Tennessee - NASCLA Commercial Building Contractor Examination Practice Exam
Free Practice Exam
Test your knowledge with 10 questions from our pool of 20 free questions.
- 10 questions per attempt
- 30 minute time limit
- Unlimited attempts
- A new mix each time
- Instant results
Full Practice Exam
Complete exam simulation matching the real Prov test format.
- 115 questions (same as real exam)
- 300 minute time limit
- 12 topic areas covered
- 619 questions in pool
- Detailed explanations
Texts preferred · 9am–9pm Central
Tennessee - NASCLA Commercial Building Contractor Practice Exam Guide
What's on the exam
Questions per topic, out of 115This practice exam follows the official content outline for the Tennessee - NASCLA Commercial Building Contractor exam: General Requirements, Site Construction, Concrete, Masonry, Metals, Wood, Thermal and Moisture Protection, Doors, Windows, and Glazing, Finishes, Mechanical and Plumbing Systems, Electrical Systems, Procurement and Contracting Requirements.
You have two ways to practice. The free practice exam gives you 10 questions per attempt, and you can retake it as often as you like. The full practice exam gives you 115 questions on a 5 hours clock, with a new draw from our question bank every attempt.
General Requirements 25 items
Our study plan for this topic: OSHA standards and recordkeeping requirements (Forms 300, 300A, 301); Jobsite hazard recognition, evaluation, and control (JSA/TSA process); Fall protection systems, equipment inspection, and the six-foot rule; Personal protective equipment (PPE) selection and proper use; IBC permit requirements, construction documents, and building official authority; Special inspections and tests during construction (IBC Chapter 17); Safeguards during construction — pedestrian protection, demolition, and site work (IBC Chapter 33); Interpreting civil drawings — site plans, contour lines, and excavation math.
Site Construction 15 items
Our study plan for this topic: Excavation safety and trench protection systems (shoring, shielding, sloping); Soil classification and characteristics for construction; Earthmoving operations and equipment selection (scrapers, excavators, dozers, loaders); Cut and fill calculations and volume/weight estimation; Site grading, drainage control, and erosion/sedimentation prevention; Underground pipe installation methods and pipe materials; Soils and foundations requirements per IBC Chapter 18 (geotechnical investigations, load-bearing values, foundation design); Concrete and asphalt paving operations, equipment, and quality control.
Concrete 6 items
Our study plan for this topic: Concrete mix components and proportions (cement, aggregates, water, admixtures); Portland cement types and hydration (ASTM C150 Type I–V, heat of hydration, blended cements); Chemical admixtures and supplementary cementitious materials (water reducers, accelerators, retarders, air-entraining agents, fly ash, silica fume); Reinforcing steel types, sizes, grades, and identification (ASTM standards, rebar markings, bar sizes); Placement and tying of reinforcing steel (concrete cover requirements, bar supports, splicing methods, placement in footings, walls, columns, beams); Horizontal formwork and shoring systems (elevated deck types, shore types, shoring/reshoring requirements, OSHA regulations); Concrete testing methods (slump test procedures, compression test specimen preparation, ASTM standards); IBC 2021 Chapter 19 concrete requirements (durability requirements, minimum slab provisions, shotcrete, structural tolerances, special inspections).
Masonry 4 items
Our study plan for this topic: Masonry fireplaces and fireboxes (IBC Section 2111 requirements); Masonry chimneys: construction, flue lining, and clearances; Masonry design methods: allowable stress, strength, and empirical design; Glass unit masonry: installation limitations and panel sizing; Adobe masonry: empirical design and construction requirements; Masonry arches: types, layout calculations, and construction techniques; Specialized masonry units: acid brick, refractory brick, and glazed masonry; Masonry construction quality assurance and seismic design requirements.
Metals 6 items
Our study plan for this topic: Structural steel erection sequence and pre-erection planning; Steel member connections: bolted and welded types (framed, seated, end-plate, single-plate shear); Erection tolerances for columns and horizontal members; Cold-formed steel framing materials, identification, and member types; Cold-formed steel wall framing: structural and nonstructural assemblies, shear walls, headers; Pre-engineered metal building systems: components, erection procedures, and safety requirements; Rigging equipment for steel erection: slings, hooks, shackles, and hoists; IBC Chapter 22 steel construction standards: AISC 360, AISI S100, SJI specifications, and seismic design categories.
Wood 5 items
Our study plan for this topic: Lumber grading, species, and quality standards (sawn lumber, engineered wood products); Fire-retardant-treated and preservative-treated wood requirements; Wood trusses: design, bracing, submittal requirements, and alteration restrictions; Conventional light-frame construction: stud sizing, wall framing, floor and roof framing spans; Fastening schedules and connector requirements for wood framing; Wall bracing methods and braced wall panel requirements; Protection against decay and termites: locations requiring treated or naturally durable wood; Wood wall framing components: headers, corner assemblies, partition intersections, and openings.
Thermal and Moisture Protection 5 items
Our study plan for this topic: Insulation types and R-value requirements (flexible, loose-fill, rigid, reflective, miscellaneous); Vapor retarders and barriers: perm ratings, materials, and placement; Moisture control and waterproofing: below-grade, slabs, crawl spaces, and walls; Air infiltration control and building wrap installation; Roof assembly weather protection: flashing, underlayment, ice barriers, and drainage; Roof covering requirements by type (asphalt shingles, tile, metal, wood, single-ply, modified bitumen); Attic, rafter space, and crawl space ventilation requirements; Exterior wall weather resistance: water-resistive barriers, vapor retarder classes, and flashing.
Doors, Windows, and Glazing 4 items
Our study plan for this topic: Fire-rated glazing types, markings, and labeling requirements (W, D, H, T, OH designations); Fire door assembly ratings, hardware, and closing requirements; Opening protectives in fire walls, fire barriers, fire partitions, and smoke barriers; Safety glazing hazardous locations and impact test requirements; Egress door size, swing direction, and force requirements; Door locking, latching, and panic hardware requirements for means of egress; Sloped glazing and skylight installation requirements; Exterior wall opening area limitations based on fire separation distance.
Finishes 5 items
Our study plan for this topic: Gypsum board types and special-use panels (Type X, water-resistant, abuse-resistant, foil-backed, coreboard); Drywall fasteners: nails, screws, and adhesives — selection, spacing, and penetration requirements; Fire-rated wall and ceiling assemblies — single-ply and multi-ply construction; Interior wall and ceiling finish flame spread and smoke-developed index classifications (Class A, B, C) by occupancy; Sound-isolation construction methods — STC ratings, resilient channels, separated partitions, and sound-isolating materials; IBC Chapter 25 requirements for gypsum board installation, limitations, and referenced standards (GA 216, ASTM C840); Interior floor finish classification and minimum critical radiant flux requirements by occupancy; Decorative materials, interior trim, and combustible decorative material restrictions.
Mechanical and Plumbing Systems 6 items
Our study plan for this topic: Minimum number of required plumbing fixtures by occupancy classification; Separate and public toilet facility requirements and access rules; Plumbing fixture installation clearances and compartment dimensions; Mechanical systems scope and referenced code compliance (IMC and IFGC); Elevator hoistway enclosures, lobbies, and opening protection requirements; Elevator emergency operations and standby power requirements; Fire service access elevators and occupant evacuation elevator provisions; Conveying systems: escalators, moving walks, conveyors, and personnel hoists.
Electrical Systems 3 items
Our study plan for this topic: Grounding and bonding requirements (electrodes, conductors, jumpers, and connections); Overcurrent protection: fuses, circuit breakers, ratings, and location in circuit; Branch circuit requirements: voltage limitations, ratings, GFCI protection, and AFCI protection; Service entrance conductors and equipment: installation, clearances, and disconnecting means; Load calculations for branch circuits, feeders, and services; Wiring methods and materials: conductor types, raceways, boxes, and physical protection; Emergency and standby power systems: transfer equipment, wiring, capacity, and IBC requirements; Feeder design and installation: sizing, overcurrent protection, and equipment grounding conductors.
Procurement and Contracting Requirements 31 items
Our study plan for this topic: Contract types: lump-sum, unit-price, and cost-plus agreements; Required contract elements: offer, acceptance, consideration, competent parties, and legal purpose; Contract provisions: payment terms, progress payments, retainage, and final payment; Change orders and contract modifications; Alternative dispute resolution: negotiation, mediation, and arbitration; Bonding requirements: bid, performance, payment, and maintenance bonds; Bidding process: bid documents, ethics, and bid submission requirements; Subcontractor agreements and insurance verification requirements.
Sample 1 — Procurement and Contracting Requirements
Question: You hire a tile setter who uses his own tools but works full-time at your construction sites, follows your specifications, uses materials you supply, and does not hold himself out to perform services for others. Under IRS guidelines, which factor is MOST indicative that this worker is an employee rather than an independent contractor?
- A. The worker has an oral agreement rather than a written contract
- B. The worker performs services in the order you designate and does not offer services to the relevant market
- C. The worker owns personal hand tools used on the job
- D. The worker is paid on a piecework basis rather than hourly
Correct Answer: B
Under IRS guidelines, when a worker performs services in the order designated by the business, according to its specifications, and does not hold himself out to perform similar services for others, these behavioral-control and type-of-relationship factors strongly indicate an employer-employee relationship. Owning personal tools, being paid piecework, or having an oral agreement alone are not determinative. The IRS example of Milton Manning illustrates this classification.
Reference: NASCLA Contractors Guide (14th ed.), Chapter 10 — Employee or Independent Contractor: IRS Guidelines section
Sample 2 — General Requirements
Question: Which of the following elements is required to be included in an OSHA emergency action plan?
- A. A diagram of the nearest hospital route from each work location
- B. A schedule for monthly evacuation drills at each active jobsite
- C. A list of all subcontractors and their insurance policy numbers
- D. Procedures for accounting for all employees after an evacuation
Correct Answer: D
The emergency action plan must include procedures for: reporting a fire or other emergency, emergency evacuation, employees who remain for critical operations before evacuating, accounting for all employees after evacuation, and employees performing rescue or medical duties. The plan should also include the name or job title of the plan administrator.
Reference: NASCLA Contractors Guide (14th ed.), Chapter 11 — Emergency Action Plan section
Sample 3 — Site Construction
Question: A geotechnical investigation for compacted fill more than 12 inches deep under shallow foundations must include specifications for which of the following site-related activities?
- A. Stabilization of adjacent structures before compaction begins
- B. Installation of permanent dewatering wells beneath the fill
- C. Preparation of the site prior to placement of compacted fill material
- D. Removal of all vegetation within 50 feet of the foundation
Correct Answer: C
Per IBC Section 1803.5.8, Item 1, the geotechnical investigation must include specifications for the preparation of the site prior to placement of compacted fill material. This ensures the subgrade is properly prepared before fill is placed and compacted in lifts.
Reference: IBC 2021 Section 1803.5.8
Treat your first attempt as a checkup, not a verdict. After every attempt, the results page breaks your score down by outline topic, so you can see which topics need work. Compare your score with the real exam's passing score, a minimum score of 73, and keep practicing until you pass consistently.
- Answer what you know first. Go through every question once, answer the ones you know, and bookmark the rest. Our practice exams let you bookmark and come back.
- Come back to your bookmarks. Work them out on your second pass.
- Watch your pace. The real exam works out to about 2 minutes 37 seconds per question.
- Look up every miss. After each attempt, find each missed question's reference in your book and read the section.
| Questions | 115 questions |
| Time limit | 5 hours |
| Passing score | a minimum score of 73 |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | $53 |
- 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.
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.