Tennessee BC-A, b (sm) Combined Residential/Small Commercial Contractor

Tennessee BC-A, b (sm) Combined Residential/Small Commercial Contractor Exam: Complete 2026 Study Guide

Passing the Tennessee BC-A, b (sm) exam is the key step between you and a combined residential/small commercial contractor license in Tennessee. This guide covers everything you need to know: exam format, topic weights, sample questions, required books, and study strategies. Whether you're just starting your prep or looking to sharpen your approach, you're in the right place. Start by trying our free practice exam to get a feel for what's ahead.

Exam Overview: Tennessee BC-A, b (sm)

The Tennessee BC-A, b (sm) Combined Residential/Small Commercial Contractor trade exam is administered by PSI. Here are the key numbers:

• Questions: 100 scored questions
• Time limit: 300 minutes (5 hours)
• Passing score: 73% — you need at least 73 correct answers
• Format: Open book; you bring your own approved references

This is a long exam, but 300 minutes gives you an average of 3 minutes per question — enough time to look things up if you've prepared your books well. The open-book format rewards preparation speed over raw memorization. Candidates who have tabbed and highlighted their references thoroughly have a significant advantage.

For registration and official exam details, visit the official exam bulletin or the state licensing website.

Topics Covered on the Tennessee Residential Small Commercial Contractor Exam

The exam covers nine topic areas. Here they are ranked by weight — heavier topics deserve more of your study time:

1. Estimating, Plan Reading, and General Residential Code Requirements — 20 items (heaviest weight)
2. Occupancy classification, building height and area limits, IBC Chapters 3, 5–6
3. Carpentry — 17 items
4. Lumber grades, wall/floor/roof framing, engineered wood, span tables, sheathing
5. Associated Trades — 12 items
6. Drywall, plumbing, fuel gas, electrical (GFCI/AFCI), HVAC
7. Sitework, Footings, and Foundation — 10 items
8. Soil classification, excavation safety (OSHA Subpart P), footing and foundation design
9. Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement — 10 items
10. Mix design, water-cement ratio, slump/air testing, formwork, compressive strength
11. Roofing — 10 items
12. Rafter types, ridge boards, sheathing, underlayment, ice barriers
13. OSHA Safety — 8 items
14. Fall protection, scaffolding, excavation, PPE, hazard communication
15. Masonry — 7 items
16. Mortar types (ASTM C270), CMU, brick, wall systems, reinforced masonry
17. Metals — 6 items
18. Steel joist types, bridging, metal decking, OSHA Subpart R

Focus your heaviest prep on Estimating/Code (20 items) and Carpentry (17 items) — together they make up more than a third of the exam.

Sample Questions from the TN Combined Residential/Small Commercial Test

Here are five sample questions representative of the Tennessee BC-A, b exam. Try to answer them before checking — then see how you do on our free practice exam.

Question 1 — OSHA Safety
You are a carpentry contractor building a multistory structure. At what building height must a temporary or permanent stairway be provided for construction workers?
- A) 20 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access
- B) 30 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access
- C) 50 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access
- D) 40 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access

Question 2 — OSHA Safety
A shear wall is a construction element commonly required in areas prone to earthquakes. What is the primary purpose of a shear wall?
- A) To resist lateral (sideways) forces acting on the structure
- B) To create a fire separation between rooms
- C) To provide additional thermal insulation to the structure
- D) To support vertical roof loads from snow accumulation

Question 3 — Masonry
When unidentified steel reinforcement is approved for use in masonry, what is the minimum number of tension tests required on representative specimens from each shipment and grade?
- A) Two
- B) Five
- C) Four
- D) Three

Question 4 — Estimating, Plan Reading, and General Residential Code Requirements
What is the occupant load factor (in square feet per occupant) assigned to business areas for calculating the design occupant load of spaces without fixed seating?
- A) 200 gross
- B) 100 gross
- C) 150 gross
- D) 50 net

Question 5 — Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement
You are a residential builder constructing a home with interior concrete floors that will receive a hard-trowel finish. The concrete supplier asks whether you want air-entrained concrete for the interior slab. What is the maximum total air content that should be permitted for this application?
- A) 3 percent
- B) 6 percent
- C) 4.5 percent
- D) 1.5 percent

Not sure on a few of those? Good — that's exactly what practice is for. Try our free practice exam to test your knowledge on 10 real-style questions right now.

What Types of Questions to Expect

Here's what each topic area actually tests — and how many practice questions we've built for each:

• Sitework, Footings, and Foundation (75 practice questions): Soil bearing capacity, soil classification, excavation protective systems under OSHA Subpart P, footing sizing, and foundation wall design.
• Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement (88 practice questions): Water-cement ratios, admixtures, aggregate selection, slump and air content testing, compressive strength, yield calculations, and formwork load and removal requirements.
• Metals (30 practice questions): Identifying K-, LH-, DLH-, and CJ-Series joist designations, erection and bridging procedures, metal decking installation and fastening, and OSHA Subpart R steel erection requirements.
• Masonry (68 practice questions): Mortar type selection per ASTM C270, CMU grades and properties, brick bond patterns, reinforced and cavity wall construction, and footing sizing for masonry walls.
• Carpentry (160 practice questions): Lumber grading and species selection, wall and floor framing layout, rafter calculations, span table use, engineered wood products, and sheathing fastening schedules.
• Roofing (109 practice questions): Rafter layout and sizing for common, hip, valley, and jack rafters; ridge board vs. ridge beam selection; sheathing types; underlayment application; and ice barrier requirements.
• Estimating, Plan Reading, and General Residential Code Requirements (161 practice questions): Material quantity takeoffs, reading construction drawings, occupancy classifications, IBC building height and area limits, and construction type requirements.
• Associated Trades (85 practice questions): Drywall types and finishing levels, DWV plumbing systems, fuel gas venting and combustion air, GFCI and AFCI circuit requirements, and HVAC duct sizing and exhaust systems.
• OSHA Safety (51 practice questions): Fall protection thresholds and system types, scaffold capacity and safe-use rules, cave-in protective systems, PPE selection, and hazard communication standards.

All told, we offer 827 practice questions across these nine topics.

Required Study Materials for the Tennessee BC-A, b Exam

This exam is open book, which means you must have the right references — and they must be ready to use fast. Here's what you need:

Required references:
- IBC 2021 — International Building Code 2021
- IRC 2021 — International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926 — OSHA Standards for the Construction Industry
- Carpentry and Building Construction
- The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction
- Roofing Construction and Estimating
- Modern Masonry — Brick, Block, Stone (9th Edition)
- Pipe and Excavation Contracting
- Gypsum Construction Handbook (7th Edition)
- Technical Digest 9 — Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders
- SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck

Recommended prep supplies:
- Sharpie Tank Highlighters — 12-pack with multiple colors; use a color-coding system by topic
- Redi-Tag Permanent White Tabs — 375 durable adhesive tabs per pack; compatible with laser printers so you can create custom labeled indexes

Note: Only permanent tabs are allowed in the exam room. Remove any Post-It or temporary tabs before exam day.

Study Tips for the Tennessee BC-A, b (sm) Exam

Tab and highlight everything before you walk in. On an open-book exam, speed is the skill. Highlight key tables, code sections, and definitions. Use Redi-Tag Permanent White Tabs to build a custom index in each book. Learn the table of contents until you can find any topic in seconds. That lookup speed is what separates a pass from a fail.

Work through questions strategically. Answer what you know first, flag what you don't, then go back. Don't sink 10 minutes into one question while 20 others go unanswered. You can bookmark questions for review — use that feature.

Give yourself 3–6 weeks. Use the Candidate Information Bulletin from PSI's registration page as your roadmap. Prioritize finding answers fast over memorizing facts. Aim for 80% or higher on practice attempts — building a margin above the 73% cut score gives you real cushion on test day.

Practice under timed conditions. Our full practice exam matches the real format: 100 questions, 300 minutes, same topic breakdown. Running timed sessions builds pacing habits so the clock isn't a shock on exam day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the BC-A, b (sm) exam cost in Tennessee?
Each portion of the exam costs $57. If you're taking both the Trade Portion and the Business & Law portion, that's $57 per section. Fees are not refundable or transferable.

How many questions are on the exam, and how long do I have?
The trade exam has 100 scored questions and a 300-minute time limit.

What is the passing score?
You need to answer 73% correctly — that's at least 73 out of 100 questions.

Is the exam open book? What can I bring?
Yes, it's open book. Allowed references include the IBC 2021, IRC 2021, OSHA 29 CFR 1926, Carpentry and Building Construction, The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th Edition), Roofing Construction and Estimating, Modern Masonry, Pipe and Excavation Contracting, Gypsum Construction Handbook, Technical Digest No. 9, SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck, and ACI 530/530.1 and ACI 318 standards. You must bring your own physical copies to the test center.

Can I highlight or tab my books?
Yes — you may highlight, underline, and use permanent tabs. You may not write in the books. Temporary tabs (Post-Its) must be removed before the exam, and no loose or attached papers are allowed.

Can I use a calculator?
Yes. A silent, nonprinting, non-programmable calculator is allowed. A construction calculator is also permitted.

How do I register?
Register online or by phone through PSI at the exam registration page, or call PSI at (855) 868-1882. Phone registration is available Monday–Friday 6:30 am–9:00 pm and Saturday–Sunday 8:00 am–4:30 pm Central Time. Have a valid credit card ready if registering by phone.

How soon can I retake the exam if I fail?
You cannot schedule a retake on the same day you tested. Call PSI the next business day — retesting can happen as soon as two days after a failed attempt, depending on seat availability.

What ID do I need on exam day?
One valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID with your signature: a state driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, military ID, Alien Registration Card, or Canadian government-issued ID. Paper or temporary ID versions are not accepted.

What happens if my exam fee expires?
If you don't test within one year of PSI receiving your fee, the fee is forfeited. Fees are not refundable or transferable, so schedule your exam promptly.

Start Your Prep Today

The Tennessee BC-A, b exam is thorough, but it's very passable with the right books, solid tabs, and enough timed practice. Get your references ordered, start highlighting, and build your lookup speed. Take our free practice exam to benchmark where you stand — 10 questions, no account required. When you're ready to go deeper, the full practice exam gives you 100 questions per attempt, drawn from a pool of 827, with a detailed score breakdown by topic so you know exactly where to focus next.