Virginia NASCLA Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors Complete Book Set

Prepare for the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors and the Virginia contractor licensing process with a complete collection of business, project-management, code, safety, and commercial construction reference books.

This Virginia NASCLA complete book set combines the Virginia Contractors’ Guide to Business Law and Project Management for Commercial Contractors with the listed technical references associated with the NASCLA commercial general building examination. The collection supports organized preparation across contractor business practices, construction management, structural systems, jobsite safety, accessibility, commercial building codes, environmental controls, exterior construction, and mechanical and electrical coordination.

The Virginia business guide supports preparation for contractor business and law topics. It addresses licensing responsibilities, business organization, financial management, estimating, contracts, insurance, employment practices, safety, project administration, and other responsibilities involved in operating a contracting business.

The remaining publications cover the broad technical knowledge associated with commercial general building construction. Candidates can review project management, jobsite supervision, structural concrete, reinforcing steel, precast erection, post-tensioning, steel decking, steel joists, wood trusses, excavation, gypsum construction, masonry, carpentry, roofing, accessibility, federal safety requirements, stormwater planning, exterior insulation systems, sustainable construction, and building-service systems.

Virginia accepts the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors as comparable to the Virginia Commercial Building Contractor classification. A passing NASCLA result may satisfy the accepted technical examination component, but applicants must still complete the Virginia contractor licensing process and meet the requirements established by the Virginia Board for Contractors.

The NASCLA examination uses an extensive open-book reference library. Effective preparation involves more than reading the books. Candidates should understand which publication applies to each subject and practice locating information through indexes, tables of contents, chapter headings, definitions, code provisions, diagrams, and technical tables.

Studying with the complete set allows candidates to organize the library into manageable construction categories and develop a repeatable reference-navigation process. Familiarity with the actual publications can help reduce unnecessary searching and create a more focused approach to technical exam preparation.

Exam Details

The NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors is a standardized technical trade examination accepted by participating contractor licensing agencies. Virginia accepts the examination for use with the Commercial Building Contractor classification.

The examination evaluates knowledge used to plan, supervise, coordinate, and complete commercial construction projects involving multiple building trades. Its broad scope reflects the responsibilities of a commercial general building contractor rather than the work of a contractor operating within one specialty.

Major subject areas represented by this complete book set include project management, jobsite operations, estimating, scheduling, contracts, safety, structural concrete, reinforcing steel, precast construction, post-tensioning, steel decking, steel joists, wood trusses, masonry, excavation, carpentry, roofing, accessibility, building codes, environmental controls, exterior systems, and mechanical and electrical coordination.

Construction Jobsite Management and Construction Project Management support preparation involving field supervision, project organization, communication, documentation, cost control, quality management, safety, risk, scheduling, and project closeout.

Concrete subjects are distributed across ACI 318-19, Placing Reinforcing Bars, and The Contractor’s Guide to Quality Concrete Construction. These references address structural requirements, reinforcing-bar placement, concrete preparation, placement, consolidation, finishing, curing, testing, durability, inspection, and quality control from different perspectives.

Specialty structural references cover precast concrete erection, unbonded post-tensioning, steel deck installation, steel joist handling, and metal plate connected wood-truss restraint and bracing. Additional publications address masonry, gypsum systems, excavation, carpentry, roofing, accessibility, stormwater planning, exterior insulation and finish systems, and building-service coordination.

After passing the NASCLA examination, candidates may use the NASCLA National Examination Database to send an official transcript to the Virginia Board for Contractors. The Board reviews the transcript as part of the contractor licensing application.

A passing NASCLA result addresses the accepted technical examination component. It does not independently issue a Virginia contractor license or replace the state’s pre-license education, business examination, designated employee, qualified individual, experience, financial, classification, and application requirements.

Virginia contractor licenses are issued in Class A, Class B, and Class C. The license class determines the applicable project and financial limitations, while the classification or specialty determines the type of work the licensed business may perform.

The Commercial Building Contractor classification applies to qualifying construction, remodeling, repair, improvement, removal, and demolition work involving commercial, industrial, institutional, governmental, and accessory-use buildings or structures. Applicants should review the official classification scope before selecting it for the license application.

Open Book Test

The NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors is an open-book test. Candidates are responsible for obtaining and bringing permitted reference materials to the testing location. The testing center does not provide the complete technical library.

Open-book testing allows candidates to consult approved publications, but it does not eliminate the need for focused preparation. The examination library contains thousands of pages across construction textbooks, codes, standards, manuals, and specialty technical guides.

A productive open-book strategy begins with identifying the primary subject of the question. The candidate should then choose the publication most likely to contain the answer and use the index, table of contents, chapter headings, definitions, diagrams, code sections, or technical tables to locate the relevant information.

Structural concrete questions may require ACI 318-19, while reinforcing-bar placement questions may involve Placing Reinforcing Bars. Concrete field-practice questions involving preparation, placement, consolidation, finishing, curing, testing, or quality control may be addressed in The Contractor’s Guide to Quality Concrete Construction.

Steel-deck questions may require the SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck, while steel-joist and joist-girder questions may involve Technical Digest No. 9. Questions involving wood-truss handling, installation, restraint, and bracing may require the BCSI guide.

Precast concrete erection questions may be addressed in the Erectors’ Manual. Unbonded post-tensioning questions may require the Level 1 Field Fundamentals publication. Masonry questions may involve Modern Masonry, while excavation and underground utility questions may require Pipe and Excavation Contracting.

Accessibility questions may involve ICC A117.1, while broader commercial building-code questions may require the International Building Code. Federal construction-safety questions may require 29 CFR Part 1926, and stormwater-planning questions may involve Developing Your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan.

Candidates should practice using the listed editions because code provisions, technical requirements, page numbers, illustrations, and publication organization may differ between editions. Working directly with the correct references helps build familiarity before examination day.

All materials brought into the testing room must comply with current examination rules. Candidates should review the applicable candidate bulletin and avoid unauthorized loose pages, removable notes, unapproved inserts, or other prohibited materials.

Licensing Steps

1. Select the appropriate Virginia license class. Review the differences among Class A, Class B, and Class C and choose the class that matches the business’s intended contracting activity.
2. Select the Commercial Building Contractor classification. Confirm that the CBC classification corresponds with the commercial construction work the company intends to perform.
3. Choose the business structure. Determine whether the contractor will operate as a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or another eligible entity.
4. Identify responsible management. List the owners, officers, managers, members, or other individuals who meet Virginia’s definition of responsible management for the business.
5. Complete pre-license education. A member of responsible management or another eligible individual must complete the Board-approved contractor pre-license education requirement.
6. Identify the designated employee when required. Class A and Class B applicants must designate the individual responsible for completing the applicable Virginia contractor business examinations.
7. Identify the qualified individual. The business must designate a qualified individual for the Commercial Building Contractor classification.
8. Prepare for the NASCLA examination. Study the technical construction subjects and practice locating information throughout the complete reference library.
9. Apply for and pass the NASCLA examination. Complete the current NASCLA application and testing process for the Commercial General Building Contractor examination.
10. Transmit the examination result. Send the official NASCLA transcript to the Virginia Board for Contractors through the National Examination Database.
11. Complete the Virginia business examination requirement. The designated employee for an applicable Class A or Class B application must complete the required portions of the Virginia contractor examination.
12. Submit the contractor license application. Provide the requested business, ownership, class, classification, designated employee, qualified individual, financial, and supporting information.

State Requirements

The Virginia Board for Contractors, operating through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, licenses contractor businesses and regulates contracting classifications and specialties within the Commonwealth.

Virginia contractor licenses contain two primary elements: the license class and the classification or specialty. The class determines the applicable limits on contract and project activity, while the classification determines the type of work the contractor may perform.

Class A, Class B, and Class C licenses have different application, financial, examination, and experience requirements. Applicants should select the class that accurately represents the size and nature of the projects the company intends to undertake.

The Commercial Building Contractor classification covers qualifying work involving commercial, industrial, institutional, governmental, and accessory-use buildings or structures. The classification does not automatically authorize every regulated specialty trade, so contractors should review the official scope carefully.

Every new contractor applicant must complete the Board-approved pre-license education requirement. The course covers contractor laws, regulations, and basic business responsibilities and is separate from the technical classification examination.

Class A and Class B applicants must identify a designated employee who completes the applicable contractor business examination. Class C applicants follow the examination requirements assigned to their selected classification or specialty.

The business must also identify a qualified individual for every classification or specialty shown on the license. The qualified individual must satisfy the applicable experience and examination requirements and remain properly associated with the licensed entity.

Virginia requires different minimum experience periods for qualified individuals based on the license class. Applicants should submit complete experience information related to the classification requested.

Virginia accepts the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination as comparable to the Commercial Building Contractor classification. The NASCLA transcript supports the technical qualification but does not replace the remaining Virginia licensing requirements.

The application process may include business-entity records, financial documentation, responsible-management information, designated-employee records, qualified-individual information, examination results, fees, and other supporting materials requested by the Board.

Passing the examination or purchasing this complete book set does not independently authorize contracting work. The business must complete the Virginia licensing process and receive the appropriate license before performing work that requires contractor licensure.

Reference Books

• Virginia Contractors’ Guide to Business Law and Project Management, Commercial Contractors
  Supports preparation involving Virginia contractor licensing, business organization, financial management, estimating, contracts, insurance, employment responsibilities, safety, and project administration.
• Construction Jobsite Management, 5th Edition
  Covers field supervision, jobsite planning, communication, documentation, safety, productivity, quality control, coordination, and daily construction operations.
• Construction Project Management, 5th Edition
  Reviews project organization, estimating, scheduling, contracts, cost control, risk management, communication, quality, and project closeout.
• ACI 318-19: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary
  Provides structural concrete requirements and commentary involving materials, design, reinforcement, durability, construction, and inspection.
• BCSI: Guide to Good Practice for Handling, Installing, Restraining, and Bracing of Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, 2025
  Addresses recommended procedures for receiving, handling, installing, restraining, and bracing metal plate connected wood trusses.
• NASCLA Contractors’ Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Basic 14th Edition
  Explains contractor business practices, project management, finance, contracts, insurance, employment responsibilities, safety, and risk management.
• Erectors’ Manual – Standards and Guidelines for the Erection of Precast Concrete Products, 2nd Edition, 1999
  Covers precast concrete erection planning, handling, rigging, bracing, alignment, connections, field procedures, and safety.
• Training and Certification of Field Personnel for Unbonded Post-Tensioning – Level 1 Field Fundamentals, 3rd Edition, 2003
  Reviews field procedures for handling, installing, stressing, inspecting, and protecting unbonded post-tensioning systems.
• SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck, 3rd Edition, 2016
  Explains steel-deck receiving, storage, placement, fastening, construction loading, field modifications, and installation safety.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting, Dave Roberts, 2011
  Covers excavation, grading, trenching, underground utilities, pipe installation, equipment, estimating, productivity, and site safety.
• Gypsum Construction Handbook, 7th Edition, 2014
  Provides information about gypsum products, wall and ceiling systems, fire-resistant assemblies, installation methods, finishing, and construction details.
• Placing Reinforcing Bars: Recommended Practices, 10th Edition
  Covers reinforcing-bar identification, supports, placement, splices, tolerances, detailing, handling, and field installation.
• Technical Digest No. 9 – Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders, 3rd Edition, 2008
  Provides guidance for receiving, storing, handling, placing, bridging, and erecting steel joists and joist girders.
• Modern Masonry – Brick, Block, Stone, Clois E. Kicklighter, 10th Edition
  Reviews masonry materials, mortar, tools, layout, brick, concrete block, stone, estimating, construction methods, and safety.
• Principles and Practices of Commercial Construction, 11th Edition, Cameron K. Andres and Ronald C. Smith
  Provides broad coverage of commercial construction materials, structural systems, building components, sequencing, methods, and field practices.
• Code of Federal Regulations – 29 CFR Part 1926, with Latest Available Amendments
  Contains federal construction-safety requirements involving jobsite operations, fall protection, excavation, scaffolding, equipment, and electrical safety.
• Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016 Student Edition, John L. Feirer and Mark D. Feirer
  Covers carpentry tools, construction materials, layout, foundations, framing, floors, walls, roofs, interiors, and common building procedures.
• ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, 2017
  Provides accessibility criteria for routes, entrances, rooms, fixtures, controls, communication elements, and building features.
• Roofing Construction and Estimating, Daniel Atcheson
  Reviews roofing systems, materials, installation methods, measurements, quantities, flashing, drainage, estimating, and project planning.
• The Contractor’s Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, 4th Edition, 2018
  Explains concrete materials, preparation, placement, consolidation, finishing, curing, testing, quality control, and problem prevention.
• Green Building Fundamentals, Michael Montoya, 2nd Edition, 2011
  Introduces sustainable construction, energy efficiency, water conservation, material selection, building performance, and indoor environmental quality.
• International Building Code, 2021 Edition
  Contains commercial building requirements involving occupancy, construction types, fire protection, means of egress, accessibility, structural provisions, and building systems.
• Developing Your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan – A Guide for Construction Sites
  Explains stormwater planning, erosion and sediment controls, pollution prevention, inspections, documentation, and construction-site responsibilities.
• ANSI/EIMA 99-A-2017: Standard for Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems and EIFS with Drainage
  Provides requirements involving exterior insulation and finish systems, materials, installation, drainage, flashing, joints, and system performance.
• Mechanical and Electrical Systems for Construction Managers, 4th Edition, 2023
  Covers mechanical, plumbing, fire-protection, electrical, lighting, communication, and building-control systems coordinated during commercial construction.

Test Information and Study Materials

Begin by separating the Virginia business reference from the NASCLA technical library. This creates a focused plan for reviewing Virginia contractor business responsibilities while allowing the construction references to be organized by trade subject.

Divide the technical books into project management, safety, codes, accessibility, site work, concrete, masonry, structural systems, carpentry, roofing, environmental controls, exterior systems, and mechanical and electrical coordination.

Practice selecting the correct publication before searching for an answer. Read a sample question, identify its central topic, choose the book most likely to contain the information, and use the index or table of contents to locate the applicable section.

Timed navigation exercises help candidates develop a repeatable open-book method. The objective is to recognize the subject, select the correct reference, locate the supporting material, and evaluate the available answers without spending unnecessary time in unrelated books.

Review incorrect responses carefully. A missed question may reveal a technical knowledge gap, an incorrect book choice, misunderstood terminology, or an inefficient search process. Identifying the cause helps candidates focus future study more effectively.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps Virginia contractor candidates turn a large business and technical reference library into an organized exam-preparation system. The complete set brings together the Virginia business guide and the NASCLA commercial building references for coordinated study.

Trade-focused review becomes more manageable when the books are grouped by subject. Candidates can connect concrete, masonry, steel, roofing, excavation, accessibility, safety, project-management, and building-system questions with the publications most likely to contain the answers.

Practice-oriented preparation encourages candidates to use the references actively. Students can work through questions, identify important terms, select the correct publication, and practice locating code provisions, definitions, diagrams, tables, and technical requirements.

Reference-navigation practice is especially important for the open-book NASCLA examination. Familiarity with indexes, chapter headings, code sections, illustrations, and technical tables can help candidates develop a clearer and more efficient examination routine.

The included Virginia business guide also supports review of contractor licensing, business organization, financial management, contracts, insurance, employment responsibilities, safety, and project administration.

1 Exam Prep does not guarantee a passing examination result, licensing approval, or license issuance. The complete book set provides organized study materials, trade-focused references, navigation practice, and a confidence-building foundation for pursuing Virginia contractor licensing goals.

FAQ Section

What is included in this complete book set?

The package includes the Virginia Contractors’ Guide to Business Law and Project Management for Commercial Contractors and all 24 listed NASCLA commercial building technical references.

Does Virginia accept the NASCLA examination?

Yes. Virginia accepts the NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination as comparable to the Virginia Commercial Building Contractor classification.

Does passing NASCLA automatically issue a Virginia contractor license?

No. Applicants must complete the Virginia application process and satisfy the applicable class, classification, pre-license education, designated employee, qualified individual, financial, and documentation requirements.

Is the NASCLA examination open book?

Yes. Candidates may bring permitted references that comply with current examination rules. The testing center does not provide the complete technical library.

What Virginia classification is comparable to the NASCLA examination?

The NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor examination is comparable to Virginia’s Commercial Building Contractor classification.

Does Virginia require pre-license education?

Yes. New contractor applicants must complete the Board-approved pre-license education requirement through an eligible member of the applicant organization.

What is a Virginia qualified individual?

The qualified individual is the person whose experience and examination qualifications support a classification or specialty shown on the contractor license.

What is a designated employee?

The designated employee is the individual who completes the applicable Virginia contractor business examinations for a Class A or Class B applicant.

Are the books provided at the testing center?

No. Candidates are responsible for obtaining and bringing all permitted reference books to the examination location.

How should I study the complete set?

Group the references by construction subject, learn which publication applies to each topic, and practice locating information through indexes, chapters, code sections, definitions, diagrams, and technical tables.

Does purchasing the set guarantee license approval?

No. The Virginia Board for Contractors determines whether an applicant has satisfied the requirements for the requested license class and classification.