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North Carolina · Updated October 2026

North Carolina Building Contractor Exam: free practice test

North Carolina's commercial Building classification exam. The Board also accepts the NASCLA Commercial exam for the Building trade portion, but every applicant takes the NC Business & Law section on state licensing, liens, prompt pay, erosion control and the 811 law.

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About the NC Building exam

North Carolina's commercial Building classification exam. The Board also accepts the NASCLA Commercial exam for the Building trade portion, but every applicant takes the NC Business & Law section on state licensing, liens, prompt pay, erosion control and the 811 law.

What's on the exam

NC Building
NC Licensing Law and Limits
7 key facts
Board Rules and Continuing Ed
7 key facts
Mechanics Liens and Lien Agents
7 key facts
Bonds, Retainage and Prompt Pay
7 key facts
Sedimentation and Erosion Control
7 key facts
Underground Damage Prevention (811)
7 key facts
Construction Safety (OSHA)
7 key facts
Plan Reading and Estimating
7 key facts

Each branch is a topic in the official outline. Members see every key fact on the full mind map. Read the free study guide →

How to pass the NC Building exam

  • Licensing rules make up about half of the Business & Law section. Learn the limitations and thresholds first.
  • If you already passed NASCLA, you only need the Business & Law section for the Building classification.
  • NC lien deadlines (120 and 180 days) differ from most states. Don't mix them up with Florida's or California's.

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Create a free account after the test: your score by topic, a mistakes bank, the first study-notes topic, flashcards and the Construction Math Formula Sheet.

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Key study notes

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Sample questions with answers

These are the questions in the free test above, with answers. Try the test first. You'll learn more by getting some wrong.

1. In North Carolina, a general contractor license is required for a construction project valued at:
Answer: $40,000 or more. G.S. 87-1 sets the threshold at $40,000 or more for the total project.
2. A Limited license in North Carolina allows single projects up to:
Answer: $750,000. Per NCLBGC: Limited up to $750,000 per project, Intermediate up to $1,500,000, Unlimited no cap.
3. An Intermediate license allows single projects up to:
Answer: $1,500,000. The Intermediate limitation covers single projects up to $1,500,000.
4. To qualify for a Limited license, an applicant can show working capital of at least:
Answer: $17,000. Limited: $17,000 working capital (or $80,000 net worth, or a surety bond). Intermediate: $75,000. Unlimited: $150,000.
5. Building and Residential licensees must complete how many hours of Board-approved continuing education each year?
Answer: 8 hours. NCLBGC requires 8 hours per year, including a 2-hour mandatory course produced by the Board.
6. In North Carolina, a claim of lien on real property must be filed within how many days after the last furnishing of labor or materials?
Answer: 120 days. G.S. 44A-12(b): within 120 days after the last furnishing.
7. An action to enforce a North Carolina claim of lien must be commenced within how many days after the last furnishing?
Answer: 180 days. G.S. 44A-13(a): enforcement must be started within 180 days after last furnishing.
8. Under North Carolina's prompt payment law for private projects, a contractor must pay its subcontractor within how many days of receiving payment?
Answer: 7 days. G.S. 22C-2: within 7 days after the contractor receives the periodic or final payment, for work satisfactorily performed.
9. Under the NC Sedimentation Pollution Control Act, an approved erosion and sedimentation control plan is required for land-disturbing activity of more than:
Answer: 1 acre. A plan must be approved before starting land disturbance of more than one acre (some local programs are stricter).
10. Before excavating in North Carolina, the excavator must notify the 811 center at least:
Answer: 3 full working days ahead. The NC Underground Damage Prevention Act (G.S. 87-122) requires notice not less than 3 full working days before excavation.
11. Under OSHA construction standards, fall protection is required at a working height of:
Answer: 6 feet. 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1): 6 feet. North Carolina is an OSHA state-plan state that follows the federal construction standards.
12. A rectangular building is 60 ft × 120 ft. How many squares of roofing are needed for a flat roof with no overhang or waste?
Answer: 72 squares. 60 × 120 = 7,200 sq ft. One square = 100 sq ft, so 72 squares.
13. Air entrainment is added to concrete mainly to improve:
Answer: Resistance to freeze-thaw damage. Microscopic air bubbles relieve pressure from freezing water, which greatly improves freeze-thaw durability.
14. A W12 × 26 steel beam is a wide-flange shape about 12 inches deep weighing:
Answer: 26 lb per foot. W-shape designations give nominal depth in inches × weight in pounds per linear foot.
15. North Carolina general contractor licenses must be renewed:
Answer: Every year. NCLBGC licenses are renewed annually. Renewal is due by January 1, and continuing education must be completed first.

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Licensing guide

How to get a general contractor license in North Carolina (2026): In North Carolina you need a general contractor license from the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC) for any project that costs $40,000 or more. To get one, you pick a limitation (limited, intermediate or unlimited) and a classification, prove the matching working capital or net worth, apply online, and have a qualifier pass the PSI exam with a score of at least 70. Licenses renew every year, and building, residential and unclassified licenses need 8 hours of continuing education each year.

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Exam details are summarized from the official candidate information available in October 2026. Boards change formats and fees, so confirm with NC Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC) before you book. ContractorConquer is not affiliated with any licensing board or testing company.

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