Tennessee BC Combined Residential/Commercial/Industrial Contractor Exam: A Practical Study Guide
The Tennessee BC Combined Residential/Commercial/Industrial Contractor exam tests the rules and the reference books behind the work. This guide lays out the job: the key facts from the official bulletin, what the exam covers, the books you need, sample questions with answers, and how to get ready. Prov gives the exam.
The Tennessee BC Combined Residential/Commercial/Industrial Contractor Exam at a Glance
Here's the rundown 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 Combined Residential/Commercial/Industrial Contractor Exam Covers
The official content outline breaks the exam into 14 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Estimating, Plan Reading | 15 | 15% |
| General Code | 12 | 12% |
| Sitework | 5 | 5% |
| Footings and Foundations | 5 | 5% |
| Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement | 15 | 15% |
| Masonry | 10 | 10% |
| Structural Steel | 10 | 10% |
| Carpentry | 6 | 6% |
| Interior Finish | 1 | 1% |
| Roofing, Siding, and Insulation | 6 | 6% |
| Plumbing Concepts | 3 | 3% |
| HVAC Concepts | 3 | 3% |
| Electrical Concepts | 3 | 3% |
| OSHA Safety | 6 | 6% |
How to Get Ready for the Tennessee BC Combined Residential/Commercial/Industrial Contractor Exam
Treat your reference books like your tools. On an open-book exam you don't need every rule memorized. You need to know which book holds it and where to find it.
Buy the books the bulletin lists, in the editions it names. An older or newer edition can put the answer on a different page, or change it.
Learn your way around each book before you study anything else. The table of contents and the index are your layout.
Highlight what you look up most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Do the big jobs first. Estimating, Plan Reading and Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement make up 30% of the exam.
Put in the reps with timed practice exams. The clock trains you to find answers at the pace the real exam needs: about 3 minutes per question.
Measure twice. When you miss a practice question, find the section in your book, read it and mark it. Keep at it until you pass practice exams consistently.
The Books for the Tennessee BC Combined Residential/Commercial/Industrial Contractor Exam
Where to get them:
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926
- IBC 2021
- IRC 2018
- Pearson CBC Study Guide 2026
- Pearson Home Builder Study Guide
- Pearson Structural Steel Study Guide 2012
Alternate references, allowed only through January 1, 2027:
- Carpentry and Building Construction
- Roofing Construction and Estimating
- Modern Masonry
- Pipe and Excavation Contracting
- Gypsum Construction Handbook
- SJI Technical Digest 9: Steel Joist Erection
- SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck
- Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures
- Placing Reinforcing Bars, Recommended Practices
- PTI Unbonded Post-Tensioning Level 1
- PCI Erectors' Manual MNL-127
- ACI 530 Masonry Building Code
- ACI 318 Structural Concrete Building Code
Working the Exam on Test Day
Work the exam in two passes. On the first pass, answer everything you know and bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions, though some lock the ones you've seen once you take a break. On the second pass, go back to your bookmarks and take them one at a time.
Don't get hung up on one question. You have 5 hours for 100 questions, which is about 3 minutes per question. Before you finish, make sure nothing is left blank.
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 Combined Residential/Commercial/Industrial Contractor Questions
These come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and the reference behind it.
Sample 1 — Masonry
Question: Masonry cavity walls have fire resistance ratings that range from how many hours, depending on wall thickness and other factors?
- A. Three hours to five hours
- B. One hour to two hours
- C. Two hours to four hours
- D. One hour to three hours
Correct Answer: C
According to the text, 'Fire resistance ratings of cavity walls range from two hours to four hours, depending on the wall thickness and other factors.' Due to their high fire resistance properties, brick walls make excellent fire walls for compartmentation in buildings.
Reference: Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Page 331 (alternate reference, allowed only through January 1, 2027)
Sample 2 — Structural Steel
Question: You are the building contractor on a commercial project where joist girders must bear on steel plates supported by masonry walls. What is the minimum end bearing distance required for these joist girders?
- A. 6 inches
- B. 5 inches
- C. 2 1/2 inches
- D. 4 inches
Correct Answer: A
Joist girders must bear a minimum of 6 inches on steel plates supported by masonry or concrete. On steel supports, the minimum is 4 inches (or 6 inches for joist girders with self-weight greater than 50 plf).
Reference: SJI Technical Digest, Chapter 5 - Erecting Joist Products (alternate reference, allowed only through January 1, 2027)
Sample 3 — Carpentry
Question: Which type of window allows the entire window area to be opened for ventilation?
- A. Casement window
- B. Single-hung window
- C. Horizontal-sliding window
- D. Double-hung window
Correct Answer: A
Casement windows have a side-hinged sash that swings inward or outward. One advantage of the casement window over the double-hung type is that the entire window area can be opened for ventilation.
Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Windows & Skylights chapter, Types of Windows section (alternate reference, allowed only through January 1, 2027)
Sample 4 — Roofing, Siding, and Insulation
Question: What is the minimum roof slope category at which standard strip shingles are typically installed without special manufacturer instructions?
- A. 4-in-12
- B. 3-in-12
- C. 6-in-12
- D. 2½-in-12
Correct Answer: A
The text states that strip shingles are installed on roofs with a slope of 4-in-12 or greater. Roofs with a slope of 4-in-12 or greater are classified as 'high slope' roofs, which is the standard category for shingled roofs. Lower slopes require consulting the shingle manufacturer's literature for special installation advice.
Reference: Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 22.1 — Roof Slope and Section 22.2 — Installation Issues (alternate reference, allowed only through January 1, 2027)
Why Practice Online Instead of With a PDF
A PDF is like reading about a job instead of doing it. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers with the clock running. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results break your score down by topic so you know where to put in more work.
Get Started
Take the free Tennessee BC Combined Residential/Commercial/Industrial Contractor practice exam to see where you stand, then put your time into the topics that need it. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.