Arkansas Residential Builder Exam

How to Pass the Arkansas Residential Builder Exam

You don't have to guess how to prepare for the Arkansas Residential Builder exam. This guide lays it out: the key facts from the official bulletin, the topics on the test, the books you need, sample questions with answers, and a study plan you can follow. PSI gives the exam.

Arkansas Residential Builder Exam Basics

Here's what the official bulletin says about the exam:

On exam day

• Candidates must bring their own bound references, may not write in them during the exam, and may not bring additional loose or attached papers.
• References may be highlighted, underlined, annotated and indexed beforehand but not during the exam, and may carry permanent tabs only, with temporary tabs removed before the exam begins.
• Candidates will have access to an online calculator and may not bring their own calculator.
• An online calculator is provided on screen, and candidates may not bring their own calculator or any additional loose or attached papers with their references.

References you may bring

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA), with latest available amendments
• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 Selections by PSI, with latest available amendments
• International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (2015)
• Carpentry and Building Construction (Student Edition) (2010 or 2016)
• The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (2005, 3rd Edition)
• Modern Masonry - Brick, Block, Stone (8th Edition)

Source: Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board - Residential Builder, 10/17/2220. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.

What's on the Arkansas Residential Builder Exam

The official content outline splits the exam into 7 topics:

Your Arkansas Residential Builder Study Plan

Your books are your best friend on this exam. It's open book, so the references on the bulletin's list are what you'll use on test day. Get your own copies in the editions the bulletin names.

Get to know them early. Spend time with each book's table of contents and index until you can find any major subject quickly. On an open-book exam, finding answers fast is the skill that counts.

Make the books yours. Highlight the sections you keep coming back to. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.

Put your energy where the points are. Masonry and Roofing make up 40% of the exam, so start there.

Practice with the clock running. Our timed practice exams help you build the pace the real exam needs: about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question. Every attempt is another rep.

Keep going until you pass practice exams consistently. One good score is a great start. A few passing scores in a row is how you know you're ready.

Books You'll Need for the Arkansas Residential Builder Exam

The bulletin lists the reference materials allowed in the examination center, with the OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 regulations offered either in the U.S. Government Printing Office version or in the PSI Selections version.

Where to get them:

• IRC 2015
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926
• Carpentry and Building Construction
• The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction
• Modern Masonry

Test Day Tips

Start with a quick pass through the whole exam. Answer every question you're sure about and bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you return to bookmarked questions, so nothing is lost by moving on.

Then come back to your bookmarks and work through them one at a time. Keep an eye on the clock: you have 75 minutes for 30 questions, which is about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question. Before you finish, make sure every question has an answer. A blank can't earn a point.

Study Tips

On an open-book exam, the winners aren't the smartest people in the room — they're the fastest at finding answers. Buy the required book, practice with it open, and tab and highlight each section the first time a question sends you there. Learn the index and table of contents until you can land on any topic in seconds. That speed is what separates a pass from a fail.

Know your way around each book's index and table of contents. Open-book exams reward speed: you need to find specific items quickly.

On an open-book exam, work through every question once: answer the ones you know and skip the ones you don't. Then go back to the ones you flagged. You can bookmark questions for later review, just like on our exams — and don't sink too much time into any single question. The clock is still running.

Give yourself at least three to six weeks. Use your exam's candidate bulletin as your roadmap for what's tested, and spend your time on finding-it-fast skills over rote memorization. In practice, aim for three clean passes at 80% or higher — setting your practice bar above the real cut score gives you a comfortable margin on test day.

Practicing against a ticking clock is the best way to beat exam-clock anxiety. Use these timed tests to build your pacing, so you learn to move steadily and never burn too long on a single question. By test day, the format feels routine.

Try These Arkansas Residential Builder Practice Questions

Give these a try. They come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.

Sample 1 — Site Work, Footings and Foundations

Question: When a building is planned to be parallel to an existing street or property line, what can that line be used as for staking out the site?

• A. A benchmark line
• B. A grade line
• C. A reference line
• D. A setback line

Correct Answer: C

An existing line such as a street or marked property line can be used as a reference line, making it possible to stake out the site without using a surveying instrument. The builder measures from this reference line to locate the building on the property.

Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — Basic Techniques / Measuring From a Reference Line

Sample 2 — General Carpentry

Question: Braced wall panels at exterior walls supporting roof rafters or trusses may satisfy the uplift load path using only the standard fastening schedule when the ultimate design wind speed does not exceed 115 mph, wind exposure is Category B, the roof pitch is 5:12 or greater, and the roof span is not more than how many feet?

• A. 24
• B. 32
• C. 36
• D. 28

Correct Answer: B

Per IRC 2015 Section R602.3.5, Item 1.1, fastening in accordance with Table R602.3(1) satisfies the braced wall panel uplift load path where the ultimate design wind speed does not exceed 115 mph, the wind exposure category is B, the roof pitch is 5:12 or greater, and the roof span is 32 feet or less.

Reference: IRC 2015 Section R602.3.5

Sample 3 — OSHA Safety

Question: In stairway construction, what is the purpose of a skirtboard?

• A. To serve as a decorative and protective board covering the joint where stair treads and risers meet the wall
• B. To prevent moisture infiltration at the base of the stairway
• C. To act as a nailer for attaching the handrail to the wall
• D. To provide structural support for the stair stringers

Correct Answer: A

A skirtboard is a finish trim piece that runs along the wall on the closed side of a stairway, covering the joint where the ends of treads and risers meet the wall surface. It serves both a decorative and protective function.

Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 723

Sample 4 — Estimating and Plan Reading

Question: You are a carpentry contractor reviewing a set of architectural plans for a new custom home. The architect has included a room-finish schedule on the plans. What type of information would you expect to find on this schedule?

• A. The plumbing fixture sizes and water supply line routing for each room
• B. The structural load ratings for each room's floor joists
• C. The materials and finishes to be used for floors, walls, and ceilings in each room
• D. The electrical outlet locations and circuit assignments for each room

Correct Answer: C

A room-finish schedule identifies the materials and finishes to be used for floors, walls, and ceilings for each room, including hallways. For example, a living room on the schedule might specify strip-oak flooring, pine baseboard and window trim, painted drywall wall/ceiling surfaces, and wood paneling on certain walls.

Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 2.3, Page 57

Why Practice Online?

Reading questions in a PDF is a start, but it doesn't prepare you for the clock. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you build speed along with knowledge. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results show your score by topic so you know where to focus next.

Ready to Start?

Take the free Arkansas Residential Builder practice exam and see where you stand today. Then focus on the topics that need the most work. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.