New Virginia Concrete Contractor - Online Exam Prep Course

Prepare for the Virginia Concrete Contracting examination with an online exam prep course focused on the technical knowledge, reference-book navigation, and test-taking skills needed for the Concrete Contracting specialty. This Virginia Concrete Contractor exam prep course is designed for candidates working toward the Concrete Contracting specialty, commonly identified by the abbreviation CEM, through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation Board for Contractors.

The Virginia Concrete Contracting specialty covers work associated with processing, proportioning, batching, mixing, conveying, and placing concrete using materials common to the concrete industry. The scope also includes concrete finishing, coloring, curing, repairing, testing, sawing, grinding, grouting, film barriers, sealing, waterproofing, construction and assembly of forms and molds, and the use of reinforcing steel.

Because the Virginia Concrete Contracting exam is open book, preparation requires more than memorizing construction facts. Candidates also need to understand where important information is located within the approved references and how to move efficiently between concrete standards, building-code requirements, OSHA regulations, excavation information, reinforcing-steel guidance, and formwork material. The goal of this course is to help organize those areas into a practical study process that supports both trade knowledge and reference navigation.

The examination covers estimating, layout and excavation, formwork, reinforcing steel, general concrete knowledge, and safety. These subjects reflect the everyday technical knowledge associated with concrete construction and require candidates to work comfortably with calculations, field practices, construction terminology, concrete materials, reinforcing methods, formwork principles, excavation procedures, and jobsite safety requirements.

An organized Virginia Concrete Contractor exam prep program can help you spend less study time searching randomly through large reference books and more time learning how the major exam topics connect. By becoming familiar with the books before test day, you can build a repeatable method for identifying keywords, locating relevant chapters and tables, and confirming answers efficiently during an open-book examination.

Exam Details

The Virginia Concrete Contracting examination is administered through PSI as part of Virginia's contractor specialty examination program. Candidates must receive the required eligibility approval before scheduling the specialty examination.

• Examination: Virginia Concrete Contracting
• Specialty Abbreviation: CEM
• Testing Provider: PSI
• Number of Questions: 50
• Time Allowed: 120 minutes
• Minimum Passing Score: 70%, or 35 correct answers
• Exam Format: Computer-administered examination
• Exam Type: Open book

The published examination content areas include:

• Estimating: 5 items
• Layout and Excavation: 10 items
• Formwork: 6 items
• Reinforcing Steel: 7 items
• General Concrete: 16 items
• Safety: 6 items

General Concrete represents the largest portion of the examination, but successful preparation should account for every content area. Layout, excavation, reinforcing steel, formwork, estimating, and safety collectively make up a substantial part of the test and should be included in a complete study plan.

Open Book Test

The Virginia Concrete Contracting examination is an open-book test. Candidates are responsible for bringing permitted reference materials because reference books are not supplied at the testing location.

Open book does not mean that every answer can be found quickly without preparation. The examination has 50 questions and a 120-minute time limit, giving candidates an average of approximately 2.4 minutes per question. Familiarity with the organization of the reference books can therefore be an important part of exam preparation.

PSI permits reference books to be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination, but the references must otherwise remain unmarked. Study guides are not permitted as exam-room references. Loose papers and unbound reference material are not permitted. References may be organized using permanent tabs, while removable tabs such as temporary flags are not allowed.

Before test day, spend time learning each book's table of contents, index, major chapters, common tables, definitions, and frequently referenced sections. When practicing questions, identify the wording that points toward a particular reference. For example, a question involving trench conditions may direct you toward excavation or OSHA material, while a question involving reinforcing-bar placement may require a reinforcing-steel reference.

Licensing Steps

Virginia contractor licensing is administered by the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation through the Board for Contractors. The Concrete Contracting specialty is one component of the contractor licensing process, and candidates should follow the requirements that apply to their intended license class and business structure.

1. Determine the appropriate Virginia contractor license class and specialty. Applicants seeking to perform concrete contracting work should identify Concrete Contracting as the applicable specialty when appropriate for their business activities.
2. Complete required pre-license education. Virginia requires eight hours of pre-license education for new contractor licenses. The course covers contractor business and regulatory requirements and is separate from trade-specific examination preparation.
3. Identify the required Qualified Individual. Virginia contractor licenses must identify a Qualified Individual for each specialty listed on the license. The individual associated with the Concrete Contracting specialty must satisfy the applicable Board requirements.
4. Obtain examination eligibility. The Board reviews eligibility requirements before a candidate takes the contractor specialty examination.
5. Schedule and take the applicable examination through PSI. Once eligible, the candidate can schedule the Virginia Concrete Contracting examination through PSI.
6. Complete the contractor license application process. After satisfying the applicable examination and licensing requirements, submit the required contractor application materials to the Virginia Board for Contractors.

Depending on the license class being pursued, additional business examination requirements may apply. Candidates should prepare for the examinations and licensing requirements associated with their specific Virginia contractor license application, not only the Concrete Contracting specialty examination.

State Requirements

The Virginia Board for Contractors regulates contractor licensing in the Commonwealth. Every licensed contractor must identify a Qualified Individual for each specialty on the license. Concrete Contracting is one of the specialties for which qualified individuals may be required to complete a Board-approved specialty examination.

Virginia also requires eight hours of pre-license education for new contractor licenses. For Class A and Class B applicants, the education must be completed by a member of responsible management or the designated employee. For Class C applicants, a member of responsible management must complete the pre-license education. This pre-license education requirement is separate from a trade exam prep course.

Candidates preparing for the Concrete Contracting exam should make sure their licensing application, Qualified Individual designation, education requirements, and required examinations are coordinated with the license class they intend to obtain. Passing a specialty examination is one part of the overall contractor licensing process and does not by itself issue a Virginia contractor license.

Reference Books

The Virginia Concrete Contractor exam prep course is organized around the technical references associated with the Concrete Contracting examination. Studying directly from the reference materials helps candidates learn both the subject matter and the location of information they may need during the open-book test.

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  Covers federal construction safety requirements relevant to topics such as excavation, fall protection, personal protective equipment, material handling, concrete and masonry construction, equipment, and general jobsite safety.
• International Building Code, 2021
  Provides building-code provisions that affect structural construction, concrete work, foundations, materials, inspections, and related construction requirements.
• ACI 318-14: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary
  Contains widely used structural concrete requirements covering materials, design provisions, reinforcement, development and splicing, durability, construction requirements, and structural concrete practices.
• Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th Edition
  Provides detailed information about concrete materials, mixture proportioning, properties of fresh and hardened concrete, durability, placement considerations, testing concepts, and methods used to control concrete quality.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  Covers excavation-related construction knowledge, including earthwork practices, trenching, equipment, site conditions, layout considerations, and work associated with underground construction.
• SP-4 Formwork for Concrete, 2014, 8th Edition
  Provides detailed information on concrete formwork, including form materials, design considerations, wall and slab forms, shoring and bracing, construction loads, form pressures, safety considerations, and practical formwork methods.
• Placing Reinforcing Bars
  Focuses on reinforcing-steel practices such as bar identification, placement, supports, ties, splices, detailing concepts, tolerances, and field procedures used when placing reinforcement in concrete construction.

Test Information and Study Materials

A strong study strategy should combine trade knowledge with repeated reference-book practice. Start by separating the examination into its six published content areas: estimating, layout and excavation, formwork, reinforcing steel, general concrete, and safety. This makes a large collection of technical information easier to manage.

For estimating questions, review basic quantity calculations and the process of interpreting dimensions and project information. For layout and excavation, study jobsite layout concepts, excavation practices, trench considerations, and related safety requirements. Formwork preparation should include form materials, pressures, supports, shoring, bracing, loads, and removal considerations. Reinforcing-steel study should focus on bar placement, supports, splices, identification, and common field practices.

General Concrete deserves substantial attention because it accounts for 16 of the 50 scored questions. Review concrete ingredients, water-cement relationships, batching, mixing, transporting, placing, consolidating, finishing, curing, testing, strength, durability, and common construction practices. Safety preparation should include the OSHA requirements relevant to concrete operations, excavation, equipment, fall hazards, protective systems, and general construction-site conditions.

Practice questions are most useful when they are treated as reference-navigation exercises rather than simple memory quizzes. When you answer a practice question, identify which book contains the supporting information and practice finding the relevant section. Repeating this process develops familiarity with the vocabulary used in both examination questions and the reference indexes.

During the actual examination, consider answering familiar trade-knowledge questions first and marking more time-consuming reference questions for review. Avoid spending too much of the examination searching for a single answer. With a 120-minute limit, effective time management and fast book navigation can be just as important as knowing the technical material.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps Virginia Concrete Contractor candidates organize their study process around the subjects and references connected to the CEM examination. Rather than approaching seven technical books as unrelated resources, the preparation structure helps connect concrete construction topics with the references where those subjects are addressed.

Trade-focused review helps reinforce major knowledge areas such as concrete materials and placement, formwork, reinforcing steel, excavation, estimating, and safety. Practice-oriented preparation gives candidates opportunities to work through exam-style concepts while becoming more comfortable identifying the terminology that can lead to the correct chapter, section, table, or standard.

Reference navigation is especially important for an open-book contractor exam. 1 Exam Prep emphasizes building familiarity with the books before test day so candidates can develop an efficient system for locating information instead of relying on last-minute searching. Learning how the references are organized can make study sessions more productive and help candidates approach the examination with a clearer plan.

The course also provides a structured way to prepare instead of moving randomly between books and topics. A consistent study routine that combines technical review, practice questions, and reference navigation can help candidates identify weaker areas, reinforce important concepts, and build confidence as the examination date approaches.

FAQ Section

Is the Virginia Concrete Contracting exam open book?

Yes. The Virginia Concrete Contracting examination is open book. Candidates must bring their permitted reference materials because the books are not supplied at the testing location.

How many questions are on the Virginia Concrete Contractor exam?

The Virginia Concrete Contracting examination contains 50 questions. A minimum score of 70%, equal to 35 correct answers, is required to pass.

How much time is allowed for the Virginia Concrete Contracting exam?

Candidates are allowed 120 minutes to complete the examination.

What subjects are covered on the Virginia Concrete Contracting exam?

The published content outline includes estimating, layout and excavation, formwork, reinforcing steel, general concrete, and safety. General Concrete is the largest content category with 16 questions.

Who administers the Virginia Concrete Contractor examination?

PSI administers the Virginia contractor specialty examination program for the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.

Can I write notes inside my reference books for the exam?

No. PSI permits approved references to be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination, but the books must otherwise remain unmarked. Candidates may not write in their reference materials during the examination.

Can I use tabs in my books during the Virginia Concrete Contractor exam?

Permanent tabs are permitted. Removable or temporary tabs, including temporary flags, are not permitted. Organizing references with permanent tabs before the exam can make important sections easier to locate.

Does this exam prep course replace Virginia's required pre-license education?

No. Virginia's eight-hour pre-license education requirement is separate from preparation for the Concrete Contracting specialty examination. Candidates pursuing a new contractor license must satisfy the applicable state licensing requirements in addition to preparing for the trade exam.

Why should I practice using the reference books if the test is open book?

Open-book exams still require efficient time management. With 50 questions and 120 minutes available, knowing where information is located can reduce unnecessary searching. Practice with the actual references helps build familiarity with indexes, chapter organization, tables, terminology, and major technical sections.

What should I focus on when studying for the Virginia Concrete Contractor exam?

Study all six published content areas, with particular attention to general concrete, layout and excavation, reinforcing steel, formwork, safety, and estimating. Combine technical review with practice locating information in the reference books so you are preparing for both the knowledge and navigation demands of the examination.