Oregon Construction Contractor (CCB) Exam Prep Checklist
Everything for the Oregon Construction Contractor (CCB) 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.
Oregon Construction Contractor (CCB) Exam Facts
From the official bulletin:
| Questions | 80 questions |
| Time limit | 3 hours |
| Passing score | 70% correct |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $60 |
On exam day
- You must bring one valid, unexpired, signature-bearing photo ID from the listed primary ID options, matching the name you registered under.
- Arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.
- The exam is open book with only the approved NASCLA manual (plus, for ESL candidates, one word-for-word translation dictionary) allowed, no loose papers, and no marking in the book during the exam.
- Before the exam the manual may be highlighted, underlined, tabbed with removable or permanent tabs, indexed, and contain handwritten notes.
- An online calculator is available during the exam, and personal handheld calculators are not permitted.
- Test center candidates get scratch paper and a pencil (returned at check-out) while remote candidates get none, and a wide list of personal and electronic items is prohibited.
References you may bring
- The NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Oregon Construction Contractors (2nd Edition)
Scheduling, changes and retakes
- You may schedule online at https://test-takers.psiexams.com/orcon or by phone at (855) 746-8170.
- You can cancel or reschedule without losing your fee if PSI receives the cancellation at least 2 days before the exam date, done by website or by speaking to a representative (not voice mail).
- Arriving late, missing the appointment, cancelling too late, or lacking proper ID all result in forfeiture of the examination fee.
- Failing candidates may retest an unlimited number of times with no expiration date.
- Within two years of passing, submit the completed CCB license application with the licensing fee, score report and other required documents to the CCB.
Source: Oregon Construction Contractors Board Examination Candidate Information Bulletin, Effective 8/5/2025. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
Oregon Construction Contractor (CCB) Exam Topics
The official content outline has 14 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon Construction Contractor Laws and Regulations | 18 | 22% |
| Choosing Your Business Structure | 4 | 5% |
| Hiring and Managing Employees | 7 | 9% |
| Working with Subcontractors | 2 | 2% |
| Contracts | 9 | 11% |
| Oregon Lien Law | 5 | 6% |
| Bidding and Estimating | 6 | 8% |
| Scheduling and Project Management | 5 | 6% |
| Oregon Building Codes | 4 | 5% |
| Jobsite Safety | 4 | 5% |
| Environmental Factors | 4 | 5% |
| Building Exterior Shell | 4 | 5% |
| Financial Management | 4 | 5% |
| Tax Basics | 4 | 5% |
Oregon Construction Contractor (CCB) 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.
- Start with the biggest topics: Oregon Construction Contractor Laws and Regulations and Contracts (34% of the exam).
- 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 15 seconds per question.
Oregon Construction Contractor (CCB) Exam Reference Books
The only reference material allowed in the test center is The NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Oregon Construction Contractors, 2nd Edition, and candidates may bring both the English and Spanish versions.
Where to get them:
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: 3 hours for 80 questions, which is about 2 minutes 15 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.
Oregon Construction Contractor (CCB) Sample Questions
From our practice question bank, with answers and references:
Sample 1 — Bidding and Estimating
Question: When changes are made to a bid package before it is due, what document is issued to communicate those changes?
- A. A supplement
- B. An addendum
- C. A change order
- D. A revised invitation to bid
Correct Answer: B
According to the NASCLA Contractors Guide (Page 7-1), if changes are made to a bid package before it is due, an addendum is issued. The addendum becomes part of the bid documents and, ultimately, part of the contract when awarded.
Reference: NASCLA Contractors Guide, Bidding and Estimating chapter — Bid Documents section
Sample 2 — Oregon Lien Law
Question: On a residential job your last substantial performance of labor was May 1, construction was completed May 15, you recorded your Claim of Lien on June 30, and you mailed the Notice of Filing a Claim of Lien on July 10. The 120-calendar-day period for filing the foreclosure lawsuit begins to run on which date?
- A. July 10
- B. May 15
- C. June 30
- D. May 1
Correct Answer: C
Per the NASCLA Oregon guide (Page 6-6), the contractor has 120 calendar days from the date the lien was recorded to file the foreclosure lawsuit in the Circuit Court of the county where the lien was recorded. The 75-day recording deadline runs from last labor or completion, but the 120-day foreclosure clock runs from recording — here, June 30.
Reference: NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management - Oregon Construction Contractors, 2nd Edition, Page 6-6
Sample 3 — Scheduling and Project Management
Question: Activities with "zero float" on a construction schedule are classified as which of the following?
- A. Non-critical activities
- B. Simultaneous activities
- C. Critical activities
- D. Contingency activities
Correct Answer: C
Activities with 'zero float' are considered critical activities. This means they have no leeway — any delay in these activities will directly impact the project completion date.
Reference: NASCLA Contractors Guide, Scheduling and Project Management chapter — Float Time section
Sample 4 — Choosing Your Business Structure
Question: S corporation tax treatment is governed by which portion of the Internal Revenue Code?
- A. Subchapter T
- B. Subchapter C
- C. Subchapter S
- D. Subchapter K
Correct Answer: C
S corporation status is governed by Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code, which allows eligible domestic corporations to pass items of income, loss, deduction, and credits through to shareholders on their separate returns, avoiding double taxation.
Reference: NASCLA Contractors Guide, Choosing Your Business Structure chapter — S Corporations section
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 Oregon Construction Contractor (CCB) practice exam.
- Study the topics where you scored lowest.
- Read the exam bulletin for the official rules, and see the licensing board's website.