Louisiana Roofing, Sheet Metal and Siding

Louisiana Roofing, Sheet Metal and Siding Contractor Exam: Complete 2026 Study Guide

Picture this: you've been doing roofing work for years, you know the trade inside and out, but you can't legally run your own jobs without that Louisiana contractor's license. The Louisiana roofing contractor exam is the last step between you and full authorization to construct, install, and repair roof systems, handle sheet metal work, and install siding across the state. With a license from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC), your scope expands to asphalt shingles, metal roofing, tile, slate, foam, membrane systems, flashings, and all major siding materials. This guide walks you through everything you need to know — exam format, topics, sample questions, study materials, and proven strategies — to pass on your first attempt.

Louisiana Roofing, Sheet Metal and Siding Exam Overview

The exam is administered by PSI and consists of 50 scored questions with a 120-minute time limit. To pass, you need to answer at least 35 questions correctly — that's 70%. The test is open book, which changes how you should prepare (more on that below).

You'll bring your own approved reference materials to the testing center. Candidates are responsible for sourcing and tabbing those books before exam day — the testing center does not provide them. You can find registration details on the exam registration page and review the full official exam bulletin for the most current requirements. For licensing information, visit the state licensing website.

The open-book format is real, but don't mistake it for easy. You have two hours for 50 questions, and many of those questions require you to look something up, read a figure, or work through a calculation. Speed matters as much as knowledge.

Topics Covered on the LA Roofing Sheet Metal Siding License Exam

The exam is organized into six content areas. Here's the breakdown by question count — study time should follow this same weighting:

• Steep and Low Slope Roofing including BUR and Waterproofing — 18 questions (the heaviest topic by far)
  Covers asphalt shingles, underlayment configurations, built-up roofing components and bitumens, polymer-modified bitumen, EPDM, thermoplastic membranes, and clay, concrete, and slate tile systems.

• Roofing Components — 10 questions
  Sheathing standards, UL fire and wind ratings for shingles, valley flashing, drip edge, and wood shingles and shakes.

• Repairs and Reroofing — 7 questions
  Re-covering vs. tear-off, evaluation procedures, moisture detection, re-covering eligibility by system type, and flashing inspection.

• Estimating and Plan Reading — 5 questions
  Roof area calculations for level and sloped roofs, slope factors, material quantity takeoffs, underlayment allowances, and labor unit pricing.

• Surface Preparation and Planning — 5 questions
  Deck inspection, sheathing specs, OSB and plywood grading, surface condition requirements, and drainage design.

• Safety — 5 questions
  Fall protection on low-slope and steep roofs, personal fall arrest systems, guardrail construction, scaffold safety, and ladder requirements.

Study time tip: Since Steep and Low Slope Roofing makes up 36% of the scored questions, it deserves the most attention. Roofing Components (20%) and Repairs and Reroofing (14%) round out the top three priority areas.

Sample Questions from the Louisiana Siding Contractor Exam

Here are five representative questions from the exam. Read through them — and resist the urge to guess the answers here. We'll let you test yourself on the real thing.

Question 1 — Estimating and Plan Reading (Medium)

Using the printed factors, what is the total net roof area of the main roof and porch together, in squares? (Figure PS-1)
- A) 19.75 squares
- B) 15.52 squares
- C) 16.00 squares
- D) 17.18 squares

Question 2 — Steep and Low Slope Roofing (Medium)

Using the printed factor, what is the length of a common rafter measured from the wall plate to the ridge (no overhang)? (Figure RS-1)
- A) 16.8 lin ft
- B) 33.7 lin ft
- C) 21.9 lin ft
- D) 14 lin ft

Question 3 — Roofing Components (Easy)

You are a residential roofing contractor selecting plywood sheathing for a wood shake roof installation. Which voluntary product standard should the plywood panels meet or exceed for use as roof sheathing?
- A) PS 1, 'Construction and Industrial Plywood'
- B) PRP-108, 'Performance Standard for Wood Structural Panels'
- C) ASTM D226, 'Standard Specification for Asphalt-Saturated Organic Felt'
- D) PS 2, 'Performance Standard for Wood-Based Structural-Use Panels'

Question 4 — Repairs and Reroofing (Medium)

You are a residential plumber planning a water supply system for a new home that will use flush tank water closets. What is the minimum residual pressure that should be maintained at the highest fixture in the system for flush tank supplies?
- A) 5 psi
- B) 25 psi
- C) 15 psi
- D) 8 psi

Question 5 — Steep and Low Slope Roofing (Easy)

At the printed 6 fasteners per board, how many insulation fasteners are required for the bottom layer? (Figure LS-3)
- A) 1,125 fasteners
- B) 1,575 fasteners
- C) 1,350 fasteners
- D) 2,700 fasteners

Not sure which answers are correct? Take our free practice exam to test your knowledge before you sit for the real thing.

What Types of Questions to Expect

Our full question bank includes 433 practice questions organized by topic. Here's what each area looks like in practice:

• Estimating and Plan Reading (60 practice questions): Expect calculation-heavy problems — computing roof area from scaled drawings, applying slope factors, calculating material quantities with waste allowances, and working out labor costs from production rates.

• Surface Preparation and Planning (46 practice questions): These questions test your ability to identify correct sheathing grades, evaluate deck inspection criteria, and apply drainage and slope requirements before any roofing system goes down.

• Steep and Low Slope Roofing including BUR and Waterproofing (175 practice questions): The largest category by far. Questions cover installation sequences, material specifications for everything from BUR felts and bitumens to EPDM and TPO membranes, underlayment configurations by slope, and tile and slate system requirements.

• Roofing Components (80 practice questions): You'll need to know specific product standards (like plywood grading), UL rating requirements for shingles, flashing configurations, and the distinctions between wood shingle and shake grades and installation methods.

• Safety (35 practice questions): OSHA-based questions on fall protection thresholds, personal fall arrest system specs, guardrail construction requirements, and scaffold platform rules.

• Repairs and Reroofing (37 practice questions): Scenario-based questions on evaluating existing roofs, choosing between re-cover and tear-off, detecting moisture with core cuts or infrared thermography, and handling flashing during a reroof.

Required Study Materials for the LA Roofing License Practice Test

These are the approved reference books — the same ones you'll bring to the exam. Buy them early, because you'll also use them as your open-book references on test day. Knowing your way around these books is as valuable as understanding the content.

• Roofing Construction and Estimating — The core textbook for estimating, plan reading, and construction fundamentals. Published in 1995 with a 2022 reprint, it's the backbone of several exam topics.

• NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep Slope Roof Systems — The 2025 edition is the authoritative reference for asphalt shingles, tile, slate, underlayment, and all steep-slope details. Given that steep-slope roofing carries the most exam weight, this manual deserves the most tab flags.

• NRCA Roofing Manual: Membrane Roofing Systems — The 2023 edition covers BUR, modified bitumen, EPDM, and thermoplastic membranes. Essential for the low-slope portion of the exam.

• OSHA 29 CFR 1926 — The federal construction safety standard. All five Safety exam questions draw from this code. Know Part 1926 Subpart R for roofing-specific fall protection.

• International Building Code 2018 — Referenced for structural and code-compliance questions.

• International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings 2018 — Covers residential applications across multiple exam topics.

Study Tips for the Louisiana Roofing Contractor Exam

Master your books, not just the material. On an open-book exam, the candidates who pass aren't necessarily the most experienced — they're the fastest at finding answers. Highlight key sections, create a thorough tab system with permanent tabs (not Post-It notes — those aren't allowed), and drill the index and table of contents until you can land on any topic in seconds.

Work through questions strategically. Answer the questions you know, flag the ones you don't, then circle back. You can bookmark questions for later review, just as you can on our practice exams. Don't sink several minutes into one question while the clock keeps running.

Give yourself three to six weeks. Use the official exam bulletin as your roadmap, and focus your preparation on finding-it-fast skills rather than memorizing every figure. Aim for three clean passes at 80% or higher on practice tests — that buffer above the 70% passing score gives you room on exam day.

Practice under timed conditions. The two-hour limit sounds generous until you're looking things up in six different references. Regular timed practice sessions build the pacing instincts that make the real exam feel routine.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the Louisiana Roofing, Sheet Metal and Siding exam?
The exam contains 50 scored questions.

What is the passing score?
You need to answer at least 35 questions correctly (70%) to pass.

How much time is allowed?
120 minutes — two hours total.

Is the exam open book?
Yes. You may bring all approved reference materials into the testing room. You are responsible for bringing your own copies; the testing center does not provide them.

What reference books are allowed?
The approved list includes the International Building Code (2018), OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926, International Residential Code (2018), Roofing Construction & Estimating by Daniel Atcheson (1995), NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep Slope Roof Systems (2025), and NRCA Roofing Manual: Membrane Roofing Systems (2023).

Can I write notes in my books or add loose papers before the exam?
You may highlight, underline, annotate, and create a permanent index in your references before exam day. However, you cannot write in them during the exam session, and loose or attached papers are not permitted — any such materials will be confiscated.

Can I use Post-It notes or temporary tabs?
No. Only permanent tabs are allowed. Any temporary tabs, including Post-It notes, must be removed before the exam begins.

What topics are covered?
Six content areas: Estimating and Plan Reading (5 questions), Surface Preparation and Planning (5 questions), Steep and Low Slope Roofing including BUR and Waterproofing (18 questions), Roofing Components (10 questions), Safety (5 questions), and Repairs and Reroofing (7 questions).

Do I need to bring my own reference books?
Yes. Candidates are responsible for sourcing and bringing their own approved materials to the examination center.

Ready to Start Preparing?

The Louisiana Roofing, Sheet Metal and Siding license opens real doors — the legal authority to run roofing, sheet metal, and siding jobs across Louisiana under your own name. The exam is challenging, but it's designed to test practical knowledge that any qualified contractor already has. The key is preparing in the right way: know your references cold, practice under timed conditions, and focus your energy on the topics that carry the most weight.

Start with our free practice exam to get a feel for the question style and format. When you're ready to dig deeper, the full practice exam mirrors the real test — 50 questions, 120-minute clock, same topic breakdown, with a detailed score report by subject area so you can see exactly where to focus. With the right preparation, a first-attempt pass is well within reach.