Tennessee BC-B Commercial Contractor Exam Study Guide
This guide covers what you need for the Tennessee BC-B Commercial 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 Commercial 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 | 73% correct |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $53 |
On exam day
- The exam is multiple choice with four answer options.
- 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.
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 Commercial Contractor Exam Covers
The official content outline has 15 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Estimating, Plan Reading | 15 | 15% |
| General Code | 12 | 12% |
| Sitework | 5 | 5% |
| Footings and Foundations | 6 | 6% |
| Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement | 15 | 15% |
| Masonry | 10 | 10% |
| Carpentry | 4 | 4% |
| Doors, Windows, and Stairs | 1 | 1% |
| Interior Finish | 1 | 1% |
| Structural Steel | 10 | 10% |
| Roofing, Siding, and Insulation | 6 | 6% |
| Plumbing Concepts | 3 | 3% |
| HVAC Concepts | 3 | 3% |
| Electrical Concepts | 3 | 3% |
| OSHA Safety | 6 | 6% |
How to Prepare for the Tennessee BC-B Commercial 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. 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.
Spend most of your time on the biggest topics. Estimating, Plan Reading and Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement make up 30% 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 Commercial Contractor Exam
Where to get them:
Alternate references, allowed only through January 1, 2027:
- Placing Reinforcing Bars, Recommended Practices
- Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures
- Carpentry and Building Construction
- Modern Masonry
- Pipe and Excavation Contracting
- Gypsum Construction Handbook
- SJI Technical Digest 9: Steel Joist Erection
- 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
- Roofing Construction and Estimating
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, but some lock the questions you've seen once you take a break, so 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 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.
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.
Sample Tennessee BC-B Commercial Contractor Practice Questions
These questions come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.
Sample 1 — Masonry
Question: Which grade of building brick is highly resistant to frost action and is intended for use where bricks are exposed to freezing weather, such as in foundation courses or retaining walls?
- A. Grade SW
- B. Grade FBX
- C. Grade MW
- D. Grade NW
Correct Answer: A
Grade SW (Severe Weathering) brick is highly resistant to frost action and is used where bricks are exposed to freezing weather, such as foundation courses or retaining walls. Grade MW is for moderate exposure, and Grade NW is for interior backup masonry. Grade FBX is a facing brick classification, not a building brick grade.
Reference: Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Page 116 (alternate reference, allowed only through January 1, 2027)
Sample 2 — Structural Steel
Question: A commercial building assigned to Seismic Design Category D uses a special steel moment frame. The beam-to-column moment connections must be prequalified or qualified by testing in accordance with which standards?
- A. ASCE 7 or ASCE 8
- B. AISI S100 or AISI S240
- C. AISC 341 or AISC 358
- D. AISC 360 or ACI 318
Correct Answer: C
Per IBC 2021 Section 2205.2.1.2, structures in Seismic Design Category D, E or F shall be designed and detailed in accordance with AISC 341, and beam-to-column moment connections in special and intermediate moment frames shall be prequalified in accordance with AISC 341 Section K1, qualified by testing in accordance with AISC 341 Section K2, or prequalified in accordance with AISC 358.
Reference: IBC 2021 Section 2205.2.1.2
Sample 3 — OSHA Safety
Question: You are setting up a supported scaffold on a residential remodel project. The scaffold's height-to-base-width ratio exceeds what value before it must be restrained from tipping by guying, tying, bracing, or equivalent means?
- A. 5 to 1
- B. 2 to 1
- C. 4 to 1
- D. 3 to 1
Correct Answer: C
Per 29 CFR 1926.451(c)(1), supported scaffolds with a height to base width ratio of more than four to one (4:1) shall be restrained from tipping by guying, tying, bracing, or equivalent means.
Reference: 29 CFR 1926, §1926.451(c)(1)
Sample 4 — Roofing, Siding, and Insulation
Question: You are estimating materials for a concrete tile roof using field tiles 16-1/2 inches long with a 12-inch cover width (13 inches overall), laid with a 3-inch top lap. Approximately how many field tiles are needed to cover one square of roof area?
- A. 90 tiles
- B. 75 tiles
- C. 150 tiles
- D. 120 tiles
Correct Answer: A
Exposure = 16-1/2 - 3 = 13-1/2 in; 13-1/2 x 12 in cover width = 162 sq in per tile; 14,400 sq in per square / 162 = about 89, so roughly 90 tiles per square.
Reference: Roofing Construction and Estimating, Chapter 7—Tile Roofing (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 Commercial 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.