Florida Contractor Exam Prep Courses

Frequently Asked Questions

• What’s the difference between a registered and certified Florida contractor license?

  They’re both legal contractor licenses, but they cover different territory. A registered license is issued locally and only lets you work in that county or city. A certified license, issued by the Florida DBPR, lets you work anywhere in the state, and some counties require it even if you hold a registered license.

  Which one you need depends on where you plan to work and what your local jurisdiction requires. Check with your county or city licensing office before you decide.

• General, Building, or Residential: which license is right for me?

  The classifications reflect scope of work. General Contractor is unlimited as to the type of work, covering any activity requiring licensure under Florida’s contracting statute. Building Contractor covers commercial buildings and residential buildings up to three stories, plus remodeling or repair of any size building that doesn’t affect structural members. Residential Contractor covers construction, remodeling, and repair of one-, two-, and three-family residences up to two habitable stories.

  Check Florida Statute 489.105 or talk to a licensing advisor if you’re not sure which scope matches the work you plan to do.

• What’s on the Florida Business and Finance Exam?

  It’s a 120-question, 6.5-hour exam covering six content areas: establishing the contracting business, managing administrative duties, managing trade operations, conducting accounting functions, managing human resources, and complying with government regulations. You need 70% (84 correct answers) to pass.

  It’s required for every Florida contractor license applicant, regardless of license category.

• What’s on the NASCLA Commercial Builder Exam, and how is it different from Florida’s own trade exam?

  The NASCLA Commercial Builder Exam is a 115-question, open-book exam covering site construction, concrete, masonry, metals, wood, mechanical and plumbing systems, and procurement and contracting requirements, among other subject areas. You need 81 correct answers (70%) to pass.

  Since 2019, Florida has accepted NASCLA transcripts in place of its own trade knowledge exam for General, Building, and Residential Contractor applicants. The exam is also accepted by 16+ other states, which can save you from retesting if you plan to get licensed elsewhere.

• What’s on the NASCLA Master/Unlimited Electrical Contractor Exam?

  It’s a 100-question, open-book exam covering general code requirements, project design and management, safety, electrical theory and principles, wiring and protection, wiring methods and materials, equipment for general use, and special occupancies. You need 75 correct answers (75%) to pass, in 270 minutes.

• What’s the difference between the Principles and Practices Exam and the 2B/3B Technical Exam?

  The Principles and Practices Exam is required for every Florida BCAIB Building Inspector and Plans Examiner applicant, covering building construction standards, contracting, and Board administration. The 2B/3B Technical Exam tests trade-specific code knowledge for Commercial Building Inspector (2B) or Plans Examiner (3B) applicants specifically.

  Most Building Inspector and Plans Examiner applicants need to pass both exams to get licensed.

• Why take a CTC exam prep course instead of studying on your own?

  Florida’s exams are open book, but the approved reference list is long, and the books alone don’t tell you where to look.

  CTC students consistently pass at a high first-time rate. Our courses walk you through every subject area the exam covers, our books arrive pre-tabbed and pre-highlighted to the exact sections you’ll need, and our exam simulator lets you practice under real timed conditions before test day.

  Exam prep isn’t required by the DBPR, but it’s the difference between hoping you can find the answer in time and knowing exactly where to look.

• Is the Mold Services Professional certification required by the state?

  The DBPR requires new Mold Assessor/Remediator license applicants to complete documented training on water intrusion, mold, and respiratory protection. CTC’s Mold Services Professional (CTC-MSP) certification course fulfills that training requirement, and it also counts toward continuing education for licensed contractors who complete it.

• How do Florida contractor exams work?

  Registration and scheduling: Florida’s Business and Finance and CILB trade exams are administered by Professional Testing, Inc. under contract with the DBPR’s Bureau of Education and Testing, at Florida testing centers. The NASCLA Commercial Builder and NASCLA Electrical exams are administered separately, by PSI. Once you’re eligible, you’ll schedule your exam directly with the relevant testing provider.

  What you can bring: Florida construction exams are open book. You may bring approved reference materials with permanently attached tabs, highlighting, and underlining. Loose papers, removable tabs, and unapproved materials are not permitted.

  That’s why our reference books come pre-tabbed and pre-highlighted. They arrive exam-ready, so you can spend your exam finding answers instead of searching for them.

• Do I need continuing education (CE) after I’m licensed?

  Yes. The state requires 14 hours of Florida contractor CE per renewal cycle, including one-hour modules in workplace safety, workers’ compensation, business practices, advanced building code, and laws and rules. General, Building, Residential, Roofing, Specialty Structure, and Glass/Glazing contractors must also complete a wind mitigation methodology module.

• How long is my exam result valid?

  Check with the DBPR for how long a passing score can be applied toward a license application in your category. Validity windows are set by the board, not by the testing vendor.