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Multi-state · Updated October 2026

NASCLA Commercial General Building Exam: free practice test

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.

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About the NASCLA Commercial 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.

What's on the exam

NASCLA Commercial
Business, Contracts and Payroll
7 key facts
Safety (OSHA 1926)
7 key facts
Site Work and Excavation
7 key facts
Concrete and Reinforcing Steel
7 key facts
Masonry
7 key facts
Metals and Wood Framing
7 key facts
Thermal, Moisture, Doors, Windows
6 key facts
Finishes and Specialties
6 key facts
Plan Reading, Estimating, Scheduling
6 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 NASCLA Commercial exam

  • It's open book, so speed of lookup matters more than memorizing. Tab your references by chapter before test day.
  • 81 correct passes. Answer every question; there is no penalty for guessing.
  • Budget about 2.5 minutes per question and flag long estimating problems for the end.
  • Passing NASCLA covers the trade portion only. You still take each state's own Business & Law exam.

Save your results and get your Readiness Score

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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What's in the full NASCLA Commercial prep

Full question bank

600+ exam-style questions written to each official outline. Every answer explained, with the rule it comes from.

Timed exam simulator

Real question counts and time limits, so test day feels like practice day.

Exam Readiness Score

One 0 to 100 number that tells you when you're ready to book. Reach 80 and you're covered by our Pass Guarantee.

Flashcards + spaced repetition

530+ cards that come back right before you'd forget them. Five minutes a day keeps every number fresh.

Key study notes

Each topic boiled down to the 5 to 7 facts that get tested, with the statute or code section.

Mind maps

See the whole exam on one screen: every topic and the facts under it.

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. Under OSHA construction standards, at what height must employees on a walking/working surface with an unprotected side or edge be protected from falling?
Answer: 6 feet. 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1) sets the construction fall-protection trigger at 6 feet. General industry uses 4 feet, which is a common trap answer.
2. The top rail of a standard guardrail system must be at what height above the walking/working level?
Answer: 42 inches ± 3 inches. 29 CFR 1926.502(b)(1): top edge height must be 42 inches plus or minus 3 inches.
3. Unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock, a protective system is required for trenches at or deeper than:
Answer: 5 feet. 29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1) requires sloping, benching, shoring or shielding at 5 feet or deeper. Trenches 20 feet or deeper need a system designed by a registered professional engineer.
4. Excavated material (spoil) must be kept back from the edge of an excavation by at least:
Answer: 2 feet. 29 CFR 1926.651(j)(2) requires materials and equipment to be kept at least 2 feet from the edge, or retained by devices.
5. The slump test performed on fresh concrete measures its:
Answer: Consistency (workability). The slump cone test (ASTM C143) measures consistency and workability of fresh concrete. Strength is checked with cylinder tests.
6. Concrete test cylinders are typically broken to verify the specified design strength at:
Answer: 28 days. Specified compressive strength (f'c) is normally based on 28-day tests. 7-day breaks are an early indicator only.
7. A #5 reinforcing bar has a nominal diameter of:
Answer: 5/8 inch. U.S. rebar numbers equal the diameter in eighths of an inch: #5 = 5/8 inch.
8. A standard 8 × 8 × 16 concrete masonry unit has actual dimensions of:
Answer: 7-5/8 × 7-5/8 × 15-5/8 inches. Nominal size includes a 3/8-inch mortar joint, so actual size is 7-5/8 × 7-5/8 × 15-5/8 inches.
9. The actual dressed size of a nominal 2 × 10 is:
Answer: 1-1/2 × 9-1/4 inches. Dimension lumber 8 inches and wider loses 3/4 inch on the wide face: a 2 × 10 is 1-1/2 × 9-1/4 inches.
10. How many cubic yards of concrete are needed for a 30 ft × 40 ft slab, 4 inches thick (no waste)?
Answer: 14.8 CY. 30 × 40 × (4 ÷ 12) = 400 cubic feet. 400 ÷ 27 = 14.81 cubic yards.
11. On a drawing at 1/4" = 1'-0", a line measures 3-1/2 inches. What is the real length?
Answer: 14 feet. Each 1/4 inch = 1 foot, so each inch = 4 feet. 3.5 × 4 = 14 feet.
12. In a critical path schedule, the critical path is the:
Answer: Longest path through the network, with zero total float. The critical path is the longest sequence of dependent activities. Any delay on it delays project completion, so its total float is zero.
13. A portable extension ladder used to reach an upper landing must extend above the landing by at least:
Answer: 3 feet. 29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1): side rails must extend at least 3 feet above the upper landing surface.
14. Which bond guarantees that subcontractors and suppliers will be paid?
Answer: Payment bond. A payment bond protects subs and suppliers. A performance bond protects the owner if the contractor fails to complete the work.
15. Scaffolds and scaffold components must support their own weight plus at least how many times the maximum intended load?
Answer: 4 times. 29 CFR 1926.451(a)(1) requires each scaffold to support its own weight and at least 4 times the maximum intended load.

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Single Exam

$97 one-time
6 months of access · no subscription
  • Full NASCLA Commercial bank (50 questions)
  • Timed exam simulations
  • Study notes, flashcards & mind maps
  • Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
  • Readiness Score & detailed reports
  • Video lessons as they release
  • 5 bonuses: formula sheet, tabbing guide, study planner and more
  • Pass Guarantee + 7-day refund
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All-Access

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12 months · every exam · $12 per exam
  • All 12 exams, including state Business & Law
  • Full question banks + timed simulations
  • Study notes, flashcards & mind maps
  • Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
  • Readiness Score & detailed reports
  • Video lessons as they release
  • New exams added during your access
  • 5 bonuses: formula sheet, tabbing guide, study planner and more
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Licensing guide

How to get a contractor license in Arizona (2026): To get a contractor license in Arizona, you apply to the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) with a qualifying party who has the required experience (four years for general classes like B, B-1 and B-2) and has passed the Statutes and Rules Exam plus a trade exam. You also post a license bond, pass a background check, and pay the 2026 fees, which total $580 to $1,050 depending on the license. Residential and dual licenses also pay into the Residential Contractors' Recovery Fund.

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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 NASCLA (National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies) before you book. ContractorConquer is not affiliated with any licensing board or testing company.

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