Tennessee Contractors License Prep Courses

Frequently Asked Questions

• What’s on the Tennessee Business and Law Management Exam?

  It’s a 50-question exam covering nine content areas: licensing requirements, estimating and bidding, business organization and financial management, tax laws, labor laws, project management and lien law, contracts, risk management, and environmental and safety. You need 73% (37 correct answers) to pass, in 140 minutes.

  It’s required for every Tennessee Contractor license applicant and for CE Electrical Contractor applicants, regardless of classification.

• What’s on the Tennessee BC classification exams?

  Single classifications: BC-A (residential, 1-4 units up to three stories) needs 73% (73 correct) in 300 minutes on a 100-question exam. BC-b (sm) (small commercial, up to $1,500,000) needs 73% (52 correct) in 180 minutes on a 70-question exam. BC-B (commercial, no dollar cap) needs 73% (73 correct) in 300 minutes, and BC-C (industrial) needs 73% (53 correct) in 210 minutes on a 72-question exam.

  Combined classifications let you take one exam instead of two if your work spans more than one category: BC-A, B (residential + commercial), BC-A, b (sm) (residential + small commercial), BC-B, C (commercial + industrial), and BC Combined (all three) are each 100 questions, needing 73% (73 correct) in 300 minutes.

  All BC exams are open book and share the same core content areas, sitework, concrete, masonry, carpentry or metals, roofing, associated trades, general code/plan reading/estimating, and OSHA safety, with the number of questions per area shifting to match the classification’s scope. Always check the specific breakdown for your classification rather than assuming it matches another one.

• What’s on the Tennessee NASCLA Commercial Building Contractor Exam?

  It’s a 115-question, open-book exam covering general requirements, site construction, concrete, masonry, metals, wood, thermal and moisture protection, doors/windows/glazing, finishes, mechanical and plumbing systems, electrical systems, and procurement and contracting requirements. You need 70% (81 correct answers) to pass, in 330 minutes.

  The exam is NASCLA accredited and accepted by 17+ other states, which can save you from retesting if you plan to get licensed elsewhere. Tennessee accepts the NASCLA exam for commercial use only.

• What’s on the Tennessee electrical exams (LLE and CE)?

  LLE (Limited Licensed Electrician) is a 40-question, open-book exam covering general electrical knowledge and installation requirements, services/feeders/branch circuits, overcurrent protection, grounding and bonding, and hazardous locations. You need 73% (30 correct answers) to pass. An LLE license covers electrical work valued over $2,500 but under $25,000 in materials and labor, and an LLE-only holder is not considered a contractor.

  CE (Electrical Contractor) is a 100-question, open-book exam covering the same core electrical topics in more depth, plus building code requirements, low voltage and communications, OSHA and NFPA 70E safety, and motors/transformers/generators. You need 73% (73 correct answers) to pass, in 260 minutes. A CE license is accepted statewide for electrical work of any value, including jobs over $25,000.

• What’s on the NASCLA electrical exams (Master/Unlimited and Journeyman)?

  NASCLA Master/Unlimited Electrical is 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, special occupancies/equipment/conditions, and communication systems. You need 75% (75 correct answers) to pass, in 270 minutes.

  NASCLA Journeyman Electrician is also a 100-question, open-book exam, covering interpreting plans and specifications, basic electrical safety, electrical theory and principles, testing and troubleshooting, general code requirements, wiring and protection, wiring methods and materials, equipment for general use, and special occupancies/conditions/communication systems. You need 70% (70 correct answers) to pass, in 270 minutes.

  Both are NASCLA accredited and accepted by 16 state agencies, including Tennessee, in place of their own state trade exam.

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

  Tennessee’s contractor and electrical 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 Board, but it’s the difference between hoping you can find the answer in time and knowing exactly where to look.

• How do Tennessee contractor and electrical exams work?

  Registration and scheduling: Tennessee’s Business and Law, BC classification, LLE, and CE exams are administered by ProV. Once the Board approves your application, you’ll register directly with ProV at tnboi.provexam.com/TNContractor. The NASCLA exams (Commercial Builder, Master/Unlimited Electrical, and Journeyman Electrician) work differently: you apply and pay an application fee directly through NASCLA at ned.nascla.org, then schedule your exam once that application is approved.

  What you can bring: Tennessee’s contractor and electrical exams are open book. You may bring approved reference materials, but check the current candidate bulletin for exactly which editions and how they may be marked before you register.

  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.