Tennessee BC-A Residential Contractor

Tennessee BC-A Residential Contractor Exam: Complete Study Guide (2026)

You've built houses. You know your trade. Now the state of Tennessee wants you to prove it on paper — and that means passing the Tennessee BC-A exam before you can operate as a licensed residential contractor. The good news: this is an open-book test, and with the right prep, it's very passable. The bad news: 100 questions in 5 hours with a stack of reference books sounds easier than it actually is in practice. Speed and familiarity with your materials matter as much as raw knowledge. This guide covers everything you need to know — exam format, topics, sample questions, required books, and a study plan that gets you ready.

Want to test your knowledge right now? Start with our free practice exam.

Tennessee BC-A Exam Overview

The Tennessee BC-A Residential Contractor exam is administered by PSI and covers the full scope of residential construction. Here's what you're walking into:

• Questions: 100 scored questions
• Time limit: 300 minutes (5 hours)
• Passing score: 73% — you need to answer at least 73 of 100 questions correctly
• Format: Multiple choice, open book
• Cost: $57 for the Trade Portion + $57 for the Business & Law portion (fees are non-refundable and non-transferable)

Because this is open book, you're allowed to bring your own approved reference materials. They can be highlighted, underlined, or tabbed with permanent index tabs — but you cannot write in them. That distinction matters more than most candidates realize. More on that in the study tips.

For full eligibility requirements and registration details, check the state licensing website and the official exam bulletin.

What Topics Are on the Tennessee Residential Contractor Exam?

The TN residential contractor license test covers eight topic areas. Two of them dominate the exam and deserve the most attention.

Carpentry — 20 exam items

The single largest topic. Expect questions on platform, balloon, and post-and-beam framing; floor framing components like sill plates, girders, joists, and bridging; wall framing with studs, plates, headers, and sheathing; roof framing including common, hip, valley, and jack rafters; slope calculations; and engineered wood products like LVL, OSB, glulam, and I-joists.

Estimating, Plan Reading, and General Residential Code Requirements — 20 exam items

Tied for the most weight. This covers reading construction drawings, estimating materials and costs, building permits and the inspection process, zoning regulations, deed restrictions, and general IRC code compliance.

Associated Trades — 15 exam items

Drywall installation and finishing levels (Level 0 through Level 5), plumbing supply and DWV systems, electrical service and branch circuit requirements, and GFCI/AFCI protection rules.

Sitework, Footings, and Foundation — 10 exam items

Footing design and sizing, footing types (continuous, stepped, pier, monolithic), rebar placement, foundation wall types, and formwork.

Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement — 10 exam items

Concrete mixture proportioning, cement types, admixtures, field testing (slump, air content, compressive strength cylinders), and formwork requirements.

Roofing — 10 exam items

Roof measurement and area calculations, asphalt shingle installation, underlayment requirements by slope, flashing installation, and sheathing requirements.

Masonry — 7 exam items

Mortar types and proportions, brick and CMU classifications, wall systems, laying techniques, and joint reinforcement.

OSHA Safety — 8 exam items

Fall protection trigger heights, scaffold safety, excavation cave-in protection, PPE requirements, and electrical safety on the jobsite.

Sample Questions from the Tennessee BC-A Exam

Here's a taste of what the exam actually looks like. Work through these before you check the answers — and no, we won't give them away here.

Question 1 — Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement
According to the International Residential Code, concrete exposed to a freezing and thawing environment should be air entrained with a minimum total air content of what percentage?
- A) 7%
- B) 3%
- C) 5%
- D) 10%

Question 2 — Estimating, Plan Reading, and Gen Residential Code Requirements
In surveying, what is a benchmark (BM) and how is it used to determine the elevation of other points?
- A) A benchmark is a point of known elevation; by adding or subtracting measured vertical distances from it, the elevations of other points can be calculated
- B) A benchmark is a written record of all cut and fill calculations; it is stored in the project file for future reference
- C) A benchmark is the deepest point of excavation on a project; all other elevations are measured upward from it
- D) A benchmark is a target mounted on a grade rod; the optical level is aimed at it to establish a horizontal line of sight

Question 3 — Carpentry
You are a residential builder installing hip jack rafters on a new home. As you work, you notice the hip rafter beginning to bow to one side. What is the most likely cause of this problem?
- A) The collar ties were installed before the hip rafters
- B) The bird's mouth cuts on the jack rafters are too deep
- C) The hip jacks were nailed on one side of the hip rafter before the other side
- D) The ridge board was cut too long

Question 4 — OSHA Safety
You are a drywall contractor and your crew is finishing drywall work on a second-floor interior. One worker is operating near an unprotected floor edge that is 8 feet above the level below. The worker argues that fall protection is only required at 10 feet or higher. What is the correct height threshold at which OSHA requires fall protection for employees on walking/working surfaces with unprotected sides or edges?
- A) 8 feet
- B) 10 feet
- C) 4 feet
- D) 6 feet

Question 5 — Associated Trades
Service equipment for a one- or two-family dwelling must be suitable for the maximum fault current available at its supply terminals, but not less than ______ amperes.
- A) 5,000
- B) 10,000
- C) 22,000
- D) 42,000

Don't guess — know. Take our free practice exam and see how you score before you sit for the real thing.

What Types of Questions to Expect (By Topic)

Here's a breakdown of the question types you'll face, along with how many practice questions we've built for each area:

• Sitework, Footings, and Foundation (65 practice questions): Footing width and depth calculations based on soil bearing capacity, identifying footing types from drawings, rebar sizing and placement, and foundation wall formwork requirements.
• Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement (65 practice questions): Mix design proportioning, cement type selection, admixture purposes, field test procedures (slump tests, air content, compressive strength cylinders), and formwork safety.
• Masonry (46 practice questions): Mortar type selection and proportions, CMU and brick grading, wall system identification (cavity, veneer, composite), laying sequence and coursing techniques, and joint reinforcement spacing.
• Carpentry (130 practice questions): Framing system identification, span and load calculations, rafter cuts and roof geometry, header sizing, and engineered wood product specifications — the largest topic and the most practice questions to match.
• Roofing (90 practice questions): Slope factor calculations, shingle installation sequences, underlayment requirements at different pitches, flashing types and installation order, and sheathing span ratings.
• Estimating, Plan Reading, and Gen Residential Code Requirements (148 practice questions): Reading floor plans and elevations, material quantity takeoffs, code compliance questions, permit workflows, and IRC minimum requirements for residential construction.
• Associated Trades (118 practice questions): Drywall panel type selection, finishing level specifications, DWV and supply plumbing layout, residential electrical service sizing, and GFCI/AFCI protection placement rules.
• OSHA Safety (63 practice questions): Fall protection trigger heights, scaffold platform requirements, excavation protective systems, PPE selection, and GFCI requirements in construction settings.

Across all eight topics, we offer 725 practice questions total — more than enough to build real confidence before test day.

Required Study Materials for the BC-A Exam

This is an open-book exam, which means the right books are both study tools and test-day resources. You need to own these.

Required References:
- IRC 2021 — International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings — Your most-used reference. Know its index cold.
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926 — Construction safety standards; essential for the OSHA section.
- Carpentry and Building Construction — Covers the largest topic on the exam.
- The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction — Mix design, testing, and formwork.
- Roofing Construction and Estimating — Covers slope calculations, shingle installation, and flashing.
- Modern Masonry — Brick, Block, Stone (9th) — CMU types, mortar proportions, and wall systems.
- Pipe and Excavation Contracting (Revised) — Sitework and excavation fundamentals.
- Gypsum Construction Handbook (7th) — Drywall types, finishing levels, and installation.

Recommended Supplies:
Two supplies that'll pay for themselves many times over:
- Sharpie Tank Highlighters — Bright fluorescent ink, 12-pack in assorted colors. Use a different color for each topic area so you can find key passages at a glance.
- Redi-Tag Permanent Colored Tabs — 100 tabs in five colors. Tab every chapter, major table, and code section you'll need during the exam. Permanent adhesive means they won't shift or fall off mid-test.

Study Tips From Someone Who's Seen Candidates Pass and Fail

Tabbing speed wins open-book exams. The BC-A is open book, but five hours goes fast with 100 questions and eight reference books. Buy your references, highlight the key tables and figures, and tab every major section. Then practice finding answers quickly — not just knowing them. That speed is what separates a pass from a fail.

First pass, second pass. Work through every question once: answer what you know, flag what you don't, and keep moving. Come back to the flagged ones in your second pass. Don't sink 10 minutes into one question while 20 easier ones sit unanswered.

Give yourself three to six weeks. Use the Candidate Information Bulletin (CIB) as your roadmap. Focus on the two highest-weighted topics — Carpentry and Estimating/Code — because together they're 40% of your score. Set your practice target at 80% or higher; that gives you a real cushion above the 73% cut score.

Practice timed. Exam-clock anxiety is real. Our full practice exam mirrors the real test format — same question count, same time limit — so by test day the format feels routine, not stressful.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Tennessee BC-A Residential Contractor exam cost?
The BC-A exam has two separate portions: the Trade Portion and the Business & Law portion, each costing $57. That's $114 total. Neither fee is refundable or transferable, so make sure you're ready before you register.

How many questions are on the BC-A exam and how long do I have?
The trade exam has 100 scored questions and a 300-minute (5-hour) time limit.

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

Is the BC-A exam open book?
Yes. You bring your own approved references to the test center. You can highlight and use permanent index tabs, but you cannot write in your books.

What reference books are allowed?
The approved list includes the IRC 2021, OSHA 29 CFR 1926, Carpentry and Building Construction, The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, Roofing Construction and Estimating, Modern Masonry, Pipe and Excavation Contracting, and the Gypsum Construction Handbook (7th edition). You must bring your own copies — the test center does not provide them.

Can I use a calculator?
Yes. A silent, nonprinting, non-programmable calculator is allowed, and a construction calculator is also permitted. It cannot have an alphabetic keyboard or paper tape printing.

How do I register for the exam?
Register online or by phone through PSI at the exam registration page or by calling PSI at (855) 868-1882. Phone registration runs Monday–Friday 6:30 am–9:00 pm and Saturday–Sunday 8:00 am–4:30 pm Central Time. If space is available, you can schedule as close as one day before your preferred date.

What ID do I need?
One valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID that also contains your signature — a state driver's license, U.S. passport, military ID, or similar. Paper or temporary IDs are not accepted.

What happens if I fail? How soon can I retake it?
You can't reschedule on the same day you tested, but you can call PSI the next business day and potentially retest as soon as the following day, depending on availability. Reach them at (855) 868-1882.

How long is my registration fee valid?
Your fee is forfeited if you don't test within one year of the date PSI receives it.

Ready to Pass the Tennessee BC-A Exam?

The Tennessee BC-A exam is tough but very beatable. You know the work — now build the exam skills to prove it. Start by taking our free practice exam to get a feel for the question style and see where you stand. When you're ready for serious prep, upgrade to the full practice exam: 100 questions, timed, with a detailed score breakdown by topic so you know exactly where to focus. Get your books, get your tabs, and get to work.