The NC General Contractor Building Exam: What to Expect
A plain-English overview of the North Carolina General Contractor Building classification exam, written by someone who just took it and passed on the first try.
Who takes this exam
In North Carolina, general contracting work at or above the dollar threshold in G.S. 87-1 requires a license from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC). Each license classification has its own exam. The Building classification covers commercial and residential building construction, and it is one of the most common choices for builders who want to bid on commercial work.
The exams are administered by PSI. You register through the Board and schedule your test with PSI, which publishes a Candidate Information Bulletin with the official details. Read it before anything else.
Exam format at a glance
| Questions | 90 scored multiple-choice questions |
|---|---|
| Time | 200 minutes (3 hours 20 minutes), about 2 minutes 13 seconds per question |
| Books | Open book: you bring the approved reference books. Some questions must be answered from memory. |
| Administered by | PSI, for the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors |
Details reflect the PSI candidate bulletin as of 2026. Always confirm the current format and rules in the latest bulletin.
Subject breakdown
The bulletin lists how many questions come from each subject area. Use it to plan where your study hours go: concrete, metals, and estimating/plan reading/general code together account for 39 of the 90 questions.
| Subject area | Questions |
|---|---|
| Site work | 6 |
| Concrete | 13 |
| Masonry | 6 |
| Metals (including steel erection) | 12 |
| Carpentry | 7 |
| Roofing | 6 |
| Associated trades | 3 |
| Business and law | 7 |
| Safety | 4 |
| Estimating, plan reading & general building code | 14 |
| One Call | 2 |
| Erosion & sedimentation control | 2 |
| Licensing | 2 |
| Liens | 1 |
| Sports fields | 5 |
| Total | 90 |
Open book doesn't mean easy
The biggest surprise for most candidates is the clock. With about two minutes per question, you can't read a code chapter to find an answer. You need to know where the answer is: which book, which chapter, which table. You also need to recognize the questions that won't be in any book you bring, because those must be answered from memory.
The memory questions tend to cover construction practice and materials: concrete admixtures and curing, rebar markings, steel deck and steel joist dimensions, masonry quantities, roofing materials, earthwork, erosion control and One Call rules.
Reference books
The bulletin lists the approved references and their editions. The NC GC Prep practice tests are written against these:
- 2018 North Carolina Building Code
- ACI 318-14, Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926, Safety and Health Regulations for Construction (including Subparts M, P and R)
- NC Contractor's Guide to Business, Law and Project Management
- The Sports Fields design and construction manual
- NC General Statutes on licensing (Chapter 87) and liens (Chapter 44A), the Underground Damage Prevention Act (One Call), and the Sedimentation Pollution Control Act
Check the current bulletin for the full list, the required editions, and the rules on tabs and highlighting.
How to prepare
- Get the books early, and tab and highlight them as you study.
- Study by topic, testing yourself right after each chapter.
- Take full-length, timed practice exams with only your tabbed books, and review every miss.
- Drill the memory facts in the final week, when they'll stick for exam day.
We walk through this plan in detail, including a 4-week schedule, in How to Study for the NC GC Exam.
Last updated November 11, 2026
Practice it before exam day
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