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North Carolina Residential Contractor License & Exam Prep
Contractor Licensing, Education & Exam Prep
A Residential General Contractor in North Carolina may choose to obtain either a Residential or Building Contractor license. Each license type has 3 levels of project size: Limited, Intermediate, and Unlimited. The information below will help you decide which license type is best suited for you. Once you have determined the license type and level, it's time to pass the exams (assuming you meet the other requirements). Preparing for either exam and knowing what to study plays a huge part in passing, especially on the first attempt.
We take all of the legwork out of studying and applying for the exam. We've scoured the exam bulletin, studied every book on the reference list, and then teamed up with experts in the industry to write the most comprehensive online exam prep courses you've ever seen. We go beyond a slideshow and a book, offering narrated courses, custom pre-printed tabs for each of the books used during the exam, highlighting guides to show you what to study, and live support when you need it.
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$299Residential Contractor
Exam Prep -
$689$639Residential Contractor
Bundle
What type of work can be done with this license?
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Residential General Contractor
Residential General Contractor licenses in North Carolina are permitted to bid or contract all building construction activity pertaining to the construction of residential units, including all site work, driveways, sidewalks, and water and wastewater systems. The limits of each sub-type are as follows:
Limited License - $750,000 per individual project
Intermediate License- $1,500,000 per individual project
Unlimited License - Valid for projects of any size -
Building General Contractor
Are you needing to work on commercial projects as well? Click the link below to learn more about the General Contractor's License.
What are the requirements to getting a license?
Financial RequirementsResidential and Building General Contractors must obtain the following amounts of either working capital, net worth, or surety bonds:
- Limited - Requires $17,000 Working Capital, or $80,000 Net Worth, or a $350,000 Surety Bond.
- Intermediate - Requires $75,000 Working Capital demonstrated by an AUDITED Financial statement or a $1,000,000 Surety Bond.
- Unlimited - Requires $150,000 Working Capital demonstrated by an AUDITED Financial statement or a $2,000,000 Surety Bond.
How do I obtain a license?
To apply for your license, contact the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors at 919-571-4183 or visit nclbgc.org.
NC Residential Contractors are required to complete 8 hours of continuing education in order to renew their license.
With RocketCert, our education is written by a combination of professional educators and industry professionals. Our exam prep is guaranteed to help you pass the exam, and is backed with our no pass, no pay policy. We pride ourselves on providing industry leading customer service. Also, if you find a better original price on any online course that we offer, we will beat it by 10%.
In order to sit for the exam, you must submit the application for licensure to the state. It must include verified education and work experience as required by the state. Once approved, the state will contact you with an exam date and time.
After studying with RocketCert, you will be on your way to passing the required State exam(s) (see below). Pre-approval is required. Testing centers are setup throughout the State in larger cities.
After completing all the steps above, it will be time to apply through the NC CLiC to obtain your North Carolina Residential Contractor License. Have questions or concerns with this process (or just a lack of time)? Learn more about how we can assist with our Application Processing Program.
Which exam do I need to take?
Note: North Carolina will be updating their building codes on January 1st, 2025. However, they have not yet announced when the exams will be updated to the new code books.
North Carolina Residential Contractor Exam
- Total Questions: 90
- Passing Score: 63 Correct
- Time: 210 minutes
- PARTIALLY OPEN BOOK
Topics include: Site Work; Concrete; Masonry; Carpentry; Roofing; Associated Trades; Business and Law; Safety; Estimating, Plan Reading and General Residential Code Requirements; One Call; Erosion and Sedimentation Control; Licensing; Liens; Sports Fields
How do I pass the exam?
The North Carolina Residential Contractor exam is partially open book. The Following References are for the state-specific exam. These references are permitted to be tabbed and highlighted! Unfortunately, our online course is NOT permitted to be accessed during the State exam.
The exam prep includes math, plan reading, highlighting guides covering the topics your exam is based on, practice questions for each references, and unlimited attempts on our "test simulation".
Online Exam Prep Includes:
- Math & Plans Lessons - Here, we teach you math concepts and how to solve calculations on test day.
- Highlighting Guides - Introduce the critical information in your book(s). This will familiarize you with each book’s content and its layout.
- Quizzes - These practice quizzes are based on each individual book/reference. They reinforce key concepts.
- Test Simulation / Practice Exam - Comprehensive exams randomly generated from our database of questions. Test simulations are restricted by time, and hints are disabled. Test simulations are as close to the real exam as you can get.
- Guide to Tabbing - This section includes tabbing books and other test taking strategies to keep calm and focused during the exam.
North Carolina Residential Contractor Online Exam Prep
Lifetime Online Access to:
- NC Residential Contractor Online Exam Prep
Our Online Exam Prep features:
- Instant Online Access
- Start & Stop as needed
- Instructor Support
- No Pass No Pay Policy
Ideal for students who already own all references
$299
North Carolina Residential Contractor Bundle
Includes the following courses:
- NC Residential Contractor Online Exam Prep
Plus the following:
- All the books to use during the exam
- Permanent/Pre-Printed Tabs
- Free Shipping!
- Instructor Support
- No Pass No Pay Policy
- Lifetime Access from nearly any device
The Following References are Permitted to be Used During the Residential Contractor Exam (Included in the Bundle):
North Carolina OSHA - Construction Industry
North Carolina NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, General Contractors, 10th Edition
North Carolina State Building Code: Residential Code 2018
North Carolina State Building Code: Administrative Code and Policies 2018 (On Backorder)
The Following References are NOT Allowed to be Used During the Residential Contractor Exam:
Carpentry and Building Construction, Student Edition, 2016
Roofing Construction & Estimating, Revised
Modern Masonry
Pipe and Excavation Contracting, Revised
Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, 4th Edition
Building Component Safety Information Book, BCSI Wood Trusses
3-4 Book Tab Bundle
Permanent Blank Tabs - 375 Pack
Why should I choose RocketCert?
At RocketCert, we strive to be the best (while having fun in the process). This means having not only the best quality of education, but also industry leading technology. Best yet, we are here for you 7 days a week. Have a question or comment? Give us a call or contact us to send us a message. Ready to begin? Select your State above and start immediately. Of course, you can resume later!
Why pay for something knowing your time with it is limited? At RocketCert, we believe in offering lifetime access to your training, even though it will not be needed.
Our education is written industry experts. We believe in helping you with your career, and that help begins with offering best in class education.
We are here for you. Have a question? Need support? Our team is available 7 days a week for technical support. We pride ourselves in taking care of you.
Fail your exam? Prefer a different style of course? Other events taking place in your life? Give us a call and we can process a refund within 30 days of purchase for any reason. Exam prep courses are backed with our No Pass, No Pay guarantee.