Louisiana Residential Roofing Exam: A Practical Study Guide
The Louisiana Residential Roofing exam tests the rules and the reference books behind the work. This guide lays out the job: the key facts from the official bulletin, what the exam covers, the books you need, sample questions with answers, and how to get ready. PSI gives the exam.
The Louisiana Residential Roofing Exam at a Glance
Here's the rundown from the official bulletin:
| Questions | 50 questions |
| Time limit | 2 hours |
| Passing score | 35 correct answers out of 50 scored questions |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
On exam day
- Answers may be based on later editions of the references except for Code books, for which only the listed edition is used, and the exam may also include questions on trade knowledge or general industry practices.
- References may be highlighted, underlined and annotated before the exam and tabbed with permanent tabs only, while temporary tabs such as Post-It notes must be removed before the exam begins.
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
- Roofing Construction & Estimating (1995)
- NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep Slope Roof Systems (2025)
- International Building Code (2021)
Source: Residential Roofing Examination. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
What the Louisiana Residential Roofing Exam Covers
The official content outline breaks the exam into 5 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | 15 | 30% |
| Installation of Roof Coverings | 18 | 36% |
| Roof Drainage | 5 | 10% |
| Roofing Structures | 7 | 14% |
| Safety | 5 | 10% |
How to Get Ready for the Louisiana Residential Roofing Exam
Treat your reference books like your tools. On an open-book exam you don't need every rule memorized. You need to know which book holds it and where to find it.
Buy the books the bulletin lists, in the editions it names. An older or newer edition can put the answer on a different page, or change it.
Learn your way around each book before you study anything else. The table of contents and the index are your layout.
Highlight what you look up most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Do the big jobs first. Installation of Roof Coverings and Materials make up 66% of the exam.
Put in the reps with timed practice exams. The clock trains you to find answers at the pace the real exam needs: about 2 minutes 24 seconds per question.
Measure twice. When you miss a practice question, find the section in your book, read it and mark it. Keep at it until you pass practice exams consistently.
The Books for the Louisiana Residential Roofing Exam
The bulletin lists the OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 regulations (or the PSI Selections version), Roofing Construction & Estimating (1995), the NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep Slope Roof Systems (2025) and the International Building Code (2021) as references allowed in the test room.
Where to get them:
- IBC 2021
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926
- NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep Slope Roof Systems
- Roofing Construction and Estimating
Working the Exam on Test Day
Work the exam in two passes. On the first pass, answer everything you know and bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions. On the second pass, go back to your bookmarks and take them one at a time.
Don't get hung up on one question. You have 2 hours for 50 questions, which is about 2 minutes 24 seconds per question. Before you finish, make sure nothing is left blank.
Study Tips
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.
A little anxiety before an exam is completely normal — acknowledge it instead of fighting it. If you feel yourself spiraling on a question, pause and take a few slow breaths to reset. If your test center allows a short break, use it; just remember the clock usually keeps running.
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.
Sample Louisiana Residential Roofing Questions
These come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and the reference behind it.
Sample 1 — Roof Drainage
Question: A cricket or saddle covering installed on the ridge side of a chimney must be made of which material(s)?
- A. The same material as the roof covering only
- B. Galvanized steel or copper flashing only
- C. Sheet metal or the same material as the roof covering
- D. Sheet metal only
Correct Answer: C
IBC Section 1503.5 states that cricket or saddle coverings shall be sheet metal or of the same material as the roof covering.
Reference: IBC 2021 Section 1503.5
Sample 2 — Safety
Question: In addition to height-triggered requirements and fire code official orders, a fire watch during nonworking hours is also required for new multistory construction when the aggregate area exceeds what threshold per story?
- A. 75,000 square feet
- B. 50,000 square feet
- C. 25,000 square feet
- D. 100,000 square feet
Correct Answer: B
Per IBC Section 3314.1, a fire watch shall be provided during nonworking hours for new multistory construction with an aggregate area exceeding 50,000 square feet per story.
Reference: IBC 2021 Section 3314.1
Sample 3 — Installation of Roof Coverings
Question: You are a residential roofer installing self-adhering polymer-modified bitumen sheet underlayment over an entire roof deck. What are the typical minimum side-lap and end-lap dimensions recommended by manufacturers for this type of underlayment?
- A. 2-inch side laps and 4-inch end laps
- B. 4-inch side laps and 8-inch end laps
- C. 3-inch side laps and 6-inch end laps
- D. 3½-inch side laps and 6-inch end laps
Correct Answer: D
According to the NRCA, manufacturers typically recommend side laps of a minimum of 3½ inches and end laps of a minimum of 6 inches for self-adhering polymer-modified sheets installed as roof underlayments. Side laps and end laps should be sealed and the membrane sheet adhered to the substrate.
Reference: NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep-slope Roof Systems (2025), Section 3.2—Underlayment Design and Installation (Single Layer Self-adhering—Lap Dimensions)
Sample 4 — Materials
Question: You are a residential roofing contractor installing asphalt shingles in a coastal area where the maximum basic wind speed is 168 mph. What is the minimum ASTM D7158 wind-resistance classification the shingles must carry?
- A. Class G
- B. Class F
- C. Class H
- D. Class D
Correct Answer: C
Per IBC Table 1504.2, at a maximum basic wind speed of 168 mph, asphalt shingles tested under ASTM D7158 must carry a Class H classification. Class G is only acceptable up to 155 mph, and Class D only up to 116 mph.
Reference: IBC 2021 Table 1504.2
Why Practice Online Instead of With a PDF
A PDF is like reading about a job instead of doing it. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers with the clock running. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results break your score down by topic so you know where to put in more work.
Get Started
Take the free Louisiana Residential Roofing practice exam to see where you stand, then put your time into the topics that need it. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.