General Contractor Exam FAQs
The General Contractor Exam is used to determine whether a contractor has the requisite knowledge and skill that is necessary to become a licensed General Contractor. It is a licensing exam administered by each state's regulating body and is used to determine whether an individual has the requisite knowledge and skills necessary to become a licensed general electrician. It will typically include a business and law section as well as a trade specific section, like electrician, plumbing or general construction, including masonry, carpentry, framing and roofing.
A General Contractor Exam will typically consist of multiple-choice questions.
The number of questions on the General Contractor Exam will vary from 50 to 150 depending on the state.
The time limit for the General Contractor test will vary from 3 to 5 hours depending on the state.
The passing score for the General Contractor Exam varies from state to state but will generally be 70%.
The exams differ in format and content from state to state, but they tend to cover similar material such as:
- Licensing
- Estimating and Bidding
- Liens
- Accounting and Financial Management
- Bonding and Insurance
- Personnel and Labor
- Project Management
- Contracts
- Business Organizations
- Risk Management
- Safety
- Environmental Law and Regulations
- Housing Regulations
- Taxes
- Business Math
- Public Works
- Quality Assurance
The General Contractor Exam is typically developed by each state's Licensing Board.
To sign up to take the test, contact your local licensing department. Ask the licensing department for a blue print of the exam, which will provide information about the number and type of questions on the exam and how much time you will have to complete the exam. The blue print may also inform you of what score is needed to pass the exam. Once you qualify to take the test and sign up for it, the local building department will inform you where and when the test will be conducted.
The General Contractor Exam is used to determine whether an individual has the requisite knowledge and skills necessary to become a licensed general contractor. The exams differ in format and content from state to state, but they tend to cover similar material and are designed to assess an applicant's knowledge of basic trade subjects, as well as knowledge of business and law topics.
Generally, you must:
- Be a minimum of 18 years old.
- Have a minimum time of experience in the field.
- Submit an application for approval to your state license board and provide your fingerprints and any criminal history.
- You may need to have a minimum amount of assets and show proof of a contractor's license bond.
General Contractor work is highly regulated by the individual states in order to serve public safety. Many states require building contractors to be licensed. To get licensed, you may need to take a business and law exam, as well as a trade exam. The business and law portion will cover such subjects as contracts, estimates, bidding, bonding, accounting, business forms, environmental regulations, safety and quality control. The trade portion of the exam will cover subjects such as plan reading and estimating, site engineering, sitework and excavation, footings and foundations, concrete, masonry, carpentry, metals and safety.
You will receive it by mail or email within one to two weeks after you take the General Contractor Exam.
Practice tests, such as Tests.com's General Contractor Business and Law Practice Exam, are a good way to study as it goes over the material you need to know while giving you a chance to practice your test taking skills. Additionally, study guides, text books, class notes, flashcards and videos are important study tools. It is best to use a wide range of test prep to get the most comprehensive coverage of the subject matter.
Tests.com has worked with licensed general contractor instructors to create a General Contractor Business and Law Practice Exam to help you prepare for the exam. Tests.com's TestSim online interactive platform allows you to tailor tests to the subjects you want to study and to form tests to fit your study schedule. You can even simulate the actual General Contractor Business and Law Exam by setting the number of questions and timer to the time period allowed for the actual test. Click here for a free General Contractor Business and Law Practice Test.
