Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference

Illinois Residential, Commercial and Industrial Roofing Contractor

Illinois  ·  Continental Testing Services

Verified, not estimated. Every figure below is drawn from the official exam structure we maintain — question counts, passing standard and topic weighting. Practice questions are grounded in the source law with statute citations. We omit any figure we can't verify rather than guess at it.
Total questions
130
Passing score
70%
Exam time
150 min
Administered by
Continental Testing Services
Format
Closed-book

Illinois State Portion 130 questions

Safety and Employee Protection 25 Q · 19%
OSHA standards and recordkeeping requirements (Forms 300, 300A, 301)OSHA penalty types and enforcement inspectionsEmployee rights and anti-retaliation protections under the OSH ActJobsite safety equipment and emergency action plansSubstance abuse policies and safe hiring practicesEnvironmental regulations (asbestos, lead, hazardous waste, Clean Water Act, air quality)Workers' compensation and employment-related insurance requirementsEmployee vs. independent contractor classification and key employment laws (FLSA, ADA, Immigration and Nationality Act)Personal fall arrest systems: body belts vs. full-body harnesses, anchorage strength and D-ring attachment point (Safety Manual ch. 11)Portable power tools and abrasive wheels: guarding, ring testing and work-rest clearance (Safety Manual ch. 25)Jobsite sanitation: potable drinking water, prohibited common cups and dippers, washing and toilet facilities (Safety Manual)
Roofing Preparation and Materials 20 Q · 15%
Roof deck types and requirements (plywood, OSB, wood planks, spaced vs. solid sheathing)Underlayment materials and selection by roof covering type (asphalt felt, synthetic, polymer-modified bitumen, self-adhering)Underlayment configurations by slope and roof system (single-layer, double-layer, interlayment for shakes)Steep-slope roofing materials by type (asphalt shingles, clay/concrete tile, slate, wood shake/shingle, metal shingles)Low-slope membrane materials (built-up, polymer-modified bitumen, single-ply, liquid-applied, SPF)Rigid board insulation types, R-values, and installation for low-slope assembliesAir and vapor retarders in roof assemblies (placement, materials, permeance requirements)Material handling, storage, and weather conditions during applicationRoof insulation energy design: heating- and cooling-degree days, climate zones and radiant barriers (NRCA condensation and air leakage control volume; Steep-slope appendix)
Steep-Slope Roofing Systems 35 Q · 27%
Asphalt shingle materials, types, and performance standards (ASTM D3462, D3161, D7158)Clay and concrete tile profiles, materials, and attachment methodsSlate materials, grades, sizes, and installation configurations (standard, graduated, textural)Wood shake and wood shingle types, grades, and species requirementsMetal shingle materials, finishes, and attachment systemsRoof deck requirements and substrate types for steep-slope systemsUnderlayment and interlayment materials, configurations, and installation methodsFlashing details for steep-slope systems (valleys, eaves, chimneys, penetrations, step and counterflashing)
Low-Slope Roofing Systems 15 Q · 12%
Membrane types for low-slope roofing (BUR, polymer-modified bitumen, single-ply, liquid-applied, SPF)Roof deck types and substrate requirements for membrane roof systemsRigid board insulation types, R-value, and multilayer installation requirementsMembrane attachment methods (hot-applied, cold-applied, torch-applied, mechanically attached, adhered, self-adhering, ballasted)Slope, drainage, and ponding water requirements for low-slope assembliesAir and vapor retarders in low-slope roof assembliesFlashing, metal edge systems, and architectural metal flashing details for low-slope roofsReroofing decisions: re-cover vs. tear-off and replacement evaluation proceduresWaterproofing vs. dampproofing: positive-side, negative-side and blind-side systems, hydrostatic pressure (62.4 lb/ft^2 per foot of head) and drainage designBelow-grade waterproofing membranes: built-up and hot-fluid-applied bitumen, polymer-modified bitumen and self-adhering sheets, EPDM/PVC/butyl sheets, fluid-applied elastomerics, minimum thicknesses and substrate temperature limitsBentonite, crystalline, cementitious and composite (hydrophilic/thermoplastic, grout-injected) waterproofing systems and their application limitsWaterproofing accessories, protection courses, drainage geocomposites and waterstops; plaza deck and traffic-coating assemblies +1 more
Rules, Regulations and Business Practices 20 Q · 15%
Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act requirements and definitionsLicense types, application process, and qualifying party obligationsInsurance, bonding, and surety requirements for licensureLicense renewal, expiration, inactive status, and restorationGrounds for disciplinary action, penalties, and enforcement proceduresContract requirements for roofing services including rescission and trust fund provisionsBusiness entity structures and their liability, tax, and management characteristicsEmployee classification, hiring documentation, and key employment lawsEstimating: direct job costs vs. general conditions, overhead and markup (NASCLA ch. 6-7)Financial management and tax basics: depreciation methods (straight-line, declining balance, MACRS), salvage value and useful life (NASCLA ch. 13-14)Contract interpretation: ambiguity construed against the drafter, order of precedence of contract documents (NASCLA ch. 7)Equipment ownership and operating costs in bids (NASCLA ch. 6)
Non-Residential Roofing Systems 15 Q · 12%
Built-up roof (BUR) membrane types, components, and installation methodsSingle-ply membrane systems (EPDM, thermoplastic) — attachment methods and configurationsPolymer-modified bitumen (APP and SBS) membrane systems and application techniquesSpray polyurethane foam (SPF) roof systems — application, surface texture, and protective surfacingsStructural and architectural metal panel roof systems — profiles, seam types, and substrate requirementsRigid board roof insulation types, R-value principles, and multilayer installation requirementsRoof deck types, slope and drainage requirements, and expansion joint designReroofing methods — re-cover versus tear-off replacement, existing system evaluation, and building code requirements

Key Distinctions

ArbitrationvsMediation

In arbitration a third-party arbitrator acts as a judge and renders an award that legally binds all parties, while in mediation the mediator only facilitates discussion and the parties themselves set the terms.

NASCLA Contractors Guide (14th ed.), Chapter 7 — Arbitration
Positive method of roof measurementvsNegative method of roof measurement

The positive method divides an irregular roof into rectangles and adds their areas, while the negative method extends the roof lines into one large rectangle and subtracts the areas that are not roof; both give identical results.

Roofing Construction and Estimating, Chapter 1, Pages 7-8
Critical path method (CPM)vsCalendar and bar chart (Gantt) scheduling

CPM graphically shows the interdependent relationships of tasks, whereas calendar and bar chart methods do not show interdependencies (calendar scheduling's advantage is linking tasks to specific dates such as deliveries, payments, and vacations).

NASCLA Contractors Guide (14th ed.), Chapter 8 — Critical Path Method section
Lump-sum contractvsCost-plus contract

Under a lump-sum contract the contractor completes the work for a predetermined price and assumes essentially all cost risk (and keeps any savings), while under cost-plus the contractor is reimbursed actual labor/material costs plus a percentage or fixed-fee markup, with progress payments based on actual costs and reconciled once actual costs are known.

NASCLA Contractors Guide (14th ed.), Chapter 7 — Lump-Sum Contract
AddendavsModifications / change orders

Addenda are changes to the contract documents made BEFORE the contract is awarded; changes after the contract is signed and executed are modifications, and change orders are written owner-contractor agreements changing an executed contract.

NASCLA Contractors Guide (14th ed.), Chapter 7 — Making Changes to the Contract
Step flashing (sidewall)vsChannel (pan) flashing

Step flashing is interwoven course-by-course and is used with plain (flat) tile profiles, while channel (pan) flashing runs continuously under the roof covering along the wall length and is generally used with S-tile, pan and cover, and most interlocking tile systems.

NRCA Architectural Metal Flashing, Chapter 3, Section 3.7 Sidewall Flashing
Fiberglass asphalt shinglesvsOrganic asphalt shingles

Fiberglass shingles use a fiberglass base mat saturated and coated with flexible asphalt and surfaced with mineral granules, while organic shingles use a cellulose-fiber base mat.

NRCA Roofing Manual: Architectural Metal Flashing Condensation and Air Leakage Control, and Reroofing, Appendix 6—Climatic Design Information (glossary, "asphalt shingle")
Workers' compensation / employer's liability policiesvsCGL and umbrella policies

Workers' compensation and employer's liability policies to date contain no specific exclusion for asbestos-related employee diseases and injuries, while CGL and umbrella policies increasingly include asbestos exclusions.

NRCA Safety Manual (3rd ed.), Chapter 1—Asbestos-containing Roofing Material
Shingle nail penetration in wood plank/board deckvsShingle nail penetration in plywood less than ¾ in. thick

In wood plank or board decks nails should penetrate at least ¾ inch into the deck, while in plywood less than ¾ inch thick nails must extend a minimum of ⅛ inch through the underside.

NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep-slope Roof Systems (2025), Section 4.2—Asphalt Shingle Roof System Design and Installation (Fasteners)
Clay/concrete tile with single-layer mechanically attached underlaymentvsClay/concrete tile with self-adhering or double-layer underlayment

Single-layer mechanically attached underlayment requires a minimum 4:12 slope for new construction per the IBC/IRC (NRCA also recommends 4:12), while self-adhering or double-layer underlayment configurations permit a minimum slope of 2½:12 per the IBC/IRC.

NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep-slope Roof Systems (2025), Clay and Concrete Tile Roof Systems, Chapter 1—Roof Assembly Configurations, Single-layer Underlayment Mechanically Attached

Key Terms

Qualifying party for multiple licensees (Illinois roofing) 225 ILCS 335/4.5(a); 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1460.11(c)
A qualifying party may act for one additional licensee of the same license type only if there is a common ownership or management interest of at least 25% in each licensed entity, or if the person qualifies one entity and its licensed subsidiary.
First-offense violation of the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act 225 ILCS 335/9.8
A first offense under the Act is a Class A misdemeanor, and a second or subsequent offense is elevated to a Class 4 felony.
Disturbance (of in-place ACRM) NRCA Safety Manual (3rd ed.), Chapter 1—Asbestos-containing Roofing Material, Table 1, disturbance definition
Under OSHA asbestos regulations, activities that disrupt the matrix of, crumble or pulverize, or generate visible debris from asbestos-containing roofing material; sampling for asbestos content is specifically not subject to the standards.
Repair job (ACRM) NRCA Safety Manual (3rd ed.), Chapter 1—Asbestos-containing Roofing Material, Table 1, Regulated Roofing Operations
An OSHA-regulated roofing operation involving removal or disturbance of in-place ACRM in an amount no greater than can be contained in one standard-sized (60- by 60-inch) waste bag; larger amounts are classified as removals, triggering additional requirements.
Standard threshold shift NRCA Safety Manual (3rd ed.), Chapter 10—Exposures, 29 CFR 1904
Under 29 CFR 1904 injury and illness recordkeeping, a change in a worker's hearing threshold averaging 10 decibels across frequency ranges, which must be recorded.
Construction noise permissible exposure level (29 CFR 1926.52, Table D-2) NRCA Safety Manual (3rd ed.), Chapter 17—Hearing Conservation
An eight-hour time-weighted average of 90 dBA; above it, feasible administrative or engineering controls must be used, and hearing protection provided where those controls do not reduce exposure enough (85 dBA is the hearing conservation action level under the general industry standard, 1910.95).
Action level, lead (29 CFR 1926.62) NRCA Safety Manual (3rd ed.), Chapter 10—Exposures, 29 CFR 1926.62 (action level definition)
Airborne lead of 30 micrograms per cubic meter of air as an eight-hour TWA, which triggers additional employer obligations such as biological (blood) monitoring; the PEL is a separate, higher 50 µg/m³ threshold.
Perm NRCA Roofing Manual: Architectural Metal Flashing Condensation and Air Leakage Control, and Reroofing, Appendix 6—Climatic Design Information
A unit of vapor transmission equal to 1 grain (about 0.07 grams) of water vapor per square foot per hour per inch of mercury vapor pressure difference across the barrier; lower perm ratings mean a better vapor barrier.
Equiviscous temperature (EVT) NRCA Roofing Manual: Membrane Roofing Systems, Chapter 5—Roof Membranes
The temperature at which a bitumen attains 125 centipoise—the optimum application temperature/viscosity; roofing bitumen should be applied within 25°F of the EVT.
Nonnailable deck NRCA Roofing Manual: Membrane Roof Systems (2023), Chapter 1—Roof Assembly Configurations, Substrate Type definitions
In NRCA roof assembly configurations, a substrate where mechanical fasteners are not used to attach roof system components, with structural concrete given as the example (nailable decks include wood panels, wood planks, cementitious wood fiber panels, and lightweight insulating concrete).
Water-shedding roof system NRCA Roofing Manual — Metal Panel Roof Systems, Section 5.1
A system such as an architectural metal panel roof (performing well at slopes of 3:12 or greater) designed to shed water rapidly over the panel surface, with seams not necessarily watertight—as opposed to a weatherproof system.
ASTM D3462 NRCA Steep-Slope Manual, Asphalt Shingles Chapter 4 — Standards (ASTM D3462)
The primary material specification for fiberglass (glass felt) asphalt shingles surfaced with mineral granules, addressing tear strength, fastener pull-through resistance, pliability and other physical properties; NRCA recommends specifying compliance with it.
ASTM D7158 NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep-slope Roof Systems (2025), Section 4.2—Wind Resistance (ASTM D7158—Calculation Basis)
A testing and complex calculation procedure yielding a basic wind-speed-based wind-resistance classification for asphalt shingles, using building environment assumptions derived from ASCE 7-22 (UL 997 and ASTM D3161 are fan-induced wind tests).
Tension precision leveling NRCA Roofing Manual: Metal Panel and SPF Roof Systems (2024), Pages 95-96 (Chapter 4, Section 4.4—Oil Canning)
A mechanical operation stretching coil metal beyond its yield point to give a level surface less prone to oil canning; NRCA suggests specifying it and performing it after secondary coil operations such as slitting of a master coil.

Formulas to Know

Net (actual) roof area in squares from plan areaNet roof area = roof plan area × roof-slope factor; squares = sq ft ÷ 100 (e.g., 48 × 20 × 1.118 = 1,073 sq ft = 10.73 squares; 2,768 × 1.302 = 3,604 sq ft = 36.04 squares)
Roof slope in rise-per-12 formatSlope = (total rise ÷ total run) × 12 (e.g., 7'6" = 7.5 ft ÷ 15 ft = 0.5 × 12 = 6 in 12; rise = peak elev − bottom-chord elev, run = half the span)
Rise and ridge elevation from pitchRise = half-span × (pitch rise ÷ 12) (e.g., 31.50 ft × 8/12 = 21.00 ft); Ridge elevation = top-of-wall elevation + rise (12.00 + 21.00 = 33.00 ft)
Actual common rafter / sloped top-chord lengthRafter length = run × common-rafter roof-slope factor (14 × 1.202 = 16.83 lf; 11 × 1.118 = 12.30 lf), or by Pythagorean theorem = √(run² + rise²) (√(24² + 12²) = 26.8 ft; √(31.50² + 21.00²) = 37.86 ft). Rake edge total = rafter length × 4 on a gable roof.
Hip rafter length and hip roof ridge lengthHip plan length = 1.414 × run (1.414 × 14 = 19.80 ft); actual hip length = run × hip-or-valley factor (10 × 1.474 = 14.74 ft, ×4 hips = 59 lf); Ridge = Length − Width (30 − 20 = 10 ft; 60 − 36 = 24 ft)
Valley length where roofs of unequal slope intersectActual valley length = run of the low-sloping roof × valley length factor (24 ft × 1.247 = 29.93 lf)
Material allowance factorAllowance factor = gross area including waste/lap/starter ÷ net roof area (18 squares ÷ 15 squares = 1.20, i.e., a 20% allowance)
Labor unit price per squareUnit price = (8 hr × total crew hourly rate) ÷ daily crew production in squares (8 × $35.00 = $280 ÷ 6.37 sq = $43.96/square)
Percentage of completion cumulative earningsCosts incurred ÷ total estimated costs = % complete; % complete × contract amount = cumulative earnings ($300,000 ÷ $1,000,000 = 30%; 30% × $1,500,000 = $450,000)
Minimum roof drain sump sizeSump dimension ≥ drain bowl diameter + 24 in. each way (12 in. bowl → 36 in. × 36 in. minimum)
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