Tennessee BC-B, C Combined Commercial/Industrial Contractor Exam Study Guide
This guide covers what you need for the Tennessee BC-B, C Combined Commercial/Industrial Contractor exam: the key facts from the official bulletin, the topics it tests, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a plan to prepare. Prov gives the exam.
Tennessee BC-B, C Combined Commercial/Industrial Contractor Exam at a Glance
Here are the exam's key facts from the official bulletin:
| Questions | 100 questions |
| Time limit | 5 hours |
| Passing score | a minimum score of 73 |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $53 |
On exam day
- A current, valid, government-issued photo ID is required, and candidates must also sign the log and be photographed.
- Candidates should arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment.
- References are inspected before entry, any edition of a listed reference may be used, and books with handwritten notes, moveable tabs, Post-its, photocopies, or test-prep guides are not allowed.
- Highlighting and permanent tabs are allowed; handwritten notes and moveable tabs are not.
- Simple 4-function calculators are permitted and a simple calculator is built into the test.
- Communication devices and other personal items are prohibited in the testing room, while approved references and a simple calculator are allowed.
References you may bring
- International Building Code (2021)
- Study Guide for Commercial Building Contractor (2024)
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926
- Study Guide for Structural Steel (2012)
- Modern Masonry (9th Edition, 2020)
- Pipe and Excavation Contracting (2011)
- Technical Digest No. 9 - Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders (3rd Edition, 2008)
- SDI (Steel Deck Institute) Manual of Construction with Steel Deck (2016)
- Training and Certification of Field Personnel for Unbonded Post-Tensioning - Level 1 Field Fundamentals (3rd ed 2003)
- Erector's Manual: Standards and guidelines for the erection of precast concrete products (1999)
- Placing Reinforcing Bars (2022)
- Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures (2021)
- Carpentry and Building Construction (2016)
- ACI 530 Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures 2013
- ACI 318 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete 2019
Scheduling, changes and retakes
- Candidates register and schedule online at Prov's website or by calling Prov at 866-720-7768.
- Only the CMC and CMC-A examinations require Board approval before a candidate may schedule.
- Changes or cancellations must be made at least three business days before the test date, and rescheduling by that deadline is free.
- Late arrivals are turned away and forfeit their fees, as do candidates who fail to appear.
- Results are reported immediately by email with a numerical score and pass/fail result, plus a diagnostic report for candidates who fail.
- Failed exams may be retaken an unlimited number of times with no waiting period, at $53 per attempt.
- Passing candidates must submit a license application to the Board, which decides whether they qualify for licensure.
Source: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors Candidate Information Bulletin, TNCONT_CIB 2026.08.18. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
What the Tennessee BC-B, C Combined Commercial/Industrial Contractor Exam Covers
The official content outline has 14 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Estimating, Plan Reading | 15 | 15% |
| General Code | 12 | 12% |
| Sitework | 6 | 6% |
| Footings and Foundations | 5 | 5% |
| Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement | 16 | 16% |
| Masonry | 10 | 10% |
| Carpentry | 4 | 4% |
| Interior Finish | 2 | 2% |
| Structural Steel | 10 | 10% |
| Roofing, Siding, and Insulation | 6 | 6% |
| Plumbing Concepts | 4 | 4% |
| HVAC Concepts | 2 | 2% |
| Electrical Concepts | 2 | 2% |
| OSHA Safety | 6 | 6% |
How to Prepare for the Tennessee BC-B, C Combined Commercial/Industrial Contractor Exam
Start with the books. This is an open-book exam, so the references on the bulletin's list are your main study tool. The bulletin lets you use any version (older or newer) of the same code or reference, but the test is based on the version the bulletin shows, and if versions conflict, the exam is scored on the version shown. The edition it names is the safe buy: another edition can put the answer on a different page, or change it.
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 and put permanent tabs on the pages you use. The bulletin allows only highlighting and permanent tabs: no handwritten notes, Post-it notes or moveable tabs.
Spend most of your time on the biggest topics. Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement and Estimating, Plan Reading make up 31% of the exam.
Take timed practice exams. The clock trains you to find answers at the pace the real exam needs: about 3 minutes 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 Tennessee BC-B, C Combined Commercial/Industrial Contractor Exam
The bulletin lists the Prov references for this exam plus PSI-approved alternate references that may be used through January 1, 2027.
Where to get them:
Alternate references, allowed only through January 1, 2027:
- Modern Masonry
- Pipe and Excavation Contracting
- SJI Technical Digest 9: Steel Joist Erection (the bulletin lists the 3rd Edition, 2008; a newer edition is allowed, but the exam is scored on the 3rd)
- SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck
- PTI Unbonded Post-Tensioning Level 1
- PCI Erectors' Manual MNL-127
- ACI 530 Masonry Building Code
- ACI 318 Structural Concrete Building Code
- Placing Reinforcing Bars, Recommended Practices
- Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures
- Carpentry and Building Construction
On Test Day
- Go through the whole exam first. Answer every question you know and bookmark the ones you don't. The real exam has a Flag button for questions you want to come back to. Breaks are the exception: the exam timer keeps running during a break, and every question you were shown before the break is frozen, answered or not, so you can't go back to it. Work your bookmarks before any break.
- Then go back to your bookmarks and work them out.
- Don't let one question eat your time. You have 5 hours for 100 questions, which is about 3 minutes per question.
- Before you finish, answer anything you skipped. 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 books, practice with them open, and highlight and permanently tab 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.
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.
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.
Skim the answer choices before you commit. You're hunting for the key term or vocabulary word that signals the right concept. The more you've practiced, the faster the right wording jumps out at you.
Sample Tennessee BC-B, C Combined Commercial/Industrial Contractor Practice Questions
These questions come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.
Sample 1 — Structural Steel
Question: What is the minimum size of the vertical stabilizer plate required at each column to prevent a joist girder from overturning during erection?
- A. 6 inches by 12 inches
- B. 8 inches by 8 inches
- C. 4 inches by 4 inches
- D. 6 inches by 6 inches
Correct Answer: D
Per SJI Technical Digest 9, Chapter 5: 'The stabilizer plate must be a minimum of 6 inches by 6 inches and must extend at least 3 inches below the bottom chord of the joist girder.' The stabilizer plate 'knifes in' between the bottom chord angles that are spaced apart to prevent the joist girder from overturning during erection.
Reference: SJI Technical Digest / Erection Manual, Chapter 5, Page 5-1 (Joist Girders section) (alternate reference, allowed only through January 1, 2027)
Sample 2 — Masonry
Question: A single-story commercial building in an arid region is detailed with empirically designed adobe masonry walls. Empirically designed adobe masonry must conform to which portion of TMS 402?
- A. Chapter 8
- B. Appendix A
- C. Chapter 5
- D. Appendix B
Correct Answer: B
IBC 2021 Section 2109.1 states that empirically designed adobe masonry shall conform to the requirements of Appendix A of TMS 402, with the use limitations of Section A.1.2 applying per Section 2109.1.1.
Reference: IBC 2021 Section 2109.1
Sample 3 — Sitework
Question: You are the commercial contractor overseeing hot-mix asphalt placement on a parking facility. Your roller crew falls behind the paver and the breakdown roller is reaching the mat late. As a rule of thumb, compaction of the HMA must be completed while the mix temperature remains above what value?
- A. 175°F (79°C)
- B. 250°F (121°C)
- C. 140°F (60°C)
- D. 160°F (71°C)
Correct Answer: A
Per Module 36108-17 Paving, Section 2.1.6 (Compaction), compaction must be achieved while the binder viscosity and mix stiffness are low enough for aggregate particles to reorient under the roller; the stated rule of thumb for achieving proper air-void levels is that the mix should be above 175°F (79°C). The 250°F figure in the text is cited only as an example showing that more density is gained per pass at 250°F (121°C) than at 230°F (110°C) — it is not the minimum compaction temperature.
Reference: Study Guide for Commercial Building Contractor, Module 36108-17 Paving, Section 2.1.6 (Compaction)
Sample 4 — OSHA Safety
Question: It is dangerous and illegal to have workers in a trench over what depth unless cave-in protection is provided?
- A. 6 feet
- B. 4 feet
- C. 5 feet
- D. 8 feet
Correct Answer: C
The reference material states that it's dangerous and illegal to have anyone working in a trench that's over 5 feet deep unless the trench is protected with some kind of cave-in deterrent.
Reference: Pipe and Excavation Contracting, Page 167 (alternate reference, allowed only through January 1, 2027)
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 Tennessee BC-B, C Combined Commercial/Industrial Contractor 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.