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Alabama Remodeling, Alteration, and Maintenance Contractor — Practice Exam

What This Practice Exam Covers

The Alabama Remodeling, Alteration, and Maintenance Contractor licensing exam is 60 questions with a 120-minute time limit. You need a 70% (42 correct) to pass.

This practice exam offers two options:

Free practice exam: 10 questions per attempt, drawn from a limited pool. You can retake it as many times as you like to get a feel for the question style and pacing — a good starting point before committing to full preparation.

Full practice exam (paid): Mirrors the real exam exactly — 60 questions, 120-minute timer. Questions are drawn from a pool of 300+ items, so each attempt produces a unique exam with no repeated sets. Topics match what the official test provider specifies. This is the tool to use when you're serious about passing on the first try.

Start with the free version to calibrate where you stand, then move to the full exam for targeted, realistic preparation.

What You'll Be Tested On

The exam spans eight topics. Here is what each one actually demands.

Rough Carpentry — 16 items (27% of exam)

This is the single heaviest topic. Expect questions on wood classification, lumber grading, and engineered wood products (IBC Sections 2302.1, 2303.1.1, and 2303.1.5 are all in the question bank). You must know floor framing systems — girder sizing, joist span tables, post placement, and bridging. Wall framing questions cover stud spacing, load-bearing vs. non-load-bearing walls, corner assemblies, and headers. Roof framing is tested extensively: common rafters, hip and valley rafter layout, ridge board sizing, and roof sheathing. Advanced framing (Optimum Value Engineering) appears, including single-plate top plate configurations. Structural load concepts from IBC Sections 1602.1, 1603.1, 1604.3, and 1604.4 are directly tested. Know your span tables and how to use them — the exam will put a specific condition in front of you and expect a specific answer.

Finish Carpentry — 16 items (27% of exam)

Tied with Rough Carpentry for weight. Questions cover door installation (prehung and slab), shimming, plumb and square checks, and hardware placement. Window trim, casing profiles, and reveal dimensions are tested. Stair construction — tread and riser calculations, baluster spacing, and handrail height — appears consistently. Cabinetry installation, countertop layout, and interior molding (base, crown, chair rail) require you to know both the sequence of work and the fastening methods. Flooring — hardwood, laminate, and tile — is covered, including subfloor preparation and acclimation. The Finish Carpenter's Manual and Carpentry and Building Construction are both source texts; know the difference between rough opening tolerances and finish tolerances.

Concrete — 7 items (12% of exam)

Minimum compressive strength requirements (2,500 psi for foundation slabs) and concrete mix design are directly tested. OSHA concrete construction regulations under 29 CFR 1926 (Sections 1926.700–1926.703) appear here: formwork safety, shoring requirements, and personal protective equipment for concrete operations. IBC Sections 1901.5, 1904.1, and 1904.2 govern durability and exposure categories — know what affects mix design in freeze-thaw conditions. Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures is a primary reference for this section.

Masonry — 7 items (12% of exam)

Mortar types and mix proportions (IBC Sections 2103.1.1 and 2103.2.4) are tested, as are masonry unit classifications and bond patterns. Reinforced masonry — rebar placement, grout requirements, and collar joints — draws from IBC Sections 2104.1.1 and 2104.1.2. Fireplace and chimney construction appears (IBC Section 2111.7). Modern Masonry — Brick, Block, Stone is the core reference; know the difference between Type S and Type N mortar and when each is appropriate.

Safety — 6 items (10% of exam)

Questions pull directly from 29 CFR 1926. Expect scenarios about fire extinguisher placement (§1926.150), flammable liquid storage (§1926.152), ladder access to elevated work areas (§1926.1051), housekeeping (§1926.25), and first aid requirements (§1926.50). PPE selection under §1926.95 is tested. Safety signs and tags under §1926.200 appear. These are regulation-specific — the exam will name a specific condition and expect you to know the exact requirement, not a general principle.

Windows and Doors — 3 items (5% of exam)

Safety glazing requirements under IBC Sections 2406.4.1, 2406.4.2, and 2406.4.3 are tested — specifically where tempered or laminated glass is required (near doors, in wet locations, stairways). Glazing identification and labeling (IBC Section 2402.1) may appear. Know which locations trigger the safety glazing mandate.

Siding — 3 items (5% of exam)

IBC Chapter 14 governs this section. Know minimum weather resistance requirements (Section 1403.5.1), flashing at wall openings (Section 1405.1.1), and specific material requirements for vinyl and wood siding (Sections 1404.14, 1404.14.1.1, and 1404.16). Questions focus on installation sequence and code-required flashing details rather than product aesthetics.

Drywall — 2 items (3% of exam)

Only two items, but don't skip it. IBC Sections 2508.2, 2508.3.1, 2508.5, 2508.6.2, and 2508.6.4 cover gypsum board installation: fastener spacing, board thickness in wet areas, and water-resistant backing requirements. Know that green board (moisture-resistant drywall) is prohibited as tile backing in shower stalls and tub surrounds.

Worked Sample Questions

Question 1 — Rough Carpentry

In advanced framing (Optimum Value Engineering), what key change is made to the wall's top plate assembly compared to standard platform-frame construction?

• A. The top plate must be steel rather than wood
• B. A triple top plate is required for added strength
• C. Top plates must be spaced 12 inches on center
• D. The double plate can be omitted because a single wall plate is adequate

Correct Answer: D

Advanced framing (also called OVE — Optimum Value Engineering) aligns structural members — rafters, studs, and joists — at identical spacing (typically 16" or 24" OC), creating a continuous load path from the roof directly to the foundation. Because loads transfer in-line without the double plate acting as a collector, the second top plate is structurally unnecessary and can be eliminated. This also reduces lumber use and improves insulation continuity in the wall cavity.

Source: Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 14 – Structural Systems, Section 14.1

Question 2 — Finish Carpentry

A homeowner asks you to use green board (moisture-resistant drywall) as backing for ceramic tile in a new shower stall. What should you tell them?

• A. Green board is no longer permitted as backing for ceramic tile in shower stalls or tub/shower surrounds, except on ceiling surfaces
• B. Green board is permitted in shower stalls as long as a waterproof membrane is applied over it
• C. Green board is the preferred backing material for shower stall tile installations
• D. Green board is acceptable only if two layers are installed

Correct Answer: A

Despite the name "moisture-resistant," green board does not hold up in continuously wet environments like shower stalls and tub surrounds. Per the applicable IRC standard, it is prohibited as a tile substrate in those locations — ceiling surfaces are the limited exception. Cement backerboard or equivalent products are the correct choice. Candidates frequently miss this because green board sounds like the right answer, but moisture-resistant does not mean waterproof.

Source: Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 929

Question 3 — Concrete

You are placing a concrete foundation slab for a residential addition. What is the minimum compressive strength the concrete must achieve?

• A. 2,000 psi
• B. 1,500 psi
• C. 2,500 psi
• D. 3,000 psi

Correct Answer: C

2,500 psi is the minimum compressive strength required for a concrete foundation slab. Values below this threshold do not provide sufficient structural capacity for sustained loading. Candidates who confuse general-purpose flatwork minimums with foundation requirements often choose 2,000 psi — which is too low. Memorize 2,500 psi as the floor for foundation applications.

Source: Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 11, Page 300

How to Read Your Score

The passing threshold is 70% — 42 correct out of 60. Your first practice score is a diagnostic, not a verdict. Most candidates who pass the real exam took multiple scored practice attempts before sitting.

If you score below 60% on your first full attempt, that is normal and useful: it tells you which of the eight topics need the most work. Rough Carpentry and Finish Carpentry together account for 32 of the 60 exam items — if your practice breakdown shows weakness in either, those are your highest-leverage study targets.

A score of 65–69% on the practice exam usually means you are close but not ready. One or two topic areas are likely dragging the overall number down. Use the topic-by-topic breakdown to find them and study those sections specifically before retaking.

A score at or above 75% on a fresh attempt (not a repeated question set) is a reliable indicator of readiness. Because the full practice exam draws from a pool of 300+ questions and never repeats the same combination, each retake gives you a genuine new measurement.

Where Candidates Lose Points

Rough Carpentry span table errors. The exam gives you a specific load condition and expects you to apply the correct span table. Candidates who understand the concept but haven't practiced reading the tables under time pressure make preventable mistakes here.

Green board and wet-area drywall. The distinction between moisture-resistant and approved wet-area backing trips up many test-takers. Assuming green board is acceptable in any tile application costs points.

OSHA regulation precision. Safety questions on this exam cite specific CFR sections with specific numerical thresholds — distances, quantities, ratios. Knowing that fire extinguishers are required "somewhere on site" is not enough; knowing the exact placement requirement under §1926.150 is what the question tests.

Concrete mix minimums. The difference between 2,000 psi, 2,500 psi, and 3,000 psi appears as a direct question. Candidates who remember a range rather than a specific value guess wrong.

Mortar type selection. Type S vs. Type N mortar questions require knowing both the composition and the application — exterior below grade, above grade, interior — not just the names.

Time management on heavy sections. With 16 Rough Carpentry items and 16 Finish Carpentry items to work through, candidates who spend too long on a single framing calculation run short at the end. At 120 minutes for 60 questions, you have 2 minutes per question — keep moving.

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