Maryland Home Improvement Salesperson (MHIC)

Maryland Home Improvement Salesperson (MHIC) Exam Study Guide

This guide covers what you need for the Maryland Home Improvement Salesperson (MHIC) exam: the key facts from the official bulletin, the topics it tests, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a plan to prepare.

Maryland Home Improvement Salesperson (MHIC) Exam at a Glance

Here are the exam's key facts from the official bulletin:

On exam day

• You must bring one valid, unexpired, signature-bearing photo ID from the listed choices, matching the name you registered under.
• Arrive at the examination center at least 30 minutes before your appointment.
• The examination is open book, but only the listed references may be brought in; they must be otherwise unmarked, contain no additional papers, and books from other testing companies or sample examinations are not allowed.
• Books may be highlighted, underlined and indexed but not written in, and only permanent-adhesive tabs that cannot be removed without ripping the page are acceptable.
• Silent, battery-operated, non-programmable calculators without paper tape printing or an alphabetic keyboard are permitted.
• Only approved items may be taken into the examination room and all personal belongings, including electronic devices, writing devices, bags and food or drink, must be placed in secure storage.

Scheduling, changes and retakes

• Candidates schedule the examination online at https://test-takers.psiexams.com/mdhi or by calling PSI registrars at (855) 898-0715.
• PSI must approve you before you can pay and schedule, processing takes up to one week after PSI receives the documentation, a contractor applicant must have at least 2 years of verifiable trade experience, and examination results are valid for 2 years.
• You may cancel and reschedule without forfeiting your fee if PSI receives your cancellation notice 2 days before the scheduled examination date.
• Missing the appointment, cancelling late, arriving so late that the center's schedule would be disrupted, or failing to present proper identification invalidates the registration and forfeits the examination fee.
• Scores are reported on screen immediately after the examination, with a pass notification or, for failures, a diagnostic report of strengths and weaknesses.
• After failing, you must wait 30 days to retake the examination, and each subsequent retest requires a 60-day wait.
• After passing you receive instructions to complete your license application and submit all MHIC applications and supporting documents electronically to MHIC, allowing up to 48 hours after passing for the MHIC email with your registration number.

Source: Home Improvement Contractor and Salesperson Candidate Information Bulletin, Updated 10/10/2025. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.

What the Maryland Home Improvement Salesperson (MHIC) Exam Covers

The official content outline has 2 topics:

How to Prepare for the Maryland Home Improvement Salesperson (MHIC) Exam

Start with the books. This is an open-book exam, so the references on the bulletin's list are your main study tool. Get the editions the bulletin names.

Learn where things are. Read the table of contents and the index of each book until you know where every major subject lives. On test day, finding an answer fast matters more than memorizing it.

Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.

Take timed practice exams. The clock trains you to find answers at the pace the real exam needs: about 2 minutes 34 seconds per question.

Aim to pass more than once. One passing score can be luck. Several in a row means you're ready.

Reference Books for the Maryland Home Improvement Salesperson (MHIC) Exam

Where to get them:

• NASCLA Maryland Home Improvement Guide 7th
• Maryland Title 14, Subtitle 3 - Door-To-Door Sales Act
• NASCLA Maryland Home Improvement Salesperson Guide 6th

On Test Day

• Go through the whole exam first. Answer every question you know and bookmark the ones you don't. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions.
• Then go back to your bookmarks and work them out.
• Don't let one question eat your time. You have 90 minutes for 35 questions, which is about 2 minutes 34 seconds per question.
• Before you finish, answer anything you skipped. A blank can't earn a point.

Study Tips

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 Maryland Home Improvement Salesperson (MHIC) Practice Questions

These questions come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.

Sample 1 — Home Improvement Law

Question: A licensed contractor is found to have repeatedly failed to perform home improvement contracts, engaged in fraud, and violated local building codes. In addition to suspending or revoking the license, what maximum civil penalty may the Commission impose per violation?

• A. $2,500
• B. $10,000
• C. $1,000
• D. $5,000

Correct Answer: D

Under §8-311(c) and §8-620, the Commission may impose a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for each violation, regardless of whether the person is licensed. This penalty may be imposed instead of or in addition to reprimanding a licensee or suspending or revoking a license.

Reference: NASCLA Contractors Guide, Maryland Home Improvement (7th ed.), Chapter 1 — Maryland Home Improvement Law and Regulations, §8-311(c) and Subtitle 6 - Civil Penalties

Sample 2 — Door-to-Door Sales Act

Question: Under Maryland's Door-to-Door Sales Act, which calendar days are excluded from the definition of "business day"?

• A. Weekends and state holidays
• B. Sundays and designated business holidays
• C. Saturdays, Sundays, and bank holidays
• D. Saturdays and federal holidays

Correct Answer: B

Per MD Commercial Law Code § 14-301(b), 'business day' means any calendar day except Sunday or the following business holidays: New Year's Day, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Notably, Saturday IS considered a business day under this definition.

Reference: Maryland Title 14, Subtitle 3, Section 14-301(b)

Why Practice Online Instead of With a PDF

A PDF shows you questions. It doesn't show you the clock. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers under time pressure, not just reading them. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results break the score down by outline topic so you know what to study next.

Start Practicing

Take the free Maryland Home Improvement Salesperson (MHIC) practice exam to see where you stand, then work through the topics that need attention. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.