in another 1 Exam Prep product.

What You Get

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
• International Building Code, 2021
• International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, 2021
• Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016

Together, these references support preparation involving wood framing, residential framing, commercial framing concepts, structural openings, floors, walls, roofs, stairs, code requirements, rough carpentry methods, layout, and OSHA construction safety.

Candidates preparing with the complete package should become familiar with the purpose of each reference. Knowing whether a question is primarily about construction technique, residential code, commercial building requirements, or safety can help determine which book should be consulted first.

Exam Details

The Virginia Framing Contractor specialty examination is administered through PSI as part of the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation Board for Contractors licensing process. Virginia identifies Framing Contracting with the abbreviation FRM and requires applicants for this specialty to have an approved qualified individual who satisfies the applicable examination requirement.

The examination focuses on practical framing and rough-carpentry knowledge. Candidates should prepare for subjects involving walls, floors, ceilings, stairs, roofs, layout, estimating, plans, framing methods, structural components, and OSHA safety.

Framing questions can require an understanding of both construction practices and code requirements. Candidates may need to recognize proper framing sequences, member locations, load paths, fastening concepts, structural openings, wall layouts, roof systems, floor systems, and construction safety practices.

The International Building Code and International Residential Code provide code-based guidance for different types of structures. Carpentry and Building Construction supports practical framing methods and construction procedures, while 29 CFR Part 1926 addresses federal safety requirements applicable to framing work.

Preparation should combine code familiarity with hands-on trade knowledge. A candidate who understands how framing systems are assembled can more easily identify the type of information a question is asking for and decide which reference is most likely to contain the answer.

Open Book Test

The Virginia Framing Contractor specialty examination is an open-book test. Candidates are responsible for bringing their own permitted reference materials to the examination center.

PSI allows reference materials to be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Permanent tabs may be used for indexing. Removable tabs and temporary flags are not permitted. References must otherwise remain unmarked and cannot contain written notes or loose papers.

The open-book format makes reference familiarity an important part of preparation. Candidates should not wait until test day to learn how the books are organized. A large code book can take significant time to search if the candidate does not know where major framing subjects are located.

During preparation, practice using the International Residential Code for residential framing questions involving floors, walls, roofs, openings, stairs, and related building components. Use the International Building Code for broader commercial and structural code concepts associated with framed construction.

Carpentry and Building Construction can be used for practical trade topics such as layout, measuring, framing methods, tools, structural components, rough carpentry sequences, and construction techniques. OSHA should be used regularly to prepare for safety questions involving fall protection, ladders, scaffolds, tools, personal protective equipment, material handling, and other jobsite hazards.

A useful open-book strategy is to identify the subject before opening a reference. If the question is about a framing technique, begin with the carpentry reference. If it asks for a code requirement, select the appropriate building code. If it addresses a worker hazard or protective requirement, start with OSHA.

Licensing Steps

Virginia contractor licensing is administered by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation through the Board for Contractors. Contractor licenses are issued to businesses and sole proprietors rather than to individual tradespeople and include both a license class and a classification or specialty.

The applicant seeking the Framing Contractor specialty must identify a qualified individual for FRM. Virginia requires qualified individuals for Framing Contracting to be pre-approved and pass the applicable specialty examination.

The qualified individual must have the required relationship with the business. Virginia allows a qualified individual to be a full-time employee working at least 30 hours per week or a member of the company's responsible management.

The qualified individual must also meet the experience requirement for the class of contractor license being requested. Virginia currently requires at least one year of applicable experience for a Class C qualified individual, three years for Class B, and five years for Class A.

An Experience Verification Form is required for qualified individuals seeking specialties that require pre-approval for an examination, including Framing Contracting. The applicable experience should relate directly to the framing specialty for which the individual is qualifying.

After the required approval is obtained, the candidate completes the FRM specialty examination through PSI. Virginia requires successful completion of the applicable examination before the contractor license application is finalized.

Applicants for a new Virginia contractor license must also complete eight hours of Board-approved pre-license education. The education requirement is separate from the FRM specialty examination and focuses on contractor business requirements, regulations, and responsibilities.

Class A and Class B applicants also have business examination requirements associated with the designated employee. These business examinations are separate from the Framing Contractor technical examination.

State Requirements

Virginia defines Framing Contractor as the specialty that provides for construction, removal, repair, or improvement to framing or rough carpentry necessary for construction of framed structures. The scope includes installation and repair of individual components of framing systems.

The Residential Building and Commercial Building classifications also provide for framing work within their broader scopes. A contractor applying specifically for the FRM specialty is qualifying for the framing and rough-carpentry portion of construction rather than the full scope of a residential or commercial building classification.

Virginia contractor licenses are issued as Class A, Class B, or Class C. The license class determines the monetary level of contracts and projects the business may perform, while the classification or specialty determines the type of work the business is authorized to perform.

Applicants should select the license class and specialty that match the work the business intends to undertake. Framing contractors can be involved with structural wood framing, metal framing, floors, walls, roofs, rough openings, stairs, and other framing-system components within the scope of the specialty.

The qualified individual associated with FRM must satisfy the applicable experience requirement and pass the required specialty examination. The business must separately satisfy the licensing requirements for the contractor class being requested.

New contractor applicants must also complete the required pre-license education. Class A and Class B applicants must satisfy additional designated-employee examination requirements before licensure.

Reference Books

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  This federal construction safety reference contains OSHA standards applicable to framing and rough carpentry work. Important study areas can include fall protection, ladders, scaffolds, personal protective equipment, power tools, material handling, floor and wall openings, and other construction hazards encountered by framing crews.
• International Building Code, 2021
  This building-code reference addresses requirements for commercial and other nonresidential structures, including structural systems, construction types, building materials, means of egress, fire protection, and other code provisions relevant to framing and building construction.
• International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, 2021
  This residential code reference covers construction requirements for one- and two-family dwellings, including floors, walls, roofs, structural framing, foundations, stairs, openings, and other residential building components. It supports preparation for residential framing concepts and code navigation.
• Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
  This practical trade reference covers carpentry tools, materials, layout, floor framing, wall framing, roof framing, stairs, structural openings, rough carpentry, estimating, and general building methods. It provides a strong foundation for the hands-on framing knowledge represented on the FRM examination.

Exam Room Approved Books

The Virginia Framing Contractor examination is open book, and the following technical references are associated with preparation and exam-room use for the specialty:

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  Reference for federal construction safety requirements relevant to framing operations.
• International Building Code, 2021
  Reference for building-code requirements affecting framed structures and construction systems.
• International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, 2021
  Reference for residential framing and construction requirements.
• Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
  Reference for practical carpentry, rough framing, layout, construction methods, and related trade knowledge.

Candidates should bring permitted references in a format that complies with current PSI examination rules. Books should be studied before the examination so major chapters, indexes, tables, and framing subjects are familiar.

Test Information and Study Materials

A productive Virginia Framing Contractor study plan should begin with the major framing systems: floors, walls, roofs, ceilings, stairs, and structural openings. Study how each system is laid out, assembled, supported, fastened, and connected to adjacent construction.

Wall framing preparation should include studs, plates, headers, rough openings, bracing, partitions, corners, wall intersections, and load-bearing considerations. Candidates should understand the sequence of laying out and erecting framed walls and how openings affect the framing system.

Floor and ceiling preparation should include joists, beams, girders, subflooring, openings, bearing, bridging or blocking, and related structural components. Understanding how loads transfer through the framing system can help candidates interpret practical exam questions.

Roof preparation should include rafters, trusses, ridge members, hips, valleys, roof openings, sheathing, and common roof-framing terminology. Use Carpentry and Building Construction to reinforce practical methods and the code books to review applicable requirements.

Layout and estimating should also receive dedicated attention. Framing contractors regularly work with measurements, dimensions, material quantities, plans, and project layouts. Candidates should practice reading construction information and translating measurements into practical framing decisions.

Code study should focus on efficient navigation. Learn where structural framing, walls, floors, roofs, stairs, openings, and other building requirements are located in the International Building Code and International Residential Code. Use indexes and chapter organization repeatedly rather than trying to memorize every section number.

OSHA preparation should be integrated throughout the study process. Framing work often involves elevated work, ladders, scaffolds, power tools, lifting materials, exposed edges, and temporary construction conditions. Candidates should understand the safety principles that apply to these activities and practice locating the applicable OSHA requirements.

Once individual subjects become familiar, move into mixed-reference practice. Read a question, decide whether it is primarily a trade-method, code, or safety question, select the appropriate book, and locate the supporting information. This builds both technical knowledge and open-book navigation skills.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps Virginia Framing Contractor candidates organize preparation around the core technical subjects and books associated with the FRM examination. Framing is a practical trade, but the licensing exam can also require candidates to work efficiently with building codes and safety regulations.

Trade-focused review helps candidates divide preparation into walls, floors, ceilings, stairs, roofs, layout, estimating, code requirements, and OSHA safety. Studying each area separately before combining them through practice questions can make the overall preparation process easier to manage.

Reference navigation is particularly important for an open-book examination. Candidates should practice identifying whether a question belongs in the IBC, IRC, Carpentry and Building Construction, or OSHA before beginning the lookup. Familiarity with indexes, chapter headings, diagrams, tables, and terminology can help make that process more efficient.

Practice-oriented preparation also helps reinforce trade knowledge. Work through framing questions, research incorrect answers, review unfamiliar construction methods, and return to weak subjects until the underlying concepts become clearer.

1 Exam Prep supports candidates through organized study guidance, trade-focused review, practice-oriented preparation, reference navigation, and confidence-building study structure. The goal is to help candidates approach the Virginia FRM examination with stronger familiarity with both framing construction and the references used during testing.

Examination performance and contractor licensing approval depend on the candidate's preparation, experience, testing performance, and completion of the applicable Virginia Board for Contractors requirements.

What does FRM mean in Virginia contractor licensing?

FRM is the Virginia Board for Contractors abbreviation for Framing Contractor.

What type of work does the Virginia Framing Contractor specialty cover?

The specialty covers construction, removal, repair, or improvement of framing and rough carpentry necessary for framed structures, including installation and repair of individual components of framing systems.

Is the Virginia Framing Contractor exam open book?

Yes. Virginia contractor specialty examinations administered by PSI are open book. Candidates must bring their own permitted reference materials.

What books are included in this package?

The package includes 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA), International Building Code 2021, International Residential Code 2021, and Carpentry and Building Construction 2016.

Can I highlight or tab the books for the exam?

PSI permits approved references to be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before testing. Permanent tabs are allowed, while temporary removable tabs are not permitted.

Can I write notes inside the exam books?

No. Virginia PSI examination rules require references to remain otherwise unmarked, and written notes are not permitted.

Does the FRM qualified individual need experience?

Yes. Virginia requires at least one year of applicable experience for a Class C qualified individual, three years for Class B, and five years for Class A.

Is pre-license education required for a new Virginia contractor license?

Yes. New Virginia contractor applicants must complete eight hours of Board-approved pre-license education in addition to satisfying applicable examination and licensing requirements.

Does buying this book package guarantee a passing score?

No. The package provides technical references for study and open-book preparation. Exam performance depends on the candidate's framing knowledge, preparation, reference-navigation skills, and performance on test day.