NASCLA Commercial GC Exam Prep

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is currently accepted in 17 states plus the U.S. Virgin Islands (18 jurisdictions), including North Carolina. Your result is stored in the NASCLA National Examination Database (NED), so you can send a transcript to any participating state. The list changes over time — always confirm the current list at ned.nascla.org before you register.

Two agencies, two fees: the NASCLA application is $65 (at ned.nascla.org, valid one year) and the PSI exam sitting is $130 — about $195 total to test. Sending your transcript to each participating state runs about $45 each. These are the exam/agency fees, separate from your prep class and your NC license application.

Yes, the NASCLA exam is fully open book. It permits the largest reference set of any of the exams we prep: 24 permitted titles, including the IBC, ACI 318, OSHA 29 CFR 1926 and the NASCLA Contractors Guide (Basic, 14th ed.). You can highlight, underline and add permanent tabs beforehand; otherwise the books must be unmarked, with nothing written in them and no extra papers, loose or attached. Always confirm the exact titles and editions on the current PSI bulletin before buying — editions change.

See the full NASCLA reference list with editions, alongside the NC Building, NC Residential and Business & Law lists.

PSI's NASCLA bulletin lets you highlight, underline and index your books, with permanent tabs only. Temporary tabs, such as Post-It notes, are not allowed and must be removed before the exam will begin. Otherwise the books must be unmarked (nothing written in them) and may not contain extra papers, loose or attached. A silent, battery-operated, non-printing, non-programmable calculator with no alphabet keyboard is allowed.

The bulletin for the NC exams adds stricter rules, such as bound, complete references and no notes written on tabs. The NASCLA bulletin does not mention them, but following them costs you nothing.

The complete rules, and what else you can and cannot take into the test center →

Finding the answer quickly. The NASCLA exam is open book and on a clock, so navigation beats memorization — the people who run out of time usually knew the material, they just could not land on it fast enough. That means tabbing and highlighting your books properly, then practicing the lookup until it is quick.

It is the first thing our prep covers, and the Online Study Vault has a dedicated Highlighting, Tabbing & Lookup module with timed drills.

See the tabbing rules PSI enforces →

No — NASCLA covers the trade portion. You still apply through the NC Licensing Board (nclbgc.org), meet its classification and financial requirements, and — under the Board's reciprocity rule — take and pass North Carolina's law, rule and building code exam, the one usually called the NC Business & Law exam (40 questions, 90 minutes, 70% to pass, open book). How the routes differ.

Yes, the books, tabbed and highlighted. We sell 23 of the 24 reference books for this exam as one set (ACI 318 is not included), permanently tabbed and highlighted to PSI's rules and delivered in 5 to 7 business days. The exam prep itself covers the instruction, strategy, book-organization guidance and a study plan; the books are a separate purchase.

See the NASCLA book bundle →

See exactly which books and editions this exam requires →

The Study Vault opens instantly: once you buy, you can start studying right away, on your own schedule. For the In-Person Class, you pick your class date when you sign up. The Practice Exam Simulator comes with every option.

It's the one-day class in person plus the full Study Vault for $525, instead of $730 bought separately. You pick your class date when you sign up, and the Study Vault and Practice Exam Simulator open the moment you check out. If you can't make your date, we'll move you to another one. If no date works, we refund the class part ($160) and you keep the Study Vault.

Most successful candidates spend 4–8 weeks studying after the 1-Day Class, or work through the 4-Week Boot Camp with the structure and accountability already built in.

You can retake it: NASCLA allows up to 3 attempts within 1 year of approving your application, and after that you reapply once the year has expired. Each attempt costs time and another sitting fee. That's exactly why our prep is built around passing the first time. Call (910) 227-9002 for retake guidance and a focused plan.

If you're already a licensed NC General Contractor, yes — you still owe your annual 8 hours of Continuing Education. NASCLA exam prep is a separate track and doesn't count toward CE.