What the NASCLA Commercial exam is (and is not)
NASCLA is the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies. Its accredited commercial exam covers the trade portion of a commercial general building license. You take it once, then send your passing result to any participating state through NASCLA's National Examination Database (NED).
It is not a national license or a certification. NASCLA's own FAQ says the exam only removes the trade exam requirement for participating agencies. You still apply to each state, and you still meet that state's other rules, such as experience, financial statements, bonds, insurance and a business and law exam.
Anyone can apply. NASCLA lists no experience or education requirement to sit for the exam, and you do not have to live in the state where you want a license. Some agencies are "administering" states, which means they use the NASCLA exam as their own trade exam. All administering states also accept it.
States and agencies that accept the NASCLA Commercial exam
As of October 2026, NASCLA's participating state agencies page lists 20 agencies. Alabama and South Carolina each have two boards on the list. The notes below come from each agency's entry on that page. Acceptance can be limited to certain license classes or come with time limits, so confirm with the board before you rely on it.
| Agency | How it uses the NASCLA exam |
|---|---|
| Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors | Accepts it (listed since 2009) |
| Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board | Accepts it (listed since March 2025) |
| Arizona Registrar of Contractors | Administers it as an option for B-1 and B-2 general commercial classes. Exam date must be within the past 2 years |
| Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board | Administers it in place of showing experience on your application |
| California CSLB | Can waive the B General Building trade exam for out-of-state applicants licensed in good standing for at least 5 years. California residents must take the state trade exam |
| Florida CILB | Accepted in place of the Florida trade exam. Florida Business and Finance and Florida Building Code portions are still required |
| Georgia Residential and General Contractors Board | Accepts it (listed since 2010) |
| Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors | Accepts it |
| Mississippi State Board of Contractors | Accepts it (listed since 2010) |
| Nevada State Contractors Board | Accepts it (listed since 2013) |
| New Mexico Construction Industries Division | Accepted in place of the trade exam for GB-98, with a letter showing at least 1 year licensed in good standing in another state |
| North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors | Accepted for Building and Residential classifications. Must have passed within the past 2 years |
| Oregon Construction Contractors Board | Accepted in place of the 16-hour pre-license training requirement |
| South Carolina Contractors' Licensing Board | Administers it. Scores must be within 3 years |
| South Carolina Residential Builders Commission | Accepts it. Must have passed within the past 3 years |
| Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors | Administering state since March 2021 |
| Utah DOPL | Utah has no trade exams. A NASCLA pass can meet the 2-year experience requirement |
| Virginia Board for Contractors | Accepted as comparable to the Commercial Building classification |
| West Virginia Contractors Licensing Board | Accepts it. No scores or transcripts from before September 1, 2013 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands DLCA | Accepts it (listed since 2013) |
How to apply and schedule, step by step
You must be approved by NASCLA before PSI will let you book a seat. The full process from NASCLA's Apply for NASCLA Exams page looks like this:
- Apply at the NASCLA National Examination Database, ned.nascla.org, and pay the $65 application fee. NASCLA says applications are usually processed within 7 business days.
- Watch for an email from support@psiexams.com. It contains your candidate ID, which starts with NASCC, and a scheduling link.
- Pay the $130 PSI exam fee and book a seat at PSI's NASCLA page or by phone at (855) 746-8177. You can test at any PSI center that offers the exam, in any state.
- Tab and highlight your approved references well before test day. Arrive 30 minutes early with one current government photo ID that shows your name, signature and photo.
- Take the exam. If you pass, PSI gives you a score report showing a pass. It is your only paper proof, so keep it. You will not get a numeric score.
- Create one account on ned.nascla.org so NASCLA can link your result. Allow about 5 to 6 business days in total for PSI to upload and NASCLA to link it.
- Buy a $45 transcript for each state agency you are applying to. The agency gets it electronically. You do not get a copy.
- Apply for the license with each state board, and pass that state's business and law exam if it requires one.
See where you stand in 10 minutes
Take the free NASCLA Commercial practice test. 15 questions, every answer explained.
Fees and deadlines in 2026
Testing costs $195 before transcripts: $65 to NASCLA and $130 to PSI. Each state transcript is another $45. State license application fees, bonds and business and law exam fees are separate and set by each board.
Your NASCLA approval is good for 1 year from the approval date. In that year you get up to 3 attempts. If you use all 3 or the year runs out, you reapply as a re-applicant with the same NASCC number, but NASCLA cannot approve you again until the first year has expired. The PSI exam fee is valid for 1 year from payment.
To cancel or reschedule without losing your fee, PSI must get your notice 2 days before the exam, for example by Saturday for a Monday test. Voicemail and email do not count. You lose the fee if you miss the appointment, arrive late or bring the wrong ID.
Your pass never expires in NASCLA's database, but each transcript is viewable by the agency for 2 years after purchase, and several states set their own limits on how old the exam can be (see the table above).
Exam format: questions, time, pass score and rules
These numbers come from the PSI candidate information bulletin updated July 7, 2026. You see 125 questions: 115 scored and 10 unscored pretest questions mixed in. You will not know which ones are pretest, so answer every question as if it counts.
You need 81 correct out of 115 scored questions, which is about 70.4 percent. The 330-minute limit already includes time for the pretest items. That works out to about 2 minutes 38 seconds per question. A tutorial of up to 15 minutes before the exam does not count against your time.
The test is on a computer, one question per screen. You can go back and change answers until time runs out. You may bring a silent, battery-powered, non-programmable calculator with no paper tape and no alphabet keyboard. Phones, watches, bags, food and loose papers go in storage.
| Content area | Scored items |
|---|---|
| Procurement and Contracting Requirements | 31 |
| General Requirements | 25 |
| Site Construction | 15 |
| Concrete | 6 |
| Metals | 6 |
| Mechanical and Plumbing Systems | 6 |
| Wood | 5 |
| Thermal and Moisture Protection | 5 |
| Finishes | 5 |
| Masonry | 4 |
| Doors, Windows, and Glazing | 4 |
| Electrical Systems | 3 |
The approved reference list
The exam is open book. The July 2026 bulletin lists 24 references, and PSI also hands out a diagram and blueprint packet at the test center. For code books, questions are based only on the editions listed. For other books you may use earlier or later editions, but PSI says you do so at your own risk. Always check the current PSI bulletin before you buy, because editions change.
Books may be highlighted, underlined and tabbed with permanent tabs. They cannot have handwritten notes, sticky notes or any added pages, loose or attached. Post-it tabs must be removed before the exam starts. PSI does not provide the books.
- International Building Code, 2021 or 2024
- ACI 318-14 or ACI 318-19 (2022), Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete
- ICC A117.1-2017, Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
- 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA construction standards), or the PSI OSHA Excerpts 2025
- NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Basic 14th Edition
- Construction Jobsite Management (Mincks and Johnston), 4th or 5th edition
- Construction Project Management (Gould and Joyce), 4th or 5th edition
- Principles and Practices of Commercial Construction, 11th edition (2024)
- Mechanical and Electrical Systems for Construction Managers, 4th edition (2024)
- Carpentry and Building Construction (Feirer), 2016
- Modern Masonry: Brick, Block, Stone, 9th edition (2020)
- Placing Reinforcing Bars (CRSI), 10th edition
- The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (ACI), 4th edition
- Gypsum Construction Handbook (USG), 7th edition
- BCSI guide for metal plate connected wood trusses, 2018 (updated 2020) or 2025
- PCI Erectors' Manual for precast concrete, 2nd edition
- SJI Technical Digest No. 9, Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders
- SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck, 2016
- PTI Unbonded Post-Tensioning Level 1 Field Fundamentals, 3rd edition
- Pipe and Excavation Contracting (Roberts), 2011
- Roofing Construction and Estimating (Atcheson)
- Green Building Fundamentals (Montoya), 2nd edition
- EPA Developing Your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (document 833R06004), free from the EPA
- ANSI/EIMA 99-A-2017, Standard for Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems
You still need each state's business and law exam
The NASCLA exam replaces the trade exam only. NASCLA does not give or track state business and law exams, and PSI's bulletin says you are expected to follow each state's application process, including a business and law exam. Most of these states publish their own edition of the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management as the reference.
Some older prep sites say Arkansas accepts NASCLA for both the trade and the business portion. The current PSI bulletin for Arkansas says the opposite: every classification must pass the Arkansas Contractor Business and Law exam, including candidates who passed NASCLA. Florida likewise still requires its Business and Finance and Building Code portions.
Exam vendors also change. Tennessee moved its contractor exams, including business and law, from PSI to Prov on July 1, 2026. Check the board's current candidate information, starting from NASCLA's state business and law exam list. You can warm up on general business, lien, tax and contract topics with our business and law practice test, then study your state's own edition.
A 6-week study plan for working contractors
This exam rewards fast lookup more than memory. Plan on 8 to 10 hours a week if you work full time. Weight your time by the content outline: procurement, contracting and general requirements make up 56 of the 115 scored questions.
- Week 1: Get the books and tab them. Tab the IBC by chapter and key tables, 29 CFR 1926 by subpart, and the NASCLA guide by chapter. Take a timed baseline test to find weak areas.
- Week 2: Business, contracts and project management. Work through the NASCLA guide, Construction Jobsite Management and Construction Project Management. Practice scheduling, change orders, bonds and closeout questions.
- Week 3: Safety and site work. Study OSHA Subparts M (fall protection), P (excavations), and L (scaffolds), plus Pipe and Excavation Contracting and the EPA stormwater guide.
- Week 4: Structure. Concrete (ACI 318 and the ACI contractor's guide), rebar placing, masonry, steel joists and deck, precast, trusses and post-tensioning.
- Week 5: Code and building envelope. IBC occupancy, construction type and egress lookups, A117.1 accessibility, roofing, EIFS, gypsum, and mechanical and electrical systems.
- Week 6: Full timed exams. Do at least two 125-question runs in 330 minutes with only your tabbed books and a calculator. Review every miss and note which book and page held the answer.
Test-day strategy
Do one fast pass first. Answer what you know, and flag long estimating or code lookups for later. Your score is the number of scored questions you get right, so a blank can only hurt you. Never leave a question empty.
Watch the clock in blocks. At 2 minutes 38 seconds per question, you should be near question 63 at the halfway point (165 minutes). If one question is eating 6 minutes, pick your best answer, flag it and move on.
Read the exact wording. Questions often hinge on "minimum", "maximum" or "except". When a question names a code, answer from the listed edition in your book, not from field habit or a local amendment. Timed drills on our NASCLA Commercial practice test help you build this pace before the real thing.
Frequently asked questions
How many states accept the NASCLA Commercial exam?
As of October 2026, 20 agencies in 17 states plus the U.S. Virgin Islands accept it. Alabama and South Carolina each have two participating boards.
How much does the NASCLA exam cost in 2026?
The NASCLA application is $65 and the PSI exam fee is $130, so $195 to test. Each state transcript costs another $45.
What score do I need to pass the NASCLA exam?
You need 81 correct out of 115 scored questions, about 70 percent. Ten more unscored pretest questions are mixed in, and you get 330 minutes in total.
Can I bring notes into the NASCLA exam?
No. Only the approved reference books are allowed. They can be highlighted, underlined and permanently tabbed, but cannot have handwritten notes, sticky notes or added pages.
How many times can I take the NASCLA exam?
You get up to 3 attempts within 1 year of your application approval. After that you must reapply, and NASCLA will not approve the new application until the first year has expired.
Does passing NASCLA mean I am licensed?
No. It only covers the trade exam requirement. You still apply to each state board and meet its other rules, which usually include a state business and law exam.
Does the NASCLA exam expire?
Your pass stays on file with NASCLA, but some states only accept recent results, such as within 2 years in Arizona and North Carolina or 3 years in South Carolina.
Official sources
- NASCLA: Commercial Exam Participating State Agencies
- NASCLA: Apply for NASCLA Exams
- NASCLA: Accredited Examinations FAQ
- PSI: NASCLA Commercial General Building Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 7/7/2026)
- NASCLA: State Business and Law Exams
- PSI: Arkansas Contractor Business and Law Examination bulletin
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Exam Information
Practice tests for this license
NASCLA Commercial General Building Exam
One commercial trade exam accepted by licensing boards in 17 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.
Contractor Business & Law Exam
The business, tax, labor and lien-law exam almost every state requires alongside the trade exam.
This guide is general information, checked October 2026, not legal advice. Licensing rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply.
