California Contractors License
Home Study Exam Preparation Kits
Paperback Study Guide
Your study guide will cover information and relevant diagrams to help you prepare for your examination. This information is what you can expect to see on your exam and is written in simple terms for anyone to understand. Having a physical study guide makes it easy to make your own notes in the margins, a helpful way to study for hands-on learners.
Online Practice Tests
Taking practice tests is one of the best ways to gauge your knowledge and preparedness and become comfortable with the testing process before exam day arrives. Following the format of the license exam you’ll take, our online practice tests are multiple choice and focus on the information commonly featured on license exams.
Paperback Study Guide
Your study guide will cover information and relevant diagrams to help you prepare for your examination. This information is what you can expect to see on your exam and is written in simple terms for anyone to understand. Having a physical study guide makes it easy to make your own notes in the margins, a helpful way to study for hands-on learners.
Online Practice Tests
Taking practice tests is one of the best ways to gauge your knowledge and preparedness and become comfortable with the testing process before exam day arrives. Following the format of the license exam you’ll take, our online practice tests are multiple choice and focus on the information commonly featured on license exams.
Audio Online Streaming
For those who are auditory learners, listening to audio of instructor-led lectures can be helpful for information retention. Audio streaming is also beneficial for those who are on the go and spend a lot of time commuting. Keep a notepad nearby to jot down notes and time-stamp sections you want to revisit.
Video Online Streaming
Watch pre-recorded lectures on safety, Law & Business information, and trade-specific instruction. For visual learners, seeing information and 3D illustrations can be helpful to grasp the subjects. Watch as many times as you need, and take notes as you go. Take lectures with you and watch on-the-go via your mobile device anywhere you have internet.
Paperback Study Guide
Your study guide will cover information and relevant diagrams to help you prepare for your examination. This information is what you can expect to see on your exam and is written in simple terms for anyone to understand. Having a physical study guide makes it easy to make your own notes in the margins, a helpful way to study for hands-on learners.
Online Practice Tests
Taking practice tests is one of the best ways to gauge your knowledge and preparedness and become comfortable with the testing process before exam day arrives. Following the format of the license exam you’ll take, our online practice tests are multiple choice and focus on the information commonly featured on license exams.
Audio Online Streaming
For those who are auditory learners, listening to audio of instructor-led lectures can be helpful for information retention. Audio streaming is also beneficial for those who are on the go and spend a lot of time commuting. Keep a notepad nearby to jot down notes and time-stamp sections you want to revisit.
Video Online Streaming
Watch pre-recorded lectures on safety, Law & Business information, and trade-specific instruction. For visual learners, seeing information and 3D illustrations can be helpful to grasp the subjects. Watch as many times as you need, and take notes as you go. Take lectures with you and watch on-the-go via your mobile device anywhere you have internet.
Goldenrod Paper Tests
In addition to online practice tests, you also have the option of taking a paper practice test. Your official exam will be administered via computer, but if practicing on paper is helpful, this method is available as well for more hands-on learning styles and those who may not have consistent access to computers or mobile devices when preparing. Please note, the practice test questions found in the goldenrod paper tests are the same as those found in the online practice tests.
The General Building Manual briefly covers major topics of the state exam including Concrete, Carpentry and Roofing, Masonry, Electrical, Plumbing, and HVAC. The manual also contains summaries from the California Building Code, California Electrical Code, California Plumbing Code, and the California Mechanical Code. The last section of the General Building Manual covers the Health and Safety Orders.
The Math Review Lecture explains the math formulas in the first part of the General Building Manual. The General Building Lectures discuss the general knowledge portions of the manual. The Health and Safety Lecture covers the Health and Safety Orders at the end of the manual. The General Building Review Questions Lecture covers the General Building Review Questions in the back of the manual.
Please be sure that you study all of the practice exams. It is important to read and understand each question and read every word of the explanation. It is necessary to learn the principles behind the question because the State’s questions may be worded differently.
General building contractors perform work in connection with any structure built, being built, or that will be built for the support, shelter, and enclosure of people, animals, chattels, or movable property and requiring the use of at least two unrelated building trades or crafts.
This does not include anyone who merely furnishes materials without fabricating them into or consuming them in the performance of the work of the general building contractor.
Per the California Contractors State License Board, “A general building contractor may take a prime contract or a subcontract for a framing or carpentry project. However, a general building contractor shall not take a prime contract for any project involving trades other than framing or carpentry unless the prime contract requires at least two unrelated building trades or crafts other than framing or carpentry, or unless the general building contractor holds the appropriate license classification or subcontracts with an appropriately licensed specialty contractor to perform the work. A General Building contractor shall not take a subcontract involving trades other than framing or carpentry, unless the subcontract requires at least two unrelated trades or crafts other than framing or carpentry, or unless the general building contractor holds the appropriate license classification. The general building contractor may not count framing or carpentry in calculating the two unrelated trades necessary in order for the general building contractor to be able to take a prime contract or subcontract for a project involving other trades.
No general building contractor shall contract for any project that includes the C-16 Fire Protection classification as provided for in Section 7026.12 or the C-57 Well Drilling classification as provided for in Section 13750.5 of the Water Code, unless the general building contractor holds the specialty license, or subcontracts with the appropriately licensed specialty contractor.”
The following is the recommended sequence for the B-General Building trade course:
- Listen to or watch the lecture entitled Math Review. Follow along with the trade manual (pages 3 to 8).
- Listen to or watch the lectures on General Building. Follow along with the trade manual (pages 9 to 95).
- Listen to or watch the lecture on Health and Safety. Follow along in the trade manual (pages HS-1 to HS-46).
- Listen to or watch the lecture on Review Questions. Follow along in the trade manual (pages Q-1 to Q-24).
- Read the B-General Building manual
- Take the following practice tests online or on paper until you get a score of at least 90%. Don’t be discouraged by your score the first time you take a test: You’ll improve. Allow enough time to study these tests at least three times. Make sure you read and understand each question and any explanations, especially calculations, that accompany the answer. Don’t just memorize the answers, because these are not the actual State Exam questions.
- B-General Building Test 1
- B-General Building Test 2
- B-General Building Test 3
- B-General Building Test 4
- B-General Building Test 5
- B-General Building Test 6
- B-General Building Test 7
- B-General Building Test 8
- B Update - Important.
Please review before taking the State exam.
- Health and Safety Test 1
- Health and Safety Test 2
- Health and Safety Update