Arkansas Residential Remodeler Exam

Arkansas Residential Remodeler Exam Prep Checklist

Everything for the Arkansas Residential Remodeler exam in one place: the bulletin's key facts, the topics and how many questions each carries, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a prep checklist. PSI gives the exam.

Arkansas Residential Remodeler Exam Facts

From the official bulletin:

On exam day

• Candidates bring their own approved, bound references, may not write in them during the exam, may not bring additional papers, and must use the listed edition for Code questions.
• References may be highlighted, underlined and annotated before the exam and tabbed only with permanent tabs, while temporary tabs such as Post-It notes are not allowed.
• Candidates will have access to an online calculator and may not bring their own calculator.
• An online calculator is provided, and no personal calculator or additional papers may be brought into the exam.

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), John L. Feirer and Mark D. Feirer (2016)
• Contractors Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th Edition, 2018)
• Gypsum Construction Handbook (2014 Edition)

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

Arkansas Residential Remodeler Exam Topics

The official content outline has 11 topics:

Arkansas Residential Remodeler Exam Prep Checklist

• Get the reference books the bulletin lists, in the editions it names.
• Learn each book's table of contents and index first.
• Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
• Take our timed practice exams until you pass several in a row.
• After each attempt, look up every question you missed in your book.
• Practice at the real exam's pace: about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question.

Arkansas Residential Remodeler Exam Reference Books

The bulletin lists the reference materials allowed in the examination center, including the OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 regulations, the 2015 International Residential Code, Carpentry and Building Construction, the Contractors Guide to Quality Concrete Construction and the Gypsum Construction Handbook.

Where to get them:

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

Test Day Checklist

• First pass: answer every question you know. Bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you return to bookmarked questions.
• Second pass: work through your bookmarks.
• Pace: 75 minutes for 30 questions, which is about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question.
• Last step: answer anything still blank. 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.

Arkansas Residential Remodeler Sample Questions

From our practice question bank, with answers and references:

Sample 1 — Drywall

Question: What type of fire-code drywall contains glass fibers to prevent crumbling in extreme heat and is 5/8" thick?

• A. Type-C drywall
• B. Foil-back drywall
• C. Type-X drywall
• D. Moisture-resistant drywall

Correct Answer: C

Type-X fire-code drywall is 5/8" thick and contains glass fibers that prevent it from crumbling in extreme heat. Type-C drywall is even more fire resistant than Type-X and contains vermiculite.

Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 32, Fire-Code Drywall section

Sample 2 — OSHA Safety

Question: You are a limited electrical contractor setting up a new construction job site in a rural area with no nearby hospital or clinic. According to OSHA requirements, what must you ensure is available at the worksite to provide first aid coverage?

• A. A person with a valid first-aid training certificate from the American Red Cross or equivalent
• B. A registered nurse assigned to the project full-time
• C. A fully stocked ambulance parked on site at all times
• D. A written agreement with the nearest hospital for emergency services

Correct Answer: A

According to OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.50(c), in the absence of an infirmary, clinic, hospital, or physician that is reasonably accessible in terms of time and distance to the worksite, a person who has a valid certificate in first-aid training from the U.S. Bureau of Mines, the American Red Cross, or equivalent training that can be verified by documentary evidence, shall be available at the worksite to render first aid.

Reference: OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.50(c)

Sample 3 — Concrete

Question: A foundation slab should be thickened beneath interior bearing walls. How is this thickened area formed?

• A. By adding a second pour after the slab cures
• B. By using standard formwork around the perimeter
• C. By a trench dug into the subgrade, not by formwork
• D. By stacking layers of welded-wire mesh

Correct Answer: C

Beneath interior bearing walls, the slab may be thickened to provide necessary support. This thickened area is like a footing. Unlike a standard footing, it is formed by a trench in the subgrade, not by formwork, and should be strengthened with rebar.

Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 11.1, Page 295

Sample 4 — Masonry

Question: What is the minimum thickness permitted for a rough, random or coursed rubble stone masonry wall?

• A. 16 inches
• B. 24 inches
• C. 8 inches
• D. 12 inches

Correct Answer: A

IRC 2015 Section R606.4.2 sets the minimum thickness of rough, random or coursed rubble stone masonry walls at 16 inches. The 8-inch minimum in Section R606.4.1 applies to masonry bearing walls more than one story high.

Reference: IRC 2015 Section R606.4.2

Online Practice vs. a PDF

• Timed: you practice finding answers under time pressure, not just reading them.
• Bookmarks: flag questions and come back, the way you will on test day.
• New sets: each attempt draws new questions from our bank.
• Scored by topic: your results show which outline topics need more study.

Next Step

• Take the free Arkansas Residential Remodeler practice exam.
• Study the topics where you scored lowest.
• Read the exam bulletin for the official rules, and see the licensing board's website.